Classic Hifi Care

OMG, has that stuff gotten high!

I need an 1 1/2 inch hole saw for one job. I will likely never use it again. I thought maybe five bucks, right? WRONG! The cheapest one Harbor Freight has is $7.99 without an arbor. Just the saw. I figured Harbor Freight would be cheap. Wrong again! I think their best deal is a multi-piece set with the size I need for $39.95. I sold my Snap-On set at auction. I don't believe I gave much more than that for a Snap-On set 35 years ago. I'm going to have a fortune in a TV I should have put onto the curb for the uncontained trash guys to pick up. I got out of the car restoration business and thought restoring old electronics was going to be less work and cheaper. Boy, was I wrong.....

No shortage of tools, estates all over the area have them. Neighbors on farms are flush with tools in multiples. Flea markets are loaded with booths overflowing with tools. Habitat ReStore has some odd things like that, you would think they would know what it is but I found a basin wrench for $1.00 that no plumber would be without, but it was in with the electrical stuff LOFL.

For new stuff, Amish stores sell lower than HDepot and Lowes, better stuff usually brands the contractors use plus an alternative. Cash or check only. Incredible what all they DO have and how reasonable. Saturday mornings there find us few rubes that "know" this local secret. Contractors who also drove back the long driveway past barns and animals are all giving me side eye, wondering if I'm a competitor getting these prices or worse yet, seeing what it really costs. Last time, I got a new water well pressure tank and all indoor appurtenances for HALF what the box store wanted, plus a top-quality pressure gauge.

Ace/True Value is still a good compromise and I buy there first, to support the local yokels. No, we dont have Menards but Harbor Freight although lower in overall quality, has good deals on those once-in-a-blue-moon tools for jobs requiring gear pullers special bits, etc.

Its surprising after paying $20 or more, I found the door-lock install "kits" usually have a crappy arbor, pilot bit, or saw itself. Something may break before youre even done!!!
Buy separates and check AMMO-zon prices.