Who makes quality hand tools, power tools, lawn and garden equipment?

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dogwood

dogwood

Minister of Fire
Hearth Supporter
Mar 22, 2009
825
Western VA
What are current quality name brands in hand tools, power tools, and lawn and garden equipment? I have been sorely disappointed by old favorites like Stanley, Dewalt, Delta, John Deere, Stihl, and others. Never cared for Craftsman tools. I have heard that Snap-on, Proto Professional, Festool, Bosch, Milwaukee, and Porter Cable still make quality merchandise.

I'd like to find quality alternatives to SnapOn, as they're just so pricey, and am looking to start buy some floor standing woodworking equipment such as planers, jointers, bandsaws, and the like. Have heard a lot of these type companies like Powermatic and Dellta have relocated to China and Mexico with poor result. I don't know what brands to trust anymore, and would appreciate any advice.
 
As much as I hate to spend the money, I like MAC tools and the snap on end wrenches are hard to beat I have been dragging around the same pair of pliers on my hip since high school, they have been to several continents, and they still are sharp and tight (well worth the $35 to the snap on man in 2002). for cordless tools we love milwakee and Makita (for chainsaws too).

Lawn and garden: we have a land pride mower ZTR almost the same vintage as the above mentioned pliers, that mowed commercial for a few years, then about 5 acres a week since, with no major repairs, I will never have any other brand of mower, period. we like echo for weed eaters, leaf blowers etc. affordable and a 5 year warranty is great.

As far as woodworking goes, we have had great luck with evolution miter saws and circular saws, they are just tough, and can cut steel or wood with nails if need be, and one of their plants is in Davenport IA, about an hour from here, great customer service and product support. All of my other woodworking tools are at least 20 years older than me, and I would not trade them for new on my life.

IMO harbor freight is not a tool store, it is a cheap shortcut to an expensive ER visit.
 
Thanks taylor farms. I've never owned a Mac tool. I'll have to check them out. I inherited or purchased most of my way too many hand carpentry tools decades ago, starting in the '60's, and haven't had problems with any, but the levels. Never heard of a Land Pride mower before, outside of Kubota tractor implements. I pull a Rhino bush hog behind a Kioti tractor to do our pasture. That bush hog is built like a brick. I'd not heard of Evolution products either. Thanks again for your advice.

Mike
 
New Dewalt made in the USA cordless impacts and drills are hard to beat. Light weight and they just keep on working.

Stihl pro saws are also hard to beat. I do like Echo's small arborist saws.

As far as mechanic tools. Williams, Armstrong, Blackhawk, proto, and Blue Point are quality "generic" lines of Mac & Snap-on. Spend your money on Snap-on rachets and buy cheaper sockets. I've had good luck buying quality tools at pawn shops and flea markets to keep that cost down.

Made in the USA Channel lock pliers,wire strippers, channel locks, snap ring pliers are all great. I get new Channel lock stuff every year for Christmas.

Typically Made in the USA is your best bet to long term satisfaction with hand tools.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Ryobi suites me fine. Easy on the wallet also. Husky & Kobalt tools from the two box stores are fairly inexpensive, and also serve me well.
 
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one Kobalt item that I am really impressed with is their 25 ft. tape measure! we have some at the sawmill and log yard and they seem to hold up very well AND if you bust it just take it back and get a replacement no charge
 
Best idea for stationary woodworking tools is buy used older name brands. Delta still makes a few US tools but most are offshored. New Unisaws still appear to be well built and get good reviews. Powermatic is totally offshored but they seem to have quality control at the factory. The functionality of power tools hasn't changed for a real long time, unless the tools have been abused, the only thing you may have to rebuild is a motor and usually the only reason a motor is no good is if the feeder circuit was too small. The older motors are usually made to be rebuilt and usually just need bearings. A very important thing to note is there is lot of old commercial and industrial equipment floating around, its usually heavy duty but a lot of it is three phase equipment. Few folks have three phase power so they either need a new motor or they need a phase converter. A new motor may or may not be simple as some motors like table saw motors are usually custom frames so they don't interchange with standard frames. Other motors are standard frames and usually can be swapped. About the biggest electric motor you can drive with 220 volt single phase AC is 3 HP and even that is pushing it. The alternative is a three phase converter. They used to be quite complex but you can now by a variable speed drive that uses single phase input and puts out 3 phase output. They are a nice solution as they normally can be set up for a slow speed startup which reduces current inrush compared to across the line starting. One thing that has improved is the fence systems on table saws. The Biesemeyer fence is major improvement over older standard fences. Note Delta did make lower grade contractor table saws for years that were good for what they were designed for but no substitute for a cabinet saw. I haven't been in the market for new stationary tools for quite a few years but in my area, there were a couple of dealers that would snap up older woodworking equipment from places like Craigslist and would resell them, they basically just clean them up, fix basic issues and resell them.

