Lets dewaffle a bit, and offer some more material:
Choosing a portable power tool
Choice of power tool is a topic that comes up for discussion at
regular
intervals on uk.d i y,
which frequently generates long threads of
opinion and counter opinion! (aka arguments, and flame wars!) Much of
this discussion seems to stem from different peoples understanding of
what "DIY" is all about, as well as each person having often
conflicting
needs and expectations.
can be translated as 'opinions will vary.'
To help focus discussion, this section of the FAQ sets out some of
the
various tool buying policies that are routinely suggested. If you use
this to identify which policy most closely resembles your favoured
approach, you should be able to solicit advice from the group that
takes
this into consideration, and will save you needing to wade through
too
many heated debates!
Or: The main buying policies are explained.
What do *you* mean by DIY?
This is not as daft a questions as you may think! Since it will have
a
big impact on the tools you will consider "suitable".
2 more lines to snip out, since the concept is about to be covered in
the coming lines anyway.
DIY will mean
different things to different people. For some it will be about
saving
money, for others it may be a relaxing hobby, or building their own
house!
note:
It could be as simple as
occasionally erecting a shelf, or changing a tap washer. For others
it
could be as elaborate as
was wafflesnipped
For many today
(especially if you live in the south east) DIY is often the only
option
because finding good trades people willing to actually quote or even
turn up for work on some jobs is getting increasingly difficult!
John this is a guide to buying tools, not choosing tupperware. Snip it
This is a good guide, but the waffle is my one gripe with it. When Im
buying tools I couldnt give a monkeys about the distribution of labour
in the building market.
It is safe to say that the tool you purchase with the expectation
that
it will live in a cupboard for 362 days of the year, may well be very
different to the one with which you indulge your hobby of fine
furniture
making five days a week.
think I preferred the previous version of that
So before deciding on much else, it is
advisable to decide on what level of use you anticipate making of the
tool.
redundant: people already know what theyre going to do with it, at
least roughly. And if they dont... they dont.
Class of tool:
There are a huge variety of power tools available from the general
purpose to the highly specialised. Almost every DIY shop will not
only
stock a selection of well know brands, they will often offer their
own
range of "own brand" tools, and prices for similar looking tools
can
range from as little as =A35 to well over =A3500.
Translate to: A wide range is available, sometimes covering the range
from =A35 to =A3300.
The choice can seem
bewildering.
snippable, that point has just been made obvious already
Understanding the way in which these different ranges of
tools are marketed and distributed can go a long way to help
understanding this large range.
redundant, this will become clear below. snip.
Budget tools
The prices of budget tools in recent years have fallen dramatically.
The
majority of tools are manufactured in the far east and then
"branded"
for the eventual retailer.
redundant, snip
It is not uncommon to find exactly the same
tool available under several different "brands" where the only
difference is the label and the colour of the case.
Since access to the
original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is limited,
redundant snip
getting any after
sales service and spares for these tools can be difficult or
impossible.
but also not important, since a new tool is generally cheaper than a
repair anyway. If I buy this type of tool I'm not expecting to get it
repaired any day.
Often the retailer may offer more attractive warranty terms to
mitigate
some of these limitations.
Although a long warranty may seem attraction remember that you
may need to factor in the cost of your time should frequent trips to
the
shop be needed to acquire a warranty replacement.
this was sniped out, its too obvious to be worth saying:
So if a tool breaks during its warranty
period, then the retailer will simply replace it. However if it
breaks
after this time, the tool will need to be discarded and a replacement
sought.
High End tools
At the high end, tools are often built and assembled by factories
owned
by the brand maker, or built for them by OEMs to the brands own
specification and quality standards.
irrelevant, the real point is made below.
There will be a service and support
network that will enable tools to be repaired, and spare parts
obtained.
Needless to say this backup and support has to be paid for in higher
tool prices.
Mid Range tools
The mid range can be even more confusing since it can encompass tools
from the "edges" of both categories above - often with the
range of
tools available under one brand spanning a good proportion quality
and
price range available. It is also an area with a large number of
suppliers, sellers, and advertisers, each competing for your money.
