By Ken Schulte
We all want to have a shop full of tools. It gives us peace of mind knowing we can walk into our shop and be able to do any project that we want because we have what we need. Paying for all these tools is another thing. Harsh reality sets in here when you see the price of good quality tools. I try to buy as much tool as I can afford. I do have a process that I use that has served me well. I ask myself this question.
How often will this tool get used?
If you are unsure of the answer or the answer is "this is an occasional use tool", then buying an inexpensive tool maybe a good tactic for you. I am not referring to the workhorses of the shop, such as the table saw, the router table or the miter saw. There are some great places that you might not think about that offer pretty good tools at a very reasonable price.
Ebay
Ebay is growing and growing and people are realizing that it is a good source for tools. Buying a name brand used tool can also be a very good alternative as well. There are a lot of tool vendors here and some of them are strictly sellers. Be careful of these and ask questions. If you find someone selling tools that is knowledgable about them, or is
even a woodworker, then you have some good opportunities. Make sure you look at the completed listings tab on the left so that you can get an idea of what the selling prices are before you bid.
Harbor Freight
Harbor is in the importing business. They have aligned themselves with several asian tool companies and offer their goods on the internet, in a paper catalog and through a retail store. They offer a ton of inexpensive tools, some are better than others. I would not recommend them for major power tools but for accessories they definetly are a good consideration. You can find some really neat items that the major tool manufacturers do not carry. I recently bought a socket set organizer for my tool box that has really helped me organize my tools. I can find what I want quickly, and for 15, it was a steal.
Northern Tool
I get Northern's catalog and they carry some items that you cannot find in other places. They are not woodworking specific, but they do carry some tools in there that would interest you. The tools are mostly imported but they do have a few brand names.
Ace Hardware
Ace definetly has some advantages over Home Depot and Lowes. They carry name brand new tools and also carry a lot of hand tools. Where they really shine for me is the hardware section. If you read a lot of woodworking plans, you will find that a lot of projects call for knobs or unusual bolts and screws. Ace has them, and they will help you find them too. Try that at Home Depot. You do pay a bit more, but for me the service is worth it. Its not really the place to find a table saw, but there are lot of items there that make it worth stopping. Over the holidays they seem to always have some very interesting tool specials. They tend to feature or carry something they do not normally sell. Ace is the place for me.
Price Cutter.com
I love price cutter, they are definetly into woodworking. They send a paper catalog as well as maintain a website. They have a nice variety of stuff and you can buy brand names as well. They really shine in the accessories area. You will always find new products each month and you can find an endless supply of router bits. Make sure you sign up to get a free catalog.