One hint for getting good equipment is to keep an eye out for estate sales. There really is no good substitute for heavy duty construction and that means the tools weigh a lot and are difficult to move. If you have a heavy duty appliance dolly, basic rigging tools and truck that you can load you frequently can get deals. The reality is the market for stationary power tools for a homeowner is dropping precipitously, few millennials have ever had shop class and the few who did would prefer to go to a "maker space" where they can share tools and socialize. There is lot of old very good equipment sitting in the basements of homes where the husband has passed and no one in the family wants the equipment. If you go in with cash and are equipped to move it right then and there, cash talks. Usually the sellers will throw in the accessories including the tooling.

Generally a good indication for stationary woodworking tools is its crap if Home Depot or Lowes stocks it. The old firms like Delta have prostituted themselves by making home owner grade junk just to skim some of the market but its usually just offshored stuff with US logo.

I know a few folks who have had good luck with Grizzly tools, its all off shore production but they do seem to do some quality control. That said I have met two folks over the years who have had to return equipment due to obvious defects. The replacements were fine but its obvious that they don't have full control over their suppliers.

Milwaukee corded power tools still seem to be high quality but I have been bit disappointed with the quality of the cordless tools. They still look good and work but its obvious that they are built to a slightly lower standard. Corded Milwaukee tools can be repaired but its usually not worth it as the mark up on parts and the cost for labor makes it not worth it.
 
Snap on, Mac and matco are the best when it comes to hand tools. Stepping down from that price point I like the Carlyle tools from napa and the kobalts from lowes. Their of lesser quality but guaranteed for life and all you have to do is run them into the local store for replacement.
I like STIHL pro chainsaws.
I like John Deere and shidawia lawn equipment.
I'm all over the place with power tools.


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Good advice above about older equipment. Many quality tools available that are 50 years old and will last another 100. Old cast iron drill presses and joiners and vises, etc. Can be had for short bucks.
 
I totally agree on buying used. Remember that Snapon, Mac & Matco are usually lifetime warranty.
EVERY manufacturer has some great quality lines and some not so great, the trick is finding what is what. Ask questions and look close at them. Pay attention on how a tool feels in your hand. On line reviews you take with a grain of salt.
Greg
 
As far as lawn and garden tools I have bought more than just Fiskars axes over the years and found they make good products at fair prices.
 
Thank you Buzzsaw, Hogwildz, lost in the woods, StihlKicking, Jags, peakbagger, greg13 and jatoxico for all your advice. I appreciate the advice to look for older stuff at estate sales, flea markets and pawn shops. I've some old Milwaukee and even a larger Black and Decker drill that will last forever, purchased that way. Didn't know Black and Decker ever made quality power tools prior to that purchase. Jatoxico, didn't know Fiskars made equipment outside of axes, thanks. Wonder if they make a mattock? Greg13 and StihlKicking, I'll look into Mac and Matco lines. Stihl's chainsaws still seem a good bet, I use my MS 362 all the time, Their Chinese made carbs on their weed-eaters aren't worth a damn.

Jags, you're right about those old cast iron tools lasting. My first experience with Chinese junk was the purchase of a vise. It has but one moving part and they managed to make that bind. My late Dad's vise from the year one continues to work perfectly, unfortunately at by my brother-in-law's house. Buzzsaw, you're lucky to get Channelocks every Christmas. That's all I have in pliers and the like, other than one set of Bluepoint tongue and grooves. Makes for a nice display hanging on the wall in the garage. Inherited some of my grandpa's old William's box end wrenches as well, although some of them are stripped.

