I spent $100 on TEMU for woodworking tools! Was it worth it?

[@southernblueblood5402]

Good video, I order from temu from time to time and have realized that you have to read the description very carefully. Look at all the pictures and measurements, the ball gouge may have had two different sizes available to order. Best part of your video is your like most of us doing woodworking as a hobby. I stopped watching these kind of videos when the person reviewing is doing the review on their $1,000 sawstop table saw and comparing to their tools that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Will definitely be subscribing and watching more videos.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Yes, they did have two versions, and I did order correctly, I just got the wrong one delivered. I have to say though, it never has been easier to deal with that kind of situation. They didn't even want to know any details. They just sent me my money back and didn't expect me to send the wrong item back! Thank you for your support and for sharing your thoughts about the video. Comments like yours help me to understand my audience. Cheers!

[@robertlove1334]

Great video Man, thanks for reviewing these tools from Temu!

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you!

[@fngrusty42]

I carve all the time im retired carpenter . I bought the 14 pcs carving set from temu cost 16.00 took the time and shapened the ones i like. Around 7 of them . If i bought the same style here it would cost around 30.00 ea. These cost 2.00 + each well worth it. Love them . Have to keep sharp. Great video

[@chriscalon8913]

As someone who just found Temu, I really enjoyed your review. I agree with everything you said. Very happy you included the Canadian price as well!

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!

[@RealJeep]

Anyone who would willingly buy anything from a repressive communist country that's bent on the demise of western civilization really needs to have a soul searching moment.

[@6ecortes]

Enjoyed the video brother. I'm so new at woodworking that I haven't even tried to build anything yet. Just accumulating some tools and spending hours watching videos such as yours. New sub here. Thanks.

[@adrianwoodworm]

@6ecortes thank you for your support, much appreciated! Everything I know I learned on youtube as well by watching videos for countless hours. I literally started my woodworking journey with a handsaw, hammer, and screwdriver. That was it. I managed to build a small shed for firewood with it, and over the years, I upgraded my tools one by one. You are on the right path my friend😁👍

[@dondonner1095]

Glad you are back on a more frequent basis. Time to get that boat in the water or at least soon. thanks for the info.

[@waydetatlow4776]

Love your videos Adrian! Keep them coming 👍

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you Wayde, I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@woodbark1008]

Adrian , I am really impressed with your unbiased, sensible attitude - You don't jump to conclusions recklessly ! Cheers my friend and thanks for your review ! CHEERS !

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you, I really appreciate your compliment! 🙏 cheers!

[@jerrygable877]

Thankyou for your deep dive into the Temu items. I have been very skeptical of the brand for some time now based on some other experiences I've had with Chinese tools. Of course, as my wife says, you are probably just working for the company. Again, thanks for the research.

[@adrianwoodworm]

A healthy dose of skeptism is definitely needed when shopping on temu because they sell a lot of crap as well. Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@bayadere8308]

A very fair review and thank you. I would advise anybody considering Temu for the first time to restrict their order to something relatively inexpensive. Then, if disappointed, it's not too big a hit. Personally, I've been satisfied with all my purchases - about sixty - and am impressed that the stuff arrives quite quickly, given that it's all shipped from China. Also free delivery of course. Their statement regarding packaging is that they aim to reduce the size of the item as much as possible, so tape for example is pulled very tight which pulls the package somewhat out of shape. This, they say, is to reduce airfreight charges as much as possible and it seems to work. As you said, why pay a lot more for something with snazzy presentation when it's the same product?

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I agree with everything you said!

[@tammystatzer8061]

Great video and tool review, I love Temu and the variety that’s offered. Temu has replaced all my other online shopping for the most part.. keeping the extra money for myself..

[@MrTRAce-by1sv]

Hope you love the cheap one time use garbage they’re selling you

[@banto1]

If/When the forstner part falls off you can use your nifty drill sharpner to make some useful drill bits...

[@adrianwoodworm]

🤣I will keep that in mind!

[@monicaaballay8484]

Great video! My favorite Temu haul so far! Thank you for your honest and detailed review . I agree on everything you said, well done and keep them coming ❣❣❣

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you!

[@rossmennie4903]

You do good reviews! Not quite as crazy as some of the other ones!!!

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this comment! Cheers!

