Top tools

[Toby Newell]

I like the look of the unimatic. I like 5m with a clip though.

I just wish Hultafors wouldn't make their tools so sexy.

We don't want sexy, we want lurid fluoro orange and puke green with flashing knobs on so we can actually find the thing!

And yes, I agree. No problem finding my crappy Wickes tape I bought as an emergency replacement, can't seem to be able to lose that...

 

[Toby Newell]

Oh the days my knees were fit for kicking...

 

[Feltwell]

I like the look of the unimatic. I like 5m with a clip though.

A belt clip? It has one of those, a nice strong metal one. Plus it's available in metric only, or a combination of old and new money. Whatever floats your boat. I used to have an imperial only one, but it broke

http://www.fisco.co.uk/uni-matic.html

 

[Toby Newell]

Ah, I see. They now do Fisco in Hultafors colours! Tres confusing!

I might get one, I can't stand heavy tapes and you can never have enough tapes! ( Or pencils / Sharpies)

I think the smaller 3m talmeter is the most handy. I just wished they all came in Kawasaki green.

 

[Feltwell]

That's good, because I ordered the 3m Talmeter. Mean Green? Not too worried, but then I have got Hondas and a BMW!

Don't get the 5m BigT, I've got one, it's very bulky. If you want a small tape that fits in the palm easily the Unimatic is the one, and mine have always lasted for ages.

 

[RBailey]

Ryobi 16G nailer. It's really cheap, the batteries are really good and apart from the slightly flimsy feeling nail cassette works brilliantly. I think I've had one or two jams in 5 months using several thousand Brad's. Makes the equivalent Paslode look expensive and stupid in comparison.

Thanks, I have wondering about one of these for a while, based on this it will now go on the list

 

[Toby Newell]

Go for it! I have mostly German tools, a lot of Bosch and Festool and large specialist stuff that is mostly German. Some hand tools are English, mostly the antique ones, Scandinavian, American and Japanese.

I am not a fanboy, even though my £6k worth of systainers says otherwise.

See Peter Millard on YouTube. He seems like an analytical and very competent carpenter, he rates the Ryobi. A few others do so I took the plunge. I also have the 18v planer which is also great apart from the badly designed dust ports (just don't stick your finger into it - did at start November, not healed properly!) I also bought the mini blower cheap and surprisingly handy. Just got the 18v impact wrench, 12v car charger and tyre inflator to keep in the van.

People often ask 'which is the best tool brand?' but that's not how it works! The company that licenced the Ryobi name (partially, the real Ryobi Japan still exists) also now makes Milwaukee, in Taiwan! It makes sense that some of the cheaper Ryobi tools get the same components as the more expensive Milwaukee ones. Some Milwaukee stuff is good but trading on the time they were made out of iron girders in Ohio.

I wouldn't buy any more Ryobi tools as they are pretty crappy but the nailer is a bargain and I've had four Paslodes! Not sure about the first fix nailer, I think DeWalt are the best for that, even though they are made by Black and Decker.

It's like Festool, they make the best storage boxes, sanders, extractors and lights, possibly their Centrotec drill drivers are more accurate, but only for cabinet makers and kitchen fitters. Likewise their saws, the larger Kapex is brilliant, the smaller is great but expensive, the Trion jigsaw is almost good value (12 years and running) but the Vecturo is a rebadged Fein with money and pointless accessories added. Everything else is either overly complicated or needlessly expensive. You have to be an anaroak and know what company makes the tools and who they licence them to.

It's like cars. The most expensive pick up truck is a Mercedes X Class, which is a Nissan Navarro, which is made by the French! Want an entry level A class? Wannabe gonna get a Renault engine :lol:

It's a minefield out there.

Digression aside yeah, I've had maybe one or two jams in 5 months of firing and bump firing a few thousand Brad's. The cassette feels crappy and flimsy but virtually zero jams, so ok I guess. Bump fire is fast and already cheaper than the Paslodes which ALWAYS break. If you have DeWalt batteries look at those too, even the old NiMH ones they were very good I know many carpenters who had them.

 

[d49xc]

Nah,

You need the sort of thing I saw in use once...
It was some form of nail/fixing/riveting gun that was "powered" by something like a .22 cartridge
Yes, you did need a firearms license to use it.
I saw it being used to fix thick large plywood sheets onto a metal frame.
You could adjust the power as using too much would mean the fixing went straight through the thing and kept going beyond ...as errrr was demonstrated to me.
I think the military used bigger versions to fire fixing bolts into solid concrete in a millisecond flat.

