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Post by chrisg on Aug 6, 2020 21:36:44 GMT 1
Spotted a vice for £19.99 and a pillar drill for £69.99 at Lidl. Cheap and cheerful not for the proffessional but probably ok for the occassional DIYer.
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Post by JonW on Aug 7, 2020 1:36:39 GMT 1
For occasional use Lidl and Aldi tools may well fit the bill. Its not like at our ages that we need tools that will last a lifetime of occasional jobs. Pros and those who use the tool often will say they are not great but given the choice of say a vice or not, the 20quid vice has to be helpful etc. Of course if you find you use the tool more often as you get used to having it then you can upgrade, tho that said ive found cheap tools can sometimes not die. I bought a cheap (and discounted) Peugeot drill in Trago Mills(!) in the very early 1990s and it wont die. Ive bought plenty of others since but i still have it for wire wheeling and it laps it up.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2020 8:33:54 GMT 1
Lidl tools are absolute cr@p. Save your money
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Post by earthman on Aug 7, 2020 8:49:07 GMT 1
Lidl tools are absolute cr@p. Save your money Over the years I've bought a fair amount of tools from them and not had problems to speak of so I disagree with that. Last thing I bought were their plasma cutter, very pleased with that, don't know how I've managed all these years without one. I am an occasional user, not sure how they would cope with daily use but hey, 3 years warranty and reasonable price in the first place. |
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Post by JonW on Aug 7, 2020 9:11:49 GMT 1
Im with you Earthman. I bought an Aldi full size pneumatic drill about 6 years ago, it was at least a 5th of the price of a decent brand. Its solid and heavy and not a modern design, defo what some people would call chinese crap (tho what isnt made in china now?). I needed it to remove some huge piers sunk into the ground that my huge deck (the neighbours all call it a helipad - i didnt build it) was bolted to as i wanted to shorten it and relandscape where they were. It cost the same as a 5 day rental and Ive used it for all sorts of other jobs since. I'd wager it'd be no good if I needed one everyday, but the amount of times I think 'oh, i could use that...' and it saves me hassle of going an renting which takes hours of driving there and back in this fair city. Its broken up all sorts including tree stumps and we often turn to it as a last resort lol.
That said, Im sure to advise anyone that if you want a spanner or a screwdriver to work on your bike then you need a better one that a cheap crappy one. Same with many tools that you would use more often. But as I said, if youve no vice and little money then a 20quid vice is better than nothing, tho you could shop gumtree for a decent one first lol
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2020 9:19:26 GMT 1
Decent tools are an absolute must. Cheap sh!te will break and you don;t want a power tool breaking on you. To get round this the cheap stuff is made from very heavy materials. A good example is the Titan range from screwfix. Cheap but very nasty to use
I've bought plenty of cheap stuff in the past and persevered with it, It's only when you buy decent stuff you realise how much time and effort you have wasted, including cheap vices that are really heavy but the winding mechanism is made of cheese
You get what you pay for. Now if you want to see proper tools go to Axminster Tools. It's like being in a grown ups Toys R Us
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Post by JonW on Aug 7, 2020 9:44:27 GMT 1
Tool threads are the new oil threads  |
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Post by petenofear on Aug 7, 2020 9:59:59 GMT 1
Lidl tools are absolute cr@p. Save your money I don’t use cheap drills but I beg to differ with you on this one , Lidl parkside v Bosch and the best Bosch drill they do |
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Post by chrisg on Aug 7, 2020 10:38:37 GMT 1
drill n vice made in Germany. as stated cheap n cheerful. people can make there own minds.
the new oil or piston debate 😁
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Post by earthman on Aug 7, 2020 12:38:32 GMT 1
Not everyone has the money to buy top end tools either, remember that factor.
A friend recently said to me that even when you pay top money for an item nowadays, there's no guarantee that you are actually getting a better product sometimes.
I've seen on YouTube the comparing of say a Snap on wrench to a much cheaper Chinese brand and you know what, the Chinese one came out just as good.
So many of their tools actually have 'made in China' stamped on them so I suspect that they are the same thing or at least came out of the same factory.
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dc
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Post by dc on Aug 7, 2020 16:36:02 GMT 1
I bought a Borescope from Lidl, colour screen. It has been used on a couple of occasions. The flex part had a slight split in it due to packing when made, they just sent me a new one from Germany.
It is superior to the £90 Ring model I returned. I think for some items they are OK, you have to pick and choose.
Generally like good tools though, have a few craftsman and a Halfords Advanced set is always handy for back up.
