My dad's old drill still works better than my new one

I was hanging shelves in my garage yesterday and grabbed my dad's 1970s Craftsman drill instead of the brand new one I got two years ago. That old thing has a metal chuck and zero plastic parts, it just chugs along without any issues. My new one started smoking after drilling through a 2x4 the third time I used it. It got me thinking about how we replaced sturdy tools with cheaper stuff that breaks fast so you have to buy again. I spent $120 on that new drill and it barely lasted, while my dad paid maybe $40 back then and it's still going strong after 50 years. Have any of you noticed the same thing with older tools versus newer ones in your own homes?

2 comments

2 Comments

joel_jones2d ago

Buddy of mine found a 60s table saw at a yard sale that still outruns his fancy new one.

william_garcia2d ago

Oh man, this hits home hard. I have the exact same experience with my grandpa's old circular saw. That thing weighs a ton and looks like it survived a war, but it cuts through pressure treated lumber like butter. Meanwhile I bought a new saw last year that felt like it had more plastic than actual metal, and the blade guard broke off after three weekends of light use. The new one was literally twice the price of what he paid for his, adjusted for inflation. What's the deal with companies making stuff that just falls apart now?