With some of the biggest tool sales of the year now behind us, I’m curious – what did you buy?
In a normal year, the holiday season would just be starting now. But due to COVID, the sales started early this year.
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Did you buy any Black Friday tool deals or take advantage of any Cyber Monday (or Cyber Week) sales? What about during the November “Black Friday jump start” season?
Here’s what I bought so far:
Hand Tools: I bought some hand tools, mostly for review purposes, but I have also been filling in holes in my tool box and satisfying some long-term wants.
For instance, I finally ordered an 8pc set of Knipex snap ring pliers. Unfortunately, I opted for slower shipping to save $10, and so it’ll be 2-1/2 weeks until this and a couple of other items arrive from Amazon Germany. My prior Amazon DE orders arrived in under a week in comparison, but this time I thought I’d save money and go with slower shipping. Oh well, I’ll try to be patient.
I snagged a pair of the Knipex slim-jaw Cobra pliers, shown above, and also took advantage of Home Depot and Ohio Power Tool sales to pick up Milwaukee socket sets in 1/4″ and 3/8″ sizes.
Power Tools: I *finally* ordered a woodworking jointer! I’ve been yo-yoing about whether to buy a jointer for a few years now, and finally went for it. Surprisingly, I went with the one model I ruled out numerous times in the past. More on this later.
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That makes 2 out of 5 items I check off my 2018 wishlist, with the other being a sampling of made-in-Japan Nepros mechanics tools.
There were some great cordless power tool deals this season, but I don’t really need anything. Aside from the jointer, I’ve been avoiding buying any more machinery until I know exactly where it will go.
Tool Storage: I bought quite a few Milwaukee Packout tool boxes and organizers. Maybe too much? I’m still working towards optimizing my workshop space, and organizing my power tools and small parts is going to be a big part of that.
EDC Tools: I ordered a couple of new pocket knives to explore, and bought some Olight LED flashlights during their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I also ordered a new knife sharpener system to try out, and for a lot less than the system that’s been on my wishlist since last year.
Other: I ordered a Prusa 3D printer (thanks to Benjamen (@electronsmith) showing off its capabilities so exceptionally well), and more AA and AAA battery organizers.
This will the second 3D printer I have ever purchased. The first was a printrbot that I bought and returned a few years ago. With that first machine, I couldn’t get it to run any test or calibration print successfully. The Prusa printer is said to require 8 hours for assembly, which should prove to be very educational.
What I Still Want: I had been intending to buy some Proto hex bit sockets, but haven’t seen any good pricing on them yet. (Hey Zoro – where’s the usual 20% off coupon?!) I was also watching for good deals on a kamado-style smoker, but even the best deal I found was not as good as the discounted pricing the brand offered in the spring.
Ray
Thanks to this site I picked up the Flexiclick Bosch 12volt driver. It seems very nice in shop use so far, I haven’t taken it out to a jobsite and tested it with attaching cabinets to steel studs, drilling 2″ grommet holes, or any of the other tougher tasks I might throw at a little drill.
I’m hoping the Dewalt 7491 table saw goes on sale at some point as well , it is a quite nice saw I’ve used one extensively.
Ray
From Acme bought Makita 6 piece set XT613X1 for 399.00. This set had brushless drill and driver and the Bluetooth boom box plus saw flash light and multi tool. It went up on Saturday after I bought the 299.00 set at the depot for my tiny home.
I will miss the little vacuum though.
Raycr
Sorry I forgot to add the DR to my name in the afore!mentioned Acme tool post.
Flan
CPO sells the refurb vacuum for $65, and several places (including Amazon) have the kit for $100
Hilton
Just be careful when you loosen a drill bit as the click-on chuck tends to come off and then if you’re not awake it lands on the floor.
Benjamen
This happens to me ALL-THE-TIME. I am so frustrated with the Flexiclick. It is such a poorly thought out design. The chuck comes off with the same movement that you remove the bits. If you are wearing heavier gloves, it happens 100% of the time.
