Power Tools & General Tools Recommendations & Advice

Just a heads up without giving our company too much of a plug.

Through November and December a few companies run a campaign called real deals.

Theres a catalogue of tools at great discount prices, a lot of them are the same year on year but they tend to be good products / prices.

I won't give our company details out but all companies involved in the campaign should use the same SKU which is XMS16.

I tend to pick up a few things myself in this period - this year will be a nice socket set and maybe a new drill.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
This is one of the most useful tools I've bought and a bargain at this price - http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5582...ww.argos.co.uk/product/5582846&referrer=COJUN
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I have a Lidl one which has been ok but now I have the Stanley 18v one - Really good blade fixing method on it - just pull lever in and push biades in - no screw to undo.-You can us the screw for solid hole blades --- I think it was £48

412779085.jpg
 
cheesyboy said:
I've got some ceramic floor tiles I'm taking up, but one straddles a doorway so I'd like to cut it in-situ to only remove half. Would a multitool be able to do that?

And what else do you use them for? I suspect it could come in handy, but am not sure if I need it :D
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Yes but be very careful. I'd score the tile first.

I bought it to cut out a corner of my bathroom floor to get to a leak and since then I've used it for cutting out holes in the back of cupboards, cutting wood when I didn't need to get an hacksaw out but a big job was getting rid of a dado rail out of a room.
I cut above and below it and it just came out without making too much mess.
Like you I also needed to get into a door frame corner to cut something out and that did it with ease.
 
Thanks. I think I'll get one - sounds like something that will save some of the more tricky workarounds I've done in the past.

Found Screwfix are selling a tile-cutting attachment at a clearance £3, so have reserved the last one in my local area.

I'll practise on a tile I'm going to fully remove before doing the doorway ones.
 
bledd said:
Picked up a Dewalt DCF680G2, gyroscopic screwdriver.

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/dewalt-dcf680g2-motion-activated-screwdriver-a1313

Basically you hold trigger and turn the way that you want it to screw. Thought it would be a bit of a gimmick, but it's really intuitive to use.

Has a variable strength and has a light hammer action when it reaches the limit of that setting. -Great for unsticking laptop screws etc.

Works at any angle, it's made for light screwing use. Great for backbox screws, pc screws etc.

It won't be winning any impact screwdriver awards, but I'm very happy with it :)
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Having owned this for about 6 months, I can safely say it's the best tool in the house!

So handy to have a second power tool when drilling pilot holes and screwing screws in. I use the Makita for drilling and this for screws. Works perfectly at any angle.

A must for any PC hobbyist and a damn handy addition to a regular tool set.
 
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Ah, thanks. Would that be suitable?

Will be used pretty rarely. I want to put up shelving, lighting and things like that. Most of my walls are plasterboard only but looking for a tool that would be versatile enough for any light work normally found around the house.
 
The Bosch Pro is the better of the two tools you mentioned. It's also smaller and lighter than the 18v so would be better for using as an electric screwdriver. A few people on here have the 10.8v Bosch and have said it's not lacking in power even for masonry drilling. If it's only for occasional use I personally wouldn't want to spend too much money on it. The 1 battery version of the 10.8v is a bit cheaper.

http://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/bos...FN-Fm8vbAap8xVobB8CiMn9WlGM1DO93oWhoCzBnw_wcB

Dave
 
Thanks for the link divuk83, that seems reasonable. I'd need to get drill and screwdriver bit sets as well. Is there a recomended set of commonly used bits that will work with it?

Considering the cost of the extras the same tool is on Amazon.de with 3 bit sets and an extra battery and a case for just under £100. I'd likely need an adapter for the plug but otherwise seems decent (effectively £15 for bag, metal drill bits and a battery).
https://www.amazon.de/Bosch-Akkubohrschrauber-Set-8-2-LI-39-teiliges-Zubehörset/dp/B00TYK8HKW/
 
I've recently bought a Makita multi tool, however i'm now wondering if i should return it and get a cordless version.

I could do with replacing a few tools, i need a new drill and would like to someday soon get a cordless jigsaw. As such i'm thinking it may be worth making a decision on a brand so that i can then just buy bare units and use the same batteries.

What do people do for cases when buying "bare" tools? I had assumed they's just come in a case with no battery/charger but this doesn't seem to be the case (no pun intended).

I prefer my tools to be stored in hard plastic cases and tend to shy away from the canvas style bags.

Any suggestions?

Also any opinions on a particular brand? I dont particularly do massive amounts of DIY but i tend to try my hand at more things as time is going by. At the moment i have a mixture of Makita, Bosch, Black and Decker and Erbauer tools, although most are 240v.
 
I have a Lidl multitool and found it very useful - So much so I got myself a Stanley fatmax 18v one.

I must add that I have nearly the full range of the 18v Fatmax tools - just missing angle grinder and Jig saw but did buy the mains Jig saw and have DeWalt grinder.

So yes I would say pick a make and buy whatever you need - I got all my Fatmax's when they were on offer at Homebase - Picked up a Fatmax 240v Plane the other week for £30 - they are now back up to £62.

Went in today and the 18v Hammer drill that was £47 last week is back up to £63 - These are now 1.2 amp batteries where I got the 2.0 amp range.
 
I work in the exhibition industry building stands.
So tools get worked hard but we don't get paid enough.

Most people use makita or Dewalt. Pick whichever has the tools you need and which is cheaper at the time.

I have makita kit, but the Dewalt is just as good, maybe better.

Edit.
I was also given a ryobi impact driver when I first started out.
It wasn't the best for battery life but it did the job fine if slightly slower.
Can't speak for the other tools but if they look OK and the price is right then that might be best for decent diy tools.

As for storage
This is the best toolbox system.
http://www.diy.com/departments/magn...mpartment-small-organiser-unit/1511737_BQ.prd
 
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Cheers. Not sure I understand why an empty aplastic case is £30 though. I found the same when looking on eBay at the bare units and the extra for ones including a case.

Have a £100 voucher for screwfix so think I'll buy a drill from there and go from there. Now to decide between the 2x 1.5ah Dewalt/3ah Makita Or the cheaper erbauer with 2x 2ah batteries.

The dewalt/Makita make it easy to buy more tools as they're more readily available and offer. Come in nice cases. Whereas the erbauer are cheaper even though some only come in bags hmmmm
 
divuk83 said:
Saw these in Wickes the other day, only 1 1.5ah battery but you do get a brushless combi with a Tstack case.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/DeWalt-Brushless-18V-Combi-Drill-1-5AH/p/150231

Dave
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Theres still a black friday sale on this to, so add some 49p screws and you save £20 so the drills only £80.

I'm now debating between this and the Erbauer. Theres that stupid kid part of me thinking that i've always wanted a pile of Dewalt tools but then the sensible part of m is saying the Erbauer stuff is a lot cheaper :(
 
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