Bought a blowtorch, it wasn't top-quality.

"Telumektar" (telumektar) 10/23/2013 at 18:30 • Filed to: None

0

27

Similar as the one in the photo, equally Chinese...

...had to go back and get it replaced after two uses.
Not like two different long jobs or anything, just turning it on and off a couple of times.
What. The. Hell?!

The flame wouldn't turn off so I turned the valve's plastic knob a little harder and I found out that it was poorly glued to the valve's shaft, it would stay open no mater how much I turned it. I grabbed some pliers and closed the valve one last time, good thing that I didn't mess it up even more by opening it instead...'twas a moment of clarity.

Got a new one, no problem. This time I checked it worked properly, same model and all but there was no much were to choose from. It's was the only model they had and this portable blowtorches aren't very widespread in Uruguay, this place was the only one where their people didn't look at me like if I was an alien when I asked for this little torches.

desertdog5051 > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:03

0

Never buy Chinensis. Repeat after me, never buy Chinese. If you are going to use it and want it to perform properly, buy better. “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

Brian, The Life of > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:06

0

Harbor Freight is a helluva drug.

Nibby > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:07

1

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Telumektar > Brian, The Life of 10/23/2013 at 19:19

1

I don't know this bay train you are talking about.

Seriously, that place/make/whateveritis doesn't exist here.

Telumektar > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 19:22

0

There was no alternative :(

It was either buy a small Chinese blowtorch or get a hugely expensive Oxy-fuel kit.

I need this torch for a small project.

AddMustard > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:25

0

Mine gets up to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. I couldn't be sadder.

AddMustard > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:27

2

Harbor Freight: Where sad chinese versions of tools are sold to sad americans cheap enough to think "you get what you pay for" even before you get to the register while some sad employee tries to talk you into signing up for their sad mailing list.

I love that place.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:28

1

It's a store we have here in the States. Sells cheap, low quality tools. Usually very plasticy and garbage.

bourgeoisie > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 19:42

0

Bought at Harbor Freight 2 or 3 years ago. I've used it, refilled it, and continue to use it. No signs of failure. Not everything Chinese is created equally.

Telumektar > AddMustard 10/23/2013 at 19:42

0

:( that's not cool... or too cool maybe.

This one works OK, it's not as good as I would have wanted but it's not like I was in need of a plasma-cutter and instead got a candle.

Telumektar > bourgeoisie 10/23/2013 at 19:43

0

Sometimes you just have to get lucky.

bourgeoisie > Telumektar 10/23/2013 at 19:51

0

That, or have a little intuition for the "feel" of something, and whether or not it will last.

desertdog5051 > bourgeoisie 10/23/2013 at 19:55

0

You are correct. I have a 15 yo HF electric impact wrench that has served me well and still does. The only problem is it is rated at 300 lbs/ft but only puts out a little over 200. My last purchase was a brad nailer for a handyman project I was doing. About 300 feet of molding. Worked fine for that but when I used it at home a month later, for a Kestrel nest box, it would not work. Got a new one but am skeptical of the quality.

bourgeoisie > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 20:01

0

I have 2 brad nailers (one harbor freight and one craftsman) that are both junk. Always well cared for, lubricated, etc., but neither works correctly. Last year I was at Home Depot and noticed Ryobi had a battery operated model which uses the same 18v lithium batteries as my drill and took the plunge. It's been fantastic, I can't say enough good things.

I'm not sure I ever would have opted for Ryobi in general, but I inherited some things from my dad and have had great luck with them, so for as long as the 18v lithiums hold out, I guess I'm a Ryobi guy.

desertdog5051 > bourgeoisie 10/23/2013 at 20:10

0

Interesting. Never owned a Ryobi tool. But I suppose they are as good as any. Lith ion seems to be so far superior to the ni cad.

VincentMalamute-Kim > bourgeoisie 10/23/2013 at 20:34

0

argghhh.. I've got one of the Ryobi sets. The tools are fine for the homeowner use I put them to. The batteries have all died fast!!!! Driving me nuts. NiMH though. Makita LiIon batteries have died fast on me too. I think I"m going back to NiCd. My friend with his Dewalt NiCd set has had great luck with the batteries.

VincentMalamute-Kim > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 20:40

0

yeah, it really depends on what the American retailer has specified. For example Apple products are made in China by Foxconn but they're very high quality. Ford specified the cheapest tires to be made by Firestone for the Explorer.

Harbor Freight has been hit or miss for me. I'll still buy from HF because so many of my tool purchases are rarely used items that even if they are crap, it works fine for my use.

