Power Tools & General Tools Recommendations & Advice

Psycho Sonny said:
I always buy corded apart from screwdriver and drills.

The only thing I have recently converted to cordless is the vacuum to a shark cordless because I had to.

Everything else is corded because it's usually £100 cheaper and 3 times as powerful.

Only buy cordless if it really must be.
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To be fair the Dewalt is perfectly powerful and only cost £30 as there was a promotion for a free drill which I sold along with the 5ah battery.

Looking on eBay they sell for around £100 so should make a bit on it.
Mainly just trying to work out if the vacuum function in most is worthwhile.
 
the issue I have with battery is longevity and obsolesence by way of no replacement batteries when they pack in/don't hold (enough) charge in a few years time. We had an excellent hedge trimmer but the battery packed in, and wouldn't you know it, new ones from that manufacturer don't fit and you can't get the old ones anymore. I'd rather get corded and run an extension lead. Better for the environment in no batteries to start with, non to scrap and replace, and no throwing away of a perfectly good tool just because the batteries aren't made anymore. I can understand why jobbing tradesmen/women need the flexibility of battery. For everyone else? I'm not sure it's worth it.
 
ik9000 said:
the issue I have with battery is longevity and obsolesence by way of no replacement batteries when they pack in/don't hold (enough) charge in a few years time. We had an excellent hedge trimmer but the battery packed in, and wouldn't you know it, new ones from that manufacturer don't fit and you can't get the old ones anymore. I'd rather get corded and run an extension lead. Better for the environment in no batteries to start with, non to scrap and replace, and no throwing away of a perfectly good tool just because the batteries aren't made anymore. I can understand why jobbing tradesmen/women need the flexibility of battery. For everyone else? I'm not sure it's worth it.
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Can’t you get a 3rd party/knock-off from eBay? The battery on my 15 year old Ryobi drill quit a while back and there were dozens of alternatives for way less than the few old OEM ones which had 4 star reviews.
 
Marvt74 said:
For those of you with leaf blower/vacuums. How good are the vacuum parts? Do they handle wet leaves etc?

At the moment I have a cordless Dewalt blower only. It does a good job but I have often think it’d be a lot better to have a vacuum/shredder.

We live next to a river bank so this time of year is a nightmare with leaves from all the trees.

Initially I was adamant I wanted cordless but thinking about it I’d actually consider a 240v version for better performance.
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I just finished picking up the leaves im my garden with my blower/ vacuum, mine does a great job and was cheap enough that it ever breaks i will replace it. Does fine with wet leaves as long as you dont suck up a huge pile all at once eg suck a few abd let it chop em up and then a few more etc

we have quite a large tree in our garden and its been faultless, have had it for 2 years now.

https://www.homebase.co.uk/sovereign-2600w-electric-garden-leaf-blower-and-vacuum_p315027
 
Marvt74 said:
To be fair the Dewalt is perfectly powerful and only cost £30 as there was a promotion for a free drill which I sold along with the 5ah battery.

Looking on eBay they sell for around £100 so should make a bit on it.
Mainly just trying to work out if the vacuum function in most is worthwhile.
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Wet leaves will stick so nothing will get them up.

Mine is powerful enough to pick up stone's but it was only £35 or something off Amazon and corded.

It has a shredder built in. It works well but if your looking at picking up wet leaves then you should use your hands tbh or wait for them to dry or brush them into a pile and then try.
 
Terminal_Boy said:
Can’t you get a 3rd party/knock-off from eBay? The battery on my 15 year old Ryobi drill quit a while back and there were dozens of alternatives for way less than the few old OEM ones which had 4 star reviews.
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the problem is discerning between the safe and the shonky. Ebay (and Amazon) both suck with a range of dodgy chinese cack that isn't up to standard but the sites don't vet them and you only find out when it's too late. I've emailed a few vendors, haven't had a reply. If I can't find out about the test standards and safety ratings I'm not buying. So no reply = no sale.
 
Just bought a Stanley 18v reciprocating saw from B&Q. I've had my eye on getting one for a while, we've got half a dozen fruit trees which I need to trim back a bit as well as lots of other bits of scrap wood that needs cutting up to chuck in the log burner, and picked this up on clearance deal.

They've been solidly £85 for the past 18 months or so, but got it for £60. I've already got a couple of 2ah batteries with my Stanley combi drill to use with it.

Just ordered a set of blades, and looking forward to having a play at the weekend, if weather permits.
 