I’m seriously thinking of buying the installation driver and giving the Flexiclick to an enemy :>)
Hilton
It should have a button to press that releases the chuck.
fred
At first I thought that it was only me. Then I talked to some of my ex-compatriot installers – and one quipped “German engineering at its best – ha ha”
Big Richard
Get the Hilti SFE 2-A12. It has a collar you slide up to remove the head, similar to a 1/4″ quick change hex collet. And it is so much more comfortable than the M12. Plus, last time I checked, they are the only mfg using 21700 cells in their 12v batteries. The fact that you can get a 4.0Ah battery in a 1p configuration is pretty nice.
Granted, it is on another price level than the M12 or Flexiclick.
Tom D
The Festool doesn’t have this problem either. Would be a deal-killer for me.
Personally I find the festool better than the M12 installation driver in a number of ways.
Raycr
Thanks Hilton
Mac
Bought a cant hook for logging. And a rigid drywall cutout tool and caulk gun. Wanted Makita but never found a deal cheap enough. Bought two Makita batteries and the brushless grinder…burned up my previous grinder replacing the wood deck on my 8 x 18 dump trailer with steel. Still looking for a couple of T20 and 25 screwdrivers and hoping Olsa’s socket organizers go on sale.
Tom D
I got a decent haul – overall the beer so far was the “buy three Packout crates get a dolly” promotion – double-dipped on that one.
The m12 rover light with magnetic base is in and it’s amazing. Love it.
Still waiting for the power brick and socket set(s) to arrive.
All in all you’ve “saved” me hundreds of not thousands – luckily TSLA has been good to me this month so it’s covered. 🤪
Tom D
“Beer so far”? “hundreds of not thousands”? Autocorrect, you’re drunk.
John Cashman
You posted a great deal for Jet 50 inch parallel clamp 2-packs on Amazon, for half off. About 76 bucks for two 50″ clamps is a fantastic deal. I bought two of the 2 packs. 162 bucks for 4 clamps, with tax. Wonderful. I went back to order more, but the deal didn’t stay up long.
Well, the order was delivered yesterday — two clamps instead of four. I called to tell them half the order was missing, and they said there was no option to send more clamps, just a refund. When I checked this morning, they refunded the full amount, not just half.
Looks like I’m spending another hour on the phone today.
Tom D
You’re a better man than I, I fear, I’d be tempted to keep the two clamps and full refund after being @!#$@# around like that.
Derek
What jointer did you order?
I finally upgraded my Dewalt 18v drill to the Dewalt Drill/Impact Driver 20v Max and Jigsaw from Lowes for $250. I had purchased the Milwaukee version with larger batteries but it was $350 and I’m just a homeowner/woodworker so that large of batteries doesn’t matter.
Stuart
Powermatic 8″ helical head.
I considered the 6″ for its smaller size and 110V motor, and thought if I went 220V and 8″, the parallelogram made the most sense. But it’s just way too big. I was leaning towards the 6″ again, but read that its motor is a little underpowered at times, and that sold me on the 8″.
I get the 8″ capacity, but in a hopefully more manageable size. Plus, maybe I can store/move things under the wings to help lower its effective footprint.
I really wanted a European convertible model, but it costs so much more and setup or parts can be a hassle.
Tom D
Where did you get it? I’m interested in a jointer but those don’t seem to go on sale as much.
Stuart
Acme Tools.
Powermatic and Jet had discounts that ended on 11/30. These aren’t specific to Acme Tools, all vendors usually have the same promos at the same times.
Jet discounts come around every so often, but Powermatic’s are much less frequent. So for me, it was “buy now or wait another year.”
Derek
That will be great. I really need a jointer but don’t want to spend the money on electrical for a 220v until we move and don’t want to spend $1k on a 6″ when it seems like every board I buy is just over that. I know there’s ways around it but I’m trying to maximize my limited shop time.
Big Richard
Derek, there are some decent 8″ and 10″ benchtop 120v options for under $1k.
https://wenproducts.com/collections/planers-jointers/products/wen-jt833h-10-amp-8-inch-spiral-benchtop-jointer-with-extendable-table
https://www.wahudatools.com/8in-benchtop-jointer-p/50180cc-whd.htm
https://www.wahudatools.com/10in-benchtop-jointer-p/50110cc-whd.htm
All are spiral head, similar to helical, except the blades still meet the wood perpendicular. More than OK for the home shop.