Where should I buy from?
Many tools are available from a wide range of sources including the
big
name DIY shop, to the specialised independent tool supplier. A
growing
market sector is the dedicated "online" seller.
dont forget argos. Customer service is incompetent, but prices keen.
For easy availability of budget and mid range tools, it is hard to
beat
the big DIY shops.
If you want the best and most knowledgeable advice
and after sales service you will need to seek out a dedicated tool
merchant.
seek out uk.d-i-y, much more knowledgeable and impartial. In most
cases.
If you are looking for the best possible price the online shop
will often give it to you.
When I shopped around for sds the onliners came nowhere near, for
comparable tools. But maybe thats true for other things.
There are cases where a average quality tool purchased from an above
average retailer will offer some of the benefits and after sales care
that usually only comes with much higher price tools.
would you explain?
The purchasing factors
Assuming you have dismissed hiring a tool,
that might be worth a paragraph actually, since it is often an option
in peoples minds, though not one I'd often encourage.
there are some are obvious
factors like features of the product and its price that you will
consider before you buy, but some are more subtle. For any given
purchase you will need to weigh up these factors, since they may
often
be different for each tool you buy.
1) Tool features
2) Purchase Price
3) Availability of spares and support
4) Tool quality (and quality of results achievable with it)
5) Total cost of ownership (factoring in your time to buy and
maintain
the tool, cost of spares etc)
6) Comfort of use (Not only ergonomic design, but also factors like
weight, noise, vibration, effective dust collection)
7) Speed of operation
8) Availability of suppliers (and service where applicable)
9) How much you anticipate the tool will be used
10) How long you need it to last
11) Brand image
Buying policies:
The disposable tool
This is an easy one! Sometimes a tool is needed for a specific job
and
then that is it. Chances that it will be used again are slim. Often
hiring a tool is a good way to meet this need, but that will not
always
be cost effective or practical if you are going to need it on an ad
hoc
basis spread over several weeks.
In this category tools from the cheaper end of the market can be
ideal,
often you are not too concerned what the life expectancy of the tool
will be, so long as it gets the job done. If it lasts longer then
that
is a bonus.
Yup, but could all be said in 2-3 lines.
'For a single job, a cheap disposable tool is often the lowest cost
option, cheaper and more convenient than hiring.'
Almost any DIY shop will have a suitable supply of tools. The down
side
it that the quality of the tool compared to a hired one may be
inferior
since the hire shops will typically buy top end tools so as to get
the
best life out of them, make sure they stand up to the abuse dolled
out
in unskilled hands, and to keep their trade customers happy!
yes, but by the time you get it its probably f---d. This is a real
problem with hired tools; if youre travelling to a job, try the tool
out before you go.
The tool
may also be less comfortable to use, achieve lower standard of
results,
and take longer. Finally, you either need to store or otherwise
dispose
of the tool when the job is done.
The second hand tool
Don't dismiss this option! Sometimes places like hire shops will
sell
off surplus tools. If you can find one that has not been hammered to
the
edge of its useful life
why else would they sell them? Even the stuff theyre hiring out can be
like that.
this can be a way of picking up a top quality
tool for not much money.
The buy to try approach
Sometimes you are not sure how much actual use you will make of a
particular tool, but you can't be sure until you have a chance to
try
one for yourself. Hiring can be a solution here although you would
need
to a specific project in mind. The alternative is to buy one from the
budget or mid range, to see how you get on with it. You may find that
your purchase satisfies your need, or it may be a stepping stone to
something better. It also means when you do buy "something
better" you
have a much clearer understanding of what features to look for and
which
ones can be dismissed as "fluff".
or translated: 'If youre not sure how much youll use a tool, a budget
one will enable you to try one, and find out what things to look for if
you do want to upgrade later.'
