Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[Arnold Cunningham]

SlimJim16v said:

I would get a Dremel, it's easy to get any spare part. I just replaced the motor on mine.

I was sniffy about dremel being a "toy" before I got one. I was wrong, decent and useful tool with good range and availability of tools.
The litmus test for me is if my current one broke, would I replace it with the same thing. The answer for my dremel is yes.

[gobuddygo]

Nimby said:

They do look remarkably similar...

I bought one from Amazon for £12 when it arrived it was nothing like the one pictured in the listing, cheap with rough and sharp edges, i got a refund but didn't need to send it back, have used it a few times and it works great, i would not trust it on anything really heavy though.

[Teddy Lop]

shih tzu faced said:

I’ve got a few of the Bosch Pro 12v tools & batteries now and their rotary tool has been making eyes at me lately. Quite a few times recently I’ve been doing jobs and thought a rotary would have made life easier.

The Bosch takes the same accessories as the Dremel, can you recommend a good set?

Most of the sets seem to come with a very generic selection of basic stuff, buy the individual sets/multipacks of accessories you need off eBay or whatevs

[Sporky]

The Flexiclick set is quite decent. Otherwise yes, buy the bits you need, not a load you don't. The duragrit stuff is good too.

[dublove]

pquinn said:

The Trend one is exactly the same unit as you'll find elsewhere under other badges for less. I have the Trend one but they're mostly all the same.

It's more meant for tool setup than as a spirit level - you could attach it to a bar I guess but it's more meant for setting blade angles and similar. At least that's what my one gets used for.

If you want a digital spirit level buy a digital spirit level.

A digital angle measurer rule is handy to have alongside it, plus a proper engineers square.

I use mine to set the blade angle on my table saw. It is surprising how much preset stops can be off. (and i mean that the stop can be perfect, the action of engaging into the stop can be off...)

[shih tzu faced]

Thanks for the various replies re Bosch / Dremel rotary tools and accessories.

My reason for being interested in the Bosch one is already having batteries and a charger, it’s always nice to just be able to buy a bare tool. Feels like you’re getting something for nothing (which of course you’re not!)

I’ll look around eBay / Amazon etc for accessories. Going to order the rotary tool tomorrow, I’ve given up fighting it now

[5s Alive]

shih tzu faced said:

Thanks for the various replies re Bosch / Dremel rotary tools and accessories.

My reason for being interested in the Bosch one is already having batteries and a charger, it’s always nice to just be able to buy a bare tool. Feels like you’re getting something for nothing (which of course you’re not!)

I’ll look around eBay / Amazon etc for accessories. Going to order the rotary tool tomorrow, I’ve given up fighting it now

Speedclick type cutting disc attachments are a must, the others I've bought generic versions from eBay. Pack of 100 sanding drums for £4.99 irc.
Use these all the time to tidy up the cut edges of wood and metal.

Have only just used one to smooth off the damage to the car's 4 point chassis brace that grounded on a collapsed section of road in the Highlands.

They do a great job of sharpening garden tools too.

[anonymous-user]

Laser level. Projects a perfect level line on the wall. Not a painting out of place now. Going to use it for tiling next week.

[Gtom]

Nimby said:

I was watching the latest Robin Clevett video where he uses a "Viking Arm" while removing a window frame. Thought I might get one or two as it looks quite handy for the odd job when you can't get a clamp/spreader in, and airbags aren't man enough. Then I saw the price...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08YBZZJ4D

I watched that last night, he made a right meal out of getting that window out, the Viking arm tool was totally pointless for that job other than a bit of product placement.

[ReverendCounter]

5s Alive said:

Speedclick type cutting disc attachments are a must...

Essential, a huge improvement over the previous screw/arbor type disc mount

[Teddy Lop]

Arnold Cunningham said:

SlimJim16v said:

I would get a Dremel, it's easy to get any spare part. I just replaced the motor on mine.

I was sniffy about dremel being a "toy" before I got one. I was wrong, decent and useful tool with good range and availability of tools.
The litmus test for me is if my current one broke, would I replace it with the same thing. The answer for my dremel is yes.

Was a bit shall I/shan't I, bought the Milwaukee 12v as I'm already in their eco.

