Chicago tools
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
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From: North Central Rural Sask.
Chicago tools
Does anyone here know about this brand at all? How are they? Whats the quality like? What else do you guys know about them? Any info or comments appreciated!
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 655
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From: Miami
My brother-in-law and I have purchased a few in the past. Personnally as a tool used by a homeowner or part time / hobby type builder person, there great for the price. Carry a standard warranty. Some of the items are just as good as the higher priced models. As far as complaints, the housing on a few of the power tools is a little flimsy. But thats about it. They are a very large company who makes numerous items from hand tools to 10KW generators.
Al
Al
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
(Moved to Garage and Workshop forum.)
I have purchased a few over the years. I would not consider them for regular use, but for occasionl use they're okay...not great, just okay. They're just another one of theos cheap Asian brands that has a familar-sounding American name stuck on them for marketing puposes.
Yes, I think Harbor Freight carries a lot of them.
I have purchased a few over the years. I would not consider them for regular use, but for occasionl use they're okay...not great, just okay. They're just another one of theos cheap Asian brands that has a familar-sounding American name stuck on them for marketing puposes.
Yes, I think Harbor Freight carries a lot of them.
Last edited by TigerDan; Sep 25, 2005 at 08:55 PM.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37,887
Likes: 20
From: North Central Rural Sask.
Thats all cool, I was just curious because I bought a mig welder used for 200 dollars, and a fancy radial arm mitre type saw for 175 dollars and they both seemed pretty cheap for the price, and I didnt really think about the quality!
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
Likes: 5
From: The hills of No. Calif.
For the home shop, with occasional use, I'd think they'd hold up fine. Most of my experience with them has been with their air tools, which don't hold up well to frequent, professional-type use.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
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I have a bench top Chicago Tools drill press that has stood up to many hours of abuse for almost 25 years. Of course I had to take it completely apart when I got it to clean it up and make some small improvements. The beast is too heavy to lift so it stays bolted down to a base made from an old gutted dryer enclosure. The leveling legs are great and the dryer chamber serves as a place to keep tooling. The head will swivel to drill into very long objects. I did fabricate a speed reducer pulley for it a few years ago. When I got mine the real low speed models were not available.
Just watch what you buy. It is nice to have a store near me now. I have both a Cummins Tools and Harbor Freight near me as well as a professional tool store. Now all I need is a Northern Tool store.
Just watch what you buy. It is nice to have a store near me now. I have both a Cummins Tools and Harbor Freight near me as well as a professional tool store. Now all I need is a Northern Tool store.
Last edited by Torque1st; Sep 25, 2005 at 10:53 PM.
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Joined: Jun 1999
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From: Oregon
I like Harbor Freight. For the price they can't be beat on some things. However, I've seen people on Ebay sell stuff they bought at HF for more than it's worth and went to an oral auction a while back where they did the same thing. There seems to be a market for HF stuff in places that haven't heard of Chicago and Pittsburg tools and don't have a Harbor Freight.
I have all sorts of tools stores close by...
Just no more room to store any more tools. My wife thinks I need to open my own tool store.
I have all sorts of tools stores close by...
Just no more room to store any more tools. My wife thinks I need to open my own tool store.
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