Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...
Discussion
2 items for this thread:
1) Treated myself to an olive puller yesterday. What a revelation! Getting a used olive off a pipe can be a right faff, especially if you don't want to damage th pipe. This thing just works perfectly as described. A bit pricey for something that probably won't be used that often, but I'm happy.
https://www.toolstation.com/monument-olive-puller/...
2) Not sure if this counts as a tool, but I fitted a Femco drain plug to my car. Come oil change time, remove the cap, screw on the hose and the oil neatly trickles into my receptacle of choice. No more Russian roulette over whether the first half litre of oil is going down my sleeve.
https://www.drainplug.co.uk/standard.html
1) Treated myself to an olive puller yesterday. What a revelation! Getting a used olive off a pipe can be a right faff, especially if you don't want to damage th pipe. This thing just works perfectly as described. A bit pricey for something that probably won't be used that often, but I'm happy.
https://www.toolstation.com/monument-olive-puller/...
2) Not sure if this counts as a tool, but I fitted a Femco drain plug to my car. Come oil change time, remove the cap, screw on the hose and the oil neatly trickles into my receptacle of choice. No more Russian roulette over whether the first half litre of oil is going down my sleeve.
https://www.drainplug.co.uk/standard.html
Edited by blueST on Tuesday 20th February 12:52
blueST said:
2 items for this thread:
1) Treated myself to an olive puller yesterday. What a revelation! Getting a used olive off a pipe can be a right faff, especially if you don't want to damage th pipe. This thing just works perfectly as described. A bit pricey for something that probably won't be used that often, but I'm happy.
https://www.toolstation.com/monument-olive-puller/...
I posted that about a year ago in this thread - brilliant bit of kit and much less risky than trying to slit with a hacksaw and split with a screwdriver1) Treated myself to an olive puller yesterday. What a revelation! Getting a used olive off a pipe can be a right faff, especially if you don't want to damage th pipe. This thing just works perfectly as described. A bit pricey for something that probably won't be used that often, but I'm happy.
https://www.toolstation.com/monument-olive-puller/...
I had to replace all of the TRV bodies and Lockshield valves on all my rads and it made it so much easier and quicker.
bennno said:
I came to the conclusion earlier that this was the best £13.99 ive ever spent
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Air-Wedge-eSynic-Pump-Bag...
Levelling cooker, fridge and washer - they are greathttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Air-Wedge-eSynic-Pump-Bag...
bennno said:
I came to the conclusion earlier that this was the best £13.99 ive ever spent
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Air-Wedge-eSynic-Pump-Bag...
Levelling cooker, fridge and washer - they are greathttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Air-Wedge-eSynic-Pump-Bag...
Well, the recent parrot-nosed pliers post took me off on another Google search.
Looks like there are 2 kinds - the posted vice-grip, serrated jaw types, or these adjustable smooth jaw types from the likes of Knipex:
https://amzn.eu/d/gXNSM9f
Anyone got any experience of both and care to comment?
Wondering if the vice-grip style are more suited to something you need to undo but not reuse (drop links), and the smooth jaw for something you want to try to keep?
Looks like there are 2 kinds - the posted vice-grip, serrated jaw types, or these adjustable smooth jaw types from the likes of Knipex:
https://amzn.eu/d/gXNSM9f
Anyone got any experience of both and care to comment?
Wondering if the vice-grip style are more suited to something you need to undo but not reuse (drop links), and the smooth jaw for something you want to try to keep?
Steve_W said:
skwdenyer said:
I finally gave in & bought parrot-nosed vice grips.
They are exactly the tool for dealing with spinning anti-roll bar drop links - the hex recesses in the end of the studs are simply not up to the job of freeing old threads.
If I used them more often, I’d have bought the more expensive Facom items (loving their vice grips thanks to this thread), but even in this more agricultural form they’re really very useful.
Interesting - never heard of them and have some very rusty drop links to do on the Shogun.They are exactly the tool for dealing with spinning anti-roll bar drop links - the hex recesses in the end of the studs are simply not up to the job of freeing old threads.
If I used them more often, I’d have bought the more expensive Facom items (loving their vice grips thanks to this thread), but even in this more agricultural form they’re really very useful.
Did you get the US Pro ones pictured, or a different brand? Prices seem to vary on Amazon (surprise surprise). No idea if US Pro are any good as a brand.
Only a borrow but... Rothenberger pipe freezer. My mate has an industrial plumbing company and has let me borrow his a few times now. If I kept water in pipes for a living it's the tool I'd buy before a van, blowtorch and adjustable spanners.
Being able to cut into non-isolated pipes without draining down is witchcraft and trickery. I love it.
Being able to cut into non-isolated pipes without draining down is witchcraft and trickery. I love it.