Had to enlargen a switch box the other day to fit too many smart modules into it, not sure I'd have done it without it

[shih tzu faced]

ReverendCounter said:

5s Alive said:

Speedclick type cutting disc attachments are a must...

Essential, a huge improvement over the previous screw/arbor type disc mount

Cheers, just done a bit of reading up on these and will order some

[Baldchap]

Someone give me justification to buy that Sealey Induction Heater on the last (big boy) page, please. I want it but don't need it.

[5s Alive]

Bought one of these when I fitted an Eibach/Koni set up to the car. Very simple to set up and accurate when done on a flat surface where you can roll the car forward 10 feet or so to a stop. I used Costco and Sofology car parks when nearly empty. Or you can use pairs of Ikea thin disposable chopping boards under the tyres, low friction and allows the steering to be turned/centred with minimal resistance.

Trackace can be used in front or behind the wheel depending on whether there is a clear line of sight for the laser - note that this reverses the reading.

Took only a few minutes each time to adjust between test drives. Quite a noticeable change between small tracking adjustments. Set to 7 minutes toe-in the car feels very neutral and gently follows camber. 25-30k later the wear was low and completely even.

Toyota spec is 12 minutes +/- 12 minutes! At 0 it was a bit twitchy and at 24 it felt dead and lifeless.

I've done several other cars where the owners were unhappy with garage results.


[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/ULAxy9cA[/url]

[anonymous-user]

5s Alive said:

Bought one of these when I fitted an Eibach/Koni set up to the car. Very simple to set up and accurate when done on a flat surface where you can roll the car forward 10 feet or so to a stop. I used Costco and Sofology car parks when nearly empty. Or you can use pairs of Ikea thin disposable chopping boards under the tyres, low friction and allows the steering to be turned/centred with minimal resistance.

Trackace can be used in front or behind the wheel depending on whether there is a clear line of sight for the laser - note that this reverses the reading.

Took only a few minutes each time to adjust between test drives. Quite a noticeable change between small tracking adjustments. Set to 7 minutes toe-in the car feels very neutral and gently follows camber. 25-30k later the wear was low and completely even.

Toyota spec is 12 minutes +/- 12 minutes! At 0 it was a bit twitchy and at 24 it felt dead and lifeless.

I've done several other cars where the owners were unhappy with garage results.


[url]
|https://thumbsnap.com/ULAxy9cA[/url]

Great post and I got the Kleenex ready but no moneyshot:

Where’s the link?

[5s Alive]

V6 Pushfit said:

Great post and I got the Kleenex ready but no moneyshot:

Where’s the link?

http://www.trackace.co.uk/


I've been surprised by how innacurate tracking has been on friends and family cars when done by the fast fit centres.

Edited by 5s Alive on Saturday 21st May 21:19

[5s Alive]

shih tzu faced said:

Cheers, just done a bit of reading up on these and will order some

Recently serviced the car and found my trusty 40yr old Norbar torque wrench had developed sticky adjustment and a rough ratcheting action. Serviced it today but had to drill out the retaining rivet to extract the innards. Replaced the rivet with a spare nut and bolt that was too long.

Cut with the speedclick disc then tidied up with a sanding drum.

[Peanut Gallery]

Baldchap said:

Someone give me justification to buy that Sealey Induction Heater on the last (big boy) page, please. I want it but don't need it.

https://youtu.be/FPObobCE72Y

(And the other videos by Rust 2 Rome)

[R56Cooper]

Island Hermit said:

Laser level. Projects a perfect level line on the wall. Not a painting out of place now. Going to use it for tiling next week.

I do love my laser level.

I have the Stanley Cubix https://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-cubix-stht77498...

Only a DIYer but it suits my needs. Made life so much easier when setting out downlights, marking up for sockets on walls, getting the correct height on corner kitchen units, tiling etc.

Also great fun to hold it next to the side of my head and walk around in darkness, pretending to be the Predator...

[Huntsman]

I need a set of drill bits. 1mm to 10mm, maybe 12mm, in 0.5mm increments.

Mostly for drilling wood and grp, occasionally stainless steel.

I've had good service from a Bosch cobalt set.

What do we think?