In my opinion...

[UncleLarry]

Hi everyone, this is Danny from Missouri. I’m new to Shopsmith and have a few posts on your Maintenance forum about a Greenie that I inherited. But I have been making sawdust (and burning 7018 rods) for many years and want to offer my opinion on other tools out there.
Over the years I have collected and use many tools including Black and Decker, Ridged, Skill, Delta, Bosch, and Grizzly. But the vast majority of tools in my shop are Sears, Craftsman. In my younger years in Southeast Missouri there were Sears stores in many nearby towns. And with my limited budget I found that Craftsman tools were a good value for me, not only ratchets and wrenches, but also power tools.
My first new purchase was a 7¼” circular saw. Then, shortly afterward I bought a 10” table saw, with a cast iron table and extensions (very heavy!). The table saw has been modified. I added plywood panels between the legs on three sides to force sawdust discharge out the back, and to make storage for the rip fence and miter gage. I discarded the retractable castor wheels (junk) and added 4” wheels on the motor side and hickory axe handles on the control side so that now I can move it around like a wheelbarrow.
Then later I bought a Craftsman 4hp, 2-cylinder air compressor from a co-worker. It was used, and already several years old. The tank was leaking through rust holes. I welded patches on the holes and it’s been running great for many years, running my framing nailer, brad nailer, flooring nailer, my (Craftsman) impact wrench, plasma cutter, and other tools.
It’s been 40+ years since I bought those first tools, and they are still running strong through several projects and remodeling jobs (we are just finishing the latest one now.) Since the early days I have added two routers (to make raised panel doors for cabinets), belt sander, orbital sander, jointer, band saws, jig saw, 4 ½” grinder, and several other Craftsman tools.
Craftsman tools may not be the same quality now that they were then, but my recommendation is that if you get a chance to buy older, used, Craftsman tools, in good shape, do it! They will probably be at bargain prices and worth every penny.
Now, as for modern tools, I don’t buy many because my old tools don’t wear out. But when I do buy, here’s my recommendation:
Recently for a deck rebuild project I bought a 3-piece set of Milwaukee tools. They were M18, Fuel, cordless, with the brushless motors. The set included an impact driver, a ½” hammer drill, and a Sawzall. They came with 5 amp-hour batteries and they spend more time in use than on the battery charger. I was so impressed with them that I bought a similar hedge trimmer. It has a 9 amp-hour battery and will cut a limb as large as my pinky finger, so I have to be careful. I took it to the family farm to trim bushes around old houses where my parents and grandparents lived. I worked 5 hours taming the beasts and the battery indicator still showed 4 of 4 lights. I was amazed!
If needed, I will buy more of these Milwaukee tools.

[dusty]

I agree that the older Craftsman tools were quality. The stuff on the shelves today will remain there, as far as I am concerned. I also agree with your assessment of Milwaukee.

If I had shop space, I would have an old, old Delta table saw. Other than that, I use my Shopsmith nearly every day in one way or another and I am always satisfied.