This might be old news, but this afternoon I was watching some PBS home shows and noticed that sponsor adds for Delta and Porter cable were nearly identical???? So I did a little research and found they have both been bought by Black and Decker. As I didn't quite like what that meant to DeWalt, I am glad I didn't buy a Porter Cable recipicating saw to replace my old one that recently died after more than a decade of use. As B&D means crap to me...

Ryobi owns Milwaukee....

Soon enough the only tools worth buying will be German made.

Bob that too is worth knowing, and dare I say it german tools have worked out great for me so far, and the new saw is a Bosch RS-15... Not sure where it's made... Considering its cost Mexico? Reguardless, my point was company leadership eventually determines quality and endurance, and other Bosch products I have owned have been good... As were my pre-B&D DeWalt stuff. My Porter Cable Tiger lasted ~15 years of abuse until a metal chip in the fan housing and a reverse powered outlet fataly coinsided to make it no longer double insulated. (And the FPE breaker and close proximity to the feeding transformer were factors to sure as well) It was like the passing of an old friend - That saw has been through a lot with me.....

I was at the orange box store the other day and noticed that the ryobi combo packs, (drill, sawzall, skillsaw etc). was WAY below what the dewalt combo kits are running. I believe Ryobis' was 159.00, and the dewalts, ridgid, and milwaukees were in the 400 to 600 dollar range. I almost bought the ryobi kit, almost...


I didn't know that Ryobi had bought Milwaukee..when did this happen?

I also agree with E57, B&D is crap for the work we electricians need powertools for.

I believe I heard about the Ryobi deal about a year ago or so....

Delta style quality has usually meant STEEL folded parts and simple time tested design. PC has usually meant robust castings and steel fabricated parts. B&D has usually meant plastic molded parts that should have been metal - like DeWalts formerly metal gear boxes... Bosch has usually meant innovation of some type - usually good, although I'm not sure I like their "Direct connect cord", which is why I opted out of that...



[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 02-10-2007).]

Close, but no cigar.

Ryobi, Milwaukee, Homelite and some others are owned by a Hong Kong based conglomerate called Techtronic Industries. http://www.ttigroup.com/general/home.php


That's funny you say that considering that AEG (a German company with an excellent reputation) is owned by Techtronic!!


Peter



[This message has been edited by CTwireman (edited 02-10-2007).]

B&D bought the Delta and Porter-Cable lines from Pentair, who also own(ed?) Hoffman.
Delta has already been tossed down into the toilet since all of their tools are made in China now with the exception of their "signature tool" the Unisaw which is "assembled" in Jackson TN.Wait for B&D to ruin P-C .

BTW, Black & Decker has owned DeWalt since the 50's, Rockwell owned Delta and P-C untill 1984.

Black and Decker also own Kwikset lock and PricePfister faucet.


steve

I used to own a 14.4 PC drill. It even came with a 1/2 chuck. Drilling with unibits, holesaws, daily, the occasional 'drop' test from ladders up to 8'. A great drill.

It disappeared from my truck with the rest of my tools the FIRST time I had fallen victim to a theif.

What about Makitas?? BTW...

and further more..

That's crazy...that Milwaukee isn't based in America anymore. What's next?? Klien Tools?

[This message has been edited by Luketrician (edited 02-11-2007).]

Prior to the HK company, Milwaukee was owned by Atlas-Copco, a Swedish company....