Cheap tools you love

[grogee]

I've got some Aldi ratchet spanners that I use a lot but unfortunately the 10mm has now failed on me. That's ok though as it gives me an excuse to buy the ones with the Flexi head.

Every year, there is a tool sale near me at Laser Tools where they clear out old stock and stuff. It's a jumble sale but there is some good stuff available, sometimes unbranded samples sent from suppliers I think. 

Unfortunately I can't remember when it is - but when I next drive past the sign I'll update. In Southam, Warks.

[tooSavvy]

On 18/11/2022 at 15:54, tooSavvy said:

Tools you love, getting one Cheepz....

As an engineer, by training, and Chod Botherer by inclination >> I love tools!

My Digi caliper croaked so I bid on a cheappo 150mm s/steel replacement ✔️

I have a 0-25mm Chink mic... Around £7

Today I succumbed to the British Disease (inches 🧐) 🤣🤣.....

It 'looks' sweet and is a Top Drawer precison tool 😎

Low Balled him.... £7.40 delivered

*No 'C-spanner' but I have one in the chinkkie case 😉

Sharp Eyes may have *noticed...

PAT 159128... Lens (this is to increase clarity of grads) = never seen this widget before.....

This image is from another, 50's, mic on a 'web scrape'.... 🤔👍

[tooSavvy]

Well..... The C-spanner [missing from the 0-1" case] has just plopped on the mat....

[ruffgeezer]

I got one of those rechargeable soldering irons from Lidi,  it is really rather good.  Heats up quickly, nice fine point for fine work.  Definitely recommended.

[tooSavvy]

You Ba$tdds..... I now have an 'unscratchable itch'......

Whilst 'idly monitoring my eBay purchases' of the USED 0-1" micrometer + buying a n.o.s. C spanner....

My eyes were drawn to this NOS - Unopened POS @£16 delivered 😱

ha ha..... OK, so some of you collect watches 🧐

[JJ0063]

https://amzn.eu/eX3yjiI

Don’t know how I managed so many years without these. Absolute life savers.

[ruffgeezer]

The ratchet ones are shit,  if you can find the older design which has a click and lock they are FAR better.

I think of all my wanky hose clip tools, that particular set is the one that spent longest unused in my toolbox.

 

[JJ0063]

6 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

The ratchet ones are shit,  if you can find the older design which has a click and lock they are FAR better.

I think of all my wanky hose clip tools, that particular set is the one that spent longest unused in my toolbox.

 

I bloody love mine, lost count the amount of times they’ve saved me hours of work 

Absolutely fine for the general amateur DIY mEkAnIc

[ruffgeezer]

They may have improved the design since I bought mine then, Neilen/US Pro I think mine were, but they never had enough "pull" in them to full disengage the clips.

[grogee]

Buying lunch in Aldi yesterday I spotted this half decent* drill on sale. I think it was £20, but they got their pound of flesh with the battery and charger (£30 for both).

However it's pretty chunky, has a metal chuck, and a screw-on oomph handle. It will make a suitable replacement for the Makita I bought a few years back that's goosed its front bearing.

Of course I'm now in a 'split loyalty' battery family situation, but Shirley more = more better, yes?

[grogee]

On 11/19/2022 at 1:57 PM, grogee said:

I've got some Aldi ratchet spanners that I use a lot but unfortunately the 10mm has now failed on me. That's ok though as it gives me an excuse to buy the ones with the Flexi head.

Every year, there is a tool sale near me at Laser Tools where they clear out old stock and stuff. It's a jumble sale but there is some good stuff available, sometimes unbranded samples sent from suppliers I think. 

Unfortunately I can't remember when it is - but when I next drive past the sign I'll update. In Southam, Warks.

The Southam Tool Sale is Sat 3rd Dec in the morning. Drive towards the Tesco and you'll see Laser Tools, it's round the back of there. 

I'd love to welcome you with a cuppa but unfortunately @Cluffy and I will be en route to Essex to collect two Maestro cheesegrater alloys.

[Cluffy]

9 minutes ago, grogee said:

The Southam Tool Sale is Sat 3rd Dec in the morning. Drive towards the Tesco and you'll see Laser Tools, it's round the back of there. 

I'd love to welcome you with a cuppa but unfortunately @Cluffy and I will be en route to Essex to collect two Maestro cheesegrater alloys.

Speaking of which, can anyone suggest top class burger / full breakfast locations around / near Rayleigh!?

