Brand Loyalty?

How many of you guys tend to only buy one particular brand? I was working in my shop today and was looking at all of the different tools brands I have. Milwaukee, Delta, Makita, Porter-Cable, Dewalt, Hitachi, Mastercraft(a brand from a chain called Canadian Tire for our american neibours), Black and Decker and one or two no-name chinese made tools like my metal cutting bandsaw I bought for 200 bucks.

I try to spread my tool buying dollar around. Does brand loyalty mean anything to you?

Reply to
User
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Brand loyalty means easy profits for the company you choose. Brand loyalty means that you do not research your purchases enough.

Reply to
Leon

I have Powermatic, Delta, Dewalt, Hobart, Honda, Porter-Cable, Jet Rockwell, Makita, Black and Decker, Craftsman, SK, Mac, Paslode, Senco and some other stuff if I think harder. I do like Bosch, older Delta/Rockwell and Powermatic.

I do have a bit of a positive emotional response using my Bosch 1581VS jigsaw. I think I have liked every Bosch tool I have used. Routers, sanders and saws.

No Ryobi.

I have more tools than I need. My wants are a different issue. My tools are sometimes thoughtful purchase but also bottom feeding. I have a bunch of stuff from a going out of business sale. I have some Delta/Rockwell tools from the 80's that were in a storage shed. My friend worked for an industrial design firm and they were doing some stuff after Rockwell became Delta. I think that was a trip and a half in the back of the Toyota. I like sales so that sometimes influences purchases as long as the tool meets some need.

"User" wrote:

Reply to
Jim Behning

My loyalty is to myself. While good brands tend to be good brands on all tools, there is always an exception or feature that will make another seem better for my use.

My favorite suppliers are: Lee Valley Coastal Tool I try to buy from them because of the good service and prices, but others may have what I need when I need it.

I probably have a tool from most every major maker. I have a Bosch router on my bench, but I'm sure I'd be happy with a PC, Milwaukee, or a few others. At the time the Bosch was on sale. I have a PC brand nailer and compressor because it was a good value, but when I wanted a staple gun, I went with Bostitch. I have at least three Delta and DeWalt tools, one Jet, my planes are Stanley (should have spent more for a Veritas), Veritas, Knight. one Ridged, one Panasonic, two Ryobi (there will never be a third).

Router bits I have Lee Valley, Whiteside, Jesada, Freud, Woodcraft (the $5 ones), Infinity.

Saw Blades: Delta (came with the saw) , Ridge Carbide (a 40T combo and a dado) Freud Diablo, DW that came with the miter saw.

And the list goes on.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Nope. My shop is a mix of Jet, Grizzly, Craftsman, Delta, Dewalt, Black&Decker, and Bosch. I read the reviews on each piece of equipment I'm considering, I read the boards and forums, epinions.com, check the magazine reviews, then consider cost vs features to get the best return on investment. No buyers remorse, and I think I have a pretty well equipped shop.

bill

Reply to
Bill Otten

I think I try to buy the best tool for the buck on whatever tool I'm looking at, but I happened to notice the other day that I'm getting a lot of black plastic Porter Cable boxes laying about the shop. I also have Dewalt, Grizzly, Craftsman and Delta tools, but there's definitely a proliferation of PC tools.

I think it's just coincidence.

-Phil Crow

Reply to
phildcrowNOSPAM

I have a mix of many brands with no particular layalty to any. However, I have been burned by a couple brands and I avoid their products.

Dick

Reply to
Richard Cline

I own stuff from lots of manufactures, but I'm partial to Delta, Bosch and Milwaukee and Freud. What this means to me is that these are the brand I'll look at first. But many things factor into a final decision, features, quality, price.

