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WmZiggy wrote:Here is the 1964 Sears Craftsmen catalog page for the "Sears Best" Radial-Arm Saw that was given to me by my wife's uncle in the late 80's. It cost $219.95 in '64' and in today's dollars that would be $1676.54.

But here is the thing the top of the line Sears Radial Arm Saw sells today for less than $800. Is it better or worst than the 1964 model? That can be debated but the point is the price is far below inflation. That has been seen almost universally across the tool industry.

You can thank China, plastic and oil lite bushings instead of ball bearings for that!!!!!!!!!!! Recall on all older Sear RAS, send in power head, free shipping and they, Emerson Manf. gives you 100.00, free blade guard fix did not work!!!!

You can blame the manufactures for building junk if you want to.....But they wouldn't build it people didn't buy it....

Back when I was still a pup...and always before that time there was crap as sold in the dime store and then there were real tools as sold in hardwares stores and such...With a price difference....

The guys who knew what was what bought the good stuff once...and the others bought the junk...Over and over again....Do any of you remember cast iron hammers....The ones that the claws would break off when you tried to pull a nail with them?...

The only time my Dad ever had to replace a tool was when they got stolen...They would last forever if used right and maintained...and sharpened...

rbursek wrote:You can thank China, plastic and oil lite bushings instead of ball bearings for that!!!!!!!!!!! Recall on all older Sear RAS, send in power head, free shipping and they, Emerson Manf. gives you 100.00, free blade guard fix did not work!!!!

I know about the recall. People touching moving blades made them install a saw guard much like the one on miter saws. Older saws couldn't take the retrofit so they offered you $100 if you rendered the saw unusable.

My saw was one that would not take the retrofit but I kept Saw. Now I guess if I stick my hand in the blade I won't be able to sue Sears.

That said and while I'm no fan of Sears (in recent years) the last time I checked out the new radial arm at Sears it was real decent machine.

And no I don't have to thank China I have to thank the workers that thought they should be paid more even though productivity and costs did not change.

Some how people think inflation and cost of living increases are a good thing. All they do is price you out of the market.


Age old question. Did you really make money if you bought a house priced for $50,000 and sold it twenty years later for $200,000 if you had to buy basically a replacement house for $250,000

Ed in Tampa wrote:I know about the recall. People touching moving blades made them install a saw guard much like the one on miter saws. Older saws couldn't take the retrofit so they offered you $100 if you rendered the saw unusable.

My saw was one that would not take the retrofit but I kept Saw. Now I guess if I stick my hand in the blade I won't be able to sue Sears.

That said and while I'm no fan of Sears (in recent years) the last time I checked out the new radial arm at Sears it was real decent machine.

And no I don't have to thank China I have to thank the workers that thought they should be paid more even though productivity and costs did not change.

Some how people think inflation and cost of living increases are a good thing. All they do is price you out of the market.


Age old question. Did you really make money if you bought a house priced for $50,000 and sold it twenty years later for $200,000 if you had to buy basically a replacement house for $250,000

Before you crucify the greedy American worker....Tell us how much they would have to make in today's dollars to equal those 1950s wages...especially after taxes...After all minimum wage was $1.00 an hour and some folks raised a family on that ...and that often was with Mama at home with the kids...

I can actually remember when I thought that if I ever made... A Hundred Bucks A Week....Why I'd be set...Then I revised that to take home...I tell the young pups about it and they can't believe me....I could pay my rent and utilities all out of one pay check ...The next 3 1/2 weeks pay was mine to spend....When was the last time that you were that far ahead???:)

20 bucks filled up my car...remember gas was about a quarter..and so were smokes back when I quit..and I could take my girlfriend out and still have change out of that 20...

You can't convince me that the American worker is overpaid...

steve4447 wrote:Before you crucify the greedy American worker....Tell us how much they would have to make in today's dollars to equal those 1950s wages...especially after taxes...After all minimum wage was $1.00 an hour and some folks raised a family on that ...and that often was with Mama at home with the kids...

