"A bad workman...": the tool-chat thread.

Amazing how difficult it can be to spend money sometimes.

I've kind of stupidly tied myself to the Bosch Green DIY stuff. Mainly for senitmental reasons as it what my dad has and he bought me the drill for my 30th (nearly 10 years ago and it's still working like new). The combi drill and the impact driver see most use and are more than enough for my purposes. But I have bought a lot more of the tools to share the batteries;

Circular saw - total shit, might try a different blade.
Jigsaw - kind of shit. No real support for the blade and the foot is flimsy, so getting cuts perpendicular to the foot on any thicker material is not going to happen.
Vacuum - actually OK for cleaning up sawdust so save wrecking the house vacuum if you know how to fully empty/clear the filter each time. Have a Henry for renovation works so it barely gets used now
RO Sander - Actually OK but hammers through my 1.5ah batteries
Strimmer - OK, but the plastic blades wear out in no time - bought a massive bag of knock off replacements from ebay, which I have since lost in the move
Hedge trimmer - pretty good for the minimal use it gets. Nice and light.

I also have the Bosch green 3.6v USB rechargeable screwdriver, which is FANTASTIC for light chores and flatpack assembly.

I nearly bought the 18v "city" lawnmower, but went with a Spear & Jackson 36v instead.

The thing I would probably get most use out of currently, is a decent cordless circ saw. But I am loathed to get a different brand with new batteries/charger etc.

I set my torque wrench in the drill bit holder and used it to find approximate torque limits on the drill settings.

This is fucking genius.

I spent a few years buying into the Bosch Green after a similar experience. I got as far as RO, jigsaw, belt sander, strimmer and vacuum after the initial gifted drill.
Strimmer was the breaking point for me, it burns through batteries and the auto feed seems like such a waste of line. I've now heavily invested in Makita 18V stuff in the last 6 months.
The original Bosch drill is still going, albeit relegated to garden and shit work duties.

That's it, while the drill (the sentimental tie) is still alive, and will likely be for a long time, I'm not likely to change course. If it died, I'd happily flog everything else. In fact, thinking about it I may do just that and keep two batteries and a charger for it.

I’d flog it all and put it towards a better platform tbh.

Jigsaws and circular saws are only really any use if they’re half decent. And cheap sanders are way worse for vibration as well. Last time I used my corded makita RO for a few weeks straight it caused havoc with my hands. If I find myself in the same situation again I’m definitely buying the Festool or Mirka (but that obviously doesn’t make much sense for DIY).

I would also say that I’ve never regretted buying a decent tool, but almost always regretted buying cheap.

Most annoying thing for me is that I have two generations of batteries. Both work with all tools, but only with their respective chargers, so I still need to keep both chargers which kind of defeats the point of the 'system'.

I would also say that I’ve never regretted buying a decent tool, but almost always regretted buying cheap.

Totally hear you on this, but the sentimental attachment is strong. It's not my job like it is for you guys, so the negatives don't affect me in the same way.

I’d hang onto the drill then. But you’ll probably get an ok deal on an impact driver and drill combo with 2 batteries. Can get a brushed circular saw for under £100 etc. It does however add up quickly. I’d maybe even consider just getting corded stuff.

I think the bosch stuff is OK for light DIY, which is what its aimed at. Its the blue stuff that doesn't seem to be really up there anymore. Was gifted a pair of massive Bosch blue SDS, 24/40v one nicad one nimh. Got a new no name battery for both, and ended up keeping one, selling the other. Only runs for about 15-20 mins, but jesus you can get a lot done with it in that time. Most often used for smashing holes in the side of buildings up a ladder where TBH 15 mins feels like a lifetime, and getting power up several stories just sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

If your after a circular saw for not a lot that is pretty good I bought a corded 'Evolution' brand R185/CSL. Think it was about £50/60 from toolstation/screwfix. Originally bought for ripping broken pallets in order to burn them for heat in the huge workshop woodstove. But treated it to a blade that cost half what the tool did and found it about as good as any (yes it ain't a Fein/Festool/Makita pro tool) for mid weight wood work duties, floorboards, skirting, window and door achitrove, chopping down door bottoms and even did a hardwood floor with it (took a week).