 

[Toby Newell]

What? Ramset or Hilti cartridge guns?

No licence required. No need for 'bigger' tool, just use cartridge with more black powder. Yes, Ramset uses .22 blanks, not sure what Hilti use. Very handy for their intended purpose but probably not all that useful in the average period home.

They are for quick fixing metal - metal, metal - concrete. Not really useful for a wood restorer. Besides, even though they can fix wood - metal, wood - concrete it's not a good option, same as Paslode or any first fix nailer not good option, at least for high movement areas like floors.

The round D end nails leave a large void which means all nail gunned floors start to creak and move after 6 months. Concrete / metal screws or liquid adhesive batten have better engineering properties. First fix nailers are handy for roofing and studwork, lazy and ignorant for floors.

I was talking about 16G finish nailers. I use these to supplement screws, near edges and splits where screws cannot be used. I work mostly on very old floors and save boards most others throw away so they are very handy.

I would never use a first fix nailer to fit a floor because it gives poor results. I admit, I did fit a couple of floors with my old IM350s before I found out this information, but that's part of the learning process.

 

[RBailey]

What? Ramset or Hilti cartridge guns?

No licence required. No need for 'bigger' tool, just use cartridge with more black powder. Yes, Ramset uses .22 blanks, not sure what Hilti use. Very handy for their intended purpose but probably not all that useful in the average period home.

Rumour was that you could actually fire a Hilti nail through armored glass because they fire / drive on contact and use a hardened nail / projectile.

I used them before to nail steel joist hangers to steel I beams, cowboy city.
The joist hangers were custom made of 3mm steel so we had to heat them with a Oxy/Acy tourch bend them over to fit the beam using your foot and then nail them down with the Hilti.
I was only aged 15 at the time, very HSE conscious boss :lol:

Fun tools but total overkill for a period house.

 

[Toby Newell]

They have plenty of non standard uses. Including breaking locks. They are essentially real guns that fire nails instead of bullets.

Although I think it's game over for law abiding citizens as Festool is about to release one of the best criminal tools ever.

A 1.5kW hr power bank - 240v inverter in a systainer. Something like 3.6kW continuous duty cycle, 9kW peak. Basically your van / house / car / garage / business is toast. Any single phase tool, Hilti breaker drill, metal shear, angle grinder, powered hydraulic cutter, they will have it. Truly scary.

 

[noj]

Far less exciting than the previous power toys but I love my air wedges for all sorts of levelling/door hanging jobs.

I'd never come across them before a post on here a few years ago and subsequently picked up a pair when they appeared in the middle of Lidl.

Not my top tool, but worth a mention, since the flyer that just came through the door says they'll be back in this Thursday...

 

[a twig]

They have plenty of non standard uses...

Next week on Period Breaking and Entering with Mr Newell...

Great to have you back on the forum, have missed.your posts

 

[Toby Newell]

To the person who mentioned dental tools. Brilliant. I have had a set of dental tools for years. I have also stripped hundreds of items. Never thought of using them. Guess you're never to old to learn. Used them today to clean out my corner quirks on an oak staircase.

 

[Phill123]

Mine would be:

-Festool KS60 mitre saw - the cuts it produces are great!
-Digital Clamp Meter
-Laser Level & tripod

 

[ElectronicFur]

Festool Rotex. No words. I resisted for years. Stubbornly bought the Metabo, the Bosch, idiotically the more expensive Mafell even, I was already using Festool dust extractors and had a zillion systainers but I refused to buy a Festool sander. True story.

Well, I could of saved myself a few thousand pounds.

It's expensive, but it's really not. It's the best hand held sander in the world and the best tool Festool make just above their extractors and syslites.

What makes it the best? I was looking at sanders a few months back and had decided I'd get the Bosch GET 75-150 at some point this year as I have a lot of sanding to do. The Rotex is a lot pricier, and after looking at a few reviews I couldn't really work out what I'd gain. What would I be missing if I got the Bosch instead of a Rotex?

 

[Toby Newell]

Complete no brainer. It's a free tool.

Before you read on be aware buying your first Festool sander is a dangerous activity. :lol: They make a few very good tools. And you don't want to get afflicted.

