Items/tools/etc designed to brake with in no time at all

[bricol]

I don't know if its actually designed to fail - or designed by someone with no idea. It's quite difficult to design something to fail - well, it is if you want it to fail properly before busting something else in the machine - getting shear pins etc the right size to do their usual job, but fail when overloaded can be a little stressfull.

I'm working on something now where projected life isn't anywhere near what we'd like - but I'm struggling with three difference sets of load figures from two different people . . . so I could very well be working with something designed to break . . .

 

[Water skier 16]

Snap on sockets/ torx bits

 

[8ob]

Snap on sockets/ torx bits

 

[Pete.]

EBC double-H pads. I put them in my bike and it brakes within no time at all

 

[TechnicAl]

Anything SILVERLINE

 

[stuvy]

Anything SILVERLINE

Most tools nowadays are like that

I buy Halfords advanced as snap on isn’t what it was when I started my apprenticeship

 

[chris pruteanu]

Most tools nowadays are like that

I buy Halfords advanced as snap on isn’t what it was when I started my apprenticeship

Even halfords advanced isnt a patch over the old halfords preofessional tools... Nowadays it pays to buy tools with lifetime warranties, some will a lot longer lasting!
I have chuck adapters from 3/4" to 1/2" from Snap On and the bits keep breaking after a year or so of use. The inserts that drive the sockets are replaceable and Snap On replaces them for free...it states on them they shouldnt be used on a impact hammer but who doesnt? Another example is i bought a set of milwaukee impact sockets as part of a package with a battery impact drill 4 years ago, i use the set every day and they are the best impact sockets i ever had, the 17mm has gone walkies and i replaced it with a Unior jobbie bit that already shows signs of wear already. Anyway, the Snap On impact sockets keep breaking with use (17 and 19mm usually) but they do get replaced under warranty. The milwaukee if it breaks nobody will replace it! Also milwaukee has decided to laser etch the sizes on the sockets which is a pain on the proverbial to read when they have a bit of grease on them... There are advantages and disadvantages in any of them, usually nowadays is form over function...

 

[stuvy]

Halfords advanced has a lifetime warranty and unlike the chaps that pop round in a van that really dont want to replace your slotted non hammer through screw driver with a new one as you may or may not have used it as a pry bar... the spotty teenagers that work there swap bent and broken breaker bars that don’t show any sign of a scaffold pole being used as a lever with no quibbles.

I was given a 24” adjustable and left it on site. My mistake, it’s the first tool I’ve lost for ages. It was a £15 one from eBay so I wasn’t as bothered as if it was a snap on or mac it would have been most peoples day rate

 

[chris pruteanu]

Yep, youre right, loosing tools suck!

 

[Robbie260]

I don't know if its actually designed to fail - or designed by someone with no idea. It's quite difficult to design something to fail - well, it is if you want it to fail properly before busting something else in the machine - getting shear pins etc the right size to do their usual job, but fail when overloaded can be a little stressfull.

I'm working on something now where projected life isn't anywhere near what we'd like - but I'm struggling with three difference sets of load figures from two different people . . . so I could very well be working with something designed to break . . .

Things are designed to fail there is a whole area of design surrounding it called planned obsolescence. It usually is measured in operating hours or uses so people are eventually forced to go and buy something new if they want continued use of it.

A brilliant example of this is land rover defender/series line up everyone complains why didnt they galvanise the chassis and bulkhead and cappings etc from the factory. Well the main reason is if they had no one would have ever bought a new one as there is so little difference between modles if you look closely no one would justify the expense if they knew thier one was basically going to last indefinitely.

 

[mechman]

Here is one for the collection, a Screwfix drill sharpener which is also badged as Sealey and a few others. What a piece of rubbish, I kind of knew it was going to be but the tightwad in me convinces me otherwise. Its got no grunt, the smaller holes wont work even with the grinding wheel at the highest setting and to sharpen/center smaller drills was the only reason I bought it.

With an eight minute rest after every two minutes of use you will be tripping over your beard by the time you have sharpened a draw full of drills



Pure tosh and its going back

 

[mechman]

Here is one for the collection, a Screwfix drill sharpener which is also badged as Sealey and a few others. What a piece of rubbish, I kind of knew it was going to be but the tightwad in me convinces me otherwise. Its got no grunt, the smaller holes wont work even with the grinding wheel at the highest setting and to sharpen/center smaller drills was the only reason I bought it. I think I've posted before about these chocolate drill sharpeners as in the 13 amp plug is the best thing about them.

With an eight minute rest after every two minutes of use you will be tripping over your beard by the time you have sharpened a draw full of drills



Pure tosh and its going back

 

[bricol]

Things are designed to fail there is a whole area of design surrounding it called planned obsolescence. It usually is measured in operating hours or uses so people are eventually forced to go and buy something new if they want continued use of it.

That's not designing to fail - that's designing for feasible life. We use 50,000 hours as a minimum before replacement - but that does assume a maintenance regime is followed. If you design for infinite life, you are going bust . . . and your equipment is obsolete and scrapped before it ever wears out as technology moves on ever faster.

 

[bigegg]

Things are designed to fail there is a whole area of design surrounding it called planned obsolescence. It usually is measured in operating hours or uses so people are eventually forced to go and buy something new if they want continued use of it.

A brilliant example of this is land rover defender/series line up everyone complains why didnt they galvanise the chassis and bulkhead and cappings etc from the factory. Well the main reason is if they had no one would have ever bought a new one as there is so little difference between modles if you look closely no one would justify the expense if they knew thier one was basically going to last indefinitely.

ford transits are the same.
purposely designed with water traps and no galvanising so the body falls apart before the engine's even run in.

if the mk5s were as well galvanised as a lexus of the same vintage, ford would never have sold another.

 

[Robbie260]

That's not designing to fail - that's designing for feasible life. We use 50,000 hours as a minimum before replacement - but that does assume a maintenance regime is followed. If you design for infinite life, you are going bust . . . and your equipment is obsolete and scrapped before it ever wears out as technology moves on ever faster.

Woops wrong word plan obsolescence is when you force something out by making sure it will be obsolete in a few years. My bad.

 

[Brad93]

Snap on sockets/ torx bits

Never had an issue with mine

 

[ajlelectronics]

Yep, youre right, loosing tools suck!

Not as bad as losing them though. Loose tools can usually be re-tightened.

 

[stuvy]

Not as bad as losing them though. Loose tools can usually be re-tightened.

Did your missus write that or just pedantic from not getting what you wanted for Christmas

 

[roofman]