Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[OutInTheShed]

CrouchingWayne said:

This might be the right place to ask!

I’ve a few cheap power tools that have been fine over a number of years, however the batteries are now dead on my hand drill. Most of the others are corded which are functional at least but not particularly great quality.

With a few small-ish DIY projects coming up (false floor in garage, shelving out a few cupboards incl a walk in) I am thinking of getting in to a battery system as it’s easier to use inside than the corded gear I’ve got.

I’m not a super heavy user I don’t need the best of the best so looking for a good value proposition. Compatibility with garden & any other tools would be good if possible (e.g. would like to add a leaf blower later)

I came across the below package locally (can’t find direct link) - 5x tools, 3x batteries, 2 cases but they’re selling it for £660 (possibly clearance)

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-To...

Is this worth it, or is it a poor bundle? Anything you wish you’d known before committing to a battery family?

I’d use all 5x tools on each of the mentioned projects which is why it has caught my eye

Had hoped to spend less initially but equally if it’s a great deal I’d rather bite the bullet and have everything from the start

EDIT: This Ryobi equivalent is cheaper, but only 2x batteries at lower 4ah, case is not as useful:

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-plus-18v...

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:50

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:51

You could do those jobs with a £30 no-name cordless drill and a handsaw for £10.

[Mr Pointy]

CrouchingWayne said:

This might be the right place to ask!

I’ve a few cheap power tools that have been fine over a number of years, however the batteries are now dead on my hand drill. Most of the others are corded which are functional at least but not particularly great quality.

With a few small-ish DIY projects coming up (false floor in garage, shelving out a few cupboards incl a walk in) I am thinking of getting in to a battery system as it’s easier to use inside than the corded gear I’ve got.

I’m not a super heavy user I don’t need the best of the best so looking for a good value proposition. Compatibility with garden & any other tools would be good if possible (e.g. would like to add a leaf blower later)

I came across the below package locally (can’t find direct link) - 5x tools, 3x batteries, 2 cases but they’re selling it for £660 (possibly clearance)

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-To...

Is this worth it, or is it a poor bundle? Anything you wish you’d known before committing to a battery family?

I’d use all 5x tools on each of the mentioned projects which is why it has caught my eye

Had hoped to spend less initially but equally if it’s a great deal I’d rather bite the bullet and have everything from the start

EDIT: This Ryobi equivalent is cheaper, but only 2x batteries at lower 4ah, case is not as useful:

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-plus-18v...

Which tools are you actually going to use though? I'd discount the torch & the circular saw & the jigsaw is only rarely useful leaving just the drill & driver, which are useful. Smaller batteries are fine in drills as they are significantly lighter.

I suspect I could spend £600 on Ryobi bits & end up with a much more useful selection.

[CrouchingWayne]

Thanks for the feedback - I’m not too fussed on brand so agree it could be overkill. I thought the offer seemed an OK. I was initially looking at Ryobi given my amateur requirements. Unfortunately the kit I linked is not available near me.

Bigger batteries are helpful for garden tools when I was looking Ryobi but maybe having smaller ones is helpful too

Any recommendations for other decent starter kit deals?

[Sporky]

OutInTheShed said:

You could do those jobs with a £30 no-name cordless drill and a handsaw for £10.

Ah, the Chuck Norris approach.

[Lefty]

Ryobi have an Amazon store

[AJLintern]

Ryobi tools are fine and they have a good variety. I also have Dewalt and Makita as their batteries are compatible with Ryobi tools using the appropriate adaptors.

[skwdenyer]

Bill said:

The main difference apart from extraction and the plunge bit is that you need a track adapter for a circular saw.

I can't find the order for the one I got so no recommendations but a roofing square is very handy for short cuts.

Cheap circular saws tend to have rather nasty pressed steel base plates attached to the motor at only a couple of places. A track adapter won’t fix the underlying lack of stiffness of the tool, to the cost of accuracy.

Decent plunge saws, by contrast, often have die-cast aluminium bodies to maintain proper alignment. Which costs rather more to make than the base plates.

A circular saw + track adapter + track is fine for roughly ripping down sheet material. An actual track saw is required for more accuracy.

[Rustybanger]

skwdenyer said:

Bill said:

The main difference apart from extraction and the plunge bit is that you need a track adapter for a circular saw.

I can't find the order for the one I got so no recommendations but a roofing square is very handy for short cuts.

Cheap circular saws tend to have rather nasty pressed steel base plates attached to the motor at only a couple of places. A track adapter won’t fix the underlying lack of stiffness of the tool, to the cost of accuracy.

Decent plunge saws, by contrast, often have die-cast aluminium bodies to maintain proper alignment. Which costs rather more to make than the base plates.