I have one of those and being very small for a recip saw it vibrates my hand to hell so I find it hard to use - even embeding it into the wood it still does my hands in.
Saying that I do have a job tomorrow cutting up tree branches no thicker than 40mm or so but will use the loppers as much as I can.
 
DXP55 said:
I have one of those and being very small for a recip saw it vibrates my hand to hell so I find it hard to use - even embeding it into the wood it still does my hands in.
Saying that I do have a job tomorrow cutting up tree branches no thicker than 40mm or so but will use the loppers as much as I can.
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Better quality tool and better blades will stop that.
 
200sols said:
Better quality tool and better blades will stop that.
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Possibly but I am not in the market to change anything now. The Drills and impact drivers are great - Circular saw not as good as the makita one I used once but the multitool has seen a lot of work.
I do wish I had bought the 240v Stanley drill when it was on offer at homebase for £20
 
Marvt74 said:
Yeah. My mother in law bought one when she bought her house. They’re fantastic and I found it easier to avoid missing bits as you work so methodically.

it covered a dark teal coloured wall in white paint in 2 coats!
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So you can paint internal walls with em? New place needs everything repainted...any tips on a sprayer?
 
mid_gen said:
So you can paint internal walls with em? New place needs everything repainted...any tips on a sprayer?
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It was the Wagner one she had.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/wagner-w...Cd1B3HgbvQun4bzbwQIaAs4REALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

The reviews don't seem favourable, but i thought it was great and saved huge amounts of time when you're doing a whole house. Just practice in a less used room to get the technique down, but i found because you do it methodically you end up not missing anything.
 
ik9000 said:
the issue I have with battery is longevity and obsolesence by way of no replacement batteries when they pack in/don't hold (enough) charge in a few years time. We had an excellent hedge trimmer but the battery packed in, and wouldn't you know it, new ones from that manufacturer don't fit and you can't get the old ones anymore. I'd rather get corded and run an extension lead. Better for the environment in no batteries to start with, non to scrap and replace, and no throwing away of a perfectly good tool just because the batteries aren't made anymore. I can understand why jobbing tradesmen/women need the flexibility of battery. For everyone else? I'm not sure it's worth it.
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Stick to devices with a modular system battery, like Makita LXT. I wouldn't buy a cordless tool with a non-replaceable battery for the reasons you mention.

Depends a bit on the tool too. Drill and driver? Battery makes sense. Something for extended high torque use like a sander? Corded.
 
I've got a few Makita LXT tools, just got the below

  • Makita DSS611Z LXT Body Only Cordless 18 V Circular Saw
  • Makita DHR171Z 18V Cordless Brushless SDS Rotary Hammer Drill
  • Makita Multi Drill & Impact driver 2.4v
  • Also an amazing Mac Allister Folding Workstation
Man tools.......
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Planning on laying LVT at some point, will lay plywood subfloor over our current floorboards.

I already have a dewaly multitool and a Makita Circular saw.

Do you guys also recommend that I also get a jigsaw, and if so which one ? Not looking at spending too much though
 
cheesyboy said:
Just bought a Stanley 18v reciprocating saw from B&Q. I've had my eye on getting one for a while, we've got half a dozen fruit trees which I need to trim back a bit as well as lots of other bits of scrap wood that needs cutting up to chuck in the log burner, and picked this up on clearance deal.

They've been solidly £85 for the past 18 months or so, but got it for £60. I've already got a couple of 2ah batteries with my Stanley combi drill to use with it.

Just ordered a set of blades, and looking forward to having a play at the weekend, if weather permits.
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Stanley 18v Reciprocating Saw is now £43 in B&Q, in case anyone's after one

I'd be annoyed at having paid £60, but none of the stores within about a 40+ mile round trip of me have them in stock - I bought the last one from my local. In-store only, no click & collect or ordering

https://www.diy.com/departments/sta...ting-saw-fmc675b-xj-bare/5035048494073_BQ.prd
 
Snow-Munki said:
Planning on laying LVT at some point, will lay plywood subfloor over our current floorboards.

I already have a dewaly multitool and a Makita Circular saw.

Do you guys also recommend that I also get a jigsaw, and if so which one ? Not looking at spending too much though
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Defo get a jigsaw for laminate flooring
I find that a circular saw blade is blunted very quickly.Jigsaw blades are throw away and so much cheaper
Also a jig saw is much easier to handle for cutting planks :)
 
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