Over at Amazon, new pre-Black Friday tool deals have popped up, and I could only describe as a very random – but interesting – selection.
Some of the tool brands and models are predictable. A Makita 18V cordless drill and impact driver combo kit? Of course. But there are some surprises, such as the Dewalt 20V Max upgrade kit, Channellock pliers, and Mitutoyo calipers (vernier, dial, and digital).
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Some of the deals are really, really good. I’ve been eyeing a Mitutoyo digital height gauge for a while, and while I think it’s still a bit cost-prohibitive for me to upgrade from my value-priced non-digital model, it’s on sake for ~$100 less than I remember.
Here’s what I found so far:
Dewalt 20V Max Upgrade Kit for 18V Tool Users: $99
Mitutoyo Precision Measuring Tools on Sale – Lots of items on sale
Channellock 3pc Tongue and Groove Pliers Set: $30.60
Morakniv Wood Carving Knives on Sale
Gerber EAB Pocket Knife: $12.46 – this doesn’t seem like a very good deal price
Up to 15% off Tools – misc. assortment of brands
Up to 16% off Hand Tools – misc. assortment of brands
Makita Sale – Save on These Cordless Products
Porter Cable 52pc Oscillating Multi-Tool Kit: $99
Dewalt 20V Max 6pc Cordless Power Tool Combo Kit: $449 See More Combo Kit Deals
Knipex Lineman’s Pliers w/ tape puller, crimper: $51.80
Dewalt 20V Max 4pc Cordless Power Tool Kits: $249
Mayhew 12pc Steel Pin Punch Set: $55.38
Imperial Tool Oscillating Multi-Tool Blade Sets
Dewalt 20V Max Premium Brushless 6pc Cordless Power Tool Combo Kit: $549
ReelWorks Cord and Air Hose Reels on Sale
Bosch… Hand Tool Deals?
Channellock 4pc Pliers Set: $42.93
Makita $25 off $100+
Knipex Cobra Pliers and Diagonal Cutters Gift Set
Makita Starter Set Bundles
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This link is the one I’ve been checking daily, and you can also find it at the top of the page with the other ToolGuyd seasonal link reminders.
Some of these are actually very good deals, ones I’d be likely to buy if I didn’t already have the featured tools, and others that I will absolutely be revisiting out of personal interest right after this post goes up.
Bob
I bet if Mytutoyo made Sake rice wine it would be the best! Hahaha I might have to get some sushi for dinner.
Thanks Stuart for posting these deals! You probably don’t get a lot of sleep between now and the week after Thanksgiving. Please know we do appreciate it.
Eddie the Hook
Yes Stuart, we definitely appreciate all that you do
Stuart
Thank you, and you are welcome!
That is correct, although I’m really trying to break the habit.
James C
Shopping for tools from Amazon feels like browsing a swap meet in a foreign country. A lot of it isn’t a good deal, half of it is from a brand with a vaguely English-sounding name you’ve never heard of, and it’s always just a weird assortment of stuff. It’s interesting to look around for a few minutes but gets tedious fast.
Stuart
Frustratingly True.
I try to sort out the nonsense so that you don’t have rummage through all that. But if you do, I’m always appreciative of reader “finds” in case I missed any.
Joatman
Would like to buy a Mitutoyo but I hear too many stories about all the fakes out there on Amazon….same with a lot of other items. Does anyone know of a website that’s dedicated to just teaching us how to spot fake crap? Seriously! Buying certain things on Amazon and e-bay is a crapshoot.
Stuart
Unfortunately, not.
Amazon has supposedly gotten better about sorting out supplies from different vendors, but there’s still a risk.
I’d say buy from other stores if you’re concerned, but there are risks there too. I remember B&H having to send out a notice about accidentally selling knock-off batteries.
I’d say I won’t buy memory cards from Amazon, but I bought one from them recently, and it seems legit.
Jim Felt
We’ve purchased dozens and dozens of SanDisk and Lexar cards over the years from both Amazon and B&H and have never received a K/O or a defective one.
But in Amazon’s case always buy direct from them as the actual Seller.
fred
Every so often – sometimes when they get down to the last one of an expensive item – they seem to allow the price to crash. Its so random though – that unless you stumble over one of these items you might never have known that it existed. Maybe they get spotted by price tracking on CCC – and show up as those deep downward spikes.
As an example – I was looking for a small Williams heavy-service C-clamp (aka bridge clamp) on Zoro but saw that Amazon had a 12LAAW priced for less than a 2AAW. I compared prices with Zoro (then offering a 20% off deal) – then I bought both – the small one as part of a Zoro order and the larger one on Amazon. Right after – the Amazon price on the 12LAAW shot up to about 10x what I had paid for it and the listing said something like “ships in 1 to 2 months”
Right now a 12AAW – is on sale for a $84 (again only 1 left) on Amazon versus almost $404 at Zoro
https://www.amazon.com/Williams-CC-12AAW-8-Inch-Heavy-Service/dp/B001DNT5CM/
Stuart
That’s where this comes in handy – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/amazon-coupons-deals/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Right now I’m watching to see how low this goes before someone buys it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A1BNLEK/?tag=toolguyd-20
I think the algorithm knows I’m watching it – it has barely dropped in the past month.
fred
Does your algorithm spot deals like the Wliiams clamp above.
Its being sold at 1/5th its price on Zoro – and much cheaper than the other Williams Heavy-Service clamps on Amazon
Stuart
Yes, it should.