Stuart
I considered that model – the 6″ or 8″, but I was always hesitant to spend money on a benchtop jointer when I really wanted a full-size floor-standing model. I also don’t quite understand what happened between Cutech launching and then changing their name to Wahuda, but the company now seems stable.
I would also point to the Jet – I received a review sample at the start of the holiday season, and it’s definitely a lot better than I had expected, and with a true helical head and not “helical-style”.
Big Richard
I agree, it all depends on the space you have and the intended purpose of it. My jointer exists almost entirely to straighten out reclaimed wood. A 6″ benchtop jointer is actually almost overkill for that even. I didn’t want a dedicated circuit for mine, so a 10A model fit that need as well. And for reclaimed wood, I’m not looking for a perfect finish, and truthfully a spiral head does 95% as good of a job as a helical head. Both are better than a traditional knife setup, imo.
Stuart
Good points.
I yo-yoed between all these options so many times, and I finally had to make a decision.
Some of the projects I’ve been delaying really require a longer bed. I had figured I could flatten and correct boards with hand planes, but for that I’m still waiting on an assembly table I’ve wanted to build.
What also fueled my decision is that I really want to answer the question that has been nagging me: will a benchtop 6″ jointer handle all my needs, or is a floor-standing 8″ a much better option?
Without access to the 6″ review sample, I probably would have put off any purchasing decisions until the next time the promo came around again, at the earliest.
I priced out the Wahuda last year, but just couldn’t go down that path. I also couldn’t find optimistic reviews about all the lower-priced benchtop models out there.
Brad
Everyone says that and then regrets getting a 6″ in a year.
fred
I have mild regrets having bought a 8 inch instead of a 10 back in the 1970’s. A 10 inch machine is not so much better because you are trying to face joint 10 inch wide stock – but because the length of the bed is longer so you can work with longer stock without setting up roller stands. For most pieces that I use in furniture building – even a 6 inch might be adequate – but for landscape projects longer is better. Although for landscape projects I often resort to my Makita 1806B to clean up 4x4s taking the plane and extension cord to the work . BTW – in our cabinet shop – the guys preferred using power feed on both our jointer and rip saw – safer and better results.
fred
Mobile bases can also be an effective way to move tools around and save space in a shop. I have my table saw , bandsaw and drill presses in fixed positions but can move my 8 inch jointer, sanding /grinding station, surface planer, scroll saw and router table around. I also set up my shop wiring and dust collection system to be accommodate the repositioning of tools.
Stuart
I ordered one for the jointer too. It has a curved front, and so I ordered the Powermatic branded model, which most users seem to complain about, but I figure I’ll use blocks of wood to prevent any wobble.
I haven’t set up dust collector ducting yet, and am still using a hose. My jet has a mobile base and one day I might built it a better one.
John804
I’m really looking forward to more information on your jointer journey. That’s one tool that is high on my future purchase list.
Flan
While I was super disappointed in the official Makita deals this year, it actually worked out pretty well for me. I was able to transition the rest of my tools from corded to cordless, and fill some necessary gaps for upcoming projects.
I picked up:
– XSR01 rear handle saw deal (with 4 x 5Ah)
– XRJ05 refurbished recip from CPO for $80
– XGA04 grinder
– XVJ03 jigsaw
And then I also picked up:
– Gorilla step stool ($10)
– Rigid miter saw stand ($100)
– Husky ratchet wrench set ($60)
– Kobalt router & table ($110)
Still looking for a good deal on a HF 5 drawer cart, and a miter saw.
Leo B.
Lowe’s had the DeWalt DWS779 plus a stand for $400, last I saw.
Clay
This week I just got the Surge M12 with the 4.0 XC battery kit and am stoked! I now probably have more impacts than I need, but excited to start using this one.
Now if we are talking all the things since the early Black Friday savings started, that will be quite a list… and I am not done.
John
Same! Mine arrives tomorrow. My first M12 tool… really excited to try it out.
Tom D
Correct procedure is to get a big screw and bit and drive the screw into 4″ oak lol.
Matt
You’re going to love that thing. All my other impacts and drills are now dusty.
Tom D
I agree, the ONLY reason I even thing about another drill/driver is if it needs a big chuck (hole hawg should fix this) or if I need the right angle attachment.
fred
I bought one of those Proxxon 38 536 diminutive belt sanders via the$96 Amazon third party deal. I got a clue as to why the low price in the serial # that indicates it was produced in 2016 – so maybe they were NOS languishing on a shelf somewhere.