Buy it. Use it. Keep it long enough and sell it for more than you paid for it. Or sell it quickly and lose three days rental.

If you had the money a McLaren F1 was cheaper than a Dacia Duster. And in this analogy, you have the money McLaren after 15 year's worth more than sticker price. Dacia Duster worth a sticker. :mrgreen:

Do an eBay search 'Rotex 150' and sort from low to high.

First result? A 15 year old two thirds of the power RO150 forerunner to the current Rotex in a faded first gen systainer with a mangled pad. (Cost less than £300 new in 2006.

Buy it now for £350. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Best of luck doing that with any other tool.




If the Rotex isn't one of the best tools you will ever use I would be surprised. I have around £15k worth of sanders. I have sold around £20k worth. I have had a few dozen from Fein, Bosch, Festool, Makita and Metabo. Think I broke 2 or 3 Makitas, 3 Boschs, 3 Metabos and a Mafel (150mm sanders) before I relented and bought a Rotex. I've had about 5, sold 3, still got 2. Never been serviced. Put a 40 grit ceramic alumina disc on, kneel on the ground, put all of your weight on the Rotex and try and lift yourself off the ground with it, it doesn't slow down much. Put a 3M P5000 film disc on and it will polish glass.

Had 2 of the Bosch's GEX150 TURBO - Previous version. Both broke within 2 years.

Dust extraction better, pads better, gears better, ergonomics better. Rotex is cheap in vfm terms, one of best 240v hand tools full stop.

If you will be using for less than 100hrs and keeping for life Bosch is fine, similar power, both have 3yr warranty but only Festool covers theft, accidental damage will pick up and drop off for free and have dedicated Tooltechnic technicians in the UK (best warranty and service cover in the entire industry). If you are going to use it lots just get the Rotex.

The Bosch looks cheaper and crappier than the previous version, main problem is the gears and the dust tube lol, excellent ergonomics. The old version was more expensive. Like the Metabo duo the newer one is rubbish. Metabo and Makita sanders (and other tools) have dropped in quality. Not heard anything about the Bosch. But seeing as the dust tube is worse and moved from the old one suggests Bosch don't make it themselves.

I'm repeating what I already wrote for flips sake.

I bought the Mafel UX150 More expensive than the Rotex! Because I refused to buy a Rotex. Broke within months, Muppet idiot importers in Oldham sent it back more broken than when I sent it for repair (after weeks)

I still remember walking to the wheelie bin and throwing it in.

1500 discs, most of them used on the Rotex, tranche 2 of 3 of one job. Rotex was 2yrs old, now 5 and still going.

 

[Feltwell]

I've got the Bosch GET75-150 (which I'm sure Toby was because you liked the previous model - must have been before yours broke!)

I picked mine up as an Amazon return at a bit of a bargain price. I'm pleased with it, but it's horses for courses - it's probably done an hour of sanding in 3 months, whereas for Toby that's, erm, his first hour of his day! I don't doubt the Festool is a better item, but if the budget won't stretch then for amateur use the Bosch is good I think.

My intention at some point was to do my lounge and dining room floors with it - if I don't relent / see sense and ask Toby to do them! The attraction of doing it myself is partly to try and do half a room at a time, I'm struggling a bit on emptying all the furniture out of 2 rooms in order to ask Toby to do it. Yes, I've got a whacking great garage, but it's full.....

Prior to the Bosch I had an old B&Q PP Pro random orbit sander. It came with an attractive feature (it was free! A sample from when I worked at their head office). The Bosch is in a different league - the "Turbo mode" (which means that the rotation of the disc is directly powered) makes it very powerful, in fact too powerful for many scenarios, mine has it switched off quite frequently.

I use a disc saver pad - worth it I think. Toby, I'd welcome your view on the Bosch net pads, like the ones below - the idea appeals as I've got an Abranet hand sanding kit, which has a similar appearing mesh based paper, works really well I find in conjunction with my ancient Henry hoover at keeping dust levels down.

https://www.axminstertools.com/bosch-net-m480-abrasive-150mm-x-80g-pkt-5-103496

 

[Toby Newell]

I think you should sand the floors Feltwell :mrgreen:

You have the gear!

