Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[skwdenyer]

One more:



Compared to the terribl 9" single-sided roller frames sold everywhere, a proper 12" double-sided roller frame - and decent rollers - makes hilariously light work of decorating. Not just walls - I used to operate one of my spaces as a gallery, the white floor of which got repainted 10-20 times a year. I could do 1100 square feet of floor in about 40 minutes with just this roller frame, a decent sleeve, and a really good Harris telescopic pole.

[ecotec]

skwdenyer said:

If you haven't used a track saw, they are simply fantastic. I couldn't justify the Festool, but this Makita - if you throw away the standard blade and get something decent - is great. It took me too long to buy one, during which time I cursed my various circular saws all too often; the difference is night and day.

Totally agree on the track saw, makes perfect cuts easily and safely. Also when connected to a vac the amount dist produced is minimal.

I bought the Makita too - Interested on your new blade choice as I'm still running the stock blade and have been happy so far...

[uncinqsix]

ecotec said:

skwdenyer said:

If you haven't used a track saw, they are simply fantastic. I couldn't justify the Festool, but this Makita - if you throw away the standard blade and get something decent - is great. It took me too long to buy one, during which time I cursed my various circular saws all too often; the difference is night and day.

Totally agree on the track saw, makes perfect cuts easily and safely. Also when connected to a vac the amount dist produced is minimal.

I bought the Makita too - Interested on your new blade choice as I'm still running the stock blade and have been happy so far...

I have the even cheaper Scheppach version. Replacing the stock blade with a Freud one has made a night and day difference to how well it cuts (cleaner, straighter). I also made a few other tweaks to remove hinge slop etc, and I daresay it's now performing at Makita level.

[skwdenyer]

uncinqsix said:

ecotec said:

skwdenyer said:

If you haven't used a track saw, they are simply fantastic. I couldn't justify the Festool, but this Makita - if you throw away the standard blade and get something decent - is great. It took me too long to buy one, during which time I cursed my various circular saws all too often; the difference is night and day.

Totally agree on the track saw, makes perfect cuts easily and safely. Also when connected to a vac the amount dist produced is minimal.

I bought the Makita too - Interested on your new blade choice as I'm still running the stock blade and have been happy so far...

I have the even cheaper Scheppach version. Replacing the stock blade with a Freud one has made a night and day difference to how well it cuts (cleaner, straighter). I also made a few other tweaks to remove hinge slop etc, and I daresay it's now performing at Makita level.

I was a little unkind about the stock blade. Cuts were excellent, but it blunted very fast in my use, seriously degrading the overall experience.

I also found it quite poor at clearing itself in "stickier" timber, and prone to sticking in old timber which relaxed as it was cut (something in fairness a riving knife would help with, but which isn't a feature of these plunge saws - but I miss the accuracy of the track saw if swapping back to something like my Evolution regular circular).

I can't recall which blade mine came with. I think the current stock blade is a B-07353 TCT job, which would probably be better.

+1 for Freud. The Makita B-09298 165mm x 20mm x 48T Specialized Plunge Saw Blade is what I'm running right now, and works well too.

You do have to watch out for kerf thickness - 2.2mm is stock, and if you swap to a blade with a different spec then you will need to fit and cut new rubbers for the track (or have a small gap).

[Craikeybaby]

Flibble said:

Craikeybaby said:

GoodwinP said:

Bosch IXO Cordless Lithium-Ion Screwdriver with 3.6 V Battery, 1.5 Ah

When my one of these broke (through mistreatment) I had to buy a replacement, such a useful tool.

Edited by Craikeybaby on Monday 29th April 16:27

What's the advantage over a combi drill?

I had a little 3.6V driver a while back and it was pretty weak, too the extent that it was useless.

Smaller, so easier to get into small spaces. For most of what I do, the combi drill is too big. Also the little Bosch has a sort of docking station charger, so it is always ready to do.

[B17NNS]

Ashtray83 said:

I recently had to replace my 15+ year old leather handle estwing (lost it) got a shiny new one with the straight claw beautiful thing bar the horrible pinging/chiming noise every time I hit something it’s driving me mad.

Used in anger today. There's a definite 'ping' that isn't evident on my old leather handled curved claw. She's mighty pretty though, I can forgive her almost anything.

[boxedout]

skwdenyer said:

One more:



Compared to the terribl 9" single-sided roller frames sold everywhere, a proper 12" double-sided roller frame - and decent rollers - makes hilariously light work of decorating. Not just walls - I used to operate one of my spaces as a gallery, the white floor of which got repainted 10-20 times a year. I could do 1100 square feet of floor in about 40 minutes with just this roller frame, a decent sleeve, and a really good Harris telescopic pole.

Agreed, the 9 inch stuff is just to wind people up.

I found the Purdy adjustable 12 inch+ roller frame far better than the Harris one.

[sjj84]

I recently bought a dust and debris eliminator (dade) which I saw on display in the electrical wholesalers. When cutting plasterboard with a hole saw for spot lights it's utterly brilliant. So simple yet so effective, wish I'd seen it sooner, virtually no clean up required.
My cordless sds drill is probably the best tool I've bought, doesn't get used that often, but when it does it's invaluable.

[skwdenyer]

boxedout said:

Agreed, the 9 inch stuff is just to wind people up.

I found the Purdy adjustable 12 inch+ roller frame far better than the Harris one.

Shall have a look at the Purdy one - I've tended to just buy whatever Leyland SDM around the corner have

[skwdenyer]

sjj84 said:

I recently bought a dust and debris eliminator (dade) which I saw on display in the electrical wholesalers. When cutting plasterboard with a hole saw for spot lights it's utterly brilliant. So simple yet so effective, wish I'd seen it sooner, virtually no clean up required.