Now at $107 the price still seems pretty good:
https://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-38536-Belt-Sander-BS/dp/B0017PWTWE/
I also thought to buy one of those Lenox LXHT90540 Pliers that Stuart posted about some weeks ago. Lowes wanted $220.92 ($39.92 for the tool and $181 for delivery.) I guess they send it out via a personal chauffeur in a Rolls Royce automobile. I did not succumb to that lunacy.
Big Richard
They’re $39.92 at Menards as well. I’ll stop by after work and pick one up for you, and then deliver it to you for only $150, saving you $31. Or you can have them deliver it for probably around $10, your call.
Tom D
Lowes seems to only have “entire semi truck delivery” as an option – Menards admits that some tools fit in a car before backing up the 18 wheeler.
fred
Thanks
$54.82 shipped (includes tool, processing fee, shipping and sales tax) to me from Menards – or a 860 mile RT drive plus tolls to their nearest store. Maybe I’ll wait on Lowes having it in stock – and the Pandemic subsiding. It will probably be a Christmas 2021 gift.
But glad to know that Menards will ship.
Tom D
AceTool (not Ace Hardware) has them for shipping also, and the Lowes near me has it in stock. Looks like $40 is a pretty normal price for it.
fred
Stuart – you said you want to purchase ” a sampling of made-in-Japan Nepros mechanics tools.”
That would be interesting if you could compare them to some of the other premium brands like SnapOn and Stahlwille. I’ve always thought that some of the premium price on some Japanese tools (like Nepros and KTC tools from Kyoto Kikai Kohgu Kabushiki Kaisha ) may be because of a combination of high quality, low production volume and limited distribution channels here in the USA. Are Nepros tools any less expensive if you purchase them in Japan?
Stuart
Amazon Japan didn’t have much availability or any better prices so I ordered from https://www.nepros.net/ .
I don’t have any Snap-on tools and am reluctant to get into it. Snap-on, as far as core tools are concerned, primarily benefit tool truck customers who need at-their-door service, acquisition, and replacements. You pay a deep premium for that.
I can compare against Proto though – I have a couple of review samples and also purchased tools.
What I can see so far though, Nepros are at an entirely different level from the tools I’m used to, with *perfect* chroming, *perfect* aesthetics, and simply beautiful engineering.
fred
When I saw the Snap-On truck visiting out fabrication business – I’d shoo them away. Their business model did not fit ours for MRO or production tool purchases. They do seem to have a loyal base among automotive mechanics and others – but I was always loathe to encourage any of my employees to get into the “easy financing” cycle where you might end up “owing your soul to the company truck” (to paraphrase the Ernie Ford song). Anyway, for us the businesses bought what tools you needed to get the job done – unless you wanted your personal titanium hammer etc. (as some of our carpenters in the remodeling business did).
Jared
Geez. That’s nice looking stuff. And not THAT expensive. I assume those are USD prices. Doesn’t seem much more expensive that what I’m paying for Proto from Grainger and Amazon Canada. Now I am very interested in your review!
And look at this awesome use of space:
https://s.yimg.com/aah/yhst-128669497614690/nepros-ntd106-screwdriver-set-7.png
Hans
For Nepros and many other japanese tools check Frankstools.com.
Matt
Got the Dewalt OMT kit (356) for $100 which seemed like a great deal for the tool, battery and charger. Scored the Gorilla aluminum work platform from HD for $23 which was stupid cheap…I should have bought 3 of them for that price. And the platform itself is SOLID- I’m really enjoying it. Not tool related but probably the best deal was a Camp Chef flat-top grill (FTG600) for 25% off and free shipping. I’ve been eyeing it for a while and there’s very little variation in price no matter the vendor…that discount and free shipping on a freight item was enough to get me off the fence. Thanks for the great info here, Stewart!
Matt
NM I misspelled your name, thanks just the same. 🙂
Stuart
You’re welcome! =)
Don’t worry Maht, it happens. 😁
John
Bought two Harbor freight 5’ workbenches.
Still waiting on possible miter saw deals elsewhere.
Stuart
I’ve all but given up on seeing miter saw deals.