[@alexcollins9513]

just came across you by accident, I sub'd after the drill bits. Very impressed with your delivery and confidence

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you, I appreciate your support! 🙏

[@BeegableRock]

Agreed, natural presenter/reviewer. Subscribed

[@joesharp5602]

I have had similar experiences with Temu. Try as I can, reading the Temu description for some items and trying to figure out what they are "really" selling, sometimes the clues are in the reviews but usually not. One out of ten I seem to get wrong, but Temu has always issued a refund for those items you have issues with. I am sure the supplier and not Temu takes the financial hit for supplying goods that do not match the description/photo's. I seem to no longer be able to run to afford the local Harbor Freight (like a cheaper version of Canadian Tire tools), as they have raised their prices significantly over the last five years. This was a great and very down to earth review of similar tools that I would purchase although I do leather, metal work, and electronics. All Temu leather tools will need a lot of scrutiny as some is unusable even with a lot of TLC. I look forward to your future content.. With great respect... Joe

[@adrianwoodworm]

My feeling is that 50% of the reviews are fake, but I don't have proof of that. The English in the descriptions is terrible (coming from a German with crippled English🤣) so we seem to have similar experiences. Considering that this company is so young, there might be hope that they improve their practices and adjust to the western world a little more. Thank you for watching and commenting Joe!

[@bayadere8308]

@@adrianwoodworm Only 50%? You're being a tad charitable there.

[@adrianwoodworm]

@bayadere8308 😅yeah, you might be right!

[@retiredtom1654]

Great video. Lots of detail in each buy. I have used TEMU several times this past year & found a few item as unused junk, however most items work well (As a garage woodworker). If I were to use an item daily, I would buy with quality in mind.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thanks for sharing your experience! Cheers!

[@familymanof6169]

Great video! I have bought thousands of dollars of items on TEMU with very few bad products. Of the thousands of dollars that I have spent fewer than fifty dollars has been returned. Even the return process is easy! TEMU is burying Amazon, ebay and the likes. I love the fact that these money gouging companies have some real competition! If I had bought the same items that I purchased on TEMU at Amazon or ebay it would have easily cost me over ten thousand dollars! Temu to me is a fresh breath of air, products as good if not better than anything made here! Sad to say but true! I will continue to buy on TEMU! And for you people who say "Traitor, buying from China, I challenge you to pick up any item on any wal-mart shelf and see where it was manufactured".

[@adrianwoodworm]

Couldn't agree more with you! Thanks for commenting!

[@evoke2104]

I totally agree, some items on Temu are very good quality especially all the machined Aluminium tools, I also bought the rip off Micro Jig thst was 50% cheaper than i could get the Grripper, and it's really well made, some items I've bought are made pretty cheaply but most are the same quality you'd buy off Amazon. If people want to buy something 3x the price because it has a brand name then good luck to them, for the most part Temu is decent.

[@zeplin4078]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@mogbaba]

About those round sanding discs there are some moments to consider. Firstly the sandpaper is not as good as a quality one that costs more. But, more important than this is that some of them are just cut from large sheet. So, many of the disks have no gritt number. That makes them almost useless.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thanks for adding your input! I agree with what you said. You can solve the missing grit by keeping them organized and sperate them right from the beginning. The quality of the sandpaper is not the best indeed, but it works well enough for me.

[@cloudstreet8214]

Very cool.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you!

[@WoodworkingTop535]

This video is very necessary for everyone, me too, in fact

[@rcrogers6]

The router bits are offered in 1/2" shank - you just have to look. Some bits cost more. Where did you pit the washers to make the groove smaller?

[@adrianwoodworm]

This particular one was not available in 1/2 inch, but there are dozens of kits that look the same but are different styles and measurements of tounge and groove router bits and some of them do come with a 1/2 inch shank, as you said, you have to look and shop around. I sure didn't pay attention to that, the description was clear about it being 1/4, so that's 100% on me. I still think this combo shouldn't even exist though, it works but it still sketches me out. The two washers have to be installed on the router bit that cuts the tounge. One on each side of the bearing. (Or just one on one side, depending on your needs) That doesn't make the groove smaller but it makes the tounge thicker. (The groove is not adjustable)

[@rcrogers6]

@@adrianwoodworm Thank you for the washer explanation. By accident, overtime, I ordered 3 1/2" tongue and groove combos and 2 appear to be identical. 2 are HEAVY and 1 smaller and lighter. They await experimentation in my new Skil router table at 12,000 rpm. Samer for 3 sizes of lock miter bits. I also have a Freud lock miter bit for comparison - weighs much more that the comparable size Chinese bit. I'll let you know what I find out. Only the lock miter bits will be used frequently.

[@adrianwoodworm]

@rcrogers6 I would be curious to hear what you think of the lock miter bits, I actually never used them before, but I would like to try one!

[@rcrogers6]

@@adrianwoodworm I'll get back to you. I intend to use them when building jewelry and keepsake boxes.

[@blayne2029]

thank you!

[@zanedgallipeau9119]

liked your vid and assuming your Canadian so love how you show both priced, subed right away

[@adrianwoodworm]

Thank you for the sub! Yes, I am from Canada. If you liked this one, I will have a very similar video coming up in a couple of weeks!

