Just curious, do you buy

[lowell holmes]

Just curious, do you buy the expensive items promoted with unsolicited emails?

A recent one had an expensive doweling jig at the cost of several hundred dollars.

I can't imagine buying such items.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I would highly recommend that you shop around before buying anything you see in an advertisement email.
Quite often you can find the same item cheaper that the advertised special price in the email.

I frequently get emails for sale priced items from Woodpeckers that I've found cheaper elsewhere.
I also recently got an email from a large sporting goods store for Nike shoes for 25% off, for $120.
The same shoes were available direct from Nike's website for $75.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

This sounds like you are referring to the woodpecker one time tool at around 600-700 bucks?

[Prashun Patel]

if the tool is made well, and the user gets utility from it, who are we to judge? Your question looks like it aims to pass judgment on the buyer, not to evaluate a particular product.

Coul u be more specific about which product and why you can't imagine buying it.

[Ben Rivel]

All up to what you are comfortable with paying. Some times, every once in a while, the email is a good deal. For example I just got a 10% off my entire order from Grizzly via email. Had never seen one before and it just randomly popped up. But then other times I get an ad for a $600 overpriced doweling jig or other "deals" from said company which are NEVER the best price for their own products and yea I just ignore them. Only reason I stay subscribed to the email list is to see whats new when it comes out.

[lowell holmes]

if the tool is made well, and the user gets utility from it, who are we to judge? Your question looks like it aims to pass judgment on the buyer, not to evaluate a particular product.

Coul u be more specific about which product and why you can't imagine buying it.

I'm not passing judgement on anybody. I was just curious if anyone buy's these tools. If I had reason to need a tool, I might buy it. In the case of the dowling jig, how many people other than someone in a production run would need it. I suspect only a business operation would be a potential buyer. I really was just curious, not passing judgement. I apologize if that is the impression I gave.

[Rich Riddle]

I don't even open such e-mails. The Woodpeckers doweling jig is about $600 plus and I don't do nearly enough doweling to justify that expense. Plus at that cost you are half-way to the price of a Domino.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I look at all the Woodpeckers emails. And I have purchased numerous examples of their work, and they are very well made. Expensive? They are. And I recall an old adage that says something about "buying expensive tools makes you cry only once".

That said, I look at each individually. I don't need a doweling jig for $600. Though I did look closely at their discount router table lifts this week. Ended up not getting one, but considered it. But their layout and measuring tools are in my shop.

Doc

[John Lankers]

I usually buy my tools as I need them and if that happens to be an item that was promoted in an email I make darn sure the price including shipping is right before I hit the buy now button. As one major online retailer regularly sends emails saying like: John, get 75% off but only today. That's a crock.
I do however check a retailers webite who I know has brick and mortar stores and often find their pricing very competitive, go figure.

[Frederick Skelly]

I'm with you Lowell - I don't either. I keep a running list of things I need/want and watch for sales, free shipping or wait until I actually need them and buy then. But that's what works for me - I don't do (too) much impulse tool buying.

Regarding WP. For the work that I do, I have yet to buy an item from WP that I felt was worth the extra expense (to me) compared to other quality sources. For example, I bought 2 expensive rules from WP. Later, I bought three far less expensive hook rules from LV. I nearly always reach for the LV and I might eventually sell off the WP. (Not yet. No PMs friends. ) But I know many people feel differently and get value from the WP products.

[Michael Arruda]

$600 for a Dowling jig?!?!? I have a single spindle horizontal borer I would see ya for less, or a double spindle I would sell ya for $600 even. $600 for a jig?!?!? Is it made of gold? It better do the set up and doweling for me at that price.

-Michael

PS- anyone want a horizontal borer? :-D

[Prashun Patel]

Contrarian here.

A joinery device that does its job accurately and easily is worth it's weight in gold to some. Having owned a couple higher priced dowel jigs I can say that while they both worked perfectly, I found both clamping mechanisms inconvenient.

The woodpecker jig appears to not require a clamp. That would be very convenient. I am not saying I want one, but if the tool has merit it doesn't occur to me to crap on it just because it is more expensive than I see fit to pay.

[Mike Henderson]

I find very few times when I want to put in a dowel. I don't use them for joinery, nor for alignment of glue ups. The only time I can remember that I used one was when I build an expanding table and put in the alignment dowels for the leaves.

Unless you used dowels a whole lot, I'd put up with awkward clamping (and maybe other things) and use a lower cost jig. That's a lot of money to have sitting there unless it's going to get a lot of use.

Mike

[Greg Hines, MD]

Given some of the railing against Woodpeckers in this thread, I would point out that in todays mailing, they offer a pair of track saw clamps for $27 a piece. That is $12 cheaper than the equivalent Festool clamps.

Doc

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Given some of the railing against Woodpeckers in this thread, I would point out that in todays mailing, they offer a pair of track saw clamps for $27 a piece. That is $12 cheaper than the equivalent Festool clamps.

Doc

The Bessey track clamps? My e-mail shows $54.99 for a pair.