power tools

[Kentish]

Get a wife, v. expensive but if treated corectly, regularly serviced etc will last a life time. .

I must have one of the original long-life models, as it never seems to need a service..let alone an oil change;)

I think DIY is a man thing, but also a save money thing. We think that DIY is cheap, it isn't. It may be cheapER than calling in a professional, but when you add in the cost of sundries, those "I will need that tool again so I will buy it now" items, the hassle of doing it as well as your own time spent knackering yourself out it often works out more expensive.

The only thing that redeems DIY is the "I did that" pride, until everyone comes around and points out the faults and errors.

[Goochie]

The worse faults are the ones you always see yourself! In our last house I sat on the loo every morning looking at a tile that wasnt quite bedded in correctly, the corner wasnt quite flush with those around it.

No on else ever noticed but I saw it every day

[Octygone]

First www.screwfix.com

Bosch, dewalt, erbauer are all good ......if you buy a cordless make sure it's at least 18v and with two batteries (it will always die halfway through the last hole) but these are all expensive pro models if its just for the house then get something cheaper ....I bought a 24v SDS cordless drill from ebay 2 years ago real cheapie £100 and it is used nearly every day ...drills through concrete lintels the lot ..at that price if it goes wrong now I can fling it and buy another also got an 18 v bosch hammer dril/driver (excellent) and a big 1,100 watt 240 drill for the more demanding jobs ...again Bosch.

if it's just for the house don't buy expensive, check the prices in screwfix (they replace things if they go wrong so normally dont sell junk)...and get things as you need them......something big planned ? hire the tools you need...you'll never find a place to store them in between jobs anyway

[Kentish]

Only problem with 18v cordless is the sheer weight of the thing. Trying to put screws in fiddly places isn;t much fun when the driver needs 2 hands just to hold it. Personally, for a cordless driver I feel 12v is enough, but couple that with a minimum of a 2 ahr battery for those current draining tasks. On the battery front, most cordless drivers come with 2 batteries and the better ones have inteligent chargers to preserve the life of the battery as well as charge fully in under an hour.

[mcbunny]

the bosch drill i was told about i have found for £100.48

[heresmo]

Goochie, I have no sense of adventure at all, so have the £20 "detect where wires and pipes are" thingy. Also I have learned, as others have agreed, that consumables cost money - the cost of elastoplasts grows ever more...

Aside from what's been said already, ditto Octygone, that if it's a big job, hire the proper tool for the job. There's nowt more dangerous than doing a big job with a silly little thing saying "It'll do" - 9 times out of ten, it won't.

Re driving srews into awkward places, it might be better to use a flexible hand screwdriver and they're long enough to get enough torque.

Mo

[JRHartley]

My recommendations would be don't go over board on a mains drill unless you are planning on doing a huge amount of drilling get a hammer one about £25 and spend the money on the drill bits ..don't skimp on cheapo 'own brand' bits they are made from sticks of celery and will wear out rapidly or even snap in half (avoid poundlandstretcher for your tools !!)

Get a decent hand saw and a mitre block (you can get a mitre saw for less than £30 but a saw is more versatile)

A jigsaw will come in handy, a mid-range jobbie would suffice..don't go too cheap on these as el-cheapo ones have a habit of distorting the blade under load and you'll get an angled cut instead of a vertical one.

A tile cutter is useful..personally I have made do with a hand one rather than a tile cutting bench thingy ..a couple of 'arrow' bits for drilling holes in tiles..much better than trying to use a masonery bit and a couple of tungsten carbide edged tile blades for a jigsaw will make tiling much easier.

A £20 110mm angle grinder is very useful for all sorts of jobs other than cutting ironwork . It can be used for trimming bricks,even cutting/contouring thick floor tiles. Very useful tool to have IMHO

Couple these with a decent set of non- powered tools such as..

A pair of adjustable spanners, a set of screwdrivers and a set of variable pressure applicators (a big claw hammer, a lump hammer and small ball-pein hammer) and a large flat bladded cold chisel will get you started.

[heresmo]

Re electric drill and using it as an electric screwdriver also: For example, I have a wired hammer drill, which can be switched to non-hammer. On its slowest speed setting, I can use it drive screws in. Unfortunately it doesn't have a reverse setting so I still get palm blisters taking screws out, sob.

