To Hell with brand loyalty.

So I was working on making a tubing roller and started wondering who else has this kind of hodgepodge power tool collection. Anyone really stick to a brand? (Not counting cordless sets)

My cordless set is all Ryobi to save batteries. Corded and air are another matter. I have Ryobi, Makita, Dewalt, Black & Decker, Craftsman, US General, Central Pneumatic, Snap-On, etc. Depends on how much money I had and how often I planned on using said tool.

Obligatory tool building progress shot.

I'm also setting it up so I can pull the lower rollers and use it as a mini press.

Looks beefy!

And I am a total tool whore. Any brand is good if it fits my needs of the moment.

One of my coworkers was just talking about how it took him years after his dad died to figure out why he had such a hodgepodge of (power and hand) tools. Turns out that wherever possible, he would either buy from the company who originally brought the tool to market or whoever's name was synonomous with that tool. So a Skilsaw circular saw, a Milwaukee Sawzall reciprocating saw, etc.

No loyalty here - I'm a pawn shopper. Whatever the hock shop has on the shelf when my previous tool has died, I buy. I'm also the grumpy old guy who says "things were better before", so I looker for older, American-made power tools.

I have 3 American B&D saws (2 circular, one jig) and an American-made DeWalt corded drill.

I also have a couple HF angle grinders, because I don't use angle grinders very much, and buying 2 grinders for under $30 total is easier than swapping wheels.

I thought this was a car brand loyalty thread. My wife has been a GM baby since 1981. She has owned four cars in 36 years. All General Motors; mainly Chevrolet.

Tools? I'm squarely in the hodgepodge camp. Although having done a bit of work with my router, I can't tolerate any of the crap they sell at the big box stores. Whiteside Machine Company makes the best damn router bits anywhere, and I won't waste my time with anything less.

Cars? I tend to favor Mazda products.

Athletic shoes? New Balance. Because you can still find some models that are made here in the states. And all their stuff is super comfy and lasts a good while.

Pretty much everything else I just look for the best value.

I stick to brands when something is interchangable (like all cordless tools from the same brand because of battery packs)

Other than that, whatever works.

Yard sales, auction sales, Home Depot clearance sales.... if its cheap and good I buy it.

So, firmly in the hodge podge camp here. Milwaukee, Dewalt, Rigid, Makita, Bosch, B&D, Ryobi, Craftsman, Festool, Delta, Jet, you name it.

Datsun310Guy wrote: I thought this was a car brand loyalty thread. My wife has been a GM baby since 1981. She has owned four cars in 36 years. All General Motors; mainly Chevrolet.

LOL I'm in the process of putting a Rambler Wagon body on a Lexus SC300 chassis. I have no brand loyalty anywhere in my life.

I have a lot of Bosch tools and everything two-stroke says Stihl on it.

Buy good stuff - only cry once.

For the most part I try to keep to Dewalt and Ridgid. Recently I bought into the Milwaukee 18v system, but I really only wanted the impact gun so I don't know if I'm going to get anything other than the drill/driver kit and the gun.

However I do like those Ryobi rat tail grinders. They're only $40, but they're fairly quiet comparatively and hold up great for what I use it for. (Light duty sanding)

I've always been an opportunist with tools - if I find something of quality cheap at a rummage sale or thrift shop, I'll very likely buy it. If I have to run out and buy something, I'll either go to the nearest place, or wherever will have it. However, now living with a Harbor Freight within 4-miles of home, it seems like I'm there once a week buying something...which usually turns into multiple things.

petegossett wrote: I've always been an opportunist with tools - if I find something of quality cheap at a rummage sale or thrift shop, I'll very likely buy it. If I have to run out and buy something, I'll either go to the nearest place, or wherever will have it. However, now living with a Harbor Freight within 4-miles of home, it seems like I'm there once a week buying something...which usually turns into multiple things.

FYI, I learned a long while back to never get a cart at HF, once I can't carry any more stuff I need to leave. (I just try to grab the thing I came in for first!)

After a long history of power tools, I seem to be drifting towards Bosh due to longer life expectancy. My validation methodology is not very rigid, but starting with a hodgepodge of power tools, as they have been dying, I have been replacing with bosh, and since none of the Bosch have died, they are taking over!

Used to be Dewalt, until I had two sudden death syndromes in the first year of ownership.

In power tools, it's whatever has the best reviews/reputation in my price range.

But if it's a gas yard tool, it's a Stihl. I landscaped for several years with a cheap company and I had my fill of broken ass E36 M3 that doesn't run when it's supposed to, even with proper maintenance. It helps theres a good dealer/service dept here in town though.

bludroptop wrote: I have a lot of Bosch tools and everything two-stroke says Stihl on it. Buy good stuff - only cry once.

I am with him. As I tend to have Dewalt only for power tools, Lowes brand Kobalt for must of my handtools (except for my gear wrenches) and Klein for my electrician's tools.

I do have a bag of hodgepodge hand tools.. most of them being Stanley and a few "no brand" name tools, I treat the latter as disposable. If I need to modify a tool, it is one of the brandless ones

I don't particularly care about hand tools, I buy what I need from whichever place is closest when I decide I need it. So Lowes, Home Depot, or Tractor Supply.

Cordless stuff is Ryobi because my crap has done everything I've thrown at it and doesn't cost anywhere near as much as dewalt. I've been eyeing that multi head dealie they make, it looks fairly cool.

Cars is brand loyalty to Chrysler in that I know Dodge trucks fairly well and can get parts for them for next to nothing because family connections. There's other stuff I'd buy from other makers but I lean them first. Also I'm poor and thankfully can't buy all the dumb E36 M3 I see. (I'm fairly certain my grandfather would E36 M3 himself if pulled home that 68 dodge semi with a 413 and 5 speed I saw on CL for 1800 bucks)

Toyota, Lotus and Harley-Davidson. I don't buy other vehicle brands. Oh, power tools? I kinda am in the hodge-podge set. Some B&D which I refuse to buy anymore of after they screwed me over by discontinuing a 2 cent part and rendering my $100 moto-tool useless, HF stuff, Makita 9.6V drills, corded hammer drill, some Ryobi if it was on sale or I needed it bad enough at the time.

Craigslist should be an official brand by now. I have bought more tools and cars off there than I care to count at this point. And like others have mentioned, I like older stuff.

Mostly black and decker because cheap, hand tools range from snap on down too stanley. Vehicles are ford if i plan too keep them. I grew up in a gm household and refuse too spend my own money on another.

I buy Dewalt. One of the reasons was to have interchangeable batteries, but the bastards keep changing the battery format on me. Grrrr. I've been very happy with the durability of the corded and cordless stuff, but I'm not a heavy user.

I keep away from cordless tools because I had bad luck with them waaaaaaay back in the day. I know they're better now, but I have an assortment of quality corded tools that just won't die so it doesn't make sense to buy anything cordless at all.

mazdeuce wrote: I keep away from cordless tools because I had bad luck with them waaaaaaay back in the day. I know they're better now, but I have an assortment of quality corded tools that just won't die so it doesn't make sense to buy anything cordless at all.

I'm generally the same way with preferring corded tools over cordless. However, having a cordless drill is very handy. That seems to be the one tool where the cord becomes a problem the most.