Recently gifted a 'Scheppeuh' mobile bench top saw on wheels, with very low hours on it. Like maybe has ONE hour of use on it for free! Again didn't really envisage using it much, always just clamped the material and chopped away at it, but doing a herringbone engineered type floor next month and think I'll take it along. The fence on it isn't a Fein/Festool quality job, but going to be more than good enough for my needs.

Milwaukee M18FID2 + M18FPD2 turned up. Yup the 18v impact driver is tiny, 5/6ah 18v battery weighs a fair bit but the tool itself is light, and way too powerful. On setting 1 of 3 I've already stripped some timber screws out of the timber. Guess will get used to it. Been used to 5-10 year old Bosch/old makita/erbauer impact drivers that you just hold down the trigger and count to 5 ugga dugga's and hope that you don't have to wait until 10 ugga dugga's

The Milwaukee ethos seems to be “make it as powerful as possible regardless of purpose”.

“make it as powerful as possible regardless of purpose”

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The Milwaukee ethos seems to be “make it as powerful as possible regardless of purpose”.

I hope they get into e-mtb’s.

Honestly they are well positioned for it. Brose are a german automotive parts mftr, mostly windscreen wiper, electric seat type motors, low voltage (6-24v), high amp, high torque application with a nod to dealing with wet/European outdoor environment. Pretty much exactly what an ebike does.
Bosch did it.

Tried some mid tier Dewalt drill/driver and impact driver tools in 14-18v flavour and much preffered the proper mechanical clutch on it. You could even use their big pro line brushless power monster tool on small cabinet screws/thin wood applications and have incredibly accurate control over the chuck/clutch. The milwaukee is more of a BAM BAM BOOM, kind of a tool.
With Dewalt though, round here at least no real dealers, only 1 year warranty unless your on an account with them/proper trade (?) and they are yellow. Will look manky instantly.

Saw Japanese domestic market Makita are often purple or yellow, and built in Japan (all of it), and often not necessarily a higher dyno/power performance, but the quality of all the parts of it are a solid step up from the export Makita (blue) which are made in China, some by Makita's own owned factory, some by contractors.

The higher end Makita stuff is made in Japan. My 4 in 1 drill/driver/hammer drill/impact driver is made in Japan and in normal colours. I think the funny colour schemes are just limited editions.

Now, I don’t smoke or vape or anything, but watching Big Clive on youtube I got a little interested by this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vWw4bLwMaME

Which meant I ended up on Amazon buying this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solder-HANDSKIT-Piece-Soldering-Tips/dp/B08XX8SPCB/

Then asking my nicotine-and-technology-addicted mother for one of her spare variable power vape modules.

Needless to say, the puddle isn’t bad.

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Huh, I could definitely put that to use. Nice one 👍

Straight alongside, twisted, and folded over rough, all the same it seems to flow well and do a surprisingly good job.

From a neurotic point of view, a power-adjustable unit is a must. The eleaf in the photo seems suitable.

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That. Is fucking great. Will experiment.

What's the different use cases for these two pliers? They're sold in a set so I'm guessing one is good for one task the other better for another, but what are their specialities?

Parallel jaws are better for nuts and other square surfaces you don't want to marr or damage. Serrated jaws are best best for stubborn b*stards that you just want to get off no matter what and are maybe already rounded.

Second that.

The parallel jaw Knipex (on the right) are the go to choice for pro mechanics. As you squeeze harder they grip the flats of the nut giving a much more secure grip. A million times better than an adjustable spanner.

I have seen bearings pressed into swingarms with these. :)

They're pretty expensive if buying retail but once you get used to them its easy to justify. I've ended up with 5 different sizes now and duplicates for the edc kit.

Type on the left is most useful. Big, and high quality £45-100 worth, sounds ridiculous.

Have a ten year old, yes ten, of Geodare ( spelling?) made in Germany jobs, they have earned me several thousand pounds alone in removing bolts that 'its seized in there mate, i've tried with pliers, don't bother, waste of time'. And then 1 minute later I've retrieved their seized fastener, money please!

When they don't get enough purchase to remove, then bring out the map gas torch, the punch set, the cobalt drills and the easy outs.

Thanks all. Sounds like you could use the ones on the left in place of the ones on the right (in an emergency) but not the ones on the right in place of the ones of the left.

I have the ones on the left in a pretty small size (180mm I think) and they're excellent.