Tools in the Philippines

[RBM]

22 hours ago, graham59 said:

Thanks for the warning.

I was almost tempted to buy one of their 'strimmers', but suspected that they mostly make cheap rubbish, so kept my money in my pocket. 

Second this, found Lotus crap, as interest bought a cheap black and decker drill about 6 years ago. Still going strong.

[Marvin Boggs]

Interesting response on Lotus.  We bought their shop vac, angle grinder, and some other power tool that escapes me at the moment, and all have been great.  I'm going to keep adding Lotus stuff until they disappoint me, since they are available everywhere and the price is right.  

For hand tools I have been impressed with Creston, despite never having heard of them before.  I mentioned elsewhere the difficulty finding 3/8" drive ratchets & sockets -- Creston was the only one available when I was looking, and damn if they aren't pretty nice.  Better ratchet action than my Craftsmans back home, and I haven't broken one yet.  Have used them every weekend for the last year, so its a bit more than just casual use but they have held up great.  

Having spent the better part of my career in the tools industry, I can tell you most of the brand favorites we all grew up with have been sourced in China for at least 20 years (unless japanese, but maybe even then).  Hell when I was at B&D we were teaching the Chinese how to build them.  Wonder if they regret that decision now?  But the benefit to us here and now is that a lot of the Chinese suppliers have come of age.  These days its is all a matter of performance spec and cost, and that is the real reason to look for a name-brand:  The chinese companies will short change every possible specification, unless they can't get away with it (for example on a name brand).  

So yeah, I laugh when I see a "Bosch" that is impossibly cheap and the logo is not quite right haha.  Or cheap DeWalts that have the wrong logo or the wrong shade of yellow.  Buyer beware in Asia!  

[graham59]

Some of my power tools are already over 20 years old. lol ...and definitely made in the UK !

But yeah... you're quite right about many famous brands having been Asian-produced for many years.  

 

[Jake]

Excellent topic Tommy T, which produced a lively discussion about alternative options for products made in that region.  However, I do like the idea about shipping your favorites via BB boxes but that would add a new concern about step down transformers/voltage regulators (220vac to 120vac), also with questionable specs and performance. 

If I may, can we discuss cordless vs corded power tools?  I'm not up to speed on the latest lithium battery technology but they seem to be more powerful and with longer time between charge.  

And finally regarding hand tools.  I don't know about you guys but I can't find any metric crescent wrenches these days.  And those damn 10mm sockets.....they seem to disappear all the time.  Must be the gremlins in my garage.......he, he.  

[OnMyWay]

On 9/24/2019 at 1:29 PM, Huggybearman said:

Lotus brand can be found in the likes of Ace hardware. I have only purchased a couple of Lotus tools, an adjustable wrench, and a screwdriver set. The wrench was a loose fit, it just wouldn't stay tight, and the screwdrivers couldn't take much rotational force before the head bent. OK I guess if you just want to tighten or loosen a new screw but wouldn't budge one that was slightly corroded in place before it bent!

 

Someone mentioned Lotus was a USA brand but I am fairly certain it is Chinese.  I never heard of it while living in the USA.  Freeport Exchange Duty Free here in the Freeport has the biggest selection of Lotus I have seen.  I have bought a few Lotus hand tools and grinder discs that were cheap but worked fine.

[OnMyWay]

On 9/24/2019 at 1:32 PM, Huggybearman said:

They seem to have a limited selection of tools in S&R that appear to be made in the US. They might be worth looking at next time you are there.

I think Dau S&R had a Craftsman set of tools last week.  The kind with sockets, ratchets, etc., in a black plastic hard case.  Didn't catch the price.

[hk blues]

24 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Someone mentioned Lotus was a USA brand but I am fairly certain it is Chinese.  I never heard of it while living in the USA.  Freeport Exchange Duty Free here in the Freeport has the biggest selection of Lotus I have seen.  I have bought a few Lotus hand tools and grinder discs that were cheap but worked fine.

I just did a quick search and it seems it's neither Chinese or American, it's a local brand. As to where they are actually made, I have no idea but if I were a betting man I'd say China. 

[Tommy T.]

43 minutes ago, Jake said:

If I may, can we discuss cordless vs corded power tools?  I'm not up to speed on the latest lithium battery technology but they seem to be more powerful and with longer time between charge

Absolutely! Tools is tools. I am also not up on latest technology for these. I still use my 20+ year old Makita drill with ni-cads and just need to replace batteries now and then and they are still available off the shelf.

I used power tools here, New Zealand, Fiji and Australia using 220-110v transformers for years. I just made sure to use larger transformers than the load would require so I didn't tax them to their limit. Only problem here (and not really a problem) is that at 50 herz, they run a bit slower. I also will put an AVC (automatic voltage controller) - such as was discussed in a previous topic about power here into the new house circuitry. That should help minimize or eliminate transformer or power tool issues.

Right now I just have the heavy Milwaukee 110 volt drill. The other power tools I will buy will all be sourced locally and 220 volt... And I will not buy the bottom of the line...only time will tell if they will be worth it or not?

[Tommy T.]

1 hour ago, Jake said:

metric crescent wrenches

Jake?...What? You're kidding me... There is no such thing - a crescent wrench is adjustable infinitely... Or do you look for those in the store section that sells frumpkin pins and muffler bearings? I am kidding you here, Jake...

Here's my hefty 15" favourite - great for removing and re-installing propeller shaft nuts. And that's not me - that's a shipwright I hired for the job...

Edited September 25, 2019 by Tommy T.

[intrepid]

1 hour ago, Jake said:

If I may, can we discuss cordless vs corded power tools?  I'm not up to speed on the latest lithium battery technology but they seem to be more powerful and with longer time between charge.  

Jake,   First let me say again, "My heart is where my tools are".  Cannot survive without my tools.  Now as for cordless here is a photo of my cordless drills.  Both are lithium.  The Hitachi is a small 12 volt and about 20 years old.  Original battery.  I was surprised that when I packed it for shipment fully charged it was still charged when I removed it from the box about 18 months later.  It has seen a lot of use over the years but not made for the heavy duty use.  Now, knowing I would need a heavy duty drill I bought this 18 volt Makita before we moved here.  It is a drill/hammer drill combo.  Amazing drill and the amount of work I have thrown at it since being here.  It has a 3 amp hr battery and lasts all day long drilling and driving screws.  When I built my man cave it hammered drilled 5/8" holes in concrete almost as fast as drilling wood.  It only takes 15 minutes to charge while the Hitachi takes about an hour.  The other photos are in my 6 x 3 meter man cave with some of the play toys I shipped.