Tradesman's Tools

[Daddles]

A building at my son's school is being converted into a hall.
There are a number of tradesmen working on the job.
Consequently, there are usually four or five cars with trailers behind parked on the grounds.
Walking past to pick up the lad today, one of these trailers was open and inside, were piled a stack of those plastic boxes that you buy power tools in these days. The top one was branded OZITO :eek:

I thought Ozito were cheap crap? :confused:
So what's a tradesman doing buying one? It'd have to be a very rarely used tool to justify buying cheap rubbish surely.

Any thoughts?
Am I maligning the great brand Ozito?

Richard :confused: :confused:

[Jack E]

They are throw-aways.
Quite often used by tradies because in some cases it is cheaper to replace a budget tool than have an expensive tool repaired.
It takes minutes to go to bunnies and by a new POS.
If a name brand tool is being repaired it can take weeks, plus you need to replace it for that time.

Or he could just be tight and buy crap for no reason

Cheers, Jack

[Eastie]

Could be he's had half a ute load of tools flogged in the past and thus decided to use throw-aways instead. I've seen a lot of blokes buy cheap stuff for use on certain jobs where tools walk, and save the good stuff for home use or their own jobs.

[Termite]

Richard, many moons ago when I was a building contractor, we used to use the good old alloy B&D saws. Now when one of these monsters died it used to cost about $95.00 for a rewind, which was a lot of dough in the early '70s.
Then out came the infamous Skill brand of saws which you could pick up for about $22.00 if you bought 10 of them. Yahoo! when one died you just took out the blade and threw the saw to the shirthouse.
Maybe the chippies work on the same theory today.

[custos]

I think it depends on the tool. I would never buy a cheap tool where precision was required (like a drop saw or router, for example) but I did recently take a punt on an Ozito random orbital sander. I figured that it can't hurt the job and the worst that could happen was that it stopped working or burnt out. Given that I only paid around $30 and had a warranty it seemed like a reasonable gamble. Same theory as buying home brand food I guess -- I wouldn't buy home brand soup, but would buy home brand sugar (because sugar is sugar).

[duckman]

As a working chippy I can verify that fear of the tools being knocked off are the most likely explanation. Whilst I've never stooped as far as Ozito, I have purchased 2 GMC tools. Only use them on "high risk" jobs though.

[Stylesy]

Maybe it's an expensive tool in a cheap case? Potential thieves might not stoop so low to take that brand after glancing at the case - but if they only knew what was really inside....

[echnidna]

thieves dont discrminate, they steal whatever they can!!!!!!!!!!!

[DanP]

He has a fear of tools being stolen and yet leaves the trailer open.

[Auld Bassoon]

He has a fear of tools being stolen and yet leaves the trailer open.

Hi Dan,

The same thought crossed my mind. Why bother with any kind of "deterrent" - it that's what it was... and leave the trailer open.

In any case, whilst we discerning lot (!) probably wouldn't want to besmirch our reputation with such a low-end brand (just kidding ), would a thief know 'A' from 'B' - or care?

Also, if theft from construction sites is as much of an issue as it would appear, would a tradesman's insurance cover such losses, or are the premiums just too high? My curiosity on this is because I'm looking at arranging some specific shed 'n contents insurance (as opposed to just simple home and contents). Any thoughts or comments anyone?

Cheers!

[DanP]

Go to any Crime converters store and have a look at all the Ozito and NRG stuff. The crooks deal almost exclusively in this stuff coz no one cares about it. It is easily stolen and they get about $5 for it brand new.

Dan

[ozwinner]

"They" will steal anything.

I am amazed at what lenghts ppl will go to steal a bird cage perch, no, seriously.
One old woman tried it on just recently.
I have had my eyes opened in the last 12 months.

Al

[duckman]

Also, if theft from construction sites is as much of an issue as it would appear, would a tradesman's insurance cover such losses, or are the premiums just too high? My curiosity on this is because I'm looking at arranging some specific shed 'n contents insurance (as opposed to just simple home and contents). Any thoughts or comments anyone?

Cheers!

Premiums and excess are a great deterent from insuring ones tools of trade. Then there's the lost time having to report any thefts to Police because typically the insurance won't touch any claim unless the theft has been reported to Police. Add all the costs and the claim has to be a bloody big one to make it worthwhile.

Mark.

[Auld Bassoon]

Go to any Crime converters store and have a look at all the Ozito and NRG stuff. The crooks deal almost exclusively in this stuff coz no one cares about it. It is easily stolen and they get about $5 for it brand new.

Dan

Hi again Dan,

When I was living in Canberra a few years ago, I went into a c*** converters store, and was amazed at how many 'nearly' new (aka virtually untouched) tools there were there. I recall buying a Makita 100mm angle grinder, a Bosch (green - i.e. hobbyist rather than pro.) hammer drill and a Bosch (also green)orbital sander for a total of under $100. I wonder...

I still have them all, and they all still work perfectly well, some seven years on.

Interesting to note your name for this (franchise?) - are they really a latter day pawn / crook shop? I guess that that the 'goods' have to have an outlet somewhere.

Cheers!

[duckman]

He has a fear of tools being stolen and yet leaves the trailer open.

The value of the (lost) time used to open and close the trailer every time you need something, quickly exceeds the value of crap tools such as those described. Hard to appreciate by those who are paid by the hour.