Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[Peanut Gallery]

A proper facemask - hurts the wallet more than the disposables, but the ability to actually breath through a facemask is a change, and actually makes you want to wear it!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-Stealth-Half-Medium...

[Flibble]

Peanut Gallery said:

A proper facemask - hurts the wallet more than the disposables, but the ability to actually breath through a facemask is a change, and actually makes you want to wear it!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-Stealth-Half-Medium...

Definitely. I like these 3M masks, though the filters aren't replaceable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/3M-Maintenance-FFA1P2-Fil...

[Kermit power]

This thread is a great demonstrator of the fact that the saying "a bad workman blames his tools" is often incorrect!

When we had a new kitchen fitted a few years back, we made the mistake of having a circular sink and separate drainer fitted. Unsurprisingly (in retrospect), the wood between the two rotted away in the space of a couple of years, so I had to cut out a new cavity in the worktop to accommodate a more traditionally shaped sink/drainer unit.

I spent about 2 hours trying to do this with my cheapo Silverline jigsaw. After lots of swearing, frustration and wonky lines, and working to a deadline to get the kitchen back together, I stomped off to Toolstation and came back with a DeWalt jigsaw for around £120. OK, it was six times the cost of the Silverline, but literally 3 minutes later, I had perfect cuts all the way round, and my new sink slotted in perfectly!

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Xaero said:

Multi-piece small screw set. I use it all the time for fixing kids toys and a few jobs at work. iFixit website have sets, but they are for sell on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2P5WPoE. I use it at least once a week for something.

Half the price on AliExpress https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Vastar-110-in-1-Se...

[skwdenyer]

Lord said:

Lord said:

I saw a tool on a PH thread somewhere, but now i cannot find it. Id like to hint it to the wench for xmas.

It was a conical shaped tool that fits in a drill hex chuck that deburrs a slightly damaged threa to make starting off easier.

Does anyone know what i am talking about.


EDIT - Ignore me. i found it

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chadvonlind/u...

For those of you who don't mind your tools taking a month to arrive and being a ripoff, I found it cheaper in a flash sale


https://m.gearbest.com/other-tools/pp_009275117722...

Thanks, ordered.

[smack]

mart 63 said:

Makita cordless reciprocating saw

I'm thinking of one - what sort of run time do people get out of the battery saws? (Assuming 18v ones?)

[dickymint]

smack said:

mart 63 said:

Makita cordless reciprocating saw

I'm thinking of one - what sort of run time do people get out of the battery saws? (Assuming 18v ones?)

With a 5Ah battery we get a solid half hour doing serious sheet metal and angle iron demolition work.

[bobski1]

Looking at putting some tiles up outside in the garden, the next door extension wall is looking tired & I'm tired of looking at it.

Any decent tools people would recommend for it?

So far I know I need:

decent length spirit level
tiling troul
grout float

[dickymint]

bobski1 said:

Looking at putting some tiles up outside in the garden, the next door extension wall is looking tired & I'm tired of looking at it.

Any decent tools people would recommend for it?

So far I know I need:

decent length spirit level
tiling troul
grout float

A tile levelling system..............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVmFvU71Lj0

[Nealio]

A decent brake pipe flaring tool ('powerhand'). It wasn't even that expensive.



Can't believe I spent years struggling to get decent flares reliably using one of these utterly crap things:



Seriously if you need to do some flaring, just get one of these powerhand things. Perfect easy flare, first time every time. It'll even reflare steel pipes no sweat. Sure, the vice mounted types are even easier (and much more expensive), but can you use it in-situ on the car?

[valiant]

An orbital sander.

Makita £45.

Recently had to sand down, prior to paint, an outside wooden cabin and was dreading spending days sanding by hand as I normally do. Couple of hours, job done!

Yesterday, sanding down skirting boards took about an hour and they’re silky smooth. Don’t know why I didn’t get one of these years ago. The days of blooded knuckles and fked knees are now long gone!

[bungz]

Nealio said:

A decent brake pipe flaring tool ('powerhand').

Just made this call myself.

Was a absolute doddle and made perfect flares

[Watchman]

The best tools I have, that I should have bought years earlier, are a Basemate for my ladders (use then on uneven ground) and a Triton Superjaws. Since owning these, all my struggles seem so far away...

Basemate - no more needing to nail a couple of planks into the sloping driveway while putting up our tasteless Christmas lights:



Superjaws - portable, heavy and tough as nails vice. So many uses:



And I'm currently enjoying the flexibility that my new Tstak tool boxes are providing me. I should have bought into this concept before spending money on other toolboxes (which I've now given to my son).


But what I want and I've *still* not bought... well, at the moment I'm agonising over a decent set of electricians VDE screwdrivers... agonising over which ones, rather than cost. They all seem to attract some negative reviews on Amazon - mostly regarding durability.

If anyone has any suggestions.

[dmsims]

VDE screwdrivers

I never understand these, surely invest money in a tester (e.g. found a double switch fed from 2 circuits) and just use a normal screwdriver

[ben5575]

VDE Wera Kompakt

https://www.toolstation.com/wera-kompakt-vde-inter...

[bristolracer]

Watchman said:

The best tools I have, that I should have bought years earlier, are a Basemate for my ladders (use then on uneven ground) and a Triton Superjaws. Since owning these, all my struggles seem so far away...

Basemate - no more needing to nail a couple of planks into the sloping driveway while putting up our tasteless Christmas lights:



.

These are really good too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LadderMat-Ladder-Leveller...

[Watchman]

ben5575 said:

VDE Wera Kompakt

https://www.toolstation.com/wera-kompakt-vde-inter...

Thanks. These certainly get the best reviews but a few people have noted rusting on the tips. I don't get mine wet and they don't live on humid environments when not in use so I suspect their issues with them are self inflicted. I'll give these a go.

[Watchman]

bristolracer said:

Watchman said:

The best tools I have, that I should have bought years earlier, are a Basemate for my ladders (use then on uneven ground) and a Triton Superjaws. Since owning these, all my struggles seem so far away...

Basemate - no more needing to nail a couple of planks into the sloping driveway while putting up our tasteless Christmas lights:



.

These are really good too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LadderMat-Ladder-Leveller...

Whatever works for you, of course, but the Basemate auto-levels by simply stepping on the levers on each side. It's foolproof.

[Teddy Lop]

dmsims said:

VDE screwdrivers

I never understand these, surely invest money in a tester (e.g. found a double switch fed from 2 circuits) and just use a normal screwdriver

please tell me you don't routinely carry out electrical work

[Teddy Lop]

bristolracer said:

Watchman said:

The best tools I have, that I should have bought years earlier, are a Basemate for my ladders (use then on uneven ground) and a Triton Superjaws. Since owning these, all my struggles seem so far away...

Basemate - no more needing to nail a couple of planks into the sloping driveway while putting up our tasteless Christmas lights:



.

These are really good too.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LadderMat-Ladder-Leveller...

I have a triple extension ladder made by hailo that has a similar banana bar setup. Wouldn't want anything lesser now, particularly as I work alone.