I finally learned why you don't cheap out on combination squares

Bought a $6 plastic combination square from the bargain bin at a hardware store. Used it to mark out 30 cabinet drawer slides last weekend. Every single drawer ended up crooked by about 1/8 inch. Had to pull all the slides and redo the holes. That cheap square was already warped out of the box. Has anyone else had junk tools cost them a full day of work?

3 comments

3 Comments

linda_dixon4925d ago

Oh man, I feel this in my soul. I once grabbed a "budget friendly" speed square from a discount bin and it was so far off I ended up cutting a whole sheet of plywood into a trapezoid instead of a rectangle. My wife still brings it up every time I grab a new tool. Learned that lesson the hard way, now I stick with a name brand one even if it costs more.

the_lisa25d ago

Build on that idea for sure. I've noticed the same thing with cheaper tools - they look fine in the store but the first time you really put them to work, they just fall apart or give you bad measurements. It's like the manufacturer cut corners on the exact part that matters most (the accuracy). Your trapezoid story is hilarious by the way, but I bet it wasn't funny at the time. Now I treat tool buying the same way I treat dog grooming supplies - I'll pay double for something that's going to hold up and do the job right the first time. That one bad experience is worth way more than saving twenty bucks upfront, especially when you factor in the wasted materials and time.

the_jake24d ago

The_lisa nailed it about cheap tools falling apart right when you need them most. I picked up a no name tape measure once that looked fine, but the hook was loose right out of the package. Ended up cutting a bunch of studs an inch too short before I caught it. That twenty dollar savings turned into a whole afternoon of redoing work and driving back to the lumber yard.