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Unpopular opinion: That $20 caulk gun from Harbor Freight works fine

My buddy who does high-end trim work spent 20 minutes convincing me I needed a $60 German caulk gun last weekend. But his bead was still wavy on the third try, so I'm sticking with my cheap no-drip one that cost less than lunch.
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3 Comments
young.michael
Right, the whole 'you need the expensive one' thing is almost always overblown for jobs around the house. I've had my cheap gun for years and as long as you practice a little stop and go on scrap first, it lays a perfect bead every time. Good tools are great, but a steady hand matters way more than the name on the handle.
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abby_martinez
Man, I gotta disagree. That cheap gun flexes too much under pressure and you end up fighting it the whole time. Spend the money once and your wrist will thank you.
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colethomas
The $80 Japanese chisel set I bought two years ago vs the $20 set from Menards is the same story. I spent more time keeping the expensive ones sharp than I did actually cutting dovetails with the cheap ones. It's like people think spending money replaces learning how to use the tool. I see it with kitchen knives too, neighbor bought a $400 Wusthof set and still slices his tomatoes with the serrated bread knife because he never practiced.
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