The "buy several" approach
The own brand tool may not offer the reliability and performance of a
more expensive tool. However the price is often such that some people
advocate buying more than one of each tool, often for the less than
the
price of a single better tool. Should a tool fail, you simply discard
it
and switch to its replacement and carry on working. (The same policy
can
actually be applied to any type of tool in any price range if it is
important that you can carry on working, not just the "DIY shop
special", Even expensive tools bought for business use may fall
into
this category).
You can have several tools "on the go at once". With things like
drills
this may equate to faster working since you will not need to stop to
swap between say a drill bit and a screwdriver bit, just pick up a
different tool.
On some jobs that can save ages.
You need to balance this with the fact that the money spent on two
tools
may buy one of better quality, which may outlast the two cheaper
ones,
give better results, and be nicer to use. Also you will need more
storage space if you have several of each!.
The mid range choice
This is the hardest range to purchase from, because there is a huge
choice, and it is not possible to make blanket purchasing decisions
based on brand for example. Each brand will have good and not so good
products in this class. Buying from this range is often what the ad
men
call an "aspirational purchase" (i.e. you would like something
better,
but budget dictates you buy something similar but cheaper!).
or 'A wide range of brands and qualities. Individual brands may make
tools of significantly varying quality.' (dont I know it)
Bear in mind if tempted, and many are, that megapacks of drill bits
bundled with tools can be junk in some cases.
Mid range tools are often well suited to the less intensive user. The
results and quality of work that can be produced will often be higher
than with lower end tools, and some after sales service and support
may
be available
frankly I regard that as more of a millstone. I dont like the downtime
and aggro that accompanies repairs.
(this is often true where the manufacturer sells tools in
several ranges (like B&D or Bosch for example). You have ready
availability of tools and lots of competition keeps prices low. You
may
find that the quality, comfort of use, speed etc, may still be
lacking.
yes, and it can be pretty good too. Quality varies.
The "top quality" approach
Sometimes only the best will do. If the work you want to do demands
the
highest quality of finish, or you want the utmost comfort and ease of
use from your tools then this might be the approach for you. You can
expect tools in this category to stand up to intensive every day use,
even for "trade" purposes. Reliability should also be better than
the
other groups, and spares and after sales service should be readily
available.
if sometimes pricey
Ideally suited to the serious DIYer, the tradesman and
craftsman. You will be getting the smoothest operation resulting in
good
finish and low operator fatigue, with good finesse of control. If you
have a habit of being a bit "heavy handed" with your tools then
remember
these were designed to be used and abused on building sites!
Sometimes
there is just the satisfaction in using and owning "the best"
The tools are going to be more expensive, and are more likely to be
stolen if not carefully looked after! Note also that just because
repair
services are available there may be down time waiting for repairs to
be
carried out.
Yes, and I think that needs serious emphasis, it is a real problem with
decent tools. It can put people out of action for 1-2 weeks. This is
where budget backup tools come in, even cheap old sht can get the job
done.
Mains or Cordless
Over recent years the number of cordless (i.e. battery powered) tools
available has grown enormously. In many cases available power is but
an
extension lead away and so you may not "need" a cordless tool.
There are
some items (drills / powered screwdrivers notably) for which the
cordless tool is desirable as a class of its own - often in addition
to
a mains equivalent. If in doubt as to whether to go cordless (for
things
other than drills) you are probably better sticking to mains.
There are a few "givens" with cordless tools: they cost more, and
will
often deliver less power than a similar price / size mains tool,
always, and much less. Its inevitable. Codless is a feature you will
pay for. To make codless tools affordable, heavy compromises are made.
They have to be. Codless tools are rated in volts instead of watts
precisely because they are not comparable, and they dont want to tell
you how big the difference is. This is getting into what I'm properly
qualified in.
Take a circ saw for example: the motor power is so much lower that
other compromises are made to squeeze acceptable performance. The blade
has larger tooth spacing to speed up cut, though it gives a rougher
finish. The blade may be thinner to reclaim some lost cut speed, but
you will then have a much weaker blade, and one with a less clearance
from cutting edge to blade body, making jams much more likely. And you
still have lower cut speed after all that, and poor duty cyle as well.
