Your Biggest Tool Purchase Mistakes?

[Bob Vaughan]

A Makita 3 HP plunge router.  I got it in hopes of replacing my Porter Cable 514 2-1/2 HP router that I had to hand plunge into 3/4 birch plywood and cut out a pattern.  The Makita cut about 1/8 of a circle and stalled.  It might suck up 3 HP worth of juice but it doesn't put it down where the bit meets the wood.  To boot, it was flimsy and deflected under load.  Lesson learned.

[EdL]

Shaper here also...it doesn't get used for what I build.  Got a heck of a deal on it, the space it takes up is no big deal. Still has my footprints on the table from adjusting the clock above it.  


Ed

[cputnam]

All things made by Black & Decker

[KLaz]

Delta X-5 Unisaw. I've told this story too many times here. Death by normal use.

Really?  Why?

Had mine for close to 20 years.  Mine was a made in the USA model, but haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

[KLaz]

All things made by Black & Decker

You must not have purchased anything from B&D in the 90's.  Still have my Saw Cat, 3/8 drill and drywall gun and all three are going strong to this day.

[gMike]

Jointer which sits in the corner and gathers dust.  I just never use it.  Good thing I bought it used so I don't have a ton of money in it.

[Aram]

Really?  Why?

Had mine for close to 20 years.  Mine was a made in the USA model, but haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

Why? First, Delta. Second, the saw.

I bought the saw new in 2004 (? 2005?). One day,  I stripped the arbor threads -- probably my fault --  but by that time, Delta (in whatever incarnation it was in at the time) didn't stock any parts. A friend with a machine shop turned new threads for me. A few years later, I could barely raise the blade. Disassembly showed that the lift rack teeth were trashed. I took care of the saw, ran DC from a cyclone, kept it clean. No replacement was available, and my top-of-the-line recent-model saw was a giant paperweight.

It was ridiculous. It was a great saw when it ran.

I've been running a mid 80s Powermatic PM66 ever since. Not one problem ever, even though dust removal is worthless, and one might expect more wear on parts.

[Admiral]

Grizzly wet sander. What a POS!
Good thing it was very inexpensive but still a pile!

HA!  I think I bought two or three different wet wheel sharpeners, all were a POS; finally broke down and bought a Tormek which 15 years later is still as good as the day I bought it.

[fredhargis]

I've a list of small hand (power) tools I shouldn't have bought...maybe even a few accessories. But for big tools, I'd have to say the dumbest thing I did was spending the money to go with 5HP on my Sawstop as opposed to 3 HP. I bought the 5 because I could....which turns out to be a very dumb reason.

[KLaz]

Why? First, Delta. Second, the saw.

I bought the saw new in 2004 (? 2005?). One day,  I stripped the arbor threads -- probably my fault --  but by that time, Delta (in whatever incarnation it was in at the time) didn't stock any parts. A friend with a machine shop turned new threads for me. A few years later, I could barely raise the blade. Disassembly showed that the lift rack teeth were trashed. I took care of the saw, ran DC from a cyclone, kept it clean. No replacement was available, and my top-of-the-line recent-model saw was a giant paperweight.

It was ridiculous. It was a great saw when it ran.

I've been running a mid 80s Powermatic PM66 ever since. Not one problem ever, even though dust removal is worthless, and one might expect more wear on parts.

Sucks you had bad luck with the Unisaw.  I'm sure that PM66 is a terrific saw though!