You are correct, the new Bosch or a Makita BO6050 (successor to the BO6040 of which I forgot I had 2 of... :lol: ) will do an identical job to the Festool, for around half the price. So, perfect in the short and medium terms as they all have 3 year warranty (if you don't mind waiting a few weeks / months compared to Festools 1 to 2 weeks to resolve, which may not be important to a, er, civvie :lol: The Bosch and Makitas are a straight copy of the Festool, who not only invented the dual action model, but the random orbital sander itself. Long term the Festool will hold its value better / break down less and offer more pad options whilst being less dusty. Traditionally Festool pads were overpriced, relatively poorly made and annoyingly proprietary, these days the price has come down, the Jetstream and fast fix features are genuinely brilliant (several of my Makita / Metabo sanders were destroyed because the pad 'welded' on) and they last much longer than any other brand making them excellent value.

As regards the mesh discs which are a copy of the Mirka abranet, which even Festool have now copied (Kudos Mirka) they are pointless for floor sanding.

I tried some Mirkas and they destroyed my pad. No idea how they react with the Bosch pads, (Bosch don't make either in house) kind of moot as they were designed to sand paint and filler on walls with a smaller sander and would only be good to sand filler or intercoat sanding. Zero advantage for dust collection which is more related to what sander you have, what dust extractor and what size hose.

I own the amusingly misnamed 'pad savers' (correct name 'interface pads') which last around 5 minutes of hard use. They aren't designed to save money as they last less than a day or two of proper sanding, more to be more gentle on curved work.

Important point, if you really cannot afford a Rotex up front, or even if you just can, buying the Bosch or Makita along with the cheapest dust extractor would be a wiser option. Again, vying with the Rotex for the best tools ever made, period. Again, I've tried almost all of them, the Trend, the Fein etc. I had trend and Fein extractors for years and years, excellent machines, although I cannot vouch for the new ones (and neither company makes their own so probably Chinese now rather than Italian who are world leaders in vacuum motor technology, the Hitachi QB35 was a carbon copy of the Fein QA35E, seek out a second hand one of these or an old Trend T30 these all lasted 15 year's after I gave them away to friends - shoot me now I cannot take the sadness...)

Ps. Top tip. If the Bosch still uses a bolt on pad (think the new Makita is fast fix) consider applying a smear of copper slip. Yeah, I know it reduces torque but should be fine for holding a sanding pad. What is less fine is (what I assume to be the case) extra fine sanding dust / resin migrating its way up the threads, melting and 'loctiting' the bolt better than any Loctite! Although conceivably could also have cold welded. Sent one of my Metabo SXE450 DUOs to Healy's tools (original Festool importer, yes I was year zero adoptor in the UK) couldn't touch it, so they sent it next door to a lorry workshop. They couldn't touch it with an arm breaking air wrench.

Preempting your next question and working on the basis I will shortly stop my Claire Raynor impression and get back to work...

3M cubitron II
3M 255P+
3M 245
Festool Granat
Mirka Silver
Siat Alox / Zirconia

These are the discs I use. Just as saw blades and drills are arguably more important than the tools they are attached to, sanders are the same (technically the saw / drill / sander does zero cutting / drilling / sanding, they just move the bit at the sharp end which is the disposable tool that does the work and thus effects efficiency)

Using the right sanding disc can effect your efficiency by 500%

FEI I use mostly Festool Granat, Siat Zirconia for rough sanding (3M 245 green also excellent, 345 and the Siat being a heavier weight paper than the Granat) I have a few thousand Mirka Silver in P80 which are great, as are the 3M cubitron 2s which last less but cut sharp being electrostatically aligned, laser cut triangular silicon carbide. I use 3M 255P+ for finer and intercoat sanding and still have a few thousand of them. Yes, I have several thousand pounds worth of sanding discs at any one time. And yes, I have experimented A and B ing discs too. For example don't be tempted with Mirka Base cut (shit cut) they're cheap but last 5x less than Mirka Silver.

(If you want to know about hardness and cutting characteristics, abrasive types, glue bonding, paper weight, stearate lubrication and loading patterns, there is always my website)

 

[RBailey]

I got fed up with killing vacuum cleaners, filling bags quickly, blocking filters / bags and loosing suction.
After cleaning out under some more floor boards recently the detritus killed another vacuum so I've gone for a fleabay cyclone and drum for the latest replacement shop vac.
So far it seems to separate well with no real loss of suction. (I also like the 5m hose.)

I will also do double duty on the table saw and router lift.

Cheers,
Richard B.