OK, I’ve got a tool gloat. I normally only buy woodworking tools used or on sale. This purchase is arguably one of my best. Reguarly $119 at Lowes, this Porter Cable 4210 Type 1 12” Dovetail Jig (for half blind and sliding dovetails) was a display and had been marked down a couple of times. When I saw it the price was $50. But that’s not what I paid. I know dovetails are the center of the universe for some, but I have never cut a dovetail, well a few sliding dovetails on the router table, but not the showy kind on drawer sides. I was in Lowes Tuesday evening picking up some screws and saw this PC dovetail jig on the clearance table for $50. I thought that was a good price and maybe my start into dovetails, but no box, no bit, no collar, no hex wrench and missing a knob. Otherwise it was fully complete. I hesitated and a young kid employee said several customers had looked at it, but no sale. It was at this time an older employee said it was just about worthless because of a missing template. I know what a template looks like but who am I to argue with a seasoned Lowes sales pro. I ask the kid to mark it down further due to the missing parts. Those replacement templates can be pretty expensive. The kid said I had to provide proof of the value of a replacement template. I went home, printed out the template from Amazon at $60, and drove back to Lowes. I don’t think the kid was paying much attention and I quickly wore him down to $25 and brought it home. I ordered the missing knob and wrench for $6.74 plus shipping that night. I have the collar and will buy the bit another day. Not bad for an ol’ peckerhead. I ought to be ashamed…hehe
-- david roberts, spinning Tales from Topographic Oceans, no, really.


















15 comments so far
NBeener
home | projects | blog
4856 posts in 1346 days
#1 posted 1154 days ago
I’ve got the 4212, and have been REALLY pleased with it.
I’m sure you’ll love your new toy, too.
Sure, I hate your guts for the price you paid, but … that’s MY problem, and … I WILL get over it :-)
Congrats on the new toy!!
-- -- Neil
jm82435
home | projects | blog
1217 posts in 1914 days
#2 posted 1154 days ago
Yeah, you should be ashamed. Well, so should the employees that they didn’t know what they were looking at…
So, let’s see what you can do with it, come on, you have had for how long now?
-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...
tinnman65
home | projects | blog
897 posts in 1586 days
#3 posted 1154 days ago
If your anything like me the price just makes up for the 100 other things you overpaid for or the gas money spent driving back to return items with missing or broken parts. Sometimes your the windshield and sometimes the bug. I only wish my Lowes would mark one down to $50 its a great deal at that price!
-- Paul--- Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. — Scott Adams
buckeyedudes
home | projects | blog
136 posts in 1300 days
#4 posted 1154 days ago
Shame, shame, shame.
My Grandfather always said, ‘a price-tag is only a starting point’.
He is smiling at you right now!
Good job. Enjoy.
-- Before you louse it up, THIMK!
John Stegall
home | projects | blog
355 posts in 1688 days
#5 posted 1154 days ago
“I ought to be ashamed…hehe” No you shouldn’t, but if it really gets to bothering you, the next time you drive through Kerrville you can drop it off at my place.
-- jstegall
Chase
home | projects | blog
439 posts in 1198 days
#6 posted 1154 days ago
wow, I have been looking at these for a while after a friend showed me how useful his was. they are all full price in my neck of the woods. I will continue watching like a hawk for them to come down in price. Congrats and thanks for the heads up.
-- Every neighborhood has an eccentric neighbor. I wondered for years "who was ours?" Then I realized it was me.
Greg The Cajun Box Sculptor
home | projects | blog
3780 posts in 1480 days
#7 posted 1154 days ago
Hey, Hey, Hey….A good deal sure is exciting.
-- Every step of any project should be considered your masterpiece if you want the finished product to reflect the quality of your work. http://www.FineArtBoxes.com
559dustdesigns
home | projects | blog
627 posts in 1339 days
#8 posted 1153 days ago
It feels good to get a deal at Lowes, once in a while it actually happens. lol
-- Aaron - central California "If you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?"
Eagle1
home | projects | blog
2044 posts in 1236 days
#9 posted 1153 days ago
Shame on you !!! Give it to me and I will try it out for a couple of years for you to make sure it works.. LOL
-- Tim, Missouri ....Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened
Jim Bertelson
home | projects | blog
3337 posts in 1336 days
#10 posted 1153 days ago
Good show David, with bargains like that woodworking becomes an almost affordable hobby!
Did you ever get your sled up and running? Mine is working, minus the stop blocks and miter arms. If the honey-do’s don’t get me today I may get to them…...........
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
davidroberts
home | projects | blog
952 posts in 1658 days
#11 posted 1153 days ago
Jim B. I’m glad you ask! See my PM.
-- david roberts, spinning Tales from Topographic Oceans, no, really.
Brad_Nailor
home | projects | blog
2450 posts in 2129 days
#12 posted 1153 days ago
You should feel dirty…and you took advantage of an innocent kid too…but 25 bucks…man I would have paid $50 for that all day…some people just aren’t happy unless they haggle a little…
-- http://www.facebook.com/pages/DSO-Designs/297237806954248
davidroberts
home | projects | blog
952 posts in 1658 days
#13 posted 1153 days ago
Brad – here’s the point. The jig was missing enough parts that it would have cost about as much to buy replacement parts as a new one in the box cost. Not including my time trying to find and order the parts, order screwups, time waiting for the parts, obscene shipping charges, etc. Also, I initially said I think this is the template and put my finger on it. I even showed them a picture of it. The Lowes expert said no I was wrong. It never hurts to ask, Lowes could have said no.
By the way, I really don’t know what has gotten into me these last couple of years. I use to pay mostly full price no questions ask. When I needed something, I just went out and bought it. I think buying off of craig’s list gave me the haggle bug. I shop the sales much more frequently. I’m a regular on Amazon due to no tax and no shipping charge (usually). Also, for me woodworking is a hobby, a very expensive hobby, so I feel it’s my duty to get the best buy possible. The fact that I’m cheap ol fart doesn’t hurt either.
-- david roberts, spinning Tales from Topographic Oceans, no, really.
a1Jim
home | projects | blog
87330 posts in 1749 days
#14 posted 1153 days ago
Good deal
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
jmack77
home | projects | blog
29 posts in 1245 days
#15 posted 1152 days ago
Nice Grab!
Have your say...