There were a couple of miter saw deals, but not like they’ve been, and no table saw deals. I’m guessing this was COVID-related.
Tom D
It may be shipping related if the rumors of UPS and FedEx turning away business is true. More profit in shipping smaller high price items instead of a saw that’s mostly air and packaging.
Thom
I bought the DeWalt Power Detect circular saw kit with the 8ah battery and chose the XR jigsaw as my free tool. I also bought the 2/4/6 Dewalt battery deal from HD and the DeWalt bit set that snaps into my Versastack boxes so both HD and Lowes both got some of my hard earned money.
avi
For starters too much.
The best was the m12 surge because in early November it was 150 with 2.0 battery and I started regretting not getting it earlier this year when they had it for 130 with 2.0 battery, but then toolguyd came to the rescue and I got it for the same 130 but with a 4.0 (and a charger and bag)!
got the old m18 rover for 80, still not sure if I made the right choice going with it over the new one which dropped to 90, I think I’ll like the old ones mounting and swivel options, I hope, else I really should have gone with the new one. The plug option on the new one isn’t that useful for me.
also the m18 power brick for 80 from Ohio Power Tool with your coupon.
one thing I only half got was the basic deal from Olight, I got it before your big flashlight post so I got the free flashlight and somehow found the i3e, which is a mystery to me because it doesn’t seem to be in the AAA category on their website, and that is my go to size and how I was searching for flashlights. Any way I didn’t think to do the share on facebook so I paid 12 something, which I still think was pretty good.
Tom D
I think you’ll be happy with the old Rover – and if you feel the need for a new light beyond that grab the new magnetic M12 – thing is great.
Adam B
I crossed a few items off my list from the last couple years of following your site. Knipex plier/snip set and Channelock adj wrench just arrived as well as that sweet Milwaukee inflator, impact, wrench set. But the steal of the year was still the Wera 2019 advent calendar for $31 a couple months ago. I use that a ton with my mountain bikes, and was far better than the current $80 price.
Oh, and I have a hard time admitting this but I also bought three Olights so now I’m tumbling down that rabbit hole.
Hi my name is Adam and I have a Toolguyd problem.
Patrick
I picked up the M12 stapler. Tired of the old manual stapler making my hand numb. Appreciate the size/weight of it and it barely dents the 2Ah battery with some relatively heavy use.
The surge driver is on my radar for the next buy, but that’s a battle of the budget to justify since I have 2 impact drivers already.
Jared
Just FYI, for those who might be interested in a manual stapler, I bought an Arrow T50HS a year ago and I’ve been very happy with it. I had the Arrow “Powershot” first, which is the same reverse design from a traditional stapler, but I was very disappointed in the performance.
The T50HS however, shoots staples pretty hard and yet is way easier to squeeze than the traditional design.
Tom D
If you search on Ave’s youtube channel you can find out how to make the M12 stapler fully automatic – totally not OSHA approved.
Yadda
I bought the Bosch 12v driver with the two batteries, mostly for the batteries, 5 of the Dewalt deep organizers from Home Depot. Killer price on the organizers. I missed out on the 18 ft Gorilla ladder at Home Depot. They are still advertising it, but no store within 30 miles of me has one in stock. I keep checking hoping they will get more stock. At $79 dollars it was a great buy.
Jared
Stuart, what led you to select Proto hex bit sockets?
I’m asking because I am fond of Proto and have been contemplating upgrading my metric hex bit sockets too (along with adding some other driver sockets). Proto is pretty expensive around these parts though, so I’m curious if there are reasons I can use to justify the premium to myself (i.e. I might get them even if there isn’t a good rationale, but sometimes making up my mind and then finding good reasons is nice too).
I haven’t bought all that much this year so far – trying to be responsible in the tough economic times. That said I bought:
– some Olight flashlights for gifts,
– a Lumintop keychain light (because it was cheap and I wanted to see how it compared),
– a Mayhew inspection mirror and pickup tool set,
– a single replacement Wera flat-blade screwdriver,
– a Proto premium pear-head 3/8″ ratchet,
– a General Tools inspection camera (not at all the brand I was shopping for, but I stumbled across it in an Amazon search, it was the last one left and must have been one of those crazy algorithm price drops to move it),
– Gearwrench 3 pc body clip pliers,
– a Fascap pocket pull saw (not that impressed, doesn’t look very robust),
– a Performance Tool wrench holder (price was right – but I was ready to stamp my feet and have a fit when I saw it skips wrench sizes),
– a Dewalt laser-measuring tool, and
– a Dewalt 20v max blower (the newer version).