[grogee]

35 minutes ago, Cluffy said:

Speaking of which, can anyone suggest top class burger / full breakfast locations around / near Rayleigh!?

Let's have this conversation via Autoshite seeing as I'm away this weekend.

I like the sound of 'The Fat Burger And Desserts'

[sierraman]

On 11/25/2022 at 10:39 AM, ruffgeezer said:

They may have improved the design since I bought mine then, Neilen/US Pro I think mine were, but they never had enough "pull" in them to full disengage the clips.

Mine have plenty of pull on them, but granted the ratchet will wear. Good practice to oil the cable properly first as well.

[tooSavvy]

On 25/11/2022 at 08:49, tooSavvy said:

You Ba$tdds..... I now have an 'unscratchable itch'......

Whilst 'idly monitoring my eBay purchases' of the USED 0-1" micrometer + buying a n.o.s. C spanner....

My eyes were drawn to this NOS - Unopened POS @£16 delivered 😱

ha ha..... OK, so some of you collect watches 🧐

Well... Well... Well...

Seems my 'unused' nos Mic is a re-badged Uchida = quality Jap product 😮

 

 

*oof... Seems the plastic grip has seen a few 'badge engineering' names.... 🙄

[tooSavvy]

Corr, Mistta! 😮

0-1" plopped into my hands....

mmmmmmmm 👌

£4 ..... 🥂

[tooSavvy]

I have scrubbed up the case & whizzed off the oily smudges, from the knurling >> small nail brush with a drop of lighter fluid.

I have tickled out the spindle and dripped a 'gnats pi$$' of RS silicone lube + PTFE onto the internal nut.

Kisses off at 'absolute zero' +/- nout 👌🥰

[tooSavvy]

Well..Well..Well...

Nice surprise here 🥂👍

My £12 mic just dropped through the door, but it turns out not quite what I expected....

It is a '301V' = .0001" 😮

Brand new, unused and traces of transit 'rust inhibitors' on the frame.

Below, see UCHIDA - it is a 're brand', top quality Jap mic 😎

[tooSavvy]

Will be sorting out a 'steel snapping case', off my old spare specs.....

Starrett mics always came in a tin case 👍

We will see how it looks..

[tooSavvy]

...... And here it is! 👌

That tin case is bloody bomb-proof 🔨

[chodweaver]

Buying lunch in Aldi yesterday I spotted this half decent* drill on sale. I think it was £20, but they got their pound of flesh with the battery and charger (£30 for both).
However it's pretty chunky, has a metal chuck, and a screw-on oomph handle. It will make a suitable replacement for the Makita I bought a few years back that's goosed its front bearing.
Of course I'm now in a 'split loyalty' battery family situation, but Shirley more = more better, yes?

Can confirm that these are decent. Mine's taken a bit of abuse and not failed in any respect.

Yet

Edited to add: the pricing of these Aldi skins is not the least appealing feature, as evidenced by my ordering the impact driver that they are flogging for a tenner plus postage. ETA 3 - 7 days. Nice little early Christmas present to myself.

[tooSavvy]

@chodweaver.. "Nice little early Christmas present to myself".

🥂

*I always have found the Xmas prezzies, bought by me for me, are the best 😎

Sometimes tell SWMBO her money bought it, though....

😂

[grogee]

32 minutes ago, chodweaver said:

Can confirm that these are decent. Mine's taken a bit of abuse and not failed in any respect.

Yet

Edited to add: the pricing of these Aldi skins is not the least appealing feature, as evidenced by my ordering the impact driver that they are flogging for a tenner plus postage. ETA 3 - 7 days. Nice little early Christmas present to myself.

Hmm just had a look on the site and found a cordless angle grinder that'll use the same 20/40v battery I bought. It was £15 so I bought it for myself.

[chodweaver]

Hmm just had a look on the site and found a cordless angle grinder that'll use the same 20/40v battery I bought. It was £15 so I bought it for myself.

Well bought! I thought i was doing well when i picked up one for 40 quid the other week, but that did include a battery.

The angle grinders are also perfectly decent. No, they don't have the torquey grunt of a good mains, or expensive cordless one, but I've been using two of them for grinding, flap sanding and cutting for a couple of years now and have very, very rarely had to resort to a mains one for more welly.

[sierraman]

They’re ok in certain circumstances but the last thing you need mid job is it cutting out. I’d always if possible go with a mains one. 

[stuboy]

Whilst tidying the shed , I remembered I had these from a friends dad, no idea of age, as I like engineering stuff and tools they dodged the usual chuck out yearly... any idea on age?