Power stretcher snapped on me mid-job yesterday

Was stretching a 12x15 bedroom and the handle just broke clean off. Cost me $180 for a new one from the supply house down the street. Anyone else had a tool fail at the worst possible time?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_hernandez1215d ago

Saw a guy on a flooring forum last week talking about this same thing. He had a cheap import stretcher that broke right at the weld on the handle, sent him flying forward into the wall. Seems like some of these newer ones are using weaker metal than the old ones. Makes me wonder if you got a bad batch or if yours was just old and worn out. What brand was it?

rivera.henry13d ago

@mark_hernandez12 your buddy got lucky he didn't get hurt worse. My friend Carl had the exact same thing happen last summer with a cheap knockoff he grabbed off Amazon. The weld snapped clean in half while he was leaning into it on a 20 foot hallway, and he smacked his head on a door frame. Spent the next couple days with a black eye and a headache every time he bent over to cut carpet. He said the metal looked like it was barely fused together when he got a good look at the break. Never bought off-brand tools after that, just went straight to the supply house like you did.