Stuart
To be clear, I didn’t buy those yet.
I bought a Proto ball hex socket a while ago for a specific project, and after using it a lot I decided I wanted a set of their SAE sizes.
I also saw they have hex bit sockets with a new anti-slipping design and figured that I could use those in lieu of straight hex bit sockets, but also added them to my cart out of editorial curiosity.
Jared
Interesting. I like Proto’s ASD wrenches at lot.
I was considering some Williams hex bit sockets until you mentioned Proto. They are considerably cheaper – at least here in Canada (like 1/2 price or better).
I like Williams too, but based on my purchases, the quality seems a bit more varied – the prices are too to be fair. I bought a 3/8″ socket set (Taiwanese) with ratchet for a mere $56 recently, for example, and something similar would be ~$175 from Proto.
On the other hand, the sockets were great but the ratchet, while visually perfect and very comfortable, has significantly different amounts of back drag resistance in the two directions. It’s pretty smooth either way, but the obvious difference between them really bugs me. I can’t escape the feeling that something must be wrong with the pawl engagement for it to feel so different.
Stuart
Could there be crud (machining debris) in there? Gritty lube? If in your shoes I would either send it back for replacement or open it up to see what’s what and then decide on what to do.
Jared
Good suggestions, but I did open it. No obvious issues and the pawl seems to be engaging the gear ok. I felt the pawl teeth as best I could to check for burrs. I cleaned and re-lubed it. After putting it back together I spun it around like a helicopter on an extension in the stiffer direction for awhile (thinking I could break it in).
I then took it back apart and studied the pawl engagement some more, then very very lightly polished the top of one side of the pawl with some 2000 grit sandpaper (basically just took the bluing off that spot). Not much difference.
My running theory at this point is maybe a slight difference in how the cutout in the head of the handle portion is cut (where the pawl sits) might be letting the pawl slot in ever so slightly deeper on the one side. That might make it rotate easier in one direction because it’s not being pushed as hard against the round gear by the spring. I can’t verify that though, the difference is too small… well, maybe if I buy a rebuild kit and it still acts like that it would strengthen the evidence.
Paul
Got a Dewalt DCV517b 20v hand vacuum from local Tractor Supply for $59.99. Tool only.
Will
I got that hole saw/sawzall packout blade pack, some husky pick sets, breaker bar, hook and pick, and the Milwaukee hoodie
JMG
This year came up dry for me with nothing I couldn’t live without. Made a few recommendations to my nephew though…
mattd
I bought an 8lb hart sledge hammer because it was on clearance for $15 at acme tool.
Jorn
I was able to save $50 purchasing a Dewalt DCE400B Pex Expander set.
I sent your deal pages over to my Dad and he got the Dewalt Jigsaw he’s been wanting for a while now.
I was also able to pick up a Wera Kraftform 816 RA. But… that purchase has lead me down the dark path of trying to put a set of long power bits together which is an ongoing process that is going to wind up being expensive.
Thanks again for all of your hard work putting these deal summaries together for the holidays, it’s been a big help.
DAVID
I picked up the Bosch brushless Flexiclick 5-in-1 drill/driver kit. I was planning on the cheaper 1st gen brushed version, but with the $50 off deal (Amazon) it was only $50 more for the smaller, faster, more powerful brushless model. Santa loves a deal.
Brad
I upgraded my table saw to a 10 in. Unisaw with a 36 in. Biesemeyer fence primarily for the 5hp motor but the quick button arbor release is way nice.
Funny enough got it $600 off through Home Depot. It’s the old model they replaced a year ago but there’s almost no difference that I would care about.
Picked up a
TSTAK case (DWST17805),
EKLIND 10222 Hex L-Key allen wrench Combo,
DEWALT Drive Socket 25-Piece set (DWMT73805)
DEWALT Deep Socket 20-Piece Set (DWMT73811)
for the kid this Christmas in the hopes my stuff stops walking off now that he’s in college.