Peakbagger, appreciate your advice on three phase equipment, especially the 3-phase converters. Any particular models I could look into? Also, I've heard like you, Powermatic's quality control in Asia has deteriorated. I've been looking at some of their older floor-standing equipment on eBay, but have to figure out what year they stated declining. I was looking at their current model bandsaw at the local Woodcraft Supply outlet. They told me to avoid the Powermatic model, but instead recommended some brands I was unfamiliar with. (Laguna?, maybe was one of them). I usually don't trust salespeople anyway. Built my house largely with an older Delta contractor table saw and an Hitachi compound miter saw. Always wanted a Unisaw with a Biemeyer fence. I wonder if Grizzly might be one of the companies selling stationary woodworking equipment that comes out of a factory in Taiwan and is relabeled as various other brands.

Peakbagger, I'll keep my eyes open for estate or private sales. I purchased an old pallet jack to move my wood boiler, that may come in handy moving heavier equipment. Good tip. I didn't know shop classes have disappeared. What a shame. Before Delta started making second rate equipment, I always wanted to replicate our old High School wood shop's floor-standing Delta equipment at home. That's the only part of school I liked. Never heard of a "maker space" either.

Thanks again all.

Mike
 
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dogwood said:
Their Chinese made carbs on their weed-eaters aren't worth a damn.
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Their lower end stuff uses Chinese components some are even Chinese made but their pro stuff is still very good

As far as wood working equipment goes. I have allot of grizzly stuff mainly because I live 30 mins from a showroom (that they just closed) And they do have good stuff they also have junk you really have to be careful buying from them. Last I heard General still made very good tools. And there is allot of very good woodworking equipment that comes from Germany and some from Italy.

As far as handheld power tools go I use only Milwaukee cordless tools they work well and have a fantastic warantee. If they break within 5 years they will fix it. We use our tools very hard so they will break and it is nice to know we can send them back and get them fixed for free. For corded stuff I have some Milwaukee allot of Bosch and some Dewalt. I try to stay away from Dewalt but we use their angle grinders because no matter what grinder we buy we will destroy them cutting out mortar joints so we get the Dewalts that are readily available and relatively cheap
 
bholler said:
And there is allot of very good woodworking equipment that comes from Germany and some from Italy.
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Bholler, any name brand recommends from Germany or Italy? Maybe Festool comes from Germany. I haven't had many cordless tools so appreciate knowing that Milwaukee's come with 5 years guarantees. I've got a Dewalt angle grinder too. So far so good. even on a few mortar joints.

Mike
 
I have a $30 Ryobi corded drill that has mixed the thinset and grout for two floors and several hundred pounds of mortar for various projects. It's kind of amazing that such a cheap tool takes that kind of abuse. I mean, I would expect a $200 Milwaukee drill to mix my mortar without catching fire, but a $30 one? :)
 
As to the OP's question, I find that brand is not a useful indication of quality. I see the same tool with the same brand made a few years apart; one is nice and one is poor quality. (It's also quite possible that the manufacturer is different; brand doesn't always have anything to do with who made it.)


Here's a great article for those who want a little geekery on the subject.
http://hackaday.com/2016/01/18/whats-in-a-tool-a-case-for-made-in-usa/
http://hackaday.com/2016/01/18/whats-in-a-tool-a-case-for-made-in-usa/
 
dogwood said:
Inherited some of my grandpa's old William's box end wrenches as well, although some of them are stripped.
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Williams tool was bought by snapon, contact them for warranty, they carry a lifetime warranty as well. The only issue may be a sentimental attachment to the tool rather than a functional one. I have a couple of my father's snapon ratchets from the 40's that I have and won't replace since the rebuild parts are not available.

Greg.
 
dogwood. depending on how much 3 phase demand you have you might be able to get a console style phase generator, for larger stuff we have ROTO-PHASE made by arco, we have used others, but they are the best, most efficient (usable power wise), and most reliable IMO. I know of a neighbor that replaced a worn out pivot, that still runs the roto-phase that it came with

it will probably be cheaper in the long run to change motors out to single phase in reality though. by the time you buy a phase generator and rewire a shop for 3 phase.
 
The Grizzly tools I have seen over the years seem to be a standard pattern sold by other firms. The old Woodworkers Supply equipment looked identical to Grizzly except for the paint job. The motors on the Woodworkers Supply tools were real junk, I remember being in store one time where they were opening up crates of new equipment to supply motors to customers whose motors had failed. Grizzly's claim to fame is that they have QC inspectors at the actual factory's. I have a four post Delta planer that is a Taiwanese import. It was designed by Delta and built pretty well but its obvious that the prints got circulated around as there are many clones. I was looking for a spiral cutter head for that particular model and the same cutter head fits multiple models from different manufacturers. Stationary power tools take a lot of castings and machining and that has mostly gone off shore.

