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The building trades mostly go to the big box home centers just like the rest of us. In construction, most hand tools aren't high precision and are semi-disposab
by jccooper 5y ago
The building trades mostly go to the big box home centers just like the rest of us. In construction, most hand tools aren't high precision and are semi-disposable, so there's no reason to go above prosumer grade.
There are some specialty tools that are sufficiently rare or expensive they'll get at trade-specific supply houses. Plumbers in particular can do the job either with a $5 saw and a bottle of glue or a $500 PEX expansion tool, depending on material.
The exception is something like high-end finish carpentry or furniture-making, which is high-precision, and does reward having professional tools and taking care of them. They have brands like Festool, which are available at specialty retailers.
- sonofhans 5y agoWhen I was gutting/rebuilding my kitchen years ago, I had an unexpected water leak. I’d driven a screw into a PEX line while installing cabinet bases (I missed installing one cover plate before I drywalled). I’d done most of the plumbing myself, but didn’t have the PEX expander tool you mention, just because they’re so expensive. I called my plumber late in the day and he stopped by on the way home from another gig. He didn’t have the tool on him, so instead he spent about 15 minutes forcing the handle of a socket wrench into the PEX so he could manually cram in a connector. It was remarkable, like watching someone tear a phone book in half. PEX is tough as hell.