Just wondering if anyone had any comments or recommendations for a more suitable make/model?

Handy tip: drawing screws across a candle, so picking up a little wax, makes them easier to drive in andeasier to get out

Mo

[Goochie]

Palm blisters Mo? I assume you're not using a ratchet screw driver? Stanley do a nice range with round wooden handles - they look old fashioned but you cant beat 'em.

[TaviaVRS]

This has to be the best drill driver I have ever owned, I've had a couple of Dewalts both were let down by weak gearboxes, two blue (pro version the green ones are DIY) Bosch which suffered premature battery failure. This one comes with 3 batteries and a smart charger

Hitachi Drill Driver

[heresmo]

Ta TaviaVRS

Goochie, the trouble with unscrewing screws is that you have to get them started before the ratchet kicks in. A wallop with a nylon hammer onto a short (5")bulbous-handled driver with exactly the right sized posi or slotted tip helps, but it's generally the first turn that causes the blisters.

The best thing I've found is to palm one of those rubber jar-lid opener aids from Betterware, as protection. If you haven't seen them, cut off a bottom corner of a hot water bottle and use that. Failing any better tips of course...?

Mo

[Goochie]

Do you wash up with mild green fairy liquid, Mo ?

[heresmo]

No, Finish 3-in-1. But I always wash my pandies afterward in Fairy, Apple Blossom actually, to be on the safe side

Mo

PS A fine-grade sandpaper rub beforehand doesn't go amiss either

[TaviaRS]

With buying all these macho tools, I'd recommend getting one for the little woman. Get a minimum of a 1400w vaccum cleaner for her to clean up after you.

You get power tools, she gets a power tool, everyone's a winner. Sorted!

[heresmo]

TBH I don't mind cleaning up afterwards - it's par for the course once you menfolk have done your bit. So opening a can for you and doing a complete spring clean of everywhere and every thing after every task you undertake is, well, just the way things are

What I personally dislike is having to stand there like a lemon for a couple of hours until the next "Pass me that" instruction is voiced. There's something to be said for having a bar of chocolate or even a V&T to hand on those occasions methinks.

Mo

[Goochie]

Ensure whatever vac you buy for SWMBO it has a goot suction hose - that way she can stand there holding it below the drill and suck away the dust before it even reaches the floor.

[mcbunny]

ok then so what hoover do you recomend lol we have one at the mo but its a bit **** tbh

[Goochie]

people rave about Dyson's but I think they're very over priced. We have a Seebo and it does an excellent job - unlike most these days it is very light and can lay totally flat to go under beds etc.

[mcbunny]

just had a look at seebo ones and my god they cost more than the drill and the other tools put together !!!

[Goochie]

Panasonic have a similarly light, flat lying model for around £100

[heresmo]

Well, you did ask

My personal fave is an Oreck.

Dyson are brill except that ... they are far too heavy for a woman to handle (certainly for me at any rate). I put my shoulder out trying to carry it upstairs Also, mine had an air outlet exhaust at the front which quite happily blew all the dust under the settee etc. (Newer models may be different.)

The Oreck is 8 lbs rather than 8 Kgs.

Haven't checked out Seebos or Panasonics (since I have my Oreck) so can't comment, so can only stress that weight for me little woman is a very significant factor - or you get to use that wonderful power tool, cos it's too heavy for me

Mo

Edit: PS Orecks are £300+

[mcbunny]

now thats better or i could just make her move the bed to hoover :P

[heresmo]

now thats better or i could just make her move the bed to hoover :P

Could work really well if you're planning to sleep on the settee

Mo

[Goochie]

Weight was a prime factor when we were looking at them. Having grown up with parents that used traditional Hoovers with no plastic body and an external bag, the new plastic 30kg models were a bit of a shock.

Take a trip to John lewis - they have a vacuum demonstrator area with a bit of carpet that a lady throws dirt on for you to suck up

You could also get a bed with storage under the matress, that way you get some nice big drawers and remove the need to clean the floor under it

[mcbunny]

its actually me that does the hovering usually

the gf tends to just sit there drinking wine and eating grapes i have just pealed for her