Sam Greenfield
I purchased a Flo by Moen system with three detectors for under $300 from Amazon. Normally that system is over $500!
OldDominionDIYer
I’ve been eyeing those combination wrench sets from Milwaukee for sometime but wasn’t going to pay more than $100 for them and I finally got my wish and bought both the SAE and Metric sets and got the bonus pick set to boot! I also picked up the 1/4 drive Milwaukee ratchet and socket set to complete my set (already have the 3/8″ and 1/2″ sets). I’m so happy I could take advantage of Toolguyd’s Ohio Power Tool discount code as well, thanks Stuart! I’ve had the USA made Craftsman Professional Combo wrenches and they’re fine but sadly I will never be able to replace them since they aren’t made anymore. Slowly moving completely away from the now Chinese made tools that have the Craftsman name, maybe someday SBD can revive them but it will be to late for me so I decided to move on for good.
Nick
It’s dangerous being home and online shopping so much.
I picked up one of the 3 of the Dewalt $10 storage boxes, one of the Gorilla Work Platforms and the Milwaukee convertible hand cart from Home Depot before they sold out (which was basically a few days before they were supposed to even go on sale I think)
I picked up a DeWalt 20V site blower to blow out my garage floor yesterday on Amazon
Picked up about $150 worth of Olight flashlights on their Black Friday sale…
Got a new soldering station off Amazon…my old iron died.
All-in-all, probably the most I’ve bought for myself in the last few years.
DAVID
I have the Werner version of those work platforms and it’s some of the best money I’ve ever spent. I have two now and barely a month goes by without needing one, or both.
Nick
I’ve used it twice already. I was putting a gutter on the lean-to I built off my shed. So much easier than a ladder because I only had to move it 2x to cover the full length of the shed. Definitely something I needed but didn’t know I needed!
William Adams
All I’ve bought thus far are the DeWalt 10-Compartment Deep Pro Small Parts Organizer — couldn’t resist a pair of them at the $9.97 price (now up to $14.97)
Still need to work out how to put them to use, and how to use the extra little organizers from similar cases I’ve removed for, for example converting such into a toolbox for my leatherworking tools.
John804
A Jet 1,000 cfm hanging air filter for the shop was my big purchase this year. I couldn’t pass it up at $299 since my garage shop is connected to the house, and my kids want to do more projects with me. Shop safety seemed like a good investment.
My other purchases were a Husky ratcheting wrench set and some socket accessories.
Saman P Perera
Bought the Cutech jointer. Waited a long time for this.
Jon
Long-time reader, first time commenter. I’m overcome by the Christmas season…ahem…shopping. I’ve been patiently waiting on a long list to go on sale. I’m in the DIY category so my tool needs are less immediate. However, I’ve needed a 10mm socket I didn’t have twice in less than a month. I picked up an impact rated set to prevent this from repeating soon, Sunex 3342 3/8 SAE/Metric ($61.85). It wasn’t listed here, but it was a small sale on Amazon.
Amazon purchases:
I agree with Adam B the Wera 2019 Advent Calendar was an epic recommendation. I grabbed it for $35 and that’s still a significant discount. I’m getting extra value from this because it doesn’t have the year, so it works as a countdown just as well in 2020. My kids quickly figured out that no candy is coming out of that box. HAHAHA! Suckers, but not for them. It’s worth the $35 for comedy as every day they complain that tools are coming out of the Wera box. My 9 year old will never forget that Wera is a TOOL BRAND! I felt a little bad for them and hid some peppermint bark in the large day 1 slot so here on day 3 they received some chocolate. They were still miffed that it’s apparently a tool calendar but they weren’t too proud to snatch the chocolate and run to eat it.
Knipex 09 12 240 9.5-Inch Ultra-High Leverage Lineman’s Pliers with Fish Tape Puller and Crimper $51.80
Wera 056490 Tool-Check Plus Bit Ratchet Set with Sockets – Metric $61.24
Lowes – I had low (sorry) expectations, but checked out their gift area and couldn’t pass on some finds. I think their gift area did a great job of differentiating deals from the Home Depot tool area.
