Column: When the Deal Is Too Good To Be True

I have a bunch of outdated, 18-volt DeWalt power tools that I use virtually every day as I build my project cars. Increasing my commitment to these rather heavy tools, I have another set at my other house, a cabin in the woods (it sounds murdery but it’s merely old and outdated) where I actively use them in our remodeling …

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" More and more, these news sources are biased. "   I'm out late

In reply to Tim Suddard :

I know it's not really the point of the column, but DeWalt makes an adapter that lets you use the new 20v batteries on your old 18v tools. $39 on Amazon.

I was about to get the adapter and two battery combo for 20v to 18v tools, just then Lowes had a two 18v battery sale.  Now I have two new batteries for my 30 year old tools, that still work flawlessly.  I will probably get the adapter too since they may be extinct some year.

I am to the point that these battery tools are so good, light and worth it that I don't mind paying retail when the need strikes. 20v Dewalt planer, was painful, but it sure saved me a load of hand work,

Agreed^ I never use my air tools anymore because the cordless stuff is just so good. After buying every single Bosch 18v tool I could ever need, I've now started adding Milwaukee M12 stuff to the collection for tighter spaces. The M12 3/8 ratchet might be my favorite tool ever.

You have to love how fast this went from advertising to tools.  It went from the garbage of today's internet to the one of the real meanings of manhood.

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

In reply to Tim Suddard :

I know it's not really the point of the column, but DeWalt makes an adapter that lets you use the new 20v batteries on your old 18v tools. $39 on Amazon.

Also, there are several battery adapter designs available to print on most 3D printers.  Jus sayin that if the tools themselves still work well, why get rid of them?

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

You haven't met Tim's tools. They're so worn out that I bring my own whenever I go over to help him with a project. There's no single issue, they're just used up. 

759NRNG (Forum Partidario) said:

" More and more, these news sources are biased. "   I'm out late

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ronald-reagan-fairness-doctrine/

Televised News has been about selling ads for quite a long time.  Newspapers were much, much worse at the beginning of their inception, they've gotten better, but the industry is all but dead.  Magazines are biased (or targeted) since they generally speak to specific niche audiences.  Being biased isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just depends on what that bias is and being aware of it.  If you constantly assume that bias is political, then you're going to have a bad time.

Tom Suddard said:

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

You haven't met Tim's tools. They're so worn out that I bring my own whenever I go over to help him with a project. There's no single issue, they're just used up. 

Noted.  My comment is then more potentially useful to those of us who are more "casual" in the usage of our tools :)

I recently discovered that my cordless tool universe is no longer in production, but (knock on wood) so far, so good. 

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

I have a copy of Life magazine from 1911 where they actually (and admittedly) rate cars based upon how many lines of advertising the manufacturer bought. 

Be careful with Lowe’s and Home Depot on the Dewalt tools.  If you dig deep into the comments on Amazon (one of Amazon’s strongest features), you’ll discover that in many cases the big-box store is selling a dumbed down consumer grade version of the tool.  It looks and feels almost identical to the professional version but the model number will be slightly different.  I’ve found Amazon to be more competitively priced than either Lowe’s or HD but there are the occasional “sales” that might offset that.  Just be sure that you know what you’re getting though.  The peanut gallery of commenters on Amazon is a data source that can’t be beat.  Kinda like GRM.

Watch slickdeals for these combo kits frequently on sale. Had to give up on that site since I spent WAY too much money on tool deals. The dewalt blower and trimmer has the wife doing lawn work now so I guess there is that.

I have nothing but positive recommendations for Milwaukee M12 and M18 tools.  All my corded stuff is DeWalt, all my cordless is Milwaukee.  Seems to be a really nice match.  

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

In reply to Stefan (Forum Supporter) :

I have a copy of Life magazine from 1911 where they actually (and admittedly) rate cars based upon how many lines of advertising the manufacturer bought. 

Tim Suddard said:

 

What is the car on the trailer ?

Thanks

I sold all my Dewalt stuff a few years ago and went with HF stuff. I know it's not too notch but it does the job for the infrequent stuff I do with it.

In reply to californiamilleghia :

Triumph TR6. 

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

In reply to californiamilleghia :

Triumph TR6. 

Whenever possible, make gravity the Coyote's greatest enemy.

That's a lot more obvious when you realize it's the front and not the back :) I was getting sexy 60's Italian vibes thinking those were taillights. Nuts.

It's possible the station isn't legally allowed to turn down campaign ads. One local radio station plays a disclaimer before all political ads along the lines of "This is a paid political advertisement and we are required by law to carry it. The following advertisement does not necessarily reflect the views of this station." I can understand the reasoning behind such a law: Allowing a station to pick and chose which political ads it runs can get you into "Freedom of the press only applies to those who own one" type problems. On the other hand, it appears there's no law against a news program running a political ad, and then have the news program turn around and argue with the content of the ad.

I have a question after reading your article. How does a political discussion end up in the middle of a article about “if it sounds too good to be true...”

i have no clue what your political views are, and that’s the way it should be.I like this forum due to that.

But it seems odd, that it popped up in the middle of an unrelated article. 

In reply to A 401 CJ :

This is true everywhere. I bought a flatscreen TV from Costco, only to discover later that buried deep down in its crazy long model number, one letter was different. It indicated that an option that this model typically came with - had I bought it elsewhere - was not in the Costco version, allowing them to charge slightly less. So, yeah, buyer beware.