Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[Spurry]

Faced with the problem of a couple of awkward-to-get-to drain-off valves, easy solution would be to buy a 1/4" drive socket to suit. The plumbing merchants could only supply an unsuitable T shaped socket. Having searched high and low for such a socket, the only solution was to make one or two.
I did have to buy the brass bar though...

[normalbloke]

After drooling over it for too long, I finally bought one of these. 1” drive,2400nm,M42( which is a 65mm nut) If nothing else, I can polish it on the mantlepiece, and I have enough adapters to reduce it down to take an 8mm socket!

[Bodo]

Spurry said:

Faced with the problem of a couple of awkward-to-get-to drain-off valves, easy solution would be to buy a 1/4" drive socket to suit. The plumbing merchants could only supply an unsuitable T shaped socket. Having searched high and low for such a socket, the only solution was to make one or two.
I did have to buy the brass bar though...

Should have asked here.


imperial https://www.bahco.com/int_en/1-4--square-drive-soc...
metric https://www.bahco.com/int_en/1-4--square-drive-soc...

But then again, you probably wanted to have them made

[Jakg]

ukkid35 said:

12V 3/8'' 65Nm Electric Cordless Right Angle Ratchet



Looks cheap because it is, £25

Works brilliantly, can't believe I've only just bought one

Saves so much time, works in tight spaces, much easier, quieter and more nimble than the equivalent air tool

I expect everyone reading this already has one though

Any more info? Been after one for ages but worried the small ones wont have enough torque to be useful, and the big ones are too big.

What kind of job would you use it for?

[bristoltype603]

normalbloke said:

After drooling over it for too long, I finally bought one of these. 1” drive,2400nm,M42( which is a 65mm nut) If nothing else, I can polish it on the mantlepiece, and I have enough adapters to reduce it down to take an 8mm socket!

Very nice. It'll bet it's expensive though!

[carreauchompeur]

Bought one of these today in Lidl. Mainly because it seemed extremely cheap... £20.

Do I need it? Seems useful as, if nothing else, loads of my gardening tools need a good sharpen!

[Fastpedeller]

carreauchompeur said:

Bought one of these today in Lidl. Mainly because it seemed extremely cheap... £20.

Do I need it? Seems useful as, if nothing else, loads of my gardening tools need a good sharpen!

I have the very same one bought a couple of years ago - the shields are easily broken, but product is otherwise ok and certainly worth £20 for the time it's saved IMHO.

[mickk]

carreauchompeur said:

Bought one of these today in Lidl. Mainly because it seemed extremely cheap... £20.

Do I need it? Seems useful as, if nothing else, loads of my gardening tools need a good sharpen!

You have an Allen key missing, just saying.

[carreauchompeur]

mickk said:

You have an Allen key missing, just saying.

I think it’s a weird size, so I’ve left it be!

[gobuddygo]

carreauchompeur said:

Bought one of these today in Lidl. Mainly because it seemed extremely cheap... £20.

Do I need it? Seems useful as, if nothing else, loads of my gardening tools need a good sharpen!

I have a similar cheap one the best thing i did was change one of the grinding wheels for a wire one, its amazing for cleaning small items especially painted stuff, but watch your fingers.

Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-32mm-Wire-Wheel...

[Mr Pointy]

Spurry said:

Faced with the problem of a couple of awkward-to-get-to drain-off valves, easy solution would be to buy a 1/4" drive socket to suit. The plumbing merchants could only supply an unsuitable T shaped socket. Having searched high and low for such a socket, the only solution was to make one or two.
I did have to buy the brass bar though...

Very nice. What size is the socket? 5/16" seems to be the nearest (the ends on mine measure about 7.4mm)

[ST12AT]

Mr Pointy said:

Very nice. What size is the socket? 5/16" seems to be the nearest (the ends on mine measure about 7.4mm)

6mm open end spanner works.

If you are really flashy get an Isle of Man key.

[carreauchompeur]

gobuddygo said:

I have a similar cheap one the best thing i did was change one of the grinding wheels for a wire one, its amazing for cleaning small items especially painted stuff, but watch your fingers.

Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-32mm-Wire-Wheel...

Good beans, thanks..

[wolfracesonic]

carreauchompeur said:

mickk said:

You have an Allen key missing, just saying.

I think it’s a weird size, so I’ve left it be!

You do realise the next time you need an Allen key, what size you’ll need.

[journeymanpro]

normalbloke said:

After drooling over it for too long, I finally bought one of these. 1” drive,2400nm,M42( which is a 65mm nut) If nothing else, I can polish it on the mantlepiece, and I have enough adapters to reduce it down to take an 8mm socket!

Beast

[mercedeslimos]

ukkid35 said:

12V 3/8'' 65Nm Electric Cordless Right Angle Ratchet



Looks cheap because it is, £25

Works brilliantly, can't believe I've only just bought one

Saves so much time, works in tight spaces, much easier, quieter and more nimble than the equivalent air tool

I expect everyone reading this already has one though

Just finished a job on a T3 Transporter that could have badly needed one, so much I came inside and ordered one off eBay, £22.89 Hasn't arrived yet.

Worth the shout? Spent about 5k on tools this year

[Lily the Pink]

ukkid35 said:

Now this annoys me. I am invested in lots of Einhell/Ozito gear, simply because a long time ago I was persuaded to buy a couple of machines with batteries and chargers at a very attractive price, and I've stayed in that ecosystem since - currently about ten or so tools. Then recently I saw a mechanic working with one of these (the Snap-on one and therefore way out of my price bracket), but of course smaller tools like this tend not to have the battery ecosystem of Milwaukee/Makita/DeWalt/Bosch/Einhell/etc. So do I need to start investing on another system for smaller tools - and if so, which brand ?

[guitarcarfanatic]

Lily the Pink said:

Now this annoys me. I am invested in lots of Einhell/Ozito gear, simply because a long time ago I was persuaded to buy a couple of machines with batteries and chargers at a very attractive price, and I've stayed in that ecosystem since - currently about ten or so tools. Then recently I saw a mechanic working with one of these (the Snap-on one and therefore way out of my price bracket), but of course smaller tools like this tend not to have the battery ecosystem of Milwaukee/Makita/DeWalt/Bosch/Einhell/etc. So do I need to start investing on another system for smaller tools - and if so, which brand ?

Just take a look at the ranges and decide - cannot go wrong with Bosch, Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita (or Ryobi if on a budget) - I am invested in the Bosch 12v system and the Milwaukee 18v system....Although a few 18v Dewalt tools have tempted me and a few 12v Milwaukee tools have tempted me!!

[tumble dryer]

Sometimes it's ok to abandon the buy 'best' mentality.

I've got best for the things that I use regularly, and cheapo add-on's where to walk by a precision tool for pocket money (knowing I'll find a use for it), is exactly why I'm reading this thread!

[9xxNick]

gobuddygo said:

I have a similar cheap one the best thing i did was change one of the grinding wheels for a wire one, its amazing for cleaning small items especially painted stuff, but watch your fingers.

Something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-32mm-Wire-Wheel...

...and don't forget your eye protection too. The sight of the hypodermic needle approaching your eyeball to administer the anesthetic when your head is strapped into a frame to keep it still is sufficient reminder to goggle-up next time.

Edit - can't speel hypodermic!

Edited by 9xxNick on Tuesday 3rd November 00:01