Spyder Stinger 14pc spade bit kit with roll-up bag $20
Speedout Pro 4pc screw extractor kit $15
Pony 4in ratcheting clamps (x2) $5 each
Bosch Gll 3-15 50ft laser level $100 (Down from $170 I believe. I’ve walked away from multiple lasers in the past year or two but think this deal is good and provides functionality the Bosch $40 laser at HD doesn’t.)
Home Depot (my wife would be angry if she knew how many times I’ve actually been there)
Milwaukee 7″ rafter square with free 4.5″ square $15
Milwaukee Hole Dozer 13pc kit $40 (Stuart’s discussion of value over the smaller kit spoke to my sensibilities.)
Klein multi-bit driver kit that appears to only be on the electric aisle $30
clamps: I started with the Jorgensen flash sales on Amazon, then user comments pointed out the Bessey 4 pack as a better deal. I canceled the Amazon order and picked up Bessey 4 pack for $25 but suspected this wasn’t a sale despite the Special Buy moniker. Brandon Fischer, Waylon, and Jerrick later confirmed my suspicion that this is regular price. I will return until I have a pressing need or find a better sale. I bet Stuart will let us know when that happens. =)
Dewalt Organizer: I kicked myself when that one disappeared everywhere, as if overnight. I literally walked in to stores in AZ and TX and saw none for weeks. Then tonight I needed some screws and found tons of these things in stock in my local store on sale for $15 (formerly $20). I double checked the posting that identified they were $10 just to verify the changes. I bitterly thought they should say the Special Buy was $15 formerly $10. Then I got my screws. In the pro section I walked out near the Pro center and what did I behold? I giant display of Organizers with a sticker that said 9.97. I grabbed two of them and ran to the registers. With trepidation I waited for the price to ring up. $15. I told the cashier and showed the picture I took of their display and after a quick call, received the sale price of $9.97 each. I suspect that price tag as already been removed or covered up. Either way, I am still elated at snagging the hot ticket organizers at the price so many others considered a steal. After multiple stores and weeks of checking, I’m more excited about this deal than I would ever have been had I simply grabbed them when they were first available and in stock locally.
My disappointment has been Makita tool deals. I bought the XT268T kit with brushless impact driver, hammer drill, speed charger, 2 x 5.0 batteries, and a nice bag for $299 around Father’s Day. Home Depot included a free 5.0 battery when you bought that kit. Great value. I then attended the Makita Innovation Tour popup (very cool truck and trailer) and bought a XBU03Z blower for full price (129?) but they threw in a 5.0 battery free. I’m up to 4 x 5.0 batteries. Then Makita drops the 6 tool bundle XT614SX1 for $399 for Black Friday which 3-4 additional tools I could use. I considered buying it but backed off when I realized the tools were brushed. Most of the deals require you to buy drills to get free tools. those that don’t give you more batteries. I would spend less money at this point to buy a bare tool that I need in most regards. I don’t use these tools every day to need to hoard the batteries. Despite deciding to go all in on Makita this year, my earlier purchases (with which I’m perfectly happy) made me question the value of every Makita deal I could find. FYI, I’m interested in brushless tools and think my most likely needs in order will be jigsaw, circular saw, and maybe reciprocating saw.
Do any power tool brands ever offer deals that give a collection of brushless tools that don’t require you to buy another drill?
MFC
I bought:
Ryobi 75 ah ride on lawnmower $1000
Milwaukee 1 3/4 sds max rotary hammer $200
M18 Back pack Vac $120
(2) M12 propress kits $1300
(2) m18 bluetooth lights $340
DeWalt 5″ Portaband $230
DeWalt 20v 5″ Portaband$170
M12 heated hoodie $90
Bluetooth earbuds $30
JBL Bluetooth headphones $50
(2) ridgid rolling tool box sets $200
(4) husky 10,000 lumen LEDs $100
M12 propex expansion tool kit and pvc shears $349
20v Oscillating saw and battery $99
M12 palm nailer and battery $129
$4420
I sold the ride on lawnmower and propress kits for $5000, so after buying all of the tools I’m up $500+.
MFC
Oops, didn’t add the lawnmower, so I’m actually at $5400+ and some tax on certain things.
Matthew
I finally pulled the trigger and got the Husky 52″ tool chest while it was on sale. Hopefully it will help me get more organized so I can use my tools instead of search for them.