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My dad's 30 year old tool box versus my new plastic rolling case
Cleaning out my garage, I put my Kennedy metal box from 1992 next to my nephew's new Husky plastic one. His cost $80 at the home center. Mine was a gift from my first boss. His is lighter, has more compartments, and the drawers don't stick. But mine has taken falls off a truck bed, been left in the rain, and still works perfect. He says my stuff is just heavy, outdated sentiment. I say his won't last five years of real jobsite use. It's not about the tool, it's about buying for life versus buying for now. Is this just a 'they don't make them like they used to' gripe, or is there a real quality divide between generations of gear?
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ross.felix6mo ago
Wasn't there a study a while back about planned obsolescence in consumer goods? It feels like a lot of newer stuff is designed for a shorter life, using lighter materials to cut shipping costs. Your Kennedy box was built as a tool first, while many new ones are built to a price point for weekend DIYers.
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william_carter6mo ago
Actually the study you're remembering was about light bulbs, not general consumer goods. The whole "planned obsolescence" idea gets thrown around a lot, but it's often just cheaper manufacturing. They use plastic gears instead of metal to hit a lower price, not necessarily to make it break. My old VCR was built like a tank, but it also cost a month's pay back then.
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sandrat246mo ago
Yeah the "built as a tool first" thing hits home... but I dunno, my newer stuff works fine for what I need. Maybe we just notice the bad ones more.
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