It’s sold out now so I cannot check, but a search for Williams Clamp right not turns up some false-positives and a Williams pry bar:
https://www.amazon.com/Williams-C-807-TH-Tools-Height-Pry/dp/B0155ABMC4/?tag=toolguyd-20
Williams C-807-TH Tools at Height Pry Bar, 12″: $14.33.
Zoro has it for $31.51 .
Amazon’s store has become so cluttered that my search parameters aren’t as effective as they used to be, requiring more manual sorting of the results, but they still seem to work.
Interestingly, since my last reminder post, Amazon seems to have modified the results so as to not show the percentage-savings amount in text at the top, but the search is still pulling in relevant results for me.
Here is a CDI Torque Sensor for $70.89: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KL4HXU/?tag=toolguyd-20
It’s $495 on Zoro, even more elsewhere.
You have to play with the search terms more than in previous years, but it still works.
Julian Tracy
Pro toolboxes are like Boats or scrollsaws… no good reason to buy one new as there’s always amazing deals on used versions….
fred
Having owned boats – I can attest that the used market can be the place to shop.
Soon after the shine wears off on that new boat bought at a boat show – the owner may realize that there is more to boat ownership than the salesman let on. Then when he finds out that BOAT stands for Break Out Another Thousand – when the first repair is required – the boat ends up on the used market. Depreciation on boats does indeed seem like its worse than on new cars.
Toolboxes also may suffer from guys who are in way over their heads with payments (to tool truck guys or credit cards) – and selling off a cabinet might seem better than selling of the tools. We bought most of our our Lista and Vidmar stuff used – but that came with buying the shops.
Stuart
1) A lot of used tools, tool boxes, equipment are not available in all regions.
2) Not everyone can transport heavy tool boxes or equipment, at least not at costs that make used models cost-effective.
3) Older models might lack modern features such as soft-close drawers. That’s not the case – I don’t think – for the Wright, but this is more a comment about your blanket statement against pro tool boxes.
4) The conditions of a lot of used tool boxes would require a lot of time and elbow grease for refurbishment. That’s not always possible.
LOTS of good reasons to buy new.
Corey Moore
To a point, but once you’re in need of the upper end of sizes you notice that there’s an extreme scarcity of options and people seem to think they actually appreciate resale value. Likely being rural had a hand in my own experience here, but all I regularly find was beaten op 48″ boxes, and 60″ or piano boxes for well over $1000 from personal sale sites. Was cheaper for me and several guys to just save up or splurge on a brand new one that’s got a warranty.
Tom D
I always keep an eye on warehouse deals – I wouldn’t buy a precision instrument from them but a pipe wrench? Sure.
Toolfreak
Wow, the ‘Bosch’ hand tools are pretty impressive in terms of pulling design elements straight from the power tools. Same blue color, black rubber overmold grips, even the font for the ‘Bosch Professional’ text is the same. The $35 set is a way better deal than $20 for one friggin’ screwdriver, though.
I wonder who makes those for Bosch?
George
I really, really want one of those Mitutoyo calipers.
What I can’t get to is when I would need that kind of precision. I do casual woodwork which doesn’t — to my mind — need more precision than 1/32 or maybe 1/64. I can fix car things, but our cars are both years away from needing that kind of precision work and much as I’d like to have a project car (again) we don’t have the room. If I need to know something like a screw or bolt size, I don’t need 3 digits of precision.
Help me, Toolguyd community! Give me the use-case-excuse-case for one of those gorgeous calipers!
And thanks, Stuart, for all your hard work!
Mopar4wd
Have a 3d printer? I have taken parts I wanted to match for 3d printing in to work to use the Mitutoyo calipers we have there. Never used for wood working but I have used them to design parts or take measurements for drawings to make sure a component will.fit etc.
Stuart
This might help, but not perfectly:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/mitutoyo-vernier-caliper/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/calipers-micrometers-differences/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Calipers are great for outside and inside dimensions, something that a tape measure or ruler just can’t do very accurately. This is where they shine, and so it’s not just about having accuracy you might not need.
In woodworking, calipers can be used for measuring hole, mortise, groove depths.
I don’t think it’s going to be crucial for woodworking, but I plan on using calipers forever.
You’re welcome, and thank you!
fred
@George
They do not replace calipers or micrometers – but there are lots of inexpensive screw, bolt and nut gauges that you can purchase on Amazon.
Some of the better ones are made of metal – cost a bit more than their plastic counterparts – but come with threaded holes to check screw pitch as well as diameter.
Jim Felt
George. fred.
We have the SAE and Metric chains in both size ranges of these and they work great. Not maybe as tidy as our steel plate ones but being both bolt and nut checkers really helps.
Nut & Bolt Thread Checker (Inch & Metric), Original Version (SWTC-26) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FJW0GK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_FXdUFb3P48MRF
aerodawg
Mitutoyo is still high even on sale. Buy once cry once I suppose
Stuart
Yes.
If you take good care of precision measuring tools and gauges, they’ll last forever.
For some things though, it’s okay to cry twice.
Do I really *need* a height gauge? $100-200 is a far lower risk than $500-700.
Jim Felt
I’ve also noticed a recent Mitutoya Caliper purchase was actually made in Eastern Europe. Not Japan. Maybe near one of the “Made in Germany” tool brand factories?
Chris Shelton
Sunex 2568, 1/2 Inch Drive Master Impact Socket Set, 43-Piece, SAE, 3/8 Inch – 1… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MPQ8784/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_fabt1_34qUFbYW2XQQE
Sunex rarely go on sale