[TheForge] Re: Tawainese Machine Tools

[Mike Spencer]

> The nice thing about Sears is their warranty.

Bought my 1/2" drive ratchet wrench from Sears in Boston in 1965.
Been using it ever since, including 4 years as a full time mechanic.
Ratchet toggle began to fall out about 3 years ago.  The tool and
appliance guy who works in the back room of the little Sears mail
order store in Bridgewater, NS, had the part, put it in, works great,
no charge.

On the other hand, my oxy/acet regulators of the same vintage began to
act up after only 25 years and they just laughed at me when I went
looking for parts.  Had to replace them with a 50 year old pair of
industrial grade regulators for which parts and rebuild were still
available.

Of course, those don't compare real well with power tools but my
Craftsman saber saw and 3/8" drill and are both about 30 years old and
going strong.

When I bought my Taiwanese 4" bandsaw about 1980, I said to the guy,
"Gee, that looks exactly like the Jet bandsaw I was looking at in
Portsmouth. NH."  He went into a kind of waffling tizzy from which
I finally infered that his stock was re-badged Jet products that were
never supposed to be sold under the Jet name because of some kind of
regulatory or contractual trade legalities.  He refused to confirm
that surmise. It's given me no problems except that it occasionally
starts to cut curves and I have to tinker until it stops doing that.

- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                 						   /V\ 
mspencer@tallships.ca            						  /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/						  ^^-^^

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