As I get older I am more likely to just watch the sales. I seem to have run out of room for new stuff!
As I get older I am more likely to just watch the sales. I seem to have run out of room for new stuff!
We're going to participate in this sale http://optoutside.rei.com/
I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and I think, "Well, that’s not going to happen."
There's no amount of saving that will get me in town on Black Friday.
Rich
ALASKANS FOR GLOBAL WARMING
Eagle River Alaska
I don't do BF sales, haven't left the house on a BF for probably 20 years. The wife buys stuff all year long hitting clearance racks everywhere. She gets crap almost for free at Kohls after stacking up all the discounts. I remember one trip we got me a nice winter coat, 8 or so pairs of jeans, a few T-shirts, bag of socks, underwear, couple of button shirts, socks & few unmentionables for her, all for less than $90. She finds stuff all year for the grandkids for next to nothing just keeping her eyes open...
My biggest pet peeve with BF and marketing in general this time of year is the absolute worthless junk put up for sale for the sole purpose of something to buy as gifts. This year's #1 ridiculous item is the "dual breakfast sandwich maker"... REEELLY?? This thing is bigger than a George Foreman grill, and all it'll do is heat up an egg and a bagel or muffin?? So what has to go to make room for this albatross?? The toaster oven, toaster, microwave, the Kitchenaid mixer, the 2... make that THREE coffee makers, the induction cooktop, the 3-across slow-cooker, the retro popcorn maker... Naaaahhh...
About 10 years ago or so, just for xmas, Black & Decker put out this hand-held cheese grater. Did anyone else buy one of these? It basically a handle with a small reciprocating grater, moved up & down about a half inch, about 5 strokes per second. The idea was you grate a little cheese only when you need it. Uh huh. When you turned it on and put it against a piece of cheese, the grater just stuck to the cheese, and now your hands are moving while the cheese and grater did nothing. Trying to hold the grater and cheese still enough that cheese would actually shred just stopped the thing. Had less power than a nose-hair trimmer. I paid $11 for that piece of trash, and lost all respect for B&D...
Glad I have everything I ever wanted. Well, except the Bentley Continental...
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ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
FOUR - CO2 lasers
THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
ONE - vinyl cutter
CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle
Woodcraft has Jet parallel clamps on sale 50% off.
Bear in mind - those aren't the "real deal" Vice Grips anymore, those are the made in China Irwin Owned vice grips.Ace Hardware is going to have a 6 pack of Irwin (nee Vise Grip) Quick Grips for 14.95. 2x 12" Minis, 2x 6" Minis, and 2x Micros. This is the best package deal I've ever seen on 'em. It's the addition of the Micros that pushes it into great territory.
They are night and day different from the old reliable ones.
Irwin bought out Vice Grip then shipped the manufacture over to China.
My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...
Realistically, what are the differences between so-called "real deal" Vice Grips and the Irwin Vice Grips? Certainly it would be better if they were still made in the USA, but are people complaining because the design changed, or because they are no longer made in the USA? Is the actual use and function of them different? I have a Tool Shop brand pair of "Vise Grips" and I have no idea what a vintage USA made pair would do better. (No idea why I didn't buy the USA made ones at the time, but production may have already gone to China.)
I know there is a huge love for Vise Grips made in the USA a long time ago at a certain factory that is long gone. I'm not certain if they actually work any better, or if people just like them because the design is different than newer Vise Grips.
Use a big honking pair of Channel Locks to squeeze the (real deal) Vice Grips closed on a tie rod, then slip a section of steel pipe over them and stand on the pipe to loosen the tie rod.Realistically, what are the differences between so-called "real deal" Vice Grips and the Irwin Vice Grips?
Now try that - - or better yet, don't even think of trying that - - with the Made in China ones.
A bit easier test is to just look at the teeth on the jaws of each one.
The old American made ones have nice sharp/hard/tough teeth.
The made in China ones - -don't.
Now, find a grungy old rusty pair of "real deal" ones and look at the teeth. despite the spot rust, the teeth are every bit as sharp and good as a clean pair.
Easier yet?
Just heft a pair of old American made Vice Grips, then heft a pair of the China made ones.
I can feel a significant difference in both heft and balance. (YMMV)
The sad thing really is that a lot of the newer designs are quite innovative.
It's a real pity the old quality isn't there to back up the innovative designs.
As for the old real deal ones, I have 3 or 4 pair of older ones that - -honestly - - I would trust my life on them.
If I had to clamp them to something and use them as a step or something to support my weight & if they failed, I'd fall and die, I wouldn't hesitate a second to use a pair of old made in the USA vice grips.
I doubt if you could pay me enough to risk the same with a pair of made in China ones.
Edit to add - - if you go to the Irwin site and read the reviews, there's a lot that mention how the older ones were a much better and stronger build.
I've found that to be 100% accurate.
The older - USA made ones, didn't have any slack or twist to them, no matter how hard you clamped them down.
Last edited by Rich Engelhardt; 11-20-2015 at 7:20 PM.
My granddad always said, :As one door closes, another opens".
Wonderful man, terrible cabinet maker...
Wow, that's a long sale! Thanks
The new ones are terrible but might be fine for light use. We use lots of them in a tool manufacturer and they last weeks compared to the previous ones that lasted a year or two. One of my partners just spent some time chasing good ones and thinks he came up with an alternative to the originals but they are $35. I'll post the name and source after I talk with him.
Edited to add: Oops, looks like Rich already covered that.
Last edited by Greg R Bradley; 11-21-2015 at 10:29 AM.
Matt,
Just one point of correction...according to the WC ad I got in the mail recently, the Jet parallel clamps are only on sale from 11/27-11/30 and it does say "quantities are limited" (whatever that means).
Vise Grips.. they were invented in Dewitt, Nebraska by a Danish blacksmith named Petersen in the 1920s. My dad was a steel salesman and called on him and his sons.