A circular saw + track adapter + track is fine for roughly ripping down sheet material. An actual track saw is required for more accuracy.

Pretty much matches my experience with my mostly repeatable(ish) evolution circ/track saw vs my completely repeatable makita plunge saw

[loudlashadjuster]

OutInTheShed said:

CrouchingWayne said:

This might be the right place to ask!

I’ve a few cheap power tools that have been fine over a number of years, however the batteries are now dead on my hand drill. Most of the others are corded which are functional at least but not particularly great quality.

With a few small-ish DIY projects coming up (false floor in garage, shelving out a few cupboards incl a walk in) I am thinking of getting in to a battery system as it’s easier to use inside than the corded gear I’ve got.

I’m not a super heavy user I don’t need the best of the best so looking for a good value proposition. Compatibility with garden & any other tools would be good if possible (e.g. would like to add a leaf blower later)

I came across the below package locally (can’t find direct link) - 5x tools, 3x batteries, 2 cases but they’re selling it for £660 (possibly clearance)

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-To...

Is this worth it, or is it a poor bundle? Anything you wish you’d known before committing to a battery family?

I’d use all 5x tools on each of the mentioned projects which is why it has caught my eye

Had hoped to spend less initially but equally if it’s a great deal I’d rather bite the bullet and have everything from the start

EDIT: This Ryobi equivalent is cheaper, but only 2x batteries at lower 4ah, case is not as useful:

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-plus-18v...

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:50

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:51

You could do those jobs with a £30 no-name cordless drill and a handsaw for £10.

You may be in the wrong thread

[skwdenyer]

loudlashadjuster said:

OutInTheShed said:

CrouchingWayne said:

This might be the right place to ask!

I’ve a few cheap power tools that have been fine over a number of years, however the batteries are now dead on my hand drill. Most of the others are corded which are functional at least but not particularly great quality.

With a few small-ish DIY projects coming up (false floor in garage, shelving out a few cupboards incl a walk in) I am thinking of getting in to a battery system as it’s easier to use inside than the corded gear I’ve got.

I’m not a super heavy user I don’t need the best of the best so looking for a good value proposition. Compatibility with garden & any other tools would be good if possible (e.g. would like to add a leaf blower later)

I came across the below package locally (can’t find direct link) - 5x tools, 3x batteries, 2 cases but they’re selling it for £660 (possibly clearance)

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-To...

Is this worth it, or is it a poor bundle? Anything you wish you’d known before committing to a battery family?

I’d use all 5x tools on each of the mentioned projects which is why it has caught my eye

Had hoped to spend less initially but equally if it’s a great deal I’d rather bite the bullet and have everything from the start

EDIT: This Ryobi equivalent is cheaper, but only 2x batteries at lower 4ah, case is not as useful:

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-plus-18v...

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:50

Edited by CrouchingWayne on Friday 19th April 12:51

You could do those jobs with a £30 no-name cordless drill and a handsaw for £10.

You may be in the wrong thread

This has been said to me before, too. But look at this way - if you can do those jobs for £40, it leaves lots of room in the man maths for other cool stuff

[Turtle Shed]

A mixing paddle:

https://www.toolstation.com/minotaur-mixing-paddle...

Nine quid and how I've never bought one of these is beyond me. Wanted to mix up a bit of tile adhesive and grabbed this cheapy, thinking that I might need a better drill than my Wickes Cordless thing, but it did the job brilliantly.

But the quality of the mix... wow, like a wonderful combnation of butter and aero chocolate.

[The Gauge]

Turtle Shed said:

A mixing paddle:

https://www.toolstation.com/minotaur-mixing-paddle...

Nine quid and how I've never bought one of these is beyond me. Wanted to mix up a bit of tile adhesive and grabbed this cheapy, thinking that I might need a better drill than my Wickes Cordless thing, but it did the job brilliantly.

But the quality of the mix... wow, like a wonderful combnation of butter and aero chocolate.

I bought one recently for mixing some mortar in a bucket using my cordless drill, mixed the sand & cement first with it, then mixed in the water. Worked well.

[The Gauge]

CrouchingWayne said:

This might be the right place to ask!

I’ve a few cheap power tools that have been fine over a number of years, however the batteries are now dead on my hand drill. Most of the others are corded which are functional at least but not particularly great quality.

With a few small-ish DIY projects coming up (false floor in garage, shelving out a few cupboards incl a walk in) I am thinking of getting in to a battery system as it’s easier to use inside than the corded gear I’ve got.

