Air tools off ebay

DingleBerry · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:04

I've spotted a kit of cheap air tools on ebay which will go very nicely with my new compressor. Unfortunately I've got the nagging feeling they might just be complete pap.

http://img294.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03242pf9.jpg
http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03240ef8.jpg
http://img372.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03241bb1.jpg

They don't look tooooo bad from the pictures, but then again the plastic cases don't bode well. The £280rrp some of them are quoting is rubbish though. I've only managed to find it in 1 place online and they sell it for a startlingly similar £60.

I can't decide if they are cheap because they are a Chinese import (which they quite clearly are) or if its because they are also rubbish!

Nitro_Junkie · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:13

in my opinion you really do get what you pay for with air tools

good stuff will cost ya, but it will work and last

IainB · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:13

Look a lot like the Machine Mart tools http://www.machinemart.co.uk/brands.asp?g=103&b=Clarke

Luke · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:16

I'd not buy that kind of stuff from ebay. I actually find Clarke stuff pretty good, and their warranties are generally decent too.

DingleBerry · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:25

That IS interesting. Have they done what they often do and keep manufacturing with the same tooling even though their order has been filled long ago then flog them off cheap.

These one are nigh on identical at least externally:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=000310089&r=2020&g=103
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=000310255&r=2016&g=103
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=000311100&r=2017&g=103
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=000310470&r=2017&g=103

On the other hand they might have quite deliberately just made them look like that. I need to be careful I don't spend too much money though, I need to keep some left for parts! But wasting £75 on pap tools wouldn't fill me with joy either. I suppose though I wouldn't buy the cut off tool, grinder or chisel thing otherwise...but the first 2 would probably come in handy sooner or later.

ooh how familiar!!

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/cat.jsp?cId=100979&ts=95795
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=17167&Referrer=Froogle

hmmm having said that they have metal cases, whereas this has just cheap knock off plastic but looks the same. Does any one know if the clarke ones are plastic or metal? I'd rather have metal.

burns · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:54

My housemate got a sandblaster off ebay which was complete rubbish. It was made by Ming-Fong and had huge casting errors blocking air channels. Even once it was opened up with a drill it barely worked. This stuff may be better, but avoid Ming-Fong

.

jimblowscash · 23 Nov 2006 at 15:56

there cheap and nasty chinese knockoffs, ok for home/ hobby but i wouldnt trust em, i bought a set from ebay, and have been replacing bits with clarke products as and when they break, they lasted arround 8 months of weekend tinkering

Third Opinion · 23 Nov 2006 at 16:00

burns said:
but avoid Ming-Fong.

Sounds like somebody you might meet in a club in Bangkok.

DingleBerry · 23 Nov 2006 at 16:03

jimblowscash said:
there cheap and nasty chinese knockoffs, ok for home/ hobby but i wouldnt trust em, i bought a set from ebay, and have been replacing bits with clarke products as and when they break, they lasted arround 8 months of weekend tinkering

Was that this exact set. It would be for hobby work but I'd rather not be spending my money twice. I think I'll probably keep an eye out for some better make stuff then. There's nothing quite like getting halfway through a job and your tool disintegrating. Or better still throwing it down in disgust only to have it fall to pieces.

IainB · 23 Nov 2006 at 16:04

DingleBerry said:
On the other hand they might have quite deliberately just made them look like that. I need to be careful I don't spend too much money though, I need to keep some left for parts! But wasting £75 on pap tools wouldn't fill me with joy either. I suppose though I wouldn't buy the cut off tool, grinder or chisel thing otherwise...but the first 2 would probably come in handy sooner or later.