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Post by earthman on Aug 7, 2020 17:17:55 GMT 1
I bought a Borescope from Lidl, colour screen. It has been used on a couple of occasions. The flex part had a slight split in it due to packing when made, they just sent me a new one from Germany. It is superior to the £90 Ring model I returned. I think for some items they are OK, you have to pick and choose. Generally like good tools though, have a few craftsman and a Halfords Advanced set is always handy for back up. I got mine from them a few years ago now, I think the screen is black and white though, still works a treat and sure has come in handy. I sure couldn't justify spending hundreds on the other makes and models at the time. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 7, 2020 19:40:57 GMT 1
Interesting youtube comparisons, however we have no way of proving which tool is actually being used. How easy is it to use a top quality item and claim it's a cheap item, if you are trying to sell the cheap item....
Even Suzuki did it when the press rode the 1st RG500. The real thing was not quite the same as those ridden by the press.
My own experience is Lidl stuff is OK for that 1 off, ooh I'll use that for x job, then it gets put in the box. Try using it on the next 3 jobs and they fail. The good part is the money back guarantee which is good
It's your money you take your choice. I'll spend my money on quality tools from renown suppliers and take the hit on costs. Tools are tax deductible for the self employed so anything that makes my life easier and a job faster is a bonus. I've messed up jobs in the past trying to save a few pounds here or there. It's just not worth it.
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Post by dusty350 on Aug 7, 2020 19:55:06 GMT 1
I bought that Parkside rattle gun. What a great little tool Does virtually every fastener on an Lc/Pv with no fuss - I haven't used my old hammer/impact driver since ! Never liked smacking the granny out of old fasteners in old cases anyway, and this rattle gun hasn't been beaten yet on any fastener with a decent head. I've bought a few Lidl power tools over the years, and they've all been good to be honest, and have lasted well. I agree, you get what you pay for, but I've never been able to afford really expensive brands, so I get the best I can afford, and the Parkside gear is decent for the money. 3 year guarantee too. My missus bought me a Halfords Professional socket set a few birthdays ago. Very nice, but still not quite as good as a Kamasa set I've had since I was about 18, with regards to the fit of the socket on the ratchet. I do think screwdrivers and spanners need to be the best you can afford though. Cheap screwdrivers will snap when you really don't need them to !  Dusty |
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Post by flames on Aug 7, 2020 20:44:28 GMT 1
I agree with dusty when it comes to spanners and socket sets etc.
I don't use battery tools very often so batteries don't tend to last long for me, so cheap and cheerful work. I tend to see the cheap tools in Aldi and Lidl and stick them in the trolley, but by the time I get to the next aisle I think probably no good and put them back......if they out them on the last aisle I would be halfway home before I changed my mind 😁
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Aug 7, 2020 21:02:06 GMT 1
I bought that Parkside rattle gun. What a great little tool Does virtually every fastener on an Lc/Pv with no fuss - I haven't used my old hammer/impact driver since ! Never liked smacking the granny out of old fasteners in old cases anyway, and this rattle gun hasn't been beaten yet on any fastener with a decent head. I've bought a few Lidl power tools over the years, and they've all been good to be honest, and have lasted well. I agree, you get what you pay for, but I've never been able to afford really expensive brands, so I get the best I can afford, and the Parkside gear is decent for the money. 3 year guarantee too. My missus bought me a Halfords Professional socket set a few birthdays ago. Very nice, but still not quite as good as a Kamasa set I've had since I was about 18, with regards to the fit of the socket on the ratchet. I do think screwdrivers and spanners need to be the best you can afford though. Cheap screwdrivers will snap when you really don't need them to ! Dusty Funny you say that about Kamasa socket sets Bought a 1/2 set like you in my teens then got a 1/4 set from my work (they never got that back) in the 90's Both still perfect despite the abuse they have taken drifting wheel bearings and bushes in Steve |
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Post by tony2stroke on Aug 7, 2020 21:19:32 GMT 1
I bought that Parkside rattle gun. What a great little tool Does virtually every fastener on an Lc/Pv with no fuss - I haven't used my old hammer/impact driver since ! Never liked smacking the granny out of old fasteners in old cases anyway, and this rattle gun hasn't been beaten yet on any fastener with a decent head. I've bought a few Lidl power tools over the years, and they've all been good to be honest, and have lasted well. I agree, you get what you pay for, but I've never been able to afford really expensive brands, so I get the best I can afford, and the Parkside gear is decent for the money. 3 year guarantee too. My missus bought me a Halfords Professional socket set a few birthdays ago. Very nice, but still not quite as good as a Kamasa set I've had since I was about 18, with regards to the fit of the socket on the ratchet. I do think screwdrivers and spanners need to be the best you can afford though. Cheap screwdrivers will snap when you really don't need them to ! Dusty I too agree with that, power tools I don't care who makes them, they are only as good as the battery anyway, but spanners and screwdrivers I only buy quality, cheap ones round things off fast or snap. |
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Post by flames on Aug 7, 2020 21:38:14 GMT 1
I bought a 1/4 " drive Halfords socket set in a little case from Halfords must be 25 years years ago for £20 with lifetime guarantee. It is my go-to set for everything. I have more expensive spanners and socket sets, But only go to then if I need them on the other side. This set has paid for itself probably a thousand times over.