Take a codless scerwdriver: expect a fraction of the power, far lower
top speed in order to reclaim some of the lost torque, often cheap
plastic gears to trim the price, low duty cycle motor to trim price,
and low duty cycle batteries.
This isnt some personal pet issue, there is a big difference, and the
mfrs try to disguise it as much as poss. You only need look at the
sizes of the motor in mains vs codless drill to realise just how much
difference exists. Electronics is my subject.
The other difference is tool life. In short, only buy codless when you
specifically want the codlessness, or only expect light duty use with
slower and more limited abilities.
and if
you use them infrequently then they will be flat when you want to use
them!
i make it a rule to recharge after every job, no matter how little its
been used.
There is also a huge range of difference between the best and the
worst
examples. The worst cordless tools are virtually useless. The best
can
be used as non stop work horses.
The single biggest influence on the quality and usability of a
cordless
tool are its batteries and their charger. It is simply not possible
to
purchase good quality rechargeable cells at very low cost. Many
budget
cordless tools are sold at a price that is less than the wholesale
cost
of a decent set of batteries. So something has to give!
..=2E.in most cases everything has to give, to try to get acceptable
price.
The quality of
the batteries will affect how long it runs, and the power or torque
available. The quality of the charger will affect how long the
batteries
take to charge, and more importantly, how many times you can recharge
and still get useful performance from the tool. Batteries will need
replacement eventually. With a budget tool this will usually be a non
economic exercise (assuming spares are available), with a higher end
tool it may well be more expensive than you expect.
Whereas midrange mains kit usually lasts decades.
Dont know if its worth mentioning that one can repack the batteries
with sub-c cells oneself for way less money.
The other influence on performance is the quality of the motor and
speed
controller used.
I'd snip that cos its made clear by:
A good one will deliver lots of torque and control,
even at low speeds. The poorer ones will only deliver torque at high
speeds which is far less useful.
Are more "volts" better
In the quest for more power, performance and speed from battery
operated
tools, there has been a slide upwards in battery voltage. This suits
the
marketers well since there is a nice "number" to use a sales
hook. The
bigger the number the better right? Err, no not always.
Thats all about to be explained below anyway, so can be snipped.
The more volts,
the more cells, the bigger and heavier the tool will be. If you want
a
nimble easy to use drill/driver this is not a "good thing". Then
we come
down to quality of batteries again: a top end 14.4V drill will out
perform a 18V or 24V budget tool for just this reason, while being
smaller and lighter into the bargain.
Which brand is which?
Identifying which of the above groups a tool belongs to is not always
straight forward. Many people will not even agree which is which.
Some
brands may make tools in several distinct categories, (which may or
may
not be distinguished in some way). In recent years many of the big
name
makers have acquired smaller brands so as to be able to compete in
several different ranges without confusing people as to which market
they are aiming for (i.e. B&D own Elu, Skil, and DeWalt)
or 'Bear in mind opinions do vary to some extent:' The rest isnt that
relevant
Budget brand tools:
NuTool, JCB, Many DIY shop "own brand tools", Power Devil, Ferm
dont forget kinzo, challenge, silverline,
Mid range tools
Bosch (green bodied), Black & Decker, Skill, Wicks own brand (grey
bodied), Freud, PPPro (B&Q), Ryobi
'Skil' I think it is. Not sure tho.
And why did someone call their tools 'peepee pro'??
I cant remember if it was erbaurer or ryobi that kept getting slated as
the worst of all brands by the woodwork reviewers.
High End
Makita, Trend, Bosch (blue bodied), Hitachi, Festool, Fein, Lamello,
Freud, Elu, Metabo, DeWalt, Atlas-Copco/Milwaukee, Panasonic
All about Different Tools
The following section lists lots of tools, why you may want them, and
highlights specific things to look for that are particular to the
tool.
[feel free to jump in here guys and gals and provide some sections!