Personally, I would get the Air Ratchet and Impact Drive, you will get more use out of them, the die grinder Ive used once (and have a 'decent' long reach die grinder for porting anyway) and the cut off tool - well, its much easier to use a cutting disc on my angle grinder tbh

DingleBerry · 23 Nov 2006 at 16:08

IainB said:
Personally, I would get the Air Ratchet and Impact Drive, you will get more use out of them, the die grinder Ive used once (and have a 'decent' long reach die grinder for porting anyway) and the cut off tool - well, its much easier to use a cutting disc on my angle grinder tbh

Air Ratchet and Impact wrench are the ones I really want. A cut off tool could be incredibly handy but I might just make do with a angle grinder for now. Where's a good place to get them from apart from machine mart. Ebay doesn't seam full of second hand ones tbh.

jimblowscash · 23 Nov 2006 at 17:51

DingleBerry said:
Was that this exact set. It would be for hobby work but I'd rather not be spending my money twice. I think I'll probably keep an eye out for some better make stuff then. There's nothing quite like getting halfway through a job and your tool disintegrating. Or better still throwing it down in disgust only to have it fall to pieces.

yep it was, in the horrid plastic case as well, the die grinding set was a joke, the stones disintergrated in seconds, the wrench siesed after a few weeks, and the impact socket gun fell to bits and now makes a horrid grinding noise, the air chissel still works ok

DingleBerry · 23 Nov 2006 at 20:44

jimblowscash said:
yep it was, in the horrid plastic case as well, the die grinding set was a joke, the stones disintergrated in seconds, the wrench siesed after a few weeks, and the impact socket gun fell to bits and now makes a horrid grinding noise, the air chissel still works ok

That's splendidly damning evidence then

I'm glad I asked!!! Have the Clarke tools you replaced it with been good? Do they have metal bodies? Its hard to tell from their pictures. I suppose I can afford to spend a bit more money since I accidentally bought a spray gun and pressurised paint container with my compressor (which was already stupidly cheap).

What other makes are good to look at as well as Clarke? Is £30 for the ratchet and impact enough to spend?

jimblowscash · 24 Nov 2006 at 11:53

spend a little extra and go for the clarke ones, there quite good and come with a proper warrenty

Dogbreath · 24 Nov 2006 at 13:19

I bought a right angle version of that die grinder (same make) from ebay last year and it's lasted very well indeed (I use it with the 3M abrasive bristle discs which work very well) An air hacksaw I bought at the same time was put in the bin about 4 months back.

Trouble with cheap tools is they tend to break at the most inconvienient possible moment...

Dtab · 24 Nov 2006 at 14:19

I've had a nu-tool set for donkeys years,all still in good order,tho i only really use the impact wrench any ammount.Posted cos those tools in OP look like they've been made from the exact same dies as my set (i dont have the torque wrench in my set) - but i bet it will be quality control where the similarity ends

Slime101 · 24 Nov 2006 at 21:21

Well die grinders you either need or you dont, most dont.
Air chisels have about as much use as a chocolate teapot to most people!
Cheap windy guns are crap and cheap impact wrenches are even worse, expensive/good ones are totally different.

spend a little more and get just the bits you need, of a quality brand - they will serve you much better than a set of stuff you only need half of and those bits you do need break within 2 mins of using them!

DingleBerry · 24 Nov 2006 at 21:50

I think you're right. Who apart from Clarke is a good make for this kinda stuff?

How much for a good (although not ace) impact wrench? The Clarke aluminium bodied ones look fairly good. Then I can throw them on the floor and not split them into a thousand pieces. Only about £35. For general use do you reckon a 1/2" or 3/8" is best for the ratchet. 1/2" I can convert down but 3/8" I use more. I'll probably get 3/8".

1/2" inch drive on the impact wrench though.

Slime101 · 24 Nov 2006 at 21:53

It depends how much you are planning on using it, but i know chaps who say the clarke stuff is ok, but if you want somthing decent its gonna have a pricetag of £250+ - but these are serious fabricators of all manner of mad 4x4 stuff :cool:

When i get my air tool setup i shall probably get clarke stuff for occasional use, and get a really good impact wrench cos itll get a load of use

Dogbreath · 24 Nov 2006 at 21:54

Slime101 said:
Well die grinders you either need or you dont, most dont.
Air chisels have about as much use as a chocolate teapot to most people!

I've used mine hundreds of times. First job I did with it was breaking up a very rough part of the concrete floor in my basement to lay down a nice new smooth section of concrete. But they are usefull for shifting all sorts of rusted, jammed items. Can even use them for removing old bearings, and with the correct chisel you can cut sheet metal with them.