Great deals you've gotten on tools

[Boxxle]

Hey everyone, I just thought I'd post what I found today 

A Sears location is closing near me and I took a walkthrough and spotted a Craftsman router for sale.  It was a floor model so there's a few scratches but everything works alright.  The only thing wrong with it was the power cable had quite a big nick in it.  I pointed this out to an employee so she rang it down to $30.  Quick and easy fix, I opened up the back casing of the router, cut the power cable shorter (lost about 12"), reconnected everything.  Cleaned off and lubed the slides, now it's like new 





What are some tools you've found at a good price?

[opt2not]

My top tools find was a Hakko 936 soldering station for $40 off CL. Nothing wrong with it, it just had a bunch of stickers and labels stuck to it at one point, so the case had a bunch of dried adhesive leftover on it. The seller just wanted to get rid of it. I cleaned it off with goo-gone and its in great shape. Great soldering station...

I also bought a $10 palm sander with a faulty on/off switch.  Replaced the switch, works like a charm.

[pbj]

Tools?  Nothing great beyond stacking a 20% off with a super coupon at Harbor Freight.  Always figure out which cashiers don't care and stand in their lines.  It's usually the long one.

Those coupons have been a source of great amusement.  I'll print off a sheet and hand them out while in line.  (strength in numbers when it comes to an oddball coupon)  One guy refused to take one, said they wouldn't take it, gave me a lecture about photocopies, then 2 minutes later was tapping my shoulder, "uh, sir, could I get one of those?" after mine was accepted.  Another time I hand one to a couple of guys kind of bickering about money.  They instantly shut up, one says to the other, "go get that saw."

Probably the best deal on the most worthless thing was $15 for a big box full of crap from Radio Shack.  We get it home and it was full of token ring connectors and stud finders.  You cannot build a balloon frame structure in the USVI, everything is rebar and cinder block.  Words fail me when I attempt to describe the sheer uselessness of a stud finder in that part of the world.  We threw away at least a dozen of them in the package.

[michelevit]

only 20%?

HF has been spiking their ads with the occasional 25% off coupon.
I picked up some larger ticket items when those went out recently.

Craigslist has some good deals if your diligent at being the early bird.

[Le Chuck]

I may have gotten the whole 18v dewalt jobsite suite of tools for free.

Just speculating.

Details if how this happened not available. Theft wasn't the method.

[knave]

Not a tool exactly but I scored a floor model Kurig coffee maker at Home Depot for $10.

Each cup is sweeter because of it.

Back to tools, I picked up a palm sander for $15 on clearance at my local hardware store.

When I was younger and just starting my tool collection I bought a used Craftsman circular saw at the flea market for $15...still use it when I need corded.

Some deals on Craigslist too...

[Boxxle]

Not a tool exactly but I scored a floor model Kurig coffee maker at Home Depot for $10.

Each cup is sweeter because of it.

Back to tools, I picked up a palm sander for $15 on clearance at my local hardware store.

When I was younger and just starting my tool collection I bought a used Craftsman circular saw at the flea market for $15...still use it when I need corded.

Some deals on Craigslist too...

The coffee maker is one of the most important tools in the shop! Great find :-)

[eds1275]

No matter how many different pre-made coffees I find, I can't find a good one. Not just ok, but something I truly enjoy.

The best deals I get are asking my dad if he has ______. And then not returning it. I have a bunch of sweet tools because of this, but my favourite is my Makita router. Of course I will bring them back if he asks, but he retired and is really just enjoying NOT doing anything.

[Le Chuck]

No matter how many different pre-made coffees I find, I can't find a good one. Not just ok, but something I truly enjoy.

The best deals I get are asking my dad if he has ______. And then not returning it. I have a bunch of sweet tools because of this, but my favourite is my Makita router. Of course I will bring them back if he asks, but he retired and is really just enjoying NOT doing anything.

Upped for straight up robbing the old man!

[knave]

No matter how many different pre-made coffees I find, I can't find a good one. Not just ok, but something I truly enjoy.

The best deals I get are asking my dad if he has ______. And then not returning it. I have a bunch of sweet tools because of this, but my favourite is my Makita router. Of course I will bring them back if he asks, but he retired and is really just enjoying NOT doing anything.

Upped for straight up robbing the old man!

There is no more rep but it is allways a treat to rob the old man...as long as he approves.

[eds1275]

Was there too much free love, and now it's gone?

[GregD]

Grizzly 16" Drum Sander - $200 on craigslist.  Love that thing
Rikon 14" Band Saw-$125 on craigslist.  Looked like it had never been used

[spoot]

3.25HP Makita Plunge Router - $30 - auction
10" Delta Contractor TS (w/Blade, Dado blade set, leather gloves, paste wax, boxes of screws) - $60 - auction
12" Craftsman Pro Thickness planer/moulder (w/moulding blades) - $0

[kahlid74]

New Rigid Hybrid Table saw, with 25% off Harbor Freight and 15% off Home Depot Coupon from Home Depot.  Price in store - $500.  Price I got it for ~$300

[KIguy]

Just snagged a Ryobi table saw with router attachment, was around 450 new and I scored it for $100 from my neighbor. I also got $40 off an air compressor yesterday at Lowes just by asking the MOD if he was willing to adjust the $80 delivery fee (3 miles). Never hurts to ask, my friends

[nadcraker]

New Rigid Hybrid Table saw, with 25% off Harbor Freight and 15% off Home Depot Coupon from Home Depot.  Price in store - $500.  Price I got it for ~$300

Does Home Depot take Harbor Freight coupons? How did that work?

[spoot]

New Rigid Hybrid Table saw, with 25% off Harbor Freight and 15% off Home Depot Coupon from Home Depot.  Price in store - $500.  Price I got it for ~$300

Does Home Depot take Harbor Freight coupons? How did that work?

Depends on the person running the till and the manager.......some will take them......some won't.

[kahlid74]

New Rigid Hybrid Table saw, with 25% off Harbor Freight and 15% off Home Depot Coupon from Home Depot.  Price in store - $500.  Price I got it for ~$300

Does Home Depot take Harbor Freight coupons? How did that work?

Pretty much what @spoot says.  High level, the harbor freight coupons apply to what both Home Depot and Harbor freight have.  If you take an item that is a home depot exclusive, they typically will give you only 10% off, which is better than nothing.

What I do is two things; I find a teller that generally doesn't seem to care very much and give her my 20-25% off coupon for a cart full of items (like ~$100).  She/he is disgruntled enough where instead of taking the work to remove 25% off a $10 dollar glue, they just take it off the whole order.

Secondly for big ticket items, I use the coupon as well with someone at the returns desk.  The store manager usually sits behind them and can/will immediately say whether it's good to go or not.  As long as the item is on both stores you're good to go most of the time but stores will differ.  If you manager doesn't accept it go to a Lowes or a different HD and repeat the process.