Subject: ENCO airtool quality (and in general)

From: [email-masked] (Matthew Dilligan)
Date: 24 Sep 1996 18:02:26 GMT

I'm the foreman of a student run machine shop here on campus and we're looking
to acquire a set of air tools (much lower walk-off potential than electric) 
such as a die grinder, air drill, impact wrench, etc. I've been glancing 
through the ENCO catalog and they seem to have pretty good prices but I'm 
wondering that the long term durability of there tools is. Price is definitely
a factor for us but we would rather spend more on a tool which would stay 
useful longer. Are there any other places we should look (MSC, M-C)?

Matt Dilligan
Foreman, Caltech Student Shop

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From: Mike Rehmus <[email-masked]>
Date: 25 Sep 1996 05:36:15 GMT

The ENCO air tools will last almost long enough to, for example, refinish a car (in 
the case of the sanders).  None of their air tools are built for commercial use (few 
are).

If you want longetivity, buy Ingersoll-Rand, Sun, Detroit Pneumatic, or some other 
high quality and (somewhat) high cost brand.

Not only do the high-quality tools last longer, they work better from the outset.

Best regards,
Mike Rehmus

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From: Mike Rehmus <[email-masked]>
Date: 25 Sep 1996 05:39:20 GMT

N.B.  Replace Sun in my previous reply with Snap-On (or Snap-Off).  Sorry, Jim, I know 
they overcharge for a lot of things but their air tools can even stand up to my 
son-in-law's work in maintaining a fleet of trucks.  It has to be good if it can do 
that!

Best regards,

Mike Rehmus

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From: [email-masked](J.A.Harvey)
Date: 25 Sep 1996 17:49:12 GMT

>son-in-law's work in maintaining a fleet of trucks.  It has to be good
if it can do 

Mike: Don't get me wrong, Snap on tools reek of quality. there is
nothing more satisfying than the feel of their wrenches ( well.... you
know what I mean!) My only beef with them is that they take other
manufacturers tools and put their label on them and bump up the price
200 - 500%, that's outrageous!

Jim Harvey
[email-masked]
http://hre.com

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From: jack yates <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 10:01:34 -0700

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe you sill find that regardless of the 
brand name or the vendor, these imported air tools are all made in the 
same factory, the only difference being the brand name on the sticker 
affixed to the body.  I have several of them, a die grinder, a 3/8" 
butterfly wrench, a sheet metal nibbler, and I have a Black & Decker 1/2" 
air impact wrench, a Mac 3/8" air ratchet (Made in Japan) All but the 
butterfly wrench were found in various pawn shops, oddly enough, the 
butterfly wrench is the only one I have had to replace, though it gets 
used the most, it lasted 2 years.  I have found this equipment to be 
highly serviceable even in semi-professional use and the initail cost is 
low.  My neighbor is retired from teaching machine shop practice in a 
high school; they used a lot of "cheap stuff" in the shop due to theft 
and "wanton destruction" such as clamping a 6" dial caliper in a vise to 
see just how far it will bend without breaking...

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From: Mike Rehmus <[email-masked]>
Date: 27 Sep 1996 04:55:58 GMT

Yea, I know.  I'll never buy another set of Snap-On allen wrenches again.

Blue Point indeed!

Best,

Mike