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One other thing, anyone here ever purchase directly from Woodpecker? Their shipping charges are downright embarrassing compared to other vendors including SS.

Jack

Those folks who spend many years in the military, come out into the public sector and think that, they can still remain to be hard asses. How do I know this, my former boss, was in the USAF, for 20 years and he is just like that.

Never been in the military, but live in a very defense minded area (southeast Connecticut, not the wealthy part!). Yes there can be a military mindset, but remember, they're the ones who put their a$$es out there to keep you free to have whatever opinion you wish to share.
Everyone be cool...

Even though I was not in the military, I did work closely with many aspects of it, for nearly 12 years, and I never began to think the mindset of a drill sergeant

ExtraMile wrote:Those folks who spend many years in the military, come out into the public sector and think that, they can still remain to be hard asses. How do I know this, my former boss, was in the USAF, for 20 years and he is just like that.

Thank You, for lumping me into this group of people. USN Retired

ExtraMile wrote:Even though I was not in the military, I did work closely with many aspects of it, for nearly 12 years, and I never began to think the mindset of a drill sergeant

Be careful there, dude. You are now trodding through a "mine field".

After serving what seems like half a life time in the military, one does develop some habits and some rights. One of the habits might be "acting like a hard-ass drill sergeant". It took me a large part of my military career to learn that my goal was not to win friends but to be a "hardass Sergeant". Now that might have been the old core and they might not do it that way anymore. They might have to say "please". Not the way to long term survival.

I learned, eventually, that when Sarg yells down, he means eat dirt now. Ask questions, if you must, later.

They are just being 'lazy' in an attempt to be 'efficient'.

If the grocery stores can use the actual weight of every item in the store to verify checkout, why not all these mail order folks? I question however, if the scales checkout stations respond to actual weight, but rather changes in weight that indicate something was added (within a reasonable range).

We be pawns in a little mind game. In order to be 'competitive' by keeping prices low, they do not include internal costs in the item price, then recover them by charging a 'handling' fee. Also by bundling shipping and handling together, the customer really cannot know actual shipping costs(notice recent shipping labels that are used by the shipper and the PO that do not include postage $).

jsburger wrote:

Ed in Tampa wrote:

ChrisNeilan wrote:Now if we want to complain about high prices, take a look at those one time Woodpecker tools!

http://www.woodpeck.com/pocketcompass15-WG.html

(See how I changed the subject? )

This makes the point that the commercial on TV shows "stupid rich"!

As my Dad always said they have more money than brains. I look at the Woodpecker tools and smile. Are they nuts????????????????

I have no idea what you mean. please explain what "stupid rich" is.

I spent 24 years on active duty in the USAF. In 1972 I made about $350 a month. Anyone remember the Carter years? The big three news programs had a misery index number every night on their broadcast. Reagan came in and doubled our pay because he thought we should be payed to defend our country and keep all of our citizens safe.

After I retired from active duty I worked for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) for 4 years. When I quit I was making $8.10 (2001). Then I worked for two Air Force contractors for a total of about 2 years. I got hired on as a civil service worker in 2002 and overhauled aircraft generators and at the end I was re-writhin AF technical orders. I retired from civil service in 2012. I have 40 years of federal service. My wife worked for the Army repairing tank laser sights and radios. She has 35 years of DOD service. Between us we have 75 years of DOD service supporting your freedom and your right to say too many people are rich.

We are retired and have more money than we need. So if you have brains you can figure out how to have enough money to do what you want.

And I have enough money to buy one of those high priced tools if I want. The American dream if you follow it.

Trust me money is not an issue with me. American dream???? If that is your dream then ....

What is an issue is people that will buy something that is horribly overpriced.

It scares me a little to think people think so little of a dollar to throw it away. I wonder what they do value? To me that suggests there is something radically wrong with their thinking.

The American dream is not to own something that only the stupid rich would buy. If you have more money than you know what to do with why not look for ways to help humanity?

Ed in Tampa wrote:

jsburger wrote:

Ed in Tampa wrote: This makes the point that the commercial on TV shows "stupid rich"!

As my Dad always said they have more money than brains. I look at the Woodpecker tools and smile. Are they nuts????????????????

I have no idea what you mean. please explain what "stupid rich" is.

I spent 24 years on active duty in the USAF. In 1972 I made about $350 a month. Anyone remember the Carter years? The big three news programs had a misery index number every night on their broadcast. Reagan came in and doubled our pay because he thought we should be payed to defend our country and keep all of our citizens safe.

After I retired from active duty I worked for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) for 4 years. When I quit I was making $8.10 (2001). Then I worked for two Air Force contractors for a total of about 2 years. I got hired on as a civil service worker in 2002 and overhauled aircraft generators and at the end I was re-writhin AF technical orders. I retired from civil service in 2012. I have 40 years of federal service. My wife worked for the Army repairing tank laser sights and radios. She has 35 years of DOD service. Between us we have 75 years of DOD service supporting your freedom and your right to say too many people are rich.

We are retired and have more money than we need. So if you have brains you can figure out how to have enough money to do what you want.

And I have enough money to buy one of those high priced tools if I want. The American dream if you follow it.

Trust me money is not an issue with me. American dream???? If that is your dream then ....

What is an issue is people that will buy something that is horribly overpriced.

It scares me a little to think people think so little of a dollar to throw it away. I wonder what they do value? To me that suggests there is something radically wrong with their thinking.

The American dream is not to own something that only the stupid rich would buy. If you have more money than you know what to do with why not look for ways to help humanity?

I agree that buying something over priced is throwing your money away. That is the individuals choice and at least he lives in a country where one has that choice.

That is not all there is to the American Dream but it is certainly part of it and probably the biggest reason people come here. They want a better life and like it or not making money is a big part of that better life.

The reason we are very comfortable in retirement is because we have been very frugal all our lives. Lots of sacrifices over the years but now it is time to enjoy the fruits of those sacrifices.

Let me say, I don't disagree in your statements in general however...

How do you define ridiculously over priced?

There is a big difference between being over priced for the prices sake and being priced according to what it costs in material, time and number of units to manufacture and make a little profit.

Most of Woodpecker's one time tools are unique. Maybe not in what they do but in the features they offer and in the way they do it. They are limited production and they only make the number that are pre ordered. Of course they are more expensive. Can you find a cheaper alternative? Maybe, maybe not. Are they ridiculously over priced? I don't know but I doubt it.

Ron Brees makes custom hand planes. His planes are between $2000 and $4000 each with a lead time of one year. Are they ridiculously over priced? I don't know but they are works of art. Can I afford one? Yes. Will I ever own one? No.

ExtraMile wrote:Those folks who spend many years in the military, come out into the public sector and think that, they can still remain to be hard asses. How do I know this, my former boss, was in the USAF, for 20 years and he is just like that.

Whats wrong in the civilian sector is there are not enough hard asses.

The problem is that YOU do not know what it is like being in combat protecting your a** so that you can be free to say what ever you want.

When I am on the flight line loading bombs on airplanes (that is what I did in the AF) I don't want someone next to me that I can't depend on when the mortar shells start coming in. Been there done that.

Have a nice day Mr. Mile.