I can actually remember when I thought that if I ever made... A Hundred Bucks A Week....Why I'd be set...Then I revised that to take home...I tell the young pups about it and they can't believe me....I could pay my rent and utilities all out of one pay check ...The next 3 1/2 weeks pay was mine to spend....When was the last time that you were that far ahead???:)

20 bucks filled up my car...remember gas was about a quarter..and so were smokes back when I quit..and I could take my girlfriend out and still have change out of that 20...

You can't convince me that the American worker is overpaid...

It isn't a matter of being overpaid. It is matter of knowing the only valid reason for wages to increase is through increased production or cost savings.

If you are making dollar and bread costs five cents you gain nothing by making $10 and if the bread now costs $.50 you can only buy the same number of loaves of bread.

You only get ahead if you are able to increase production or reduce the cost of the bread to where it costs less to make and thus has a price reduction. Assuming everyone plays fair.

The problem with raising prices and wages is some country comes along where they are still making a dollar and start selling bread in your country for 5 cents. Then your 50 cent bread doesn't sell the company goes out of business. Then the other country can raise their prices and there is nothing you can do but hang on. That is where we are at today.

Of course greed came into the picture and instead of lowering prices when costs came down greedy companies kept the prices the same and grabbed bigger profits.

Ed in Tampa wrote:It isn't a matter of being overpaid. It is matter of knowing the only valid reason for wages to increase is through increased production or cost savings.

If you are making dollar and bread costs five cents you gain nothing by making $10 and if the bread now costs $.50 you can only buy the same number of loaves of bread.

You only get ahead if you are able to increase production or reduce the cost of the bread to where it costs less to make and thus has a price reduction. Assuming everyone plays fair.

The problem with raising prices and wages is some country comes along where they are still making a dollar and start selling bread in your country for 5 cents. Then your 50 cent bread doesn't sell the company goes out of business. Then the other country can raise their prices and there is nothing you can do but hang on. That is where we are at today.

Of course greed came into the picture and instead of lowering prices when costs came down greedy companies kept the prices the same and grabbed bigger profits.

When do you ever witness your cost of an item follow a standard supply and demand curve. The laws of supply and demand are really theories and not laws at all. "Charge less and the customer will buy more" is a fallacy.

If you go to the store to buy 6 tomatoes and when you get there you find the tomatoes to be "on special" - do you by more than 6 tomatoes?

dusty wrote:When do you ever witness your cost of an item follow a standard supply and demand curve. The laws of supply and demand are really theories and not laws at all. "Charge less and the customer will buy more" is a fallacy.

If you go to the store to buy 6 tomatoes and when you get there you find the tomatoes to be "on special" - do you by more than 6 tomatoes?

I often buy more if the prices is lower than expected. I keep a reserve in my budget for just that event. If it is a non perishable I have been known to buy a year or two's supply of the product.

I shouldn't have to buy toothpaste, razor blades, deodorant or shaving cream for about 2 years. All bought on super sales or buy get one type deals. I really jump on them if they will take coupons also.

Penny saved is a penny earned!:D

I the mean time I'm looking for buys to restock.

Ed in Tampa wrote:But here is the thing the top of the line Sears Radial Arm Saw sells today for less than $800. Is it better or worst than the 1964 model? That can be debated but the point is the price is far below inflation. That has been seen almost universally across the tool industry.

I haven't studied the Craftsmen "Best" radial-arm saw to be able to say if it is equal to their "Best" sold in 1964. I do know that my '64' has run for 50 years and I have given it a much harder workout than my wife's uncle ever did. The trouble with one purchased today, we old timers won't be around to see if it lasts, trouble free, in 50 years. I think there is a good chance they are just as good, unless they downgraded the bearings and cheapened other key parts.

My point all along is what a good buy SS is even in today's dollars as it hasn't been cheapened and has a history of running for many many years.