[@zanedgallipeau9119]

@@adrianwoodworm i am in B.C

[@MrJumper68]

I never tried temu... but aliexpress. Often when you order there is pictures you can press. Then there is options. Like 230v vs 120v. Or inch vs mm

[@calidoja619]

I think the carbide bit spiral fluting is to help with cooling

[@fngrusty42]

My frued bit set was a tungue and grove with a raised panel. It was 1/2 shafts. 6 bits around 200.00 dollars 30 years ago. Well worth the price but i used them a lot. I have bought a few from temu 1/4 inch shafts but they were pretty good . They will not do what the frueds did but thats ok.

[@ahmelmahay]

the forsner bits are probaly twisted either for decoration or to make the lighter

[@Murgoh]

Ok. I learned a new thing, I thought the M14 angle grinder spindles were a world wide standard but it seems 'muricans have their own.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Yeah, it drives me nuts! I have to buy two sets of sockets and wrenches etc. Building materials are all in imperial even though Canada switched officially to the metric system in 1975. The canadian economy depends heavily on the US. That is why we have this weird mix over here. I prefer the metric system for obvious reasons, but I am at a point where I don't even care anymore. Just give me one system, not two! 🤯🤬

[@NathanTalbertWoodworking]

id guess they either make drill bits too and use the damaged ones to make these or they order mass quantities of broken/defective drill bits and turn them into these.

[@adrianwoodworm]

That would make a lot of sense, good theory!

[@michaelbradford4444]

I'm getting the drill bit sharpener!

[@brucewelty7684]

thanks

[@adrianwoodworm]

You are welcome bruce, thank you for watching!

[@jonhohensee3258]

Does he have no heat in his workshop?

[@jamesrichardfield-mitchell4447]

I would (have) used the 'wood carving chisels' for doing lino cuts for print making.

[@adrianwoodworm]

That sure would be a good use for them! 👍

[@keymad4]

disk is for 115mm euro grinder, its not meant to fitted the way you did it, great video.

[@adrianwoodworm]

If I am correct, the european angle grinders come in 10mm or 14mm arbor size? This disc has a 16mm bore diameter, (Or basically 7/8, like the arbor of my North American angle grinders.) The problem is that the threads on my ryobi angle grinder don't extend all the way to the bottom of the shaft to center it. I read online that this angle grinder is not really meant for thin discs, even though everyone still uses them anyways since most 115mm discs have a bore diameter of 22mm and the raised edge of the flange nut, (also 22mm in diameter), locks them in place perfectly. To be honest with you, I am confused and frustrated by all the different sizes. I made it work somehow, that is all that matters to me in the end of the day😆 Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@kevincinnamontoast3669]

Tungsten carbide steel?

[@Jeekinz]

If the drill bit caught that piece of jagged steel in the drill press your hand would look like ground beef.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Yeah, I certainly did not set a good example for inexperienced people with this one. Thanks for pointing it out.

[@michaelzarutsky3624]

Re. Your tongue and grove router bits... "If only they came with 1/2" shank"... They actually do. You just bought these. All the router bits on Temu come in 5 flavors: 6mm, 6.35 (1/4"), 8mm (who is using those and why???), 12mm and 12.7mm (1/2"). I just use 1/4" in a hand held and 1/2" in a router table as finding an odd size (from might point of view) collet is a pain. Same as you, I'm not using routers 8 hours a day and what I bought from AliExpress and Temu seems to be just fine for my needs. Much easier on the pocket than the alternatives as well. If only either platform would offer an adjustable groove bit... I need a few cabinet doors... Freud's on Amazon are 75 USD plus another 13 for delivery to my part of the world. 😢

[@adrianwoodworm]

Yes, I saw by now that they come with different shank diameters, even though the particular one that I bought was offered just with a 1/4 shank at the time. That being said, I am sure I could have found the 1/2 shank version with some patience. I noticed over the months that their inventory changes constantly, so there might be a chance to find the router bit you need in the future! Cheers!

[@rokkuanii6922]

Please make chapters. So we can skip around. Heads up, Temu items comes from different factory (seller). But they literally copy and past the store advertisement. So some item quality changes each time. Plastic density, actual materials... Ie amount of diamond dust, or you might get fake swap. If you see using it often, you won't know if it really tungsten.

[@andygillies2250]

Good god man, don’t use a drill press an hold it with your hand

[@adrianwoodworm]

😄yeah, you are not the first one pointing that out. I guess I am not immune to doing sketchy stuff every once in a while.

[@daviddawkins2829]

Temu's servuce has been awesome for me. No actual return, just a refund.

[@adrianwoodworm]

Same for me. They didn't really care about why I am not happy with the one carving item, they just sent me my money back in the matter of a couple days and let me keep the tool. For someone who lives 45 min out of town, that is fantastic. No wasted time driving to the post office, and no lengthy discussion like it would have been the case with Amazon or other sellers.