Cheap and quality do sometimes go hand in hand.
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Post by donkeychomp on Aug 7, 2020 22:13:24 GMT 1
+1 for Halfrauds. I wouldn't trust that lot to change a f**king light bulb but my spanners (life time guarantee also) are the best I've ever had.
Alex
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Post by steve h on Aug 7, 2020 22:34:51 GMT 1
You get what you pay for. I have snap on sockets but use a relatively cheap ratchet, and after watching one of the sockets deform and "bend" trying to loosen a very stubborn sprocket bolt using 5ft of tubing on the end of the ratchet... it was apparent that the high price was worth it. (Socket all good after the abuse) The difference between crap and good is a little less clear nowadays.. from my experience anyway. Things like chisels and saws are still worth paying the extra bucks for. When I was stocking guns, I forked out for some expensive chequering tools... ended up not using them and continued to make my own from six inch nails.. good nails from a reputable builders merchants mind.
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Post by tony2stroke on Aug 7, 2020 23:00:32 GMT 1
You get what you pay for. I have snap on sockets but use a relatively cheap ratchet, and after watching one of the sockets deform and "bend" trying to loosen a very stubborn sprocket bolt using 5ft of tubing on the end of the ratchet... it was apparent that the high price was worth it. (Socket all good after the abuse) The difference between crap and good is a little less clear nowadays.. from my experience anyway. Things like chisels and saws are still worth paying the extra bucks for. When I was stocking guns, I forked out for some expensive chequering tools... ended up not using them and continued to make my own from six inch nails.. good nails from a reputable builders merchants mind. Got to agree with that, I have some Britool tools, snap on socket set and some spanners, had them 35 odd years, and same thing using a scaffold tube for extra leverage on a small 1/4 drive ratchet, did the job on a stubborn 17mm nut. Problem now is they all seem to offer a lifetime guarantee (lifetime guarantee being 10 years now) after that they say fair usage, lifetime guarantee used to mean life you own it, or it did with snap on and Britool, you just gave it back to the guy that came round the garages in the snap on van and he replaced it, no questions asked, or maybe how the hell did you do that to it. |
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Post by earthman on Aug 7, 2020 23:13:23 GMT 1
Cheap and quality do sometimes go hand in hand. I think this certainly can be the case nowadays especially with the TUV approved German tools that come out of Lidl, like when they took over Skoda, they had to 'up their game' in general otherwise no one would buy those products. |
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Post by JonW on Aug 8, 2020 4:17:01 GMT 1
The Aldi battery tools we have here are supplied by Einhell and some are made in Germany and also TUV approved etc. Ive been very impressed with them and ive had Makita and AEG before which i still use on occasion. The chargers and 4.0ah batteries have been amazing and cost peanuts compared to Makita etc. The skins have been superb value as well and ive bought some skins that Id never bother with normally as I will only use them a few times a month (recip saw, grinder etc) as I got them on the chuck-out rack for pretty much nothing. Their big rattle gun has been superb for car work as i do that infrequently, for bike work i have an small but expensive SP (the aussie co not pikavant) 3/8 rattle gun Ive shown on here before and its superb, light and quality kit. I wish i could send you all one of those as you'd love it.
