Cheap Chinese tools

[Birdseye]

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ah Lidl, now there's a proper tool shop if ever

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Yup! Buy cheap and you buy twice!

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True, but since you are buying at something like 10% of the price at high quality tools shop, its far more economic. Got to be careful anyway - how much of the price is for the bosch name and how much for the tool?

Just like marine clothing where much of it is made in Chinese factories and its the brand name you are paying for not the garment.

 

[Impaler]

You should see the prices in our local B&Q out here in Shenzhen!!

 

[Sans Bateau]

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They only supply what we buy

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You are right, the retailers are fighting each other to have the lowest prices, greedy human nature only fuels this.

Some of the links that have been offered show mitre tools at around £80, personally I would rather pay £80 for something that will last and do a job than to own a pile of metal that is destined for land fill.

Problem is choice is disappearing.

The Chinese WILL eventually make good quality goods, at a price dictated by them, by then though the UK European manufactures will have gone, no one to compete.

 

[steve_cronin]

Your reply.......

should be posted in letters five feet high on the front gate of every self deluding Cinophile that posts on these forums.

This continued living on cheap chineese goods that cause excess waste by needing to be scrapped and replaced after a very short life, both at huge consumptions of dirty energy, needs stopping and stopping NOW.

Steve cronin

 

[Marmalade]

B&Q have realised that many people buy such tools for one job only - if the tool is expensive they won't bother hence the proliferation of cheapies. Having said that I bought a B&Q mitre saw some years ago for skirting board and it worked fine. Also my B&Q £12.99 angle grinder is still going strong after 3 years (used for cutting welded schackles off mooring chain). Can't complain about that!

 

[pelicanpete]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

My Chinese plumb-bob works a treat /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[graham]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

I have found that cheap tools sink just as quickly as Decent ones when I drop them off the pontoon. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Fr J Hackett]

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Not a modern day phenomenon. John Ruskin (19th cent. poet) had this to say:

"There is hardly anything in this world that some man can not make a little worse and sell a little cheaper.

The people who consider price only are that mans lawful prey"

It is unfortunate that in persuing their shortsighted greed or stupidity that they will drag us all (some kicking and screaming) into a third world country with all that it entails. Because of it some (the poor) will suffer the most!

enough said

 

[andy01842]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

I have brought quite a lot of “cheap” tools not the Chinese plastic cheeses tools but tools like power craft tools from Aldi. Most of these tools cannot be beat at the price. I would put 8 off £10 angel grinders up against one £80 pound bosh, especially when it gets borrowed and they forget the “back”! The £10 one comes with a spare set of brushes which I have never needed. Some tools need to be good quality, my 10 and 13mm spanners are snap-on they get a lot of hard use. De-Walt drills for over £200 are not that much better than the £30 ones I have worn out both and the cheap ones are in the long run a much better buy, have a look at the price of replacement batteries. I think one has to think how much use will this tool get, should I get cheap and replace or get quality and hope it lasts, will cheap do the job?

 

[Forbsie]

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I've gone down the cheap tool road with little success. Now I'm a Triton Tart. Great tools, great support, lots of safety features, solid and well made. Not the lightest of kit, mind you but not mega-expensive either considering the power of them.

I reckon that if, like me, you haven't got a clue what you're doing, then better tools put you in with a chance of producing a decent result.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

I would suggest that your cheap Aldi tools are of dubious far eastern origin, the question of batteries is a good one, you will not get replacements for the eastern imports and they are of poor quality at best cheap and nasty short life rechargeables in a decent power tool you will get decent long life batteries capable of delivering the power you specify, which will be delivered through a set of metal gears not plastic which will strip the first time you ask the tool to perform to anything like its quoted spec. And how many keyless chucks have you had to throw away because the jaws wear and will not grip?
Its a contentious thread split between those of some engineering background and those that want "best value" the real loosers will be western manufacturing industry and ultimatly its citizens.

 

[Guest]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

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I would suggest that your cheap Aldi tools are of dubious far eastern origin, the question of batteries is a good one, you will not get replacements for the eastern imports and they are of poor quality at best cheap and nasty short life rechargeables in a decent power tool you will get decent long life batteries capable of delivering the power you specify, which will be delivered through a set of metal gears not plastic which will strip the first time you ask the tool to perform to anything like its quoted spec. And how many keyless chucks have you had to throw away because the jaws wear and will not grip?
Its a contentious thread split between those of some engineering background and those that want "best value" the real loosers will be western manufacturing industry and ultimatly its citizens.

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Disagree with the battery replacement ... my local market here has replacement batterys for all sorts - including the real cheapo battery drills I have ... and I'm sure a trawl around town markets in UK will bring up similar ...

 

[andy01842]

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The dewalt drill I used to use at work lasted just over two years came with 3 battery’s all gave up, one gear did not work motor worked some times, out of guarantee, in the bin. The £30 replacement worked for 18 months.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Re: Cheap Chinese tools --- forgot to add ...

Who says a De Walt drill is a good one? try a Makita if and I say if it performed as the DeWalt it would be replaced without question if bought from a reputable supplier. Your reply really only confirms my original post, I am afraid you gets what you pay for in this world.
I promise not to post any more on this topic

 

[Sans Bateau]

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I just replaced the battery on my Makita 9000 series drill, stick type battery, the drill is about 15 years old. When I recently looked to replace my old B&D hammer drill, even the likes of Boch, DeWalt etc, had 'made in China ' on them! The only one that was 'made in UK' was another B&D. Thats the one I bought.

 

[pelicanpete]

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Even though I own DeWalt power tools (and love my impact wrench!), I was perplexed to find that DeWalt is nothing more than a subsidiary of Black and Decker!

 

[alec]

I'am old enough to remember when Japanese products were labled as cheap and nasty but that all changed as we know.

Have to say that I have won more than I have lost when it comes to cheap tools. Many boat owners are shall we say 'economically restricted' and cannot warrant a big pay out to do one particular job. In my case it often means just doing one job. I remember once buying three different 'pullers' to try and get my prop off. All cost about a fiver and the third one worked. A proper puller would have cost around sixty pounds.

Through my experience you can always sell good gear although it may have a smaller market.

It may be fine for engineers who design products that woe the loss but for the poor sods on production lines are where my sympathy lies.I thank god that our British sons and daughters largely don't have to do that anymore.

 

[halcyon]

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It may be fine for engineers who design products that woe the loss but for the poor sods on production lines are where my sympathy lies.I thank god that our British sons and daughters largely don't have to do that anymore.

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What do our British sons and daughters do now ?

All our local ones seem to be builder labouers, work in cafes, or supermarkets, but in all cases no more than a servant at the bottom of the wage ladder. When I gave up engineering in the early 80's, our production workers were on £600 plus a week. If I had a choice of a well paid production job, or filling shelves for £5 an hour, know what I would do.

Brian

 

[Lakesailor]

Very good point. Most youngsters around here will never get a trade job or a well-paid production job. They'll all spend their 20s working in cafes and supermarkets and never be able to afford a home of their own.

 

[halcyon]

Down our way they need to earn 3 times the average wage, and have around £30,000 saving to buy a bottom of the range house. One of the only true trades is Falmouth docks, now employing Polish and other Eastern block works. Claim a shortage in British welders !!!, but the Polish get lower wages. We even have the Polish making Cornish pasties now.

One day the bubble will burst.

Brian