I've needed to replace/install 15 door thresholds in my home. I made them from wood, and needed to drill through concrete for anchors to install the thresholds. I have two cordless drills, that just won't do it (not the right tool for the job). I went shopping for a hammer drill, looked at a Bosch and a Milwaukee, brought home a Hitachi for about 1/3 the price. Did exactly what I wanted, don't know if I'll ever need it again. If this is something that I would use often, that may have changed my decision (although the Hitachi was impressive, and on sale for $59.99 at the borg)

Reply to
Nicky

"User" wrote in news:QMOWd.590205$6l.564988@pd7tw2no:

...

No, I've got a hodgepodge of different tools. Dewalt, Jet, Grizzly, Sunhill, Delta. I'll never buy anything by Ryobi again.

I do have loyalty to certain suppliers. If the item's obtainable locally and isn't at too high a premium, I'll buy locally. Otherwise if it's mail order I try to buy from Lee Valley or Highland Hardware.

Reply to
Nate Perkins

The pros I go to for advise (shipwrights) believe that certain companies do a better job than others for a particular type of tool - Milwaukee for drills, PC for routers, etc. I want the best tool so I take their advise. Brand loyalty doesn't make much sense to me.

Reply to
Bernoulli

It's been my experience that almost any company can make a good tool once, but just because they did doesn't mean you should trust them a few years later. They seem to go in cycles. Black & Decker is one example. My old SawCat circular saw is great. It was the 'Pro' or 'Contractor' grade at one point. Then anything under a B&D label became consumer quality & Dewalt became the contractor quality. I still have a deck screw gun (1/2 the rpms, twice the torque of the drywall screwgun.) that is just wonderful. I've heard Dewalt isn't so hot anymore, but haven't looked into it.

I try to research every tool & buy from the company that meets my needs. Sometimes I don't have the budget, other times I want top quality no matter what the cost.

Other times it's design that drives me - or should. I have a Porter Cable jig saw that is perfect except for one defect - it tends to blow the sawdust right at my face. A friend's jigsaw, similar in design blows it to the right of the saw - away from my face. Live & learn.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

I tend to stick with the Vintage brand.

UA100

Reply to
Unisaw A100

Nope. The recommendations of other woodworkers and magazines such as Fine Woodworking mean a lot more. I've got Delta, Ridgid, Rikon, Milwaukee, Penn State, JDS, and Porter Cable all well represented. With the exception of the air handling stuff, I've got multiple tools from the different manufacturers I've listed. I don't just buy what they have on the shelf as a matter of expediency. I tend to go after specific models that I've read about.

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

I'd advise you to take their advice.

The Spelling Police

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

What he said.

Barry

Reply to
B a r r y

With my battery operated tools i tend to buy the same yellow 18v tools just so Im not playing with several different battery chargers and batteries. Anyone else find themselves doing this?

Reply to
Don

"_All_else_ being equal", I'll make the buying decision based on brand-name. (Previous good experience with the brand (or manufacturer support) gets an up-check. Previous bad experience gets a down-check.)

Note: It is *rare* that "all else" =is= equal; thus rarely is "brand" the _determining_ factor in my purchases.

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 02:13:04 GMT, the inscrutable "User" spake:

Sometimes. I have 5 Grizzly tools. Two I bought new (bandsaw and DC) because they were the best price/performance. I received their little trim router as a gift for that purchase. After seeing them and finding quality, the next purchases were a used Griz planer and the new Shop Fox mortiser. I haven't been let down at all.

I also have Makita, Skil, B&D, Crapsman, Chiwanese Generic, Porter Cable, and Harbor Freight corded and cordless tools.

Other than a very high respect and penchant for Grizzly, I don't have any brand loyalties. The many complaints from Jet and Delta owners here weaned me from considering or getting attached to those companies. The merger news (for several sets of companies in the past decade) was horrid and customer service suffered for everyone. Happily, none of my tools (purchasing or owned) was affected.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 11:48:04 GMT, the inscrutable "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" spake:

You took the words right out of my mouth, Morty.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

Reply to
Phisherman

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