Topic: Help me pick a birthday present

[Jake]

well, what hobbies do you have Obes? There was a thread of you talking about woodworking? maybe some chisels, or a power tool? another hand tool you wish you had in your collection?

Start with the hobbies though. That always seems to work when I buy gifts or when I'm asked what I want.

[ober]

I'm pretty stocked on the tools I need... until I wander around a hardware section of any major store.  The ones I really want (miter saw, etc.) are out of the price range.  My other hobbies are mainly video games and sports... don't really need much for either of those.

[Steve]

I'm pretty stocked on the tools I need... until I wander around a hardware section of any major store.  The ones I really want (miter saw, etc.) are out of the price range.  My other hobbies are mainly video games and sports... don't really need much for either of those.

Don't forget about Harbor Freight. For people like Jake, they are kind of out because he uses his tools (I presume) constantly. But for the average person who uses them a few times a month around the house they can last a long time. My HF chop saw, sandblaster, and welder have all lasted me for years. And it's cheap.

[Rob]

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha-F335-Acoustic-Guitar-102919487-i1166364.gc

[ober]

I would totally get the black one...

[Jake]

sorry to stray away from your thread Ober, but this is a PSA: stay away from harbor freight tools. Especially when you're buying a tool for home use. You should always buy well made tools; typically a tool will be at a home for many years, life time even, so why not by something that will actually work when you need it?

I've heard many horror stories about the harbor shit place; I only have one - I bought some 40 inch clamps and both locking mechanisms broke on the first use!

[Steve]

sorry to stray away from your thread Ober, but this is a PSA: stay away from harbor freight tools. Especially when you're buying a tool for home use. You should always buy well made tools; typically a tool will be at a home for many years, life time even, so why not by something that will actually work when you need it?

I've heard many horror stories about the harbor shit place; I only have one - I bought some 40 inch clamps and both locking mechanisms broke on the first use!

I think a lot of those complaints come from misuse. My Hi-Lift jack from there is five years old, works fine. My MIG welder is almost eight years old, and has seen many hours of use with no issues. My chop saw, no issues. The only thing I bought there that was super cheap was some wrenches, but I expected that.

It's a perfectly acceptable place to get power tools for the average persons use when they do not have or cannot justify hundreds of dollars. In fact I know of someone who almost got injured when a safety mechanism on a Craftsman power tool failed to operate. It happens.

Two words:

Real Doll.