For spanners I use a set of Bluepoint ratcheting (one of the first to come out) I bought 25+years ago and recently compared them to a very expensive Wera set that were just chinese junk really, I was very sad about that as I 'wanted them'. Where they differ is that the bluepoints have really tiny ratchet heads and work/look the same as they did when new, no mean feat for the amount of use they have and its not like i now believed snap on would ever honour any 'lifetime warranty' as they never have helped me with any of my other snap on tools issues that ive had with ratchets, spanners, sockets, roll cabs etc in the past sadly (one snap on man laughed at my roll cab drawer issue and turned and walked away from me, yeah great service that mate) so ive totally given up with the brand now. I bought a lot of their stuff over the years, their loss. Anyway, all other ratchet spanners Ive tried have been less good that the old BPs, quality units but wow they cost me back then lol. For screwdrivers i use Vessel. For allens i use Wera. For sockets i use snap on and wera. ratchets from snap on, wera and gearwrench, tho my old 'first purchases' halfords and stanley units still get used. Hammers from Thor. These are all tools i use all the time and would say that for those working daily with tools that you defo do not skimp on those, for the rare use tools ist different.
Last week my cheap (from Artdeans in Swindon! from the first time before it was Fowlers and later switched back) cable oiler spat fluid up my arm for the last time. It was never perfect but its been getting worse over the years as the rubber ages and for the past few years its like Pam Ayres flit gun poem (HTF did i remember that?!). So after 30 odd years it was time for a new one. I had a look online and you can still buy the one i had but i found and bought the motion pro unit as it seemed a well thought out design and it arrived as ordered with a can of their special 'juice'. Neither were budget purchases, but i did shop around of course to save some cash. I used it right away and lubed the bonnet release cable on my Evo and the interior of the car was spared a dose of sticky liquid spray so it did it job perfectly although i had the usual rag already wrapped round the tool just in case, yet it wasnt needed at all. That's Cool.... but will it last 30years I wonder? I guess we'll see...
I do think tools are all about budget. I started buying tools as I realised i could service by own bikes/cars/house by using the money id give someone else to by the tools and do my own work. Cost was about the same the first time, but on the 2nd go round of the same job i was saving money as I already had the tools. The more i worked on stuff, the more i needed. I bought some tools used and was lucky to be given things too like my Grandfathers old British vices etc. A good quality tool is an amazing thing, but just like so many things in the modern world the expensive brands source their ranges from all over and often dont make everything in house. Stihl make great petrol powered products, but who makes their new electric stuff... yep, made all over the eastern block and china. Where do Dualit make all those things they sell other than the toasters? Even Dyson isnt UK made now... Wera make a lot of tools in China now, I bet lots of other brands do too. Not always a bad thing, but research for and dont overpay for them.
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Post by earthman on Aug 8, 2020 8:47:48 GMT 1
Another thing to consider when buying say a cheap set of spanners is this, if you have to grind/modify one to get a particular job done, you won't cry about it. Lol
I have a mixture of quality/cheap tools in general, sure I reach for say my Halfords professional set first, which some folk would still class as crap but not one's broke/let me down so far.
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Post by dusty350 on Aug 8, 2020 8:57:10 GMT 1
Now, drill bits are a different matter !! Bought some from Lidl/Aldi in the past and they are one use only, before they go blunt ! I sorta knew they would, considering the low cost, but I have a box full of drill bits that are next to useless, and wont drill a precise hole. I've just bought Yamarks Clarke lathe as he has upgraded, so I must get some decent drill bits and some more cutting tools for it.
Dusty
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Aug 8, 2020 12:11:51 GMT 1
I'm well Jeal Dusty
I wish I'd bought Mutts old lathe and milling machine 🙁
My local old school engineer was telling me he was thinking about winding down as his wife has dementia and he needs to be home more
Probably spend enough with him to have bought my own
Only glimmer of hope is he is trying to get 3 phase power at his house for a lathe and a milling machine
Steve
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Post by veg on Aug 8, 2020 12:21:37 GMT 1
Definition something I’m going to invest in once my new garage is built. Then I’ll teach myself to use it properly not really used one since leaving school many moons ago.
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Post by flames on Aug 8, 2020 12:41:55 GMT 1
Definition something I’m going to invest in once my new garage is built. Then I’ll teach myself to use it properly not really used one since leaving school many moons ago. You can buy definition? ? 😀 |
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Post by donkeychomp on Aug 8, 2020 21:50:19 GMT 1
Definitely...
Alex
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Post by dusty350 on Aug 8, 2020 22:07:24 GMT 1
Always wanted a small hobby lathe. I did have a big old 1940's lathe for a time - bought off a mate at work. but it was big and cumbersome and took up a fair part of my old shed. I didn't ever use it, so ended up selling it on. Mark has bought something bigger, so I've now got his Clarke CL300 which will be perfect for turning up spacers and other small jobs. I need Kempton to be on in September so I can get a stock of ally tube. I think I could lose some hours playing on that lathe !! Dusty |
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