PC/DeWalt

[Tony Z]

Cabinet Monkey made some spot on points, with one in particular that is true: young customers not wanting outdated designs for the same price as Festool. The old designs are still good, but the new, for the same price, are so much better!

I happen to make parts for some of the companies mentioned and have been in many of their plants. If any here remember the old Porter Cable circular saws (heavy duty, professional), all of the bronze retaining washers were made in my plant. Over the 25 years, I’ve made well over a million of what is called a “mag ring” for battery powered tools. This encircles the stator. That’s just two of many parts. The old designs were robust and heavy. Newer designs much lighter.

One final point I would like to make: battery power is the direction of the entire industry. Technology/design have battery tools virtually identical in power to corded.

[Gary G™]

I have 2 of the PC heavy duty circular saws—one left, one right.
They’re monsters.

The new ones are junk.

[Tony Z]

I have 2 of the PC heavy duty circular saws—one left, one right.
They’re monsters.

The new ones are junk.

If you have one with the bronze washer under the bolt (has two nubs sticking up), I made those. Probably have a thousand or so, still laying around somewhere.

[briman87]

isn't the PC stuff now sold exclusively at Tractor Supply?

my local store doesn't have that much of it in stock.

I saw that as well in a youtube commercial. Sad that such a great company brand has been dropped so low. I wouldn't even say they are homeowner grade now.

[KC]

I saw that as well in a youtube commercial.  Sad that such a great company brand has been dropped so low.  I wouldn't even say they are homeowner grade now.

I don't know what 'grade' my old DeWalt ROS was/is, but the new PC is exactly the same, from everyhing I can see.  I expect the Dewalt was 15 years old, maybe more.

[kurt18947]

I don't know what 'grade' my old DeWalt ROS was/is, but the new PC is exactly the same, from everyhing I can see.  I expect the Dewalt was 15 years old, maybe more.

The shell may well be the same, I wonder about the internals. I don't know of a way to determine that short of tearing them both down. Maybe somebody at a service center would know.

[Mike in kc]

I have A LOT of PC tools, all bought before 2005 or so, and they all seem to have passed the test of time, reliability and durability.    I have Bosch, Hitachi, Milwaukee and other brands as well but my PC tools are amongst the oldest WW tools.