Oh yes, forgot about that one. Never mind clean-up - face-fulls of dust and insulation aren't much fun

[oblio]

Watchman said:

Has anyone tried a Tiger Wrench?

I like the idea that, instead of carrying a large number of spanners with me in my portable bicycle maintenance tool box, something like this might do the job.

At home, I have quality ratchet spanners which I always use when building bikes but the fact is, there are very few nuts and bolts on bikes these days so carrying the spanners in my portable toolkit seems like an unnecessary weight overhead if something like a Tiger Wrench would do the job.



Ultimately I think a Knipex Pliers Wrench is the best "single tool" solution, and I will buy one eventually, but they start at £50 whereas a Tiger Wrench can be had for a tenner.

ETA: I support cycle events from a following car. I don't have to carry a toolkit on a bike. But even so, my toolkit almost became too heavy to lift before I ruthlessly removed unecessary stuff recently.

Mine arrived but clearly wasn't the Tiger Wrench I ordered...it was a cheap copy.

I initiated a return with Ebay and the seller has now agreed to refund and I don't have to send it back either!

[Mr Pointy]

skwdenyer said:

sjj84 said:

I recently bought a dust and debris eliminator (dade) which I saw on display in the electrical wholesalers. When cutting plasterboard with a hole saw for spot lights it's utterly brilliant. So simple yet so effective, wish I'd seen it sooner, virtually no clean up required.

Oh yes, forgot about that one. Never mind clean-up - face-fulls of dust and insulation aren't much fun

These things are absolutely brilliant.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-A-D-E-Dust-And-Debris-E...



Almost zero mess to clean up afterwards.

[blueg33]

boxedout said:

Agreed, the 9 inch stuff is just to wind people up.

I found the Purdy adjustable 12 inch+ roller frame far better than the Harris one.

However a 9 inch roller tray fits on the top of my step ladder, a 12 inch doesn’t.

[MJNewton]

Mr Pointy said:

These things are absolutely brilliant.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-A-D-E-Dust-And-Debris-E...



Almost zero mess to clean up afterwards.

Hmm... tempting. What size holesaw would it accommodate? (I've got a dozen 125mm holes to cut)

If there's one thing putting me off it's that it feels the wrong side of a tenner for my liking. But then given the high number of positive reviews, which would surely include people of similar tightness to me, it is still tempting.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

blueg33 said:

boxedout said:

Agreed, the 9 inch stuff is just to wind people up.

I found the Purdy adjustable 12 inch+ roller frame far better than the Harris one.

However a 9 inch roller tray fits on the top of my step ladder, a 12 inch doesn’t.

Stand on the floor and use a pole

[smack]

Can anyone recommend me a good Riveter? I have an old garage door needing to be (short term) fixed, longer term replaced, but loads of the rivets have pooped off due to age and the state of it, but in the mean time some metal bracing in exchange for beer is the order of the day to make it sound.
So, I might as buy a reasonable one on the back of this, and I haven't used one in years, so it has to work, and not be made from monkey metal as I don't have to buy another in my lifetime if I use it as it is expected - the Bahco one gets mixed reviews online, and people say it is made in Taiwan (wasn't looking for Bahco, it just came up on my search, and a Brand I know), which from my experience just means made to a cheap price point, rather than something that lasts.

[paulrockliffe]

MJNewton said:

Mr Pointy said:

These things are absolutely brilliant.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-A-D-E-Dust-And-Debris-E...



Almost zero mess to clean up afterwards.

Hmm... tempting. What size holesaw would it accommodate? (I've got a dozen 125mm holes to cut)

If there's one thing putting me off it's that it feels the wrong side of a tenner for my liking. But then given the high number of positive reviews, which would surely include people of similar tightness to me, it is still tempting.

I reckon you could make one fairly easily, it's not much more than a plastic bowl with a hole in it and a seal. You could either find some rubbet grommets to seal it, though the tricky bit might be getting them loose enough that they spin without burning, or drill a hole in the side and plug a hoover onto it as well.

[Teddy Lop]

paulrockliffe said:

I reckon you could make one fairly easily, it's not much more than a plastic bowl with a hole in it and a seal. You could either find some rubbet grommets to seal it, though the tricky bit might be getting them loose enough that they spin without burning, or drill a hole in the side and plug a hoover onto it as well.

Its a little more complex than that as the bottom is made of softer rubber which allows enought forward movement for you to push through the ceiling with the bit while the firmer bowl seal remains in firm contact with it preventing spillage. Well worth paying what they want as while its a simple tool its well designed.

[dickymint]

My opinion. Looks useful in a clean area “onsite” but as it’s says in the blurb “nearly” all mess - invariably you’ll have to vacuum so does it really matter?

[Mr Pointy]

MJNewton said:

Mr Pointy said:

These things are absolutely brilliant.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-A-D-E-Dust-And-Debris-E...

Almost zero mess to clean up afterwards.

Hmm... tempting. What size holesaw would it accommodate? (I've got a dozen 125mm holes to cut)

If there's one thing putting me off it's that it feels the wrong side of a tenner for my liking. But then given the high number of positive reviews, which would surely include people of similar tightness to me, it is still tempting.

The device measures about 130mm across inside so while in theory you might get away with it you'd need to be very careful about keeping it straight as you drilled up into the plasterboard as it's made of soft silicone rubber. It was only £14 when I bought it so it's gone up a bit but it really does work very well.