Price of new tools.

[Bill Dufour]

Is that made by Yanmar?
Bill D

[John TenEyck]

Is that made by Yanmar?
Bill D

Scag Power Equipment, Wisconsin. On par with Ferris and Toro Pro.

https://www.scag.com/company/about-us/

John

The Vanguard engine was made in Japan, which was prior to when Briggs and Stratton moved the manufacture of those engines to the US. So, maybe Yanmar, although I saw some info. that suggested Toyota.

[Keith Outten]

Commercial machines are the best bargain. I bought a new 72" Dixie Chopper 25 years ago for about $8,000.00. Been cutting 2.5 acres every week and it's still in good shape. The mower deck is made from 1/4" thick steel plate, no sheet metal anywhere on the mower.

[Keegan Shields]

Adjusted for purchasing power, you'd need to get $2,279 for that JET cabinet saw.

https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inf...00?amount=1300

[Edward Weber]

I'll just say it, Lathes are too expensive.
For a full sized lathe, you're looking at $2500 - over $5000.
In essence, it's a motor on a stand. All the work holding and tooling is extra.
Absolutely ridiculous.

I have nothing against expensive tools, just overpriced ones.

[Jim Becker]

13k? 15k? What kind of mowers are you guys looking at? These sound like Ferraris not mowers I have 2 acres and my Hustler XD which was 5k (yes still stupid expensive) does awesome and that Kawi engine is superb..

My 54" SCAG Freedom Z was about $5K originally, but that was back in the late 2000s. I haven't priced them because there's no need to do so, but I suspect that they are meaningfully a lot more expensive today than back then. I don't really even need a machine like that now here at the new property, but...it's paid for. Someday, I'll make a change, likely to an "EV" style.

As to tools, yes, stuff is a lot more expensive in initial cost these days, but so is everything non-tool, too. That's the nature of our economy. And like many folks, I'm very glad I was able to buy "the good stuff" years ago as it would be really hard to do so now.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Recently was thinking that at today's prices, I couldn't buy the tools I now own. Luckily for me, I worked for myself, so tool purchases were business expenses. Savings on taxes ((State & Fed,) along with SS taxes, often paid more than half the price of the tool. FIL once said" I was the only person he knew who had a saw for each end of the board." Reminded him, how many steps I saved by having identical saws at each end of the board!

[Matt Lau]

Recently was thinking that at today's prices, I couldn't buy the tools I now own. Luckily for me, I worked for myself, so tool purchases were business expenses. Savings on taxes ((State & Fed,) along with SS taxes, often paid more than half the price of the tool. FIL once said" I was the only person he knew who had a saw for each end of the board." Reminded him, how many steps I saved by having identical saws at each end of the board!

Was looking for the thumbs up icon.

Not sure how many people understand that time/labor is EXPENSIVE!
If you can double your output with just a duplicate tool, that's a bargain! (says the bottom feeder guy that always buys his tools secondhand or refurbished)

[David Sochar]

I looked at a lawn mower first as an investment, 30 years ago when we moved to 10 acres. Paid $3,500 for a Lawn Boy. At the time, I did not know it was made by MTD, a company that makes many mowers and paints/labels them differently. I figured that with reasonable care, it would last 10 years or more.

About 8 years in, after replacing all the blade spindles, the deck, the seat, the tires, innumerable belts and more, I realized it was a fool's game. The motor was sound, but everything else rattled, rusted or just plain fell off.

Next up was a Cub Cadet. $4,000. Same story. Cynicism is firmly in place as a result. Should I have paid $12k for as mower years ago? That was more I was paying for a car at the time. It lasted about 10 years, but again, replacing the deck, spindles, 20 -30 belts, etc.

Then beaten and worn out, I next bought a John Deere. $4,500. The first day, mowing, feeling proud - they even gave me a John Deere cap - it threw a belt. This would be an event repeated in nearly every mowing for the next 10 years. Down on my knees, aging bad back, this side, then the other side, spring here, wrench there, block of wood, mashed fingers, and 15 minutes later, I am back mowing.

One other thing thing they all have in common is the near impossibility of a an easy remove and replace deck. I like sharp blades - I make my living from a sharp edge in many respects - but can rarely enjoy it since it takes an hour or two to remove the deck, then blades, and replace. Sharpening only takes 10 minutes.

The John Deere has an hour meter, and I am at 500 hours now. If it were a car, with 500 hours at an average of 50 MPH, it would have 25,000 miles on it. Hell, a car would still smell new at 25,000 miles. With little or no service beyond oil changes. The mower looks like it spent its life in a war zone. And behaves like it also.

Gotta go, I have to mow the grass.

Thanks for letting me rant.

[Tom M King]

I put a marine lifting eye on the front of this mower. I like sharp blades too. Blades are changed with a cordless impact driver with me standing in front of the mower sitting on its big flat rear end.

Sorry for the sidetrack of this thread to mowers. I was originally just intending it as an example of machinery price inflation much more than overall average rate.

The marine lifting eye is rated for enough capacity to lift three of these 1800 pound mowers all the way up in the air. I can lift it with a chain hoist, but it's faster with the tractor loader. I like blades both sharp and balanced, so the setup for that is on the inside of a hinged shop door. I can open the door, and all the mess stays outside.

With another set of blades ready to swap for the dull ones, the mower doesn't have to sit in this position for long enough to matter. It's a few minute job, mostly getting on and off the tractor.

This mower really can cut a 6' swath at 14 mph, but it will only do it pretty with sharp blades.

[Jim Becker]

I lift mine up like that with my tractor, Tom, although not quite that high, when I want/need to sharpen the blades.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

My Lie-Nielsen tools are worth more today on the used market than I paid for them.

[David Buchhauser]

Lucky for most of us "old timers" that we already have most all of the tools we need, and purchased many years ago.
David

[Thomas McCurnin]

Another side to this story is my experience with DeWalt routers. I remember in the day that a good router was several hundred dollars. Today, I can buy a DeWalt for $200, and it makes it easy to buy a dedicated pair for a dovetail jig.

[George Yetka]

13k? 15k? What kind of mowers are you guys looking at? These sound like Ferraris not mowers I have 2 acres and my Hustler XD which was 5k (yes still stupid expensive) does awesome and that Kawi engine is superb.

OP, as far as tool prices go, it hasn't really changed whether or not I buy a tool I want/need. Its my one passion and if I can afford it, I will. I don't own a boat, camper, RV or anything like that, so I figure "ya only live once". I'm not happy about it, but I'm not retired and so money coming in compensates accordingly. Having said that, I'm certainly sensitive to the cost of living/things. My in-laws live with us because affording something themselves close by where we can help out that isn't an apartment or duplex is prohibitively expensive on their income.

I was looking at dixie chopper. My need was for less grass than Tom but I have close to 0 time for the lawn. I work 70-80 hours a week often work saturdays and I have a wife who also works and 2 kids under 5. My weekends are pretty shot. and so are my weeknights. I wanted a commercial mower so I could finish in an hour or so. but an average of $65 a week for lawn care is far better for me.