[@thumperoux1528]

Issues with TEMU and other cheap sellers from “developing” (hate that term) countries is: exploited/forced labour, cybersecurity, unethical practices, lower environmental requirements, unsustainable practices and a myriad of other concerns. Pay less, someone pays more - entropy at play.

[@adrianwoodworm]

I have heard of those concerns but I could not find any solid evidence of that on the internet. That doesn't mean it is not real, and those are valid concerns. You as a consumer will have to make that decision for yourself and you have to ask yourself if buying your goods somewhere else really avoids those issues or if you just make a couple more companies rich on the way while exposing yourself to the same ethical, environmental and security concerns. The focus of this video was to answer only one question: Are the products even worth to be purchased, or is it all junk? Thank you for your comment!

[@thumperoux1528]

@@adrianwoodworm For sure on each consumer being discerning within their own values and means. Just plugging for more domestic, innovating, transparent and good value enterprises being showcased by “content creators” ( … another term I no like … and don’t get me started on “influencer” … @$#+*&# …… ; ). For example: Ethan Answers (fellow Ontarian) on KZbin and his excellent Stock Room Supply store (I’m sure you’ve already heard of him ? ). Many thanks for your excellent contributions.

[@darkcloud5830]

I think you are buying into the China propaganda way too much. Watch some videos on their manufacturing process. They are not forced labour and their environmental requirements have gone up significantly. They are paid less, that is how they keep their price low. That does not mean they broke the labour law. Do you expect Mexico to be paid as much as Americans when they are right next to each other? These tool-making jobs are assembly line operations. They do not require lots of education or skills. They just need to know how to do that one job over and over. If you still believe they are unethical, you can always not buy their product. Just make sure you read all American product labels because 90% are made in China.

[@ST-0311]

@@adrianwoodworm I have found some of the the exact same cheap tools Temu sells on Amazon, but they're usually 2 to 4 times the cost. It's always the same "Slave labor" criticism of Temu on almost every one of their tool reviews. If one is going to direct that criticism at Temu be consistent and hold Amazon to the same standard. To be clear, there are no Temu Tools. Temu doesn't make tools, or electronics, or anything else. They are a retailer. They sell items from multiple manufactures, just like Amazon does from ridiculous brand names like AZMOGDT or MQFORU. However, no one is throwing slave labor accusations at Amazon.

[@qaszim2012]

Comments like this are a load of crap. Bet you. You buy stuff made in the same factories 10 times a month. Just re packaged and sold by a "trusted" name. Second to that. These "developing" countries don't develop without this. Same as every country. Wasn't so long ago in scale of time the UK had child labour. US was built on slave labour. And you sit there from a place of privilege, saying "you can't advance, because we see it as wrong, we don't have an alternative for you but, but we won't support it". So technically all you are doing is oppression.

[@ThePSMA]

After +40 years buying tools I can confirm something I learnt on the first few years … the cheapest option is buying quality, the alternative is buying twice … 3 times, 4 times … the same crap! Such as is 95% of Temu offer. You can follow my advice now and thank me later… or just keep advertising that crap for newcomers

[@adrianwoodworm]

I get your point, and it is correct for the most part that an expensive, good quality tool will be better and cheaper in the long run if you use it enough. But sometimes you don't need professional grade equipment and tools to get the job done. Most guys here on youtube are weekend warriors, not full-time woodworkers. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to build 3-4 projects year. If every newcomer would listen to your advice, then most of them will never get into woodworking because they simply can't afford it. You have to start somewhere. Heck, I can't afford to buy high-quality tools all the time. Mid-range and sometimes even low-end tools still have their place. Some of them can even perform just like their pricy counterparts. Take it from someone who can prove exactly that or keep practicing woodworking like an elite craft.

[@joelmartin2549]

I think a lot of this stuff is stolen tech, R+D cost money, and if the Chinese factory can just steal the design from their customer, the factory can save money allowing them to sell for less. If you are into stolen products I understand there are a lot of name brand tools that have been stolen from the big box stores available for a discount from side walk “stores” in the LA and SF area.

[@dylanm4339]

cheap labor is an understatement, forced labor would be much more accurate.

[@adrianwoodworm]

I mentioned this in another comment, I heard about those concerns but could not find solid evidence when it came to temu specifically. That of course doesn't mean it is not a possibility. Either way, it was not the focus of this video. The focus was to figure out if the products were any good.

[@gunnarliljas8459]

Every Temu purchase is a failure

[@renexwing1546]

Like you

[@merikatools568]

They have drilldos

[@midnightspecial3827]

Do not buy drill bits from Temu