On 07/02/2017 01:03 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote:
On 07/01/2017 10:27 PM, Tony Duell via cctalk wrote:
I was told years ago that in general the thinner-wall sockets are better
quality -- they have to be made from stronger steel alloy to work at
all. Obviously there are exceptions....
It wouldn't surprise me if some of the cheaper stuff was made from pot
metal. I encountered a small Chinese adjustable wrench that was, in
fact, made just that way with a nice chromium plating. I think it was
intended to be more decorative than functional.
Yes, I expect that's the case. This socket I got for the M feels heavy
enough to be real metal, but I still doubt it can be that high quality for
$3! Still, it did the job and the keyboard's all nice and clean again
(although when I opened it up I found that several of the heat stakes are
no longer doing their thing, so it may need some TLC in the near future)
The quality of tools has declined. It used to be that Sears Roebuck
"Craftsman" hand tools were among the best and were sold with an
unconditional warranty. Not so any more.
Their power tools weren't bad, either - I've got a few old ones kicking
around bought from yard sales etc. because it's nice to have a backup, and
they seem to be quite robust.
I once got a pair of electrician's pliers caught between the yoke and
body of a 6" pneumatic cylinder. Snapped the handles right off, it did.
That's impressive. I actually grabbed a pair of cheapo Masterforce
lineman's pliers (i.e. same brand as the socket I got for the model M) as a
spare pair for when I can't find my good ones, and the pivot started going
bad after only a few uses.
The problem I have these days is that you just don't get what you pay for -
throwing more money at a tool doesn't seem to equate to better quality, and
a lot of the high end stuff's using weak plastic parts or sharing the same
motors and such with the lower-end products. I can never decide whether to
buy new and deal with short lifespan, or buy old and put time/effort into
fixing any wear.
The local Sears store replaced the pliers without questioning--
although they did marvel at the damage.
I don't think we have a Sears here any more, at least not a real one. They
moved a few years ago and I think the new one just sells fridges and things
like that.
cheers
Jules
