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Bad tool reviews - Smashedfinger - 06-23-2019

anyone notice how many "unboxing" and instant tool reviews are on youtube? How can you make up your mind based on a ten minute review from someone that has either been given free tools from a sponsor, or has only used the tool a couple times? It take quite a while to find out if something works well. I couldn't find a long term review on a drum sander anywhere!


RE: Bad tool reviews - hcbph - 06-23-2019

It's their 15 minutes in the spot light.  Some will do almost anything to get that IMO.


RE: Bad tool reviews - petertay15 - 06-23-2019

Yes, many YouTubes are laughable (meaning sad). “Today I’m going to show you how to fix .... Never done this before, hope it works.”
When Fine Woodworking does a review in the magazine, it is always well-researched and thorough.


RE: Bad tool reviews - TGW - 06-23-2019

Some people have a strong drive to show off their lack of sence and knowledge.
They seem to congregate on youtube.
What a waste of oxygen.....


On the other hand the world is full of people with advanced skills whick they prefere not to teach as they lack formal training.
They make wonders in their workshop but nobody will ever notice.
What a waste of skill........


RE: Bad tool reviews - daddo - 06-23-2019

Same goes for trucks and cars. I want to know how it has done in 5 years or so, not when you drove 50 miles in it.
Appliances are the same.

I guess some of those out of the box videos are ok for the part timer that piddles, but I need the durance tests. I really don't need to watch you un-box the thing! Very annoying.

Also, I like seeing what others have built and designed- I just don't need to see you drill every single hole. And please stop with the 5 minute irritating introductions I have no interest in- you're not a professional TV series.

Rant over.


RE: Bad tool reviews - Admiral - 06-23-2019

"Reviews" are highly questionable; some are funded/pimped by the manufacturer or reseller, others are the result of simple incompetence, or the drive to generate click bait for their websites or blogs. I take all with a quite liberal grain of salt....


RE: Bad tool reviews - TDKPE - 06-24-2019

You could extend that to Amazon reviews of products, among others.  5 star rating for something someone took out of the box and hasn't even tried yet.  Or a 1-star review because shipping took an extra day, which has nothing to do with the product itself.  Saw some of those odd ratings for a cable I needed to convert USB to a Centronics parallel printer port - 5-stars because it looked right.  "I haven't tried it yet, but it looks right." type stuff.  That's not helpful.  
Rolleyes


RE: Bad tool reviews - Handplanesandmore - 06-24-2019

Hand tool reviews in magazines are particularly bad because editors feel the need or compassion to support the "advertisers" or the hand tool maker community. When was the last time that we saw a bad review on any fancy, high price hand tool?
Rolleyes

Reviews on books aren't much better as almost any books that can get published are worth gold, whether by mainstream publishers or by ones that are more like printers than publishers. These days, you and I can write a book, as all we need is to get "well-known" on social media. The publishing standards, even when excluding self-publishing, have gone downhill in the last 10 - 15 years.

Simon


RE: Bad tool reviews - Cooler - 06-24-2019

I get requests for a review from Amazon usually within one or two days of the arrival of the product.  No meaningful review can be made after that limited time.  

I give little credence to the reviews unless they show that the reviewer has had the product for a while.


RE: Bad tool reviews - bhh - 06-25-2019

There's a guy who reviews tools by taking them apart and commenting on the electronics, bearings, gears, etc.   He seems to have a lot of knowledge, but he uses so many slangy terms he's really hard to follow.  AvE on youtube, if I recall correctly.