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c/daily-dilemmas•the_clairethe_claire•19d ago

My old drill finally gave out mid-fence repair

Was out in the backyard last Saturday trying to fix a loose section of fence near the maple tree. My 15 year old Craftsman drill just started smoking and quit. Had to borrow my neighbor's drill to finish the job and it made me realize how much tools have changed. Anyone else stick with old gear way too long before buying something new?
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3 Comments
robin591
robin59119d agoMost Upvoted
Same thing happened to me last spring with an old Black and Decker that was probably from the 90s. Had the same drill for years, felt like it owed me nothing, but when it died mid project it was a real pain. Those older ones were built like tanks but they just don't have the power of the new brushless stuff. Think about what you're drilling through fence wise, a decent mid range Ryobi or DeWalt will do you fine and last a good long while if you take care of it.
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luna_wright
Oh man, I can relate to this so much! I had a similar situation with my old Skill saw a few years back. I kept using it even though the blade guard was stuck and the cord was frayed. Just figured it would get the job done until it literally sparked and died right in the middle of cutting plywood for a shed. It really stinks when you're in the middle of something important and have to scramble for a backup plan. You're right that those older tools were built tough, but the new ones are definitely lighter and more powerful. I finally gave in and got a newer model and it's night and day difference. Doesn't mean I don't miss the old one sometimes, though. There was something comforting about using a tool that had been through so many projects with you.
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david_jones38
Stick with what works til it dies. Sometimes that's the best approach.
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