I’m not a super heavy user I don’t need the best of the best so looking for a good value proposition. Compatibility with garden & any other tools would be good if possible (e.g. would like to add a leaf blower later)

I came across the below package locally (can’t find direct link) - 5x tools, 3x batteries, 2 cases but they’re selling it for £660 (possibly clearance)

https://www.costco.co.uk/Home-Improvement/Power-To...

Is this worth it, or is it a poor bundle? Anything you wish you’d known before committing to a battery family?

I’d use all 5x tools on each of the mentioned projects which is why it has caught my eye

Had hoped to spend less initially but equally if it’s a great deal I’d rather bite the bullet and have everything from the start

EDIT: This Ryobi equivalent is cheaper, but only 2x batteries at lower 4ah, case is not as useful:

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-plus-18v...

Consider if you are likely to do more DIY in the years ahead.

I started off with many years ago with a Makita cordless drill that came with 2 x batteries and a charger. From that I have bought quite a lot of their tools over the years. Like the other main brands, Makita do a huge range of tools, and whenever I come to do a job where a tool I don't have would be useful, I go and buy it. I even bought a Makita lawnmower that came with 2 x 5amp batteries and double charger, so now I'm really into the Makita universe! I'm glad I bought that Makita drill all those years ago.

[GeneralBanter]

The Gauge said:

Consider if you are likely to do more DIY in the years ahead.

I started off with many years ago with a Makita cordless drill that came with 2 x batteries and a charger. From that I have bought quite a lot of their tools over the years. Like the other main brands, Makita do a huge range of tools, and whenever I come to do a job where a tool I don't have would be useful, I go and buy it. I even bought a Makita lawnmower that came with 2 x 5amp batteries and double charger, so now I'm really into the Makita universe! I'm glad I bought that Makita drill all those years ago.

Reads like on of those Trustpilot restaurant reviews which was actually written by the establishment itself !

[mikeiow]

GeneralBanter said:

The Gauge said:

Consider if you are likely to do more DIY in the years ahead.

I started off with many years ago with a Makita cordless drill that came with 2 x batteries and a charger. From that I have bought quite a lot of their tools over the years. Like the other main brands, Makita do a huge range of tools, and whenever I come to do a job where a tool I don't have would be useful, I go and buy it. I even bought a Makita lawnmower that came with 2 x 5amp batteries and double charger, so now I'm really into the Makita universe! I'm glad I bought that Makita drill all those years ago.

Reads like on of those Trustpilot restaurant reviews which was actually written by the establishment itself !

Heh heh!

A day dismantling sheds and trees yesterday…Ryobi lopper, hedge trimmer, impact driver, drill & multi-tool all got a good workout. Pal has a Makita impact driver….he was struggling with one screw, so I stopped him to see if the Ryobi could get it out: it did: Ryobi 1, Makita 0
(to be fair, they were both mostly very good!)

Wish I had brought the Ryobi chainsaw. He told me not to bother, but his wired one did struggle a bit….

[CorradoTDI]

Price has finally dropped on the Makita DDF083z Driver

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XRBGFV7

[The Gauge]

pquinn said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I used to use the one above moved to this now, I think it's much better
https://www.screwfix.com/p/jsp-force-8-mask-respir...

Got a couple of these; they work, they're easy to test for fit, easy to get cartridges for and you can fit cartridges that'll deal with vapour.

Sods law I needed a dust mask today when angle grinding cement to remove some ridge tiles, but I'd never got around to getting one. I tried to find one of those mask ^^ in size large, but could only find medium. So I nipped to Toolstation and bought one of these Stanley masks for £6 which did the job..

Edited by The Gauge on Sunday 21st April 18:20

[The Gauge]

My Makita cordless DGA452Z 115mm angle grinder packed up today, think I over worked it cutting away loads of mortar from the ridge tiles i'm replacing. It's a tool I've found very useful and used a lot, though only for lightish work. Might replace it with the brushless model.

To all those tools killed in action, we will remember them..

[CorradoTDI]

[quote=The Gauge]My Makita cordless DGA452Z 115mm angle grinder packed up today, think I over worked it cutting away loads of mortar from the ridge tiles i'm replacing. It's a tool I've found very useful and used a lot, though only for lightish work. Might replace it with the brushless model.

To all those tools killed in action, we will remember them..

It will be repairable most likely - the brushes burn out on those, my local Makita repair place always has a load on the shelf to be looked at.

[pocketspring]

The Gauge said:

My Makita cordless DGA452Z 115mm angle grinder packed up today, think I over worked it cutting away loads of mortar from the ridge tiles i'm replacing. It's a tool I've found very useful and used a lot, though only for lightish work. Might replace it with the brushless model.

To all those tools killed in action, we will remember them..

Do you sleep with one eye open on the cutting discs?