I learned this the hard way after buying a $25 no-name backpack last March. By June the zipper split open and dumped my laptop on the parking lot of my office in Des Moines. Spent another $80 at a shop downtown to fix the screen scratch. Has anyone had luck with a specific brand under $100 that actually holds up to daily commuting?
I was trying to break loose a rusted bolt on my lawn mower deck, the one near the blade. Put the 9/16 socket on there, gave it a good push, and the socket just split right down the side. It was the first time any piece of that set ever failed. That set has been through two garage moves, a basement flood, and probably a thousand projects. My dad gave it to me when he moved to Florida in 2010. I always figured those old raised panels would outlive me. Has anyone else had one of those old Craftsman sets finally give up on a random Tuesday?
I was looking up how to fix a broken plier head on my Wave from 2008 and stumbled across a forum post that said the warranty covers basically any damage, even if you bought it secondhand. But then I found a detail on their site that says the built-in bit driver isn't covered if it snaps from normal use. That surprised me because I've used that driver for years without issue. Has anyone else run into that specific part failing on them?
I was helping my buddy swap out his alternator last weekend in his driveway outside Austin. He pulls out this $20 ratchet set from some off brand and the socket splits right on the first bolt. Had to drive 20 minutes to borrow my Snap-on set to finish the job. That cheap set probably cost him more in gas and time than just buying a decent one from the start. Anyone else run into this issue with budget tool kits?
I always figured a cheap plastic toolbox was fine for my wrenches. Then last fall at a farm equipment repair shop in eastern Washington, the old machinist showed me his 30-year-old metal Craftsman box. He pointed to a dent on the side and said 'that's from a 200-pound tractor weight falling on it, box saved my hand.' After seeing that, I drove straight to a pawn shop and picked up a used heavy duty chest for $80. Has anyone else had a single conversation that made you upgrade something basic?
I picked one up last spring for hiking trips and it fell apart after 3 months. The zipper ripped out the first time I packed it full, and the waterproof coating peeled off like sunburn. They refused to refund me even with receipt from REI in Denver. Anyone else get burned by their cheap fabric or find a real tough alternative under $150?
Last month I set up camp with a no-name blue tarp from a hardware store, figured it would hold up like any other. By morning there were three rips along the seam and my sleeping bag was completely waterlogged. Has anyone tried the heavier woven tarps from a brand like Kelty or is that overkill for weekend trips?
I always used a pull-through sharpener because it was quick and easy. Then my buddy let me try his water stone last weekend and I actually saw the burr form for the first time. Has anyone else gone through that switch and felt dumb about it later?
I got stuck up on a ladder last week painting trim on a 12 foot ceiling in this old house in St. Paul. Reached for my 10-in-1 screwdriver and my whole pouch tipped over, sending a 4 pound chunk of scrapers and bits down onto the homeowner's rose bushes. That's when it clicked. I had been carrying around three hammers, two tape measures, and a bunch of random junk I never used for the last 6 years. My crew lead just looked at me and said "you know that's why your belt sags on the right side, right?" Now I'm trying to pare it down to just like 8 essentials instead of 20. Has anyone else had that moment where you realize you were hauling around dead weight for no reason?
I always figured a thrift store bag would fail on me fast, but after reading about how to test YKK zippers for wear I grabbed a $12 Jansport that's held up through 3 months of daily use. Anybody else changed their tune on buying secondhand gear?
Kept overwatering my snake plant until it got root rot. Tried the finger test but that never worked for me. This little meter has two prongs and tells you exactly when to water. Has anyone else had good luck with cheap plant tools?