# Budget tools on offer at Lidl this week



## Graham Orm (5 Dec 2014)

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?id=443


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## ChrisR (5 Dec 2014)

Just my luck.

Our local Lidl store is flat to the ground at the moment, new bigger store to be open mid 2015. :evil: 

Take care.

Chris R.


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## bugbear (5 Dec 2014)

ChrisR":1hyhezo4 said:


> Just my luck.
> 
> Our local Lidl store is flat to the ground at the moment, new bigger store to be open mid 2015. :evil:
> 
> ...



We've got a new, low price supermarket recently opened in our town.

It's Aldi.  

BugBear


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## Graham Orm (5 Dec 2014)

bugbear":15r8idm5 said:


> ChrisR":15r8idm5 said:
> 
> 
> > Just my luck.
> ...



Aldi do some similar tool offers. Register on their site for emails


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## mindthatwhatouch (5 Dec 2014)

Don't bother with the grinding cutting discs, absolutely pants.


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## Phil Pascoe (5 Dec 2014)

ChrisR":2jwbajvf said:


> Just my luck.
> 
> Our local Lidl store is flat to the ground at the moment, new bigger store to be open mid 2015. :evil:
> 
> ...



You don't venture out into the big wide world then - Redruth, Falmouth...?


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## JohnPW (5 Dec 2014)

I've got the Japanese saw, a bit expensive for a Lidl product (1 handle and 2 blades for £8) but it's razor sharp and leaves end grain absolutely smooth.

Haha, I've got about six Lidls within a 2 mile radius, and go past about 3 on my commute.


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## ChrisR (5 Dec 2014)

phil.p":2glm05zg said:


> ChrisR":2glm05zg said:
> 
> 
> > Just my luck.
> ...




No that’s far beyond my scope of travel. 
Not been that far in years. :shock: 

Take care.

Chris R.


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## DennisCA (6 Dec 2014)

I could use a cheap router to hold me over until I can afford something better, I wonder if those parkside routers are any good. My other parkside tools have been good quality.

Naturally Lidl in finland doesn't have these offers now, though we have a parkside jigsaw and silvercrest ultrasonic cleaner, want to pick up the cleaner later. They tend to come here later though...


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## dickm (6 Dec 2014)

mindthatwhatouch":77vx70q9 said:


> Don't bother with the grinding cutting discs, absolutely pants.


That's interesting. Their 9 inch stone cutting disks seem pretty good. Certainly given the price.


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## Eric The Viking (7 Dec 2014)

DennisCA":1zn8ac2z said:


> I could use a cheap router to hold me over until I can afford something better, I wonder if those parkside routers are any good. My other parkside tools have been good quality.



I like my Parkside vacuum (the one with power t/o). 

The router looks like a sensible design (I think having the power cable coming out of the handle like that would be good, as I often trap the cable from my Bosch ones with one hand, so I know where it's going!). The only problem is that it only goes up to 8mm collets, not 1/2". If you can live with that, given their returns policy, it ought to be good value.


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## DennisCA (7 Dec 2014)

Well I'm not gonna afford a good 1/2" one anytime soon, but when I do I can dedicate it to a table and keep using this one freehand. That's the general idea anyway


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## RossJarvis (8 Dec 2014)

Have just bought the multitool and router bits. For the price I think the router bits don't need to do any more than do one or two cuts to be worth it. The multitool will come in handy for a window job next week cutting out putty (or maybe not, but we'll see :? ).

Parkside have been pretty good for their price in my experience, we've cut several hundred roof tiles with the grinder the past couple of weeks (but with a decent named diamond blade) with the trigger lock binding a bit due to dust but it's okay now. I can't comment on their router but never, ever, ever, ever buy the one from Aldi as it is worse than useless (I was forced to take a pickaxe to mine (hammer) )

I'd say Lidl Tools good, Aldi absolutely crepe!!


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## mindthatwhatouch (9 Dec 2014)

dickm":33cksiuq said:


> mindthatwhatouch":33cksiuq said:
> 
> 
> > Don't bother with the grinding cutting discs, absolutely pants.
> ...



Sorry, should have specified that I was referring to the 115mm metal cutting discs, they are nice and thin which is good but won't last. One disc did about ten cuts through 6mm rebar.


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## DennisCA (15 Dec 2014)

So did anyone buy the lidl router? It's in local Lidls here now for 39.99 euros.


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## ChrisR (16 Dec 2014)

DennisCA":1aq5xy0u said:


> So did anyone buy the lidl router? It's in local Lidls here now for 39.99 euros.



I purchased a Lidl router approx eight/nine years ago, still working fine, and it has done a fair amount of work. 

Just one thing to bear in mind, if it is the same as when I purchased, it only comes with 6 & 8 mm collets, which is a bit limiting.

Take care.

Chris R.


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## DennisCA (16 Dec 2014)

I'm aware, I plan to get a 12mm router later for dedicating as a router table, I think this one will serve for freehand work.


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## DennisCA (18 Dec 2014)

Well I got the router home today, using it to make a router table, made some mortises for said table using it and from what I can tell it works fine. Right now I am considering the best way to make an insert and how to make an elevating mechanism, lots of different methods out there.


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## Graham Orm (21 Dec 2014)

A scissor jack is a quick easy way for fine adjustment. About £5


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## DennisCA (21 Dec 2014)

I was going to do that actually, but after attempting to do the simple thing and just bolt the routers face plate to the bottom of the table top, well I guess it's just how this router is designed, but the thickness of my table top makes it impossible to get more than a little portion of the bit to raise above the table surface. Even if I bought a commerical plate which would be thin, I'd still have issues with the grips, they're situated so far down on the router body that they interfere with the bottom of the table.

So I've removed the handles and plunge function and I am now building my own router lift, I might still use the jack too, but I could also use a threaded rod and be able to adjust it from the top of the table, though with the jack I could have a wheel style adjusment in front... I am keeping all the parts though and am doing nothing destructive so I can put it back together again when I get a bigger router to dedicate to the table. 

One thing I'd do then is make a new base plate in lexan or something and make it perfectly round. The design of the plate on this router made it very annoying to cut out the hole in the router table, because depending on how you orient it, it's not the same distance from the cutter to the edge of the plate.

Took it apart and had a look at the parts and it looks like a simple, but solid design, know where the bearings are now, it should be user serviceable if those or the carbon brushes need replacing.


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## Graham Orm (22 Dec 2014)

Sounds like you're on top of it Dennis. It is a budget router after all! Scissor jacks are a great tool I've used one for a bench lift. This was under my old router until I refreshed everything and fitted a 'Router Razor'. There's a shelf over this now so all you see is the splined winder sticking out at the front, 6 turns clockwise with my foot lifts the bench onto a board with castors and allows me to move it around. 6 Turns anti clockwise drops it back onto it's feet.


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