Were tools better in the 80s?

[joe-90]

In the mid eighties I bought some second hand power tools. A blue Bosch SDS, a blue Bosch (not SDS), a Hitachi jig saw, a Makita reciprocating saw and a couple of others - all still going as new today 25 years on.

None were made in China.

Well? What do you think?

 

[Burnerman]

I've still got some gear from the 80's - apart from the Hilti stuff I've mentioned in another post, I've still got a Stanley drill, ELU grinder and a Wolf circular saw......which makes so much racket you are deaf after 30 sec
I've some Makita stuff too - but nothing battery powered of course.
John

 

[noseall]

I seem to remember tools in the '80s being cruder, heavier and noisier and tougher on the wrists!

 

[Norcon]

Everything wears out if you use it enough. Depends on how many parts you throw at it to keep it going I guess.
I've still got an original yard brush from the eighties. Only had 12 new heads and four shafts.

 

[peterperfection]

Everything wears out if you use it enough. Depends on how many parts you throw at it to keep it going I guess.
I've still got an original yard brush from the eighties. Only had 12 new heads and four shafts.

YOU'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER YARD' !!

 

[wotan]

I have a little jem of an electric drill, a WOLF CUB, its only 1/4" capacity but is as good now, as when it was made, after the inital hand tightening of the chuck on the drill, an Alan key is used fot the final tightening, the drill bits never slip, it's very handy for small jobs.

Wotan

 

[peterperfection]

I have a little jem of an electric drill, a WOLF CUB, its only 1/4" capacity but is as good now, as when it was made, after the inital hand tightening of the chuck on the drill, an Alan key is used fot the final tightening, the drill bits never slip, it's very handy for small jobs.

Wotan

SMALL jobs is the key.

 

[gregers]

Everything wears out if you use it enough. Depends on how many parts you throw at it to keep it going I guess.
I've still got an original yard brush from the eighties. Only had 12 new heads and four shafts.

ALRIGHT DAVE,

 

[mattylad]

Back then drills had metal frames on them and did not burn out as easy as they do now.

Old BW drill last for ages, I got a plastic bodied one as a wedding present and it burnt out within a few months.

 

[Harbourwoodwork]

I have one of the old Elu chop saws its the dogs for careful 2nd fix work and not as noisy as a lot, I had ago on a new one rubbish for angle setting

 

[peterperfection]

I have one of the old Elu chop saws its the dogs for careful 2nd fix work and not as noisy as a lot, I had ago on a new one rubbish for angle setting

PS 174 ??

Ive had mine for about 20 years - works great.

 

[foxhole]

Have a B&D drill from the 70's still going strong. Uncle did a motor rewind at about 20 years old.

 

[Dave54]

I have a little jem of an electric drill, a WOLF CUB, its only 1/4" capacity but is as good now, as when it was made, after the inital hand tightening of the chuck on the drill, an Alan key is used fot the final tightening, the drill bits never slip, it's very handy for small jobs.

Wotan

Wolf made good power tools, the blue and grey drills from the 70's and 80s were good kit. I've still got a couple of those Wolf Cub drills knocking about. One was my dad's, he must have had that in the 50's. When he had it he bought me a toy model of the same drill that ran on one of those 4.5 volt batteries with the screw terminals. It had a polishing mop with it IIRC.
I remember him getting a Jacobs chuck for it to replace the allen key type. The other is a 110V very low speed one. Don't know what that was originally intended for. Too slow to be useful really.
Far as tools from the 80s are concerned I've got a blue Bosch jigsaw still going strong. That's done a lot of work over the years. An Elu 96E (?) quarter inch router, that's also done many hours but is OK. One of those blue B&D "Proline" palm sanders also seems indestructible. My small ELU belt sander packed up when the grease had dried up in the gearbox. I didn't use it that much, but it was useful for some jobs. The gears were going to cost about £60 to replace, but as it happened I went into Lidl and bought a Parkside sander for £30. That seems a good tool so far, but again it hasn't had any really heavy use.
Was the kit any better back in the 80s? I don't really know. The best stuff was never cheap that's sure enough. The Parkside might be an exception of course.

 

[Norcon]

My Dad has an old wolf drill also. Metal casing. 240v.
Plenty of power and just as likely to electrocute the user as drill a hole.
Especially if it got wet.

 

[mattylad]

However, the answer to the Ops question could be a good old "Yes" for build quality, material quality etc.