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One of my best buys has been a beefy cordless drill. I have had a 14 volt Makita and an 18 v Site for a quite a while and they have been great, but not enough torque when fixing larger screws, and definitely not enough torque when it comes to loosening o!d, stubborn screws. Thsn I bought a...

I agree Axminster are very good when it comes to quality of service. My only criticism is they describe (or used to in their catalogues) some of their kit in glowing terms which is simply undeserved, and occasionally over the top. For example I bought a dust extractor kit which was described as...

Ah yes, that sounds very familiar. My workshop is about 40 ft x 18 ft, with an even bigger area for 'storage'. That means loads of space to store everything and throw very little away. So I have ended up with everything jam packed, with stuff I know I have hidden behind everything else, and...

I'm not sure freezer drawers are fit for purpose. They break really easily and if the drawer is slightly stiff ( as in needing defrosting) then look out - it's another £60 - or put an ad on freecycle to see if anyone has a similar freezer that no longer works and they ard disposing of...

I bought a Clarke 160TM which is the cheapest of the so-called industrial ( yeah, right) models. It is made in Italy, so not a Chaiwanese import. I have had it for just over a year and seems fine, although I haven't used it a great deal. It cost me just over £300 on a VAT free day at Machine...

Hi Mark, I didn't name the store because I thought people would probably make a pretty good guess, but yes, it was indeed good old Machine Mart, Swansea branch. I don't often shop there myself even on VAT free days, and as for Clarke kit well, enough said. I do like my welder though, I think...

As has been said, there is a big difference in performance between different models of the same brand. I bought a Makita 14v and I can stop the chuck just by holding tight when on max screwdriving torque setting. I then bought a Site 18v expecting a big improvement but it is pretty much the...

Interesting chat with my mate who went to a well known superstore on their recent VAT free day to buy a metal bending jig. He knew what he was after because he had seen mine. Only one was left in stock, display model and no box, but no formers etc either, just the basic bender. My mate - there...

I bought a set of three in different grades, on different coloured plastic bases. Useful but you can see they are not flat without using a straightedge. Probably fine for bill hook etc, and perhaps get some quality ones for plane irons and chisels? K

I find the pencils acquired from Screwfix fit nicely in my back pocket (come on, admit it, we all have some Screwfix pencils). I keep about 3 there so there is nearly always one which is still sharp enough to use. They don't last long because they are short to start with, but are easily...

I have to agree with you there SteveF, a well researched and very useful post. K

You can get gear wheels that will allow imperial lathes to cut approximations to metric threads. According to the conradhoffman website you can use 127 and 100 tooth wheels, or 47 and 37 tooth wheels for a slightly less accurate approximation. 80 and 63 is another combination. These apply to 8...

I bought a tin bath of assorted bits once, because there was a spanner I wanted. The lot cost me £1 - first and only bid. After getting it home I found, amongst other things, a terminal crimping pliers, slightly rusty but otherwise in very good position. The exact same tool in ths RS catalogue...

I bought a Mazda Demio about 18 years ago and that had indicators and wipers the opposite way round. It was a bit of a pain because our other car had the usual layout. I can well remember the time an oncoming car made a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre and nearly hit us - boy, I didn't half wash...

I have no idea why this post has appeared twice. K

I wonder if the problem faced by Steve is that, like me, he approached the dust extraction issue from a position of inadequate knowledge. He has bought dust extraction kit and now finds it may not be suitable for his needs. I did the same thing. If I was starting again I would invest in a 2HP or...

I wonder if the problem faced by Steve is that, like me, he approached the dust extraction issue from a position of inadequate knowledge. He has bought dust extraction kit and now finds it may not be suitable for his needs. I did the same thing. If I was starting again I would invest in a 2HP or...

These old drills may be worthless to tradsmen or serious DIYers who have newer, better kit, but sometimes you need a hefty drill and can't justify the cost for just occasional use. I have two old drills which get very occasional use but which I wouldn't part with. They wouldn't fetch much...

I like this idea so I am making a reply so that I can find it easily. I don't know how to bookmark. K

Some of his early songs such as Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy and So Long Marianne are real classics and all time favourites of mine. I still enjoy listening to them after all these years. K