That's the issue that most US manufacturers that outsourced production to China found out, the prints would get sent over and one shop might have done a good job but once the order was filled the shop would keep producing the equipment and would outsource parts to other firms that would cut corners, next thing the US manufacturer would be competing with clones of their own gear. About 30 years ago I went to a big machine tool show in Chicago, Bridgeport was still making milling machines in the US and they had a big fancy display, I went into one of the back halls and there were 5 or 6 Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese companies selling identical looking equipment for 1/4 of the price. Some of them would ship with a crate full of spare parts almost enough to build another Bridgeport.

I don't know enough folks who have bought AC VF drives to recommend a brand. Hard to go wrong with a GE (broken link removed to https://www.wolfautomation.com/products/ac-drives/ac-drive-3hp-230v-single-phase-22350). I know two folks who have bought drives from Automation Direct but it looks like they only go up to 2 HP. Both are still running.
 
Jetsam, interesting article you provided a link to. Greg13, I'll get a kick if Snap-on honors the lifetime warranty on my grandfather's Williams box end wrenches. He might have bought them back in the 1920's or 30's for what I know. I'll post what I find out. Thanks for that tip. Taylor farms, at present I have no 3 phase demand, but peakbagger indicates is that there is some quality used heavy duty stationary equipment out there that I may be able to latch onto if I had 3 phase capacity. I know little about 3 phase, but he was talking about variable speed 3 phase converter. I don't know if that would be the same or different from the Arco console style phase generator or a more economical alternative. We're talking above my my knowledge level here, so I'll need to look into it and its feasibility as I start accumulating more stationary equipment. Thank you for you info on the information on ROTO-PHASE made by arco. I'm really learning something here. Peakbagger thanks for the link to the GE AC VF drive. It's $350 cost isn't prohibitive. At least my wife didn't blanch when I mentioned it and showed her the picture on the site you provided a link to. Interesting info too that Grizzly uses quality control officers on site in Asia. They can't be paying their workers in China anything to be able to sell equipment at one quarter the price of what we can manufacture at home.

Mike
 
My over 20 year old Dewalt XRP 18 volt cordless tools have been flawless. Much of that time they were used and abused daily in a remodeling business. Only complaint is the replacement batteries are expensive. Milwaukee has mostly always been the best but also the heaviest and bulkiest. I like the new line of Stanley mechanic tools sold at Walmart better than the new Craftsman mechanic tools. Snap-on Mac Proto etc are much nicer but way too expensive for me. Delta Contractor table saw is the next best thing to a heavy cabinet saw.
 
greg13 said:
http://www.snaponindustrialbrands.c...nt/PDF/Snap-on-Industrial-Brands-Warranty.pdf

They kind of spell it out here. Just don't expect the same quality that you have now.

Greg
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[Hearth.com] Who makes quality hand tools, power tools, lawn and garden equipment?


Lies!

I mean, pliers are not INTENDED to replace wrenches, I'll give you that one, but you're not taking away my crescent wrammer!
 
The AC VF drives are pretty slick and very efficient, within limitations most electric motors can be run down to about 15 HZ (full speed is 60 HZ) and up to about 75 HZ. The single phase to 3 phase conversion was almost an after thought initially but now they are used frequently for this service. I visit a lot of hospitals who get utility energy efficiency dollars and they have them installed everywhere. The real nice thing is the slow ramp up of speed, most offer the potential to put in just one ramp rate or others have potentiometers to manually speed them up. A normal motor typically pulls 3 times nameplate current when it starts, a VF drive can be setup to stay at nameplate. Not really applicable to a typical stationary power tool but if you are running off a generator it makes big difference, you can get way with a much smaller generator Folks with well pumps can really benefit from them. One trade off is the drive can be electrically "noisy". They are high speed switching power supplies which can put some "chop" in the upper harmonics.

The 1 to 2 HP drives are really low cost especially if you go to Automation Direct. just make sure they have single phase input.
 
Hand tools Mac or Snap-on
I have been a wood worker for 25 years all my machines are
Old Delta , General and Wadkins bersgreen they were all
used and old when I bought them . General and delta are still
around and make good first line machines in there own name
they also make a second line for people like busy bee and others .
 
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