-
this could go on a bit]
useful idea this, and it only needs a few sentences apiece.
The jigsaw
This is an example of a tool where there is a massive shift in
performance as you move from budget to high end. To the extent that a
high end tool is to all intents and purposes a different tool to the
low
end. It makes answering the question "why would I want one?" a
bit
tricky since the range of things you might do with a good one is much
wider that those you would contemplate for a poor one. Hence it is
yes, but again that can be said withut waffle.
'Budget jigsaws suffer from blade bend, twist, misalignment, wander,
and blade snapping due to bending sideways during work. They must be
steered by twisting to keep them in line, using them agaunst a straight
edge will simply break the blade. Cutting is slow, the cut edge a mess,
and expect blade breakages.'
less words, more info.
simpler to treat these as two separate types of tool:
The budget / mid range jigsaw:
Ideal for cutting curved lines, (indeed without practice, that may be
the only type you can cut!). If you need to cut out shapes, (i.e.
hole
for a sink in a worktop), or make some ornate woodwork this may be
the
tool for the job. If you need a jigsaw then there are few
alternatives,
there are some jobs that only a jigsaw will do. The speed of cut is
relatively slow (ones with pendulum action will cut faster (and
rougher)). The tools are pretty small and light. They are often a bit
uncomfortable to use since you get a fair bit of vibration. They are
not
suited to being a general purpose saw (a circular saw will often be a
better choice). The quality of the cut is moderate, and will need a
fair
amount of sanding etc prior to finishing if it is to be on display.
Features worth having include tool less blade change (sometimes
called
SDS just to confuse), an illuminated cutting line is nice, as is a
dust
blower that keeps the cutting line clear of sawdust.
The high end jigsaw
This will do all of the things the budget one will do. However it is
a
far more general purpose tool. It cuts quickly and smoothly with
little
or no vibration. It is much better at cutting straight lines, and can
often be used with a straight edge or rip fence without the blade
wandering to "interesting" angles. Tool less blade change is a
given, as
is a good speed controller. The base plate will be a solid cast
metal
rather than a flexible pressed steel one. With a fine or medium blade
it
will also give a very fine finish to a cut.
The Drill
The SDS Drill
SDS drills operate in 3 modes:
drill
drill and hammer
hammer only, no rotation.
Descriptions routinely fail to mention which functions the machine
does. Beware, many dont do all 3.
Look for:
sensible weight, ie 2.2kg not 5kg
one that does all 3 functions!
a brand name that will survive
chisel position lock when used in hammer mode.
SDS Downsides:
Sds drill bits are several times the price.
Cant put hex bits in an SDS chuck
The Sander
so many types... a whole faq in itself probably.
The Circular Saw
Many Low cost circs do a fairly good job. Avoid power devil, have had
problems with the blade guard. Low priced laser line ones often have an
unalignable laser line.
Avoid that 1970s one for =A31, it has no riving knife and no blade
guard, both dangers, and performance best described as pathetic.
The Planer
there is a technique needed for electric planes, and not everyone gets
the hang of it. When going onto the workpiece, all th weight needs to
be put on the front end of the plane. When coming off, all weight
should be on the rear end. Otherwise you'll gouge lumps out at one end
or the other.
There is no blade guard, the blade is still spinning when the motor
noise has stopped, and the lightest touch can take a finger off, so
always treat with respect, never get cocky.
The Router
The Biscuit Jointer
The Reciprocating Saw
The Mitre Saw
Low cost ones suffer from:
plastic bases that bend out of alignment as you press the workpiece
down
poor blade that can burn the wood
imperfect alignment all round
failure to extract dust
Avoid the uncommon rock bottom ones that use a steel tipped blade. Such
blades cut slow and dull fast.
Check the dimensions of cut are adequate for your uses.
Prices: =A326-=A3400.
I wonder if its worth mentioning the old hammer drill trick used in the
days of non-hammer drills? Occasional diyers may only have non hammer
types, even today.
NT