Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[Teddy Lop]

LeadFarmer said:

How about 'tools you wish you'd bought later'?

I bought this 90deg drill adapter about 5 yrs ago, thinking that one day I might find it useful, but it's sat in my garage cupboard unused. Until today, when I had to remove and replace some kitchen cupboard feet...

had one of those on the van for donkeys years, actually used it for the first time recently!

Mind one of my toolbag essentials is a right angle screwdriver adapter which gets used all the time, perfect as you use it with power tool or a manual handle, or use hex bits for light right angle drilling.

Like this:
https://www.toolstation.com/offset-screwdriver-att...

[LeadFarmer]

Teddy Lop said:

LeadFarmer said:

How about 'tools you wish you'd bought later'?

I bought this 90deg drill adapter about 5 yrs ago, thinking that one day I might find it useful, but it's sat in my garage cupboard unused. Until today, when I had to remove and replace some kitchen cupboard feet...

had one of those on the van for donkeys years, actually used it for the first time recently!

Mind one of my toolbag essentials is a right angle screwdriver adapter which gets used all the time, perfect as you use it with power tool or a manual handle, or use hex bits for light right angle drilling.

Like this:
https://www.toolstation.com/offset-screwdriver-att...

That looks like a neater more compact version of mine, less bulky for getting into tight spaces. But if I bought one it would probably sit in my tool box for the next 5yrs unused, with my current one never getting used ever again !!!!!

[guindilias]

You now have an excuse to buy an angle impact driver instead - much neater!
https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/makita-dtl061z-lx...

[skwdenyer]

hotchy said:

shih tzu faced said:

Bill said:

Well, I've finally worked out what the fuss about multitools is....

When you need one, you just need one and nothing else will do! Extremely useful and loads of different attachments for jobs you never even knew needed doing

Best £20 lidl buy iv ever made. Thing wont die to allow me to buy a dewalt one though.

Make it die you say?



This is one of 6 windows that we refurbished back in 2016 (that isn't me, but she provides some scale). 100 year old putty. We burned through I think 3 of those Parkside multitools, and countless blades, getting them all back to bare metal. And the noise...

But there really is no other tool that will do what they will do. My current version was donated to me by a fellow PHer who was having a clear out. When that eventually dies I might splash out on something more upmarket.

[hotchy]

skwdenyer said:

hotchy said:

shih tzu faced said:

Bill said:

Well, I've finally worked out what the fuss about multitools is....

When you need one, you just need one and nothing else will do! Extremely useful and loads of different attachments for jobs you never even knew needed doing

Best £20 lidl buy iv ever made. Thing wont die to allow me to buy a dewalt one though.

Make it die you say?



This is one of 6 windows that we refurbished back in 2016 (that isn't me, but she provides some scale). 100 year old putty. We burned through I think 3 of those Parkside multitools, and countless blades, getting them all back to bare metal. And the noise...

But there really is no other tool that will do what they will do. My current version was donated to me by a fellow PHer who was having a clear out. When that eventually dies I might splash out on something more upmarket.

Yea you've used it on more demanding jobs than me then haha.

Got a job next week laying a floor... sounding like a pro here (I'm not a pro and wished I never let my parents see my floor as now iv to do there entire house.. yay..) but hopefully it burns out undercutting all the doors so I can upgrade.

[Mikebentley]

I got the cheap multi tool from Screwfix a few weeks ago to slice the bottom of a complex door frame when tiling. It worked brilliantly but what a noise. I’m normally quite tolerant but Jesus H Christ it was like a two stroke dentist drill.

[Dont like rolls]

I normally do not bother with ear defenders when using power tools for a short time, but multi-tools I use them from the first turn on....unpleasant (but useful) tools.

[dickymint]

Multi tool are ok (Makita so goes with the rest of my kit) and can get you out of a fix and save time. But for any job that requires neatness then it's my last choice! How anybody can claim they can trim the bottom off a door accurately beggars belief.

[bristoltype603]

skwdenyer said:

Make it die you say?



This is one of 6 windows that we refurbished back in 2016 (that isn't me, but she provides some scale). 100 year old putty. We burned through I think 3 of those Parkside multitools, and countless blades, getting them all back to bare metal. And the noise...

But there really is no other tool that will do what they will do. My current version was donated to me by a fellow PHer who was having a clear out. When that eventually dies I might splash out on something more upmarket.

Just out of interest would a needle scaler have worked? I hired a Hilti one for cleaning up some Victorian railings. Did a great job.

[ATG]

Dont like rolls said:

I normally do not bother with ear defenders when using power tools for a short time, but multi-tools I use them from the first turn on....unpleasant (but useful) tools.

I'd put ear defenders near the top of my list of "tools I wish I'd bought sooner". Even things like mowing the grass are a heck of a lot more relaxed with then on. Breathing masks and eye protection are generally a bit of a pain and tend to make work more difficult. Ear defenders not only protect your hearing but they generally make the work more comfortable and make it easier to concentrate.

I'm currently trying to find a pair with Bluetooth headphones built in as wearing ear buds under ear defenders can get a little uncomfortable. But they don't seem to be a thing, probably because of some namby pamby bedwetting "if you need ear protection, you should be concentrating on what you're doing, not listening to Kylie" nonsense. Unless of course you go for some "tactical" ones aimed at American gun enthusiasts. Apparently it's safe for them to be listening to Kylie while out hunting moose.

