Thread: We need power tool tests!

Originally Posted by Carpenter

I've just had a rush of s#!t to the brain! We're always trying to find out which brand of tool is good & bad, but if there was a web based magazine that did tool tests, we would have the answers. I dont mean the useless half baked advertorials that is most reviews, but a no holds bared throw em to the wolves type of test:mad: . Full on testing in real world situations - workshops, jobsite etc by pro's. Then, send the tools off to an electrical tool repairer for a complete disassemble & analysis of build quality:eek: . I think it would have an impact on sales if enough people signed up.

Now, where are all the budding writers & magazine editors?

Look here
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/toolreviewindex.htm

This is by another forum member

Rgds

Yeah I've looked at this site, not bad but a lot of stuff like GMC, Ozito, Ryobi I know where it scores on my scale. He does a thorough job, I'll give him that. I still reckon its the bigger brands that need the blowtorch, they're the ones trading on quality but giving us russian roulette. My mate bought an 18v Hitachi cordless, I tried, i liked & bought about 6mths later. About 12mths after that his trigger died, we used my warrenty to repair it cause his was about 3mths past. Lo & behold my trigger died exactly 6mths after his. Was it really worth Hitachi's reputation for them to use the $2 trigger instead of the $5 trigger? Whats the friggin point? When we make a purchase, its all based on looks, specs & reputation. We never know whats inside until its too late & thats where it counts. We need a power tool proctologist dammit!

Site requires advertising money for bandwidth (and compensation for reviewer/s). Site requires tools to review. Therefore site is beholden to tool manufacturers... advertorials.

Bloody capatalist system!!!

I've had bad experiences with Hitachi. I bought the variable speed router several years ago, got it home, moved the plunge mechanism which jammed, couldn't get it working, neither could the shop... I got my money back. Recently bought a drop saw, the brake has already failed and the angle graduations are peeling off (just glued on :eek: ) - 2nd job it's done - still at the repair shop. The 5" Hitachi grinder I bought to replace my makita 4" came with a bent spindle, took 6 weeks on back order to get the parts.
The only Hitachi tool I've been happy with is my little 7 1/4" saw, which is verrry nice. Guess I won't be getting Hitachi anymore.

Cheers
Michael

Originally Posted by Scissors

Site requires advertising money for bandwidth (and compensation for reviewer/s). Site requires tools to review. Therefore site is beholden to tool manufacturers... advertorials.

I'll run a site, without advertising, so long as manufacturers give me tools for free (to keep), and are prepared for whatever review I write.

Probably not a dissimilar concept to Dean's site, but I'm not getting any tools from him doing reviews!

I think you'd have to buy the tools, do the test then sell them 2nd hand (hardly used) privately or ebay. You would lose a bit, but its the only way to get free of the manufacturers tentacles. If it was a viable business (subscriptions) that loss would be a tax deduction.

Then your site would get really popular and all the nice high resolution photos would start to cost you a lot per month to serve out to everyone who is paying you nothing and all you would have to show for it were some tools as every month another ISP bill would turn up

You would struggle to break even

Tom

Subscription!

Carpenter's idea isn't bad - with a bit of modification:

There is a wealth of knowledge and information floating around amongst the members of this forum. Perhaps an extended TED voting system with a comment box would be enough. No need for photos or long reviews.

Or someone simply starts a thread: Opinions/Experiences - Metabo BEAT 12/2 R+L
Then people can comment:
'I bought one of these and it's still going strong. The plastic battery hook broke off when I dropped it one day but the replacement part made out of cast metal in the meantime - and only cost $3.50. I can recommend this tool'

Comments recommending alternatives should only be posted by those who have experience with both.

It wouldn't take long to build up a huge database of real-world test experience, straight from the horse's mouth so to speak....

Perhaps a sub-nav under HAND TOOLS AND MACHINERY? (Tool Tests?)

Damien

This reminds me of a classic review of a camera here in Australia. I had just purchased a Nikon FA at some incredible cost. One of it's many features (it broke new technological ground in a range of areas, and you could even take pictures with it) was that it was the first camera to achieve a shutter speed of 1/5000th of a second.

So, proud of my purchase, I wandered into the local newsagency to buy the latest photographic magazines, and to my shock and horror, in large type across the front of one magazine:

QUESTION: WHEN IS 1/5000TH OF A SECOND NOT 1/5000TH OF A SECOND?

ANSWER: WHEN IT'S ON THE SHUTTER SPEED DIAL OF THE NIKON FA!

Needless to say, I was disappointed. Not that I'd EVER use 1/5000th, because I was into landscapes, but still ....

All that was right in the world, however, was restored a month later when the next copy of the same magazine came out. On it's cover:

WE'RE SORRY NIKON

It seems that the magazine and its techno-nerds didn't have equipment capable of measuring this new speed. Nikon rang them, asked them what testing machinery they were using, and set them straight (I think the words "our lawyers" may have been used in this conversation).

So I guess that my point is, if even the experts can't get reviews right, how can we trust the people who are selling the stuff they review. This forum provides the best reviews I've ever encountered.

Originally Posted by tcns

Then your site would get really popular and all the nice high resolution photos would start to cost you a lot per month to serve out to everyone who is paying you nothing and all you would have to show for it were some tools as every month another ISP bill would turn up

You would struggle to break even

Tom

It'd only cost a few $hundred a year, and there'd be plenty of free tools. If I was expected to buy the tools, then yeah- forget it.

Nothing like the cost to Neil of running this board. Still surprised he doesn't have a subscription just to cover costs, but he has his reasons, and they are obviously NOT economic ones!!!!

A couple of times Iv'e been interested in a particular power tool and baulked at buying it because I had no real way of knowing exactly how up to the task it was.

I posted on the Forum about my Triton router soft start after I thought the obvious answer was to go to Bunnings and get them to plug one in so I could see if there was any difference to mine. No deal Bunnings wouldn't allow any of there power tools to be plugged into power - OH&S!!!!!

So I don't buy anything unless I have seen or spoken to someone who has had experience or read it here on the forum. The only time its possible is at a wood show.

I like Damien's suggestion of sub section here , put in the tool you are enquiring about and members can log in their experiences.

Originally Posted by durwood

I like Damien's suggestion of sub section here , put in the tool you are enquiring about and members can log in their experiences.

Terrific idea. Their is similar in the Festool forum regarding the Domino, and after reading the thoughts of those who own one and their trials and tribulations i decided that i would like one. If it wasnt for that post i probbably wouldnt have bothered