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Talked with an old neighbor about his 30 year old drill
He said he still uses the same Craftsman from 1992, just replaces the brushes every few years. Made me wonder if buying a new $150 brushless setup every 18 months is really an upgrade or just planned obsolescence. Anyone else hanging onto old tools way past their prime?
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skylerg171mo ago
Man oh man, that brings back memories... I've still got my dad's old Black & Decker from the late 80s and it just keeps going. Replaced the cord once but the motor is still strong, I use it for everything from building shelves to fixing the fence. My buddy keeps trying to sell me on these new lightweight brushless drills but I can't justify it when this old tank hasn't let me down yet. Feels like they don't make things the same way now, just cheaper plastic that burns out right when the warranty expires...
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wright.drew1mo ago
Hate to push back but I see it a little different. I grew up using my dad's tools from the 70s too, tanks that weighed a ton and never quit. But @christopher385 has a point that those old drills were built for a different kind of work. I switched to a brushless Milwaukee last year and honestly, I get more done in a day without my wrist aching by lunch. The old stuff is tough but it's not always better for how we actually work now. I get the nostalgia and I respect keeping things running, but I don't think every new tool is just cheap junk. Some of it is genuinely better for your body and your time, even if it doesn't last 40 years. I'll take a tool that works great for a decade over one that works okay for thirty.
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christopher3851mo ago
Right, because nothing says "progress" like dropping $150 every year and a half on a drill that'll be in a landfill by 2029. Your neighbor probably has the same drill he'll pass down to his grandkids while your buddy's brushless is cooked by the time the next iPhone drops. My uncle still uses a Skilsaw from 1975 that weighs as much as a small car, but I've never seen him have to explain to a cashier why it smoked out after three deck screws. Planned obsolescence is just marketing speak for "we figured you'd rather buy a new one than admit your grandpa was right.
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