And OTOH, some of the HF tools, I think are approaching Craftsman or Lowe's quality. HF's latest ratchet and sockets and wrenches seem as high a quality as any regular retail store.

Desert, how did you test the torque output of your impact wrench to determine it was putting out 200 ft/lbs. I have a feeling my Ingersoll Rand impact isn't putting out it's rated power either.

VincentMalamute-Kim > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 20:42

0

yeah, the handheld drills and tools are definitely something I use a lot so I'm not buying HF for those. Probably not Ryobi either for me anymore. After a bunch of the Makita Li-ion batteries failed on me quickly, I'm not sold on Li-ion anymore either. I'm jealous of my buddy's DeWalt NiCad performance.

VincentMalamute-Kim > AddMustard 10/23/2013 at 20:46

0

See my response to Desert dog. HF is hit or miss for me but they've allowed me to buy so many specialized tools that I would never have otherwise been able to afford.

I buy the HF tool and if I use it enough that it breaks or if it's crap, I'll buy the quality tool. The rest of the HF tools have worked out fine. And I really think their ratchets and socket quality has risen to the level of Craftsman in the last year or two.

desertdog5051 > VincentMalamute-Kim 10/23/2013 at 21:09

0

My brother told me about a company in Kentucky (I think) that does calibration on tools like torque wrenches and other precision tools. So I sent them my 2 torque wrenches (Proto 1/2" and SK1/4"), set of 1-8 inch mikes (Starrett and Greenfield), 1- 6 inch dial caliper (Mitutoya), 2 dial indicators, (Starrtett) and the HF impact. All came back within tolerance except the HF impact. Just wanted to know. The cost to ship was greatly increased by the weight of the impact wrench but now I know. And no, I do not use them that often, but I just want to know.

VincentMalamute-Kim > desertdog5051 10/23/2013 at 21:15

0

ah, I was thinking you had some kind of torque measuring tool.

BTW, I think it was Grassroots Motorsports magazine tested a bunch of different torque wrenches - HF, Craftsman, Snap-On and maybe someone else. IIRC, they were all approximately correct including the HF which was 1/10 the price of the Snap-On. Something like that. What I took home was the HF 'can' be good.

desertdog5051 > VincentMalamute-Kim 10/23/2013 at 21:28

0

Could be right today. Tomorrow? I keep my precision tools for a lifetime. I mostly buy used name brand and save a ton of money. Have them checked for accuracy.

AddMustard > VincentMalamute-Kim 10/23/2013 at 22:07

0

Oh I completely agree, I have spent tons of money there, I just know I am not getting the best quality. Most of the time it's a situation where I need to use a tool for the first time, so I can't be bothered to spend a lot of money. It's also a great place for accessories for your expensive tools, things like sandpaper for an orbital, drill bits, socket sets, pieces for air compressors are a good deal there... The actual drills and other power tools though are the things I probably wouldn't buy there.

Telumektar > bourgeoisie 10/24/2013 at 09:29

1

Exactly.

bourgeoisie > VincentMalamute-Kim 10/24/2013 at 11:55

0

I have two of the largest size Lithium Ion batteries for my Ryobi stuff, and frankly I couldn't be happier. They're a little bulky, but they last a ridiculously long time, much longer than my business partner's Makita lithiums (though, his setup is admittedly smaller and lighter).

Ask around and see if you know anyone with the Ryobi lithiums that you could borrow, you'll be shocked how much new life it will breathe into your Ryobi tools.

Like I said above, I'm not sure I ever would have bought Ryobi on my own. My dad had the full set (recip, 5" circular saw, drill, impact) including two of the big extended life lithium batteries, which I inherited when he passed. I've used them a lot in both a homeowner and contractor capacity and have been really surprised how well they work.

One other note, if you're a contractor that does any kind of finish work, Ryobi makes a very inexpensive "dust buster" type vac that works quite well. The NiCd battery it comes with is basically useless, but it'll easily run all day with my lithiums. Beat's dragging around a shop vac, or paying through the nose for a dewalt or makita vac.

bourgeoisie > desertdog5051 10/24/2013 at 11:58

1

Lithium is the only way to go. I inherited the whole setup from my dad when he passed. So like I said, I'm not sure I ever would have chosen Ryobi on my own, but the performance of these tools (with the extended life lithium batteries) has made a believer out of me. I've had the whole thing almost 2 years, and it got plenty of use by my dad before that, and it's going strong.

VincentMalamute-Kim > bourgeoisie 10/24/2013 at 18:02

0

hmmm...... ok thanks. Maybe I'll give Ryobi LiIons a try.