8 tools you should never buy...

[2x4]

anyone see that article on the Yahoo news? Curoius, I bit & found I owned 7 of'em. How many do you own?
 

[bill mart]

here's the link
link

 

[big fred]

I've only got 4 of them, but I very much disagree on the floor stapler. My stapler paid for itself in the first job, and probably twice again in the second. It's a harbor freight unit, but it performed very well.
 

[dave2]

1) small tile saw
2) 2 posthole diggers
3) several hammer drills in different sizes, one is also a chisel (hard to find a "normal" drill) Mine sure never cost 250 bucks tho
4) couple air and an electric paint sprayer (that are useless cause I'm afraid to use them )
5) several 4" and 7" diamond blades
 

[RayP(MI)]

I will never rent or buy a self powered posthole digger - man killers. Takes two very strongmen, and would be better to have three or four. I have tractor mounted PTO driven unit. Holes are a breeze.
 

[glennster]

Have a 3 point post hole auger, airless sprayer, diamond blade for the. Partner saw, hammer drill,j roto tiller and a 75 foot drain auger.
 

[Dick L]

I have the three point post hole auger and have put in several hundred fence posts and built two pole barns as well as pole horse shelters. I used a clam type hand post hole digger to clean the bottom of every hole before dropping a post or pole in the hole. A person can get a lot done in the time they would be running up and down the road renting and returning tools. Hard to get a job done of any size in a short enough time that the rent would be cheap. I choose to buy the tools and machines I need. Not many that I have not used enough to pay for themselves.
 

[dhermesc]

I think that was intended for people that live in town. Like the tiller, most people will only use one to put in a lawn and till a little 10X5 garden area.
 

[Gambles]

Over the past 5 years, I've put down about six grand worth of hardwood flooring in my house. I also maintain a huge garden. No way in the world that I would pad somebody's pocket by renting hardwood flooring tools or a garden tiller.
 

[Goose]

I read the article.

We needed to aerate our lawn this fall. It would have cost me $150 and a 60 mile round trip to rent an aerator.

I ordered an identical one online from Home Depot for $179 with free shipping.
 

[S.Crum]

I did a quick mental inventory and I have at least 1 of everything listed with the exception of the flooring nailer. I do however have a Bostich N88 framing nailer, does that count? Had a guy stop me a couple years ago down at the gas station, "Are you the one with the old John Deere with the post hole drill on the back"? I told him yes sir so he wanted to know what I'd charge to drill 10 holes 4' deep. I figured with transport and all $15 per hole. He thought I was crazy and left in a huff. Dunno how he made out, but from the looks of his new 3/4 ton diesel truck, $150 would likely be chump change.
I've always worked alone so as I needed a tool to get a job done efficently and correctly, I usually bought new.
 

[Dean Olson]

I disagree with that guys opinion.

You can never own too many tools. I find that the money I've saved over having it contracted more than pays for the specialty tools. I keep most of them but have done very well selling some after I'm done.

I sold my tile saw after 1 project. I'll hire any tile job done from now on. I don't care for that activity.


The best one was in 2005 I put in a boat and RV storage lot. Several different contractors bid +- 40K for the dirt work and crushed concrete.

I bought a brand new JD5103 with loader and box blade. Spent 17K on that and 16K on crushed concrete. Saved a bunch on that project and still enjoy the tractor to this day.

It did take substantially longer to get it done but I wasn't in a big hurry.
 

[Chip812]

I don't think we're the target demographic for that particular article. He's probably talking about the suburban, weekend handyman types with 1/4 acre...
 

[timcasbolt]

I've got 4 of those, and haven't needed the other 4. And that $600 tiller I bought 20 years ago has paid for itself so many times over I've lost count.
 

[NCWayne]

Got everything but the drain auger, flooring nailer, and diamond blade. So far I've never had a use for an auger, but when I do I will buy or rent one, have no need for a flooring nailer so that is a non issue, and although I do have a cut off saw I just use the abrasive blades and have never had any need for anything else.