[Lily the Pink]

ATG said:

I'm currently trying to find a pair with Bluetooth headphones built in as wearing ear buds under ear defenders can get a little uncomfortable. But they don't seem to be a thing, probably because of some namby pamby bedwetting "if you need ear protection, you should be concentrating on what you're doing, not listening to Kylie" nonsense.

Just get a pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones and do away with the ear buds. I don't bother with Bluetooth, but then my phone does have an audio jack socket.

[dickymint]

ATG said:

Dont like rolls said:

I normally do not bother with ear defenders when using power tools for a short time, but multi-tools I use them from the first turn on....unpleasant (but useful) tools.

I'd put ear defenders near the top of my list of "tools I wish I'd bought sooner". Even things like mowing the grass are a heck of a lot more relaxed with then on. Breathing masks and eye protection are generally a bit of a pain and tend to make work more difficult. Ear defenders not only protect your hearing but they generally make the work more comfortable and make it easier to concentrate.

I'm currently trying to find a pair with Bluetooth headphones built in as wearing ear buds under ear defenders can get a little uncomfortable. But they don't seem to be a thing, probably because of some namby pamby bedwetting "if you need ear protection, you should be concentrating on what you're doing, not listening to Kylie" nonsense. Unless of course you go for some "tactical" ones aimed at American gun enthusiasts. Apparently it's safe for them to be listening to Kylie while out hunting moose.

Look no further...........

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/headband-headph...

I wear them all the time in the workshop (can be very noisy) quite often without music or radio - noise cancelling is fantastic and connected to phone is useful.

[Harry Flashman]

I have these. I use them in noise cancelling mode for all sorts of jobs, with and without music. Never thought of them as a tool, rather as a toy, but when I reflect now on how much I use them and when, they really are part of my tool collection.

Brilliant. Got them 3 years ago and use them all the time, except on very dusty jobs that could ruin them!

[Drumroll]

Harry Flashman said:

I have these. I use them in noise cancelling mode for all sorts of jobs, with and without music. Never thought of them as a tool, rather as a toy, but when I reflect now on how much I use them and when, they really are part of my tool collection.

Brilliant. Got them 3 years ago and use them all the time, except on very dusty jobs that could ruin them!

Look lovely, but wouldn't last a week in my dusty mancave. My Pelter ear defenders work for me. Heck the Sennheisers I use in the house cost less than those.

[Stigproducts]

I've got some use them all the time, got them from Costco. "3M worktunes connect"

[ben5575]

dickymint said:

Look no further...........

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/headband-headph...

I wear them all the time in the workshop (can be very noisy) quite often without music or radio - noise cancelling is fantastic and connected to phone is useful.

Exactly this. Great headphones and it's only when you take them off and drive screws or multi tool stuff that you realise just how noisy it all is. These and a decent mask and cheap gloves are the basic items for a workshop.

[Mikebentley]

I use some in ear buds that I purchased when I had my shotgun. They react to the percussion and when the noise stops you can hear clearly.

[Ynox]

Been digging lately so I picked up a mattock as the soil around here is like concrete once I'm a foot or so down. Great bit of kit which saved me a load of time.

Decided what to buy myself for my birthday. Went with the Makita DHS680Z saw. Expensive for what it is, but I man maths'd it as you can get an adapter to convert it to a track saw and I've been after one of these for a while

Edit - also picked up a cheap 2nd fix nail gun from Screwfix. No idea if it'll be any good yet.

[skwdenyer]

hotchy said:

Yea you've used it on more demanding jobs than me then haha.

Got a job next week laying a floor... sounding like a pro here (I'm not a pro and wished I never let my parents see my floor as now iv to do there entire house.. yay..) but hopefully it burns out undercutting all the doors so I can upgrade.

Don't do it (trim the door with it). There are special tools for that job; if you can't justify one, just take the door off and trim it with a track saw. If you don't have a track saw, a circular saw will do (clamp a piece of wood on to use as a guide). If you don't have any of those tools then...

[skwdenyer]

bristoltype603 said:

skwdenyer said:

Make it die you say?



This is one of 6 windows that we refurbished back in 2016 (that isn't me, but she provides some scale). 100 year old putty. We burned through I think 3 of those Parkside multitools, and countless blades, getting them all back to bare metal. And the noise...

But there really is no other tool that will do what they will do. My current version was donated to me by a fellow PHer who was having a clear out. When that eventually dies I might splash out on something more upmarket.

Just out of interest would a needle scaler have worked? I hired a Hilti one for cleaning up some Victorian railings. Did a great job.

We looked at that. There were several problems, which I'll articulate in no particular order:

- we couldn't be sure the timelines for each window, so the open-ended hire charges would have been horrid (basically we worked on windows when weather was fine, other jobs when not);
- the needle scaler cannot get into the corners of the metal profiles used in the windows (fine for the outside, but that's the easy bit - all the putty was on the inside);
- the scaler puts a force perpendicular to the window frame - these are 100 year old frames, with some rust damage, and already prone to bending, so we were concerned about the risk;
- even old putty doesn't necessarily "knock off" the way you'd hope...;
- the noise of the multi-tools was bad enough - I suspect my neighbours would have skinned us alive!

If we could have taken the frames out, frankly we'd have acid-dipped them and then used some sort of media blasting to clean them up. The problem? The frames had become "a bit structural" due to deflection of the lintels (concrete-encased non-galvanised iron sections) - getting them out would have been hard, getting them back in perhaps impossible. We couldn't media blast in-situ because these were first-floor, over an active payment, etc

I have used a needle scaler in the past, and been impressed. But it is pretty hard to control sometimes...