[Zeke]

Now you're talkin' to the master. Tools have been my life. I don't have a Snap-O box full of snappy tools — I'm not about branding. Whatever gets the job done well makes it easy for me to choose tools from all makes. I wouldn't buy a HF sander under any circumstances, mainly FessTool (expensive!), but if I needed a toe kick saw for one job, HF here I come. They do work. For how long, IDK.

That's half the point. Buy a good tool to last, but buy a tool that is appropriate for the up coming jobs in the near future. My highest quality tools are the ones I use almost daily. I'm not much of a plumber so I don't care who made my pipe wrench (a crude tool anyway, to say the least).

While we are on the subject, there is no reason whatsoever to own an air compressor so loud that you can't carry on a conversation in normal tones in the same room where it's running. i should put that in the pet peeve thread.

That goes for a lot of other tools. When my Unisaw is running it's almost hard to hear it with no load from across the room. I could walk away leaving it running and it wouldn't bother me to talk on the phone. If the dust collector is running I have to look at the saw to see if it's on.

Haven't found a quiet router yet. Nor chop saw. Nevertheless, mine are excellent for what they do (with perfect blades).