Because you have an addiction to building, fixing, and maintaining, but tools are expensive, below are my top five places for cheap tools (of decent quality).
I know what tools I would like to have. Everyone who works with them develops at least a few ideas about that. I’m no different. I have champagne tastes. But my beer budget demands I be a little reasonable. I have no problem buying new or used. If I need a tool and believe it will provide years of use, I will purchase it.
Some of the used ones require a little elbow grease to get them into shape. Some are barely used. Diamonds in the rough. You need to have at least an idea about what tools are decent quality items and what are complete junk and should be avoided.
You may have to sort through some silliness from sellers. Some of them think that old Craftsman 113 tablesaw is worth hundreds when it hasn’t started in years, the belt is shot (or it is a direct drive), there is no fence, and it will take hours and hours to restore the surface to usable condition. Let them hang on to that one for a while.
Other times, you may see something unusual and in great condition. With a good price attached. That is when you need to be ready to pounce. So, here are my top resources for cheap tools.
Number 5 – Craigslist.
This is where I found my table saw. A 10” Craftsman 113 Contractor Saw. I was on the lookout for one for a while. There were a bunch listed. And like I said in the opening, some were priced well, and some were comical.
This saw had the cast iron wings with the truss-like openings. I like this feature for clamping purposes. It also had the 3HP (sort of) heavier duty motor. This motor is not really 3HP. As indicated on the label, it is 1.5 horsepower. The 3 is just a peak startup power. It also had a good fence. And the asking price was $125.00. Got it for $100.
I’ve also picked up a few hand planes and other tools here. Many of them required some effort to get them back into shape, but the effort was worth it.
Number 4 – Big Box Stores
Bargains rarely happen at the big box home improvement centers. Special holiday sales, discontinued items, and scratch and dent are where you will score some savings.
I picked up one of my torque wrenches during one of the early summer holiday sales. Memorial Day, Father’s Day, or Fourth of July. 50% off. Needed a torque wrench and seeing that price made it a no brainer. Snagged it and tried to let people know that there was a good deal available.
My main tool chest also came from a big box store. This store was transitioning its boxes to a new label that used to be exclusive to Sears so they were getting rid of the boxes with the old branding. And they were more than 50% off. Another sale to jump on. I had been wanting to get a chest like that for years but the prices on even the entry level ones were pretty steep. And those entry level boxes feel like they are entry level.
The box I happened to find was mid-level with the old branding. I was happy to take it off their hands. A 41” wide rolling base and four drawer top for less than the regular price of the base made the decision easy. These sets are now going for about $800.00 with the new branding.
Number 3 – Thrift Stores
Places like The Habitat for Humanity’s Rebuild store and sometimes Goodwill can be a good source. Both take donations from the community and people often drop off old tools when they are cleaning out their garages or getting rid of stuff that was used by a loved one who has passed. When you come across tools in these places, sometimes you find some very high-quality stuff at bargain basement prices. Give those tools a new home and keep them in use.
I found an old Craftsman 113 saw that had all its parts. It had the weaker motor and was in pieces. And there was a part or two in the pile that looked like good add-ons. The part I was most interested in was the blade guard. And it fit my saw. There was also a very old cast iron tenoning jig from the 1940s or 50s for Delta saws.
I purchased it for $50.00. Put it back together while using a few of those parts for my regular saw. Then I sold it for more than I paid for it. And that tenoning jig turned out to be a vintage Delta 1172 jig. They seem to be pretty rare and list on auction sites for a few hundred dollars. I think this kit was worth the price I paid.
Number 2 – DIY
One of my favorite tools is one that I made myself. I was fascinated with hand planes for a while and I came across videos about Krenov style planes. James Krenov made his own planes and people began to follow his lead and make plane in his style. They are relatively simple to make, and the results can be amazing.