Steve_W said:
Well, the recent parrot-nosed pliers post took me off on another Google search.
Looks like there are 2 kinds - the posted vice-grip, serrated jaw types, or these adjustable smooth jaw types from the likes of Knipex:
https://amzn.eu/d/gXNSM9f
Anyone got any experience of both and care to comment?
Wondering if the vice-grip style are more suited to something you need to undo but not reuse (drop links), and the smooth jaw for something you want to try to keep?
The Knipex looks like an interesting evolution of pump pliers. I have been known to use hardened toothy pump pliers and even a stilson wrench on TREs when the situation has demanded it, but Knipex knows their pliers so I'd take a £30 gamble knowing it's probably good.Looks like there are 2 kinds - the posted vice-grip, serrated jaw types, or these adjustable smooth jaw types from the likes of Knipex:
https://amzn.eu/d/gXNSM9f
Anyone got any experience of both and care to comment?
Wondering if the vice-grip style are more suited to something you need to undo but not reuse (drop links), and the smooth jaw for something you want to try to keep?
You might want to look at the Wera 6004 self setting spanners as an alternative, however you would need a few such spanners to cover the same 10-32mm range, and in total it would cost a lot more than £30. They would also be too pretty to use roughly though
BigBen said:
What's the thread recommendation for digging up hedge roots? The boy and I have knackered a garden fork today so need something a bit more hardcore. There was some stuff earlier on the thread about roughneck digging tools but I wasn't listening.....
Mattock, eg https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-mattock-with...I use a trenching shovel (long, narrow, heavy spade) to dig around, slice through any extraneous roots and lever up the rootball. If that doesn't do the trick I get a 6' machine moving crowbar under the rootball, and nothing has resisted that yet. The trick is to be methodical, use the weight of the spade much like you would a sledgehammer (i.e. lift carefully and let gravity pay you back), use the lever, and take your time rather than just going at it as hard as you can. I have arthritis of the lower spine and doing some big shrubs that way doesn't cripple me too much.
Don't drop either on your foot, mind... That would definitely leave a mark.
Don't drop either on your foot, mind... That would definitely leave a mark.
beedj said:
BigBen said:
What's the thread recommendation for digging up hedge roots? The boy and I have knackered a garden fork today so need something a bit more hardcore. There was some stuff earlier on the thread about roughneck digging tools but I wasn't listening.....
Mattock, eg https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-mattock-with...But I must add that a micro Mattock is also very useful to get in there and get to that one last root that's stopping the whole lot moving!
https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-micro-mattoc...
Edited by Buzz84 on Tuesday 20th February 22:14
BigBen said:
What's the thread recommendation for digging up hedge roots? The boy and I have knackered a garden fork today so need something a bit more hardcore. There was some stuff earlier on the thread about roughneck digging tools but I wasn't listening.....
This will cut straight through themhttps://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-digging-bar/...
blueST said:
Not sure if this counts as a tool, but I fitted a Femco drain plug to my car. Commonly change time, remover the cap, screw on the hose and the oil neatly trickles into my receptacle of choice. Now more Russia roulette over whether the first half litre of oil is going fo.dowb my sleeve.
https://www.drainplug.co.uk/standard.html
These are a brilliant replacement of the standard oil sump plug, no more oil running down your hands as you unscrew the sump plug, and no more dropping the plug into the bucket of oil. Oil flows straight into your container without any spillage.https://www.drainplug.co.uk/standard.html
I fitted one to my LR Defender as I used to change its oil twice per year. However I also used to do the filter change at the same time which made a complete oily mess! Clearly you need the additional tube with the female connector on the end. I used to actually enjoy watching the oil start to automatically flow out once I'd screwed it on.
I see they also do a drain plug with a magnet to help collect any metal filings in your engine oil..
Edited by The Gauge on Tuesday 20th February 09:03
bennno said:
A mattock (even a small one) is a good shout too for hacking at roots. Have a feeling I may have bought mine years ago because of this thread...Think I've got this one, not 100% sure: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-1lb-micro-pic...
Edited by MajorMantra on Tuesday 20th February 14:40
MajorMantra said:
bennno said:
A mattack (even a small one) is a good shout too for hacking at roots. Have a feeling I may have bought mine years ago because of this thread...Think I've got this one, not 100% sure: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-1lb-micro-pic...
..................I bought a pair of these last week https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637204968/exhaus...
saves stabbing yourself with a screwdriver
saves stabbing yourself with a screwdriver
MajorMantra said:
bennno said:
A mattack (even a small one) is a good shout too for hacking at roots. Have a feeling I may have bought mine years ago because of this thread...Think I've got this one, not 100% sure: https://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-1lb-micro-pic...
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