I decided to try making my own after looking up a little information online. I found a couple of blades on the cheap at the Habitat Store and picked up some oak boards and a dowel from one of the big box retailers. A little cutting, drilling, chiseling, sanding, and shimming later, I have one of the nicest looking items in my shop. The ergonomics of my homemade plane are not that good, but the bottom is flat, and it shaves wood. Now I just need to work on my technique.
That is just one example of a DIY tool. YouTube is chock full of videos showing people making and using their own tools.
Number 1 – Harbor Freight
This is the Love It or Hate It store. That feeling is probably determined either by the first thing you purchase or the experience of your friends. Here’s the truth. They have some pretty good stuff and they have some absolute junk.
Two purchases I’ve been very happy with are my Daytona Super Duty Pump Jack and my US General Mechanic’s Cart. Now before you say, “I’d never get under a vehicle using a Harbor Freight jack,” just know that I would never get under a vehicle using any jack. That jack is there to get the truck high enough to put it on stands or rotate the tires. And it does a heck of a lot better than the “quality” jack I had that stopped working after the warranty expired and only a handful of uses. Got the jack when it was on sale and it is a bargain even at full price.
As for the mechanic’s cart, I was going to pick that up on sale but they were out of the red version I wanted. The manager was walking by and saw me looking disappointed. Asked if I would be interested in the blue version because he had a damaged box in the storage area. Because of the damage he could let it go for a huge discount. Sold!
When comparing chests and carts, I’ve found their carts to be comparable to the mid-level versions at the big box retailers. Price wise they are (or at least were) closer to the entry level versions. If I need another box in the future, I will certainly consider their offerings.
Two purchases I was unhappy with were a plumber’s auger and their bolstered screw drivers. The auger was lighter duty and smaller diameter than same size offering at the big boxes. It got kinked and was not sturdy enough to snake out the pipe I was trying to clear.
The bolstered screwdrivers are not full tang, so the bolster is just glued inside the handle. You can’t use that socket wrench as advertised. For me, the handle quickly started to spin while the blade of the screwdriver just sat there. Not a complete fail for me. Now they are just used as regular screwdrivers and they do have magnetic tips.
When it comes to their gear, read & watch reviews, and put your hands on it. If it feels like garbage, it probably is. They are hit or miss, but you can stack the odds of a getting a decent product in your favor. Their prices are hard to beat.
Bonus #1 – Neighbors’ Junk
I have great neighbors. I should say, had. The neighbor on one side of me was downsizing, moving to a condo. He had an older snowblower that hadn’t been started in at least five years. It had a couple of broken parts. Asked me if I wanted it since the association takes care of snow removal.
Heck, yeah! I’ll give it a shot. If I can’t get it started, it can go on Craigslist for free. A scrapper or another tinkerer will pick it up. But I’m going to give it a go first. For about $30.00 in parts (new carb and primer bulb) and some cleaning of the spark plug and other items, I got a new to me snowblower. The first time I tried to start it after maintenance, it fired up on the second pull. Ever since then, it fires up on the first.
The neighbor on the other side moved as well. I hope I’m not losing neighbors because I am the bad neighbor and don’t realize it! Anyway, he was in the same position with a power washer. He was moving and looking to get rid of stuff that wasn’t working or being used anymore. He hasn’t started it in years and is not sure if it works anymore. I figured out the snowblower, so I will give this a shot as well.
As people start to know you tinker with stuff, they will begin to give you first crack at it. You will wind up with some useful tools or happy neighbors if you fix something for them. By the way, the new neighbors all seem very nice as well.
Bonus #2 – Family and Friends
If your family is always asking you for gift ideas, let them know you have your eye on a tool. Now you have to be a little realistic here. Telling your family about some super high-priced item is probably not going to help you. But if you need some clamps, a saw blade, or a set of screwdrivers, that is something people can easily get on board with. You will appreciate the gift and they will appreciate the gift ideas.
Conclusion
There are bargains to be found when you need to get tools. Some will be new, some used. If you have an idea about quality, you can sniff out some great items that will last you a long time and save you money at the same time. Like many things, it just may require a little luck and some elbow grease.
