Rutlands tools

[robgul]

I've bought a few bits from Rutlands with no problems, their feather boards are good quality and value. However, this is not the experience of far too many on this forum. I echo what others have said about rebadging Chinese tools, many of their newer measurement tools and clamps can be found on Banggood and often much cheaper, but they are often very good quality e.g. these

Clamping Square with Clamps | Next Day Delivery (rutlands.com)

are these

Drillpro woodworking precision clamping square l-shaped auxiliary fixture splicing board positioning panel fixed clip carpenter square ruler woodworking tool Sale - Banggood.com

I've just bought 4 of the Banggood ones and they are excellent.

Yep - I saw a review (Dennis at Hooked on Wood) and bought 1 Banggood clamp to see if I liked it - came in 5 days! - excellent, 3 more are winging their way to me for a job that awaits. I noticed that Rutlands have loads of the Banggood/Drillipro kit but in black and twice the price rather than the red which is in turn a rip-off of Woodpecker stuff.

 

[stuartpaul]

Almost everyone complaining about Chinese made tools but are happily typing away on products thats made 90 to 100% in China. How very funny.

It’s not funny at all, - just a reflection of different approaches to quality control!

 

[Terrytpot]

I've made quite a few purchases from them recently using the philosophy of "you know it's pretty cheap so don't be surprised if you're not impressed with it's quality". Annoyingly the most expensive item is the one I currently have an issue with in that it doesn't work! As the claim for that is still in progress I'll ignore it and refer to other items instead. Most of the items I went for I have been quite pleased with , like their Deep throat G clamps (would love some of the drop forged Axi ones as they are so much nicer but @£60 a pop hurts) which at £60 for a pack of 6 seemed very reasonable and I'm very happy with those. I think as long as you're not "betting the ranch" on your purchase and you use a modicum of that rare commodity, common sense, you'll be ok. If on the other hand you pay £15 and expect to get Festool quality ,you'll be rather disappointed.

 

[Raymien]

Again, thank you all for your comments. I too have some of those clamping squares from Banggod, and I have also found them to be excellent. I was lucky enough to get a woodpeckers square for Christmas and checking the clamping squares against that shows they're spot on.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I have used Rutlands occassionally and had no problems.

It is clear that they have tried to build a business on the back of "cheap". No problem, but don't expect fillet steak for mince money.

As a hobbyist I generally place limited demands on equipment and tools, I accept that they are not the best, cost less but should be functional. A tool may get used for up to a few hours every week. It may last 5-10 years.

Were I reliant on tools for my business and income it is very much less likely that I would buy cheap. Cheap frequently used tool or machine may fail after just a few months. Buy well and buy once is good advice.

 

[billw]

I've just bought 4 of the Banggood ones and they are excellent.

Me too - I never realised they were £30 at Rutlands. £15 on Banggood.

 

[DavidRa]

Has anyone bought their 200mm wetstone sharpening machine. Tormek just seems so expensive. Buy 200mm Wetstone Sharpening System online at Rutlands.com

 

[MarkDennehy]

They seem to be the UK version of Harbour Freight in the US. A lot of what they sell is... well, you get what you didn't pay enough for. But some things are fine. My dust extractor came from them as well as a lot of consumables and those I've had no problem with. My first beginners woodturning toolset came from them as well and they were fine (I mean, any deficiency in the tools was more than masked by my cackhandedness). Their xact 3" (now "precision 75") chuck have been worth about what I paid for it (I bought two of them as ex-demo clearance stock), but after a year of use, I'm learning they've got limits (and if you can learn that after so little time on a lathe, those limits must be pretty significant).

Better than banggood or aliexpress, not as good as others, but if you're just a beginner and you're not expecting the tool to last a lifetime (and expecting to graduate to better tools when you learn more), their price point is a pretty good one. I'd have felt awful ruining hamlet or crown tools learning how to sharpen turning tools, for example.

How all that holds up post-brexit, I'm not sure; I think it won't from outside the UK, customs will be a bit of an issue on the pricing.

 

[robgul]

Yep - I saw a review (Dennis at Hooked on Wood) and bought 1 Banggood clamp to see if I liked it - came in 5 days! - excellent, 3 more are winging their way to me for a job that awaits. I noticed that Rutlands have loads of the Banggood/Drillipro kit but in black and twice the price rather than the red which is in turn a rip-off of Woodpecker stuff.

The other 3 corner clamps I ordered on 19 Dec arrived this morning - from China - I can now finish the frames for the display cases I'm making

And - I noticed Rutlands had these Buy MFT Clamps from Rutlands Limited - Rutlands at £50 a pair (Amazon has them £100!!!) - I bought a pair on @petermillard suggestion for £28 incl shipping from Banggood (that was the first order I placed with them and was dubious . . no problems with about 8 orders now)

 

[alex_heney]

I have only bought one thing from them, which was the previous version of this woodturning chuck kit Woodturning Chucks | Next Day Delivery

It was a fair bit cheaper then, at £119 rather than the £159 they are asking for the current one.

I have had absolutely no issues with it at all, having turned quite a few bowls, vases goblets etc. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use it for a while, because we moved house in the summer, and I haven't yet got a workshop set up for the lathe

 

[Shane1978]

I've bought a few bits from Rutlands with no problems, their feather boards are good quality and value. However, this is not the experience of far too many on this forum. I echo what others have said about rebadging Chinese tools, many of their newer measurement tools and clamps can be found on Banggood and often much cheaper, but they are often very good quality e.g. these

Clamping Square with Clamps | Next Day Delivery (rutlands.com)

are these

Drillpro woodworking precision clamping square l-shaped auxiliary fixture splicing board positioning panel fixed clip carpenter square ruler woodworking tool Sale - Banggood.com

I've just bought 4 of the Banggood ones and they are excellent.

Agreed. I thought I was making a mistake ordering from China, but I’m now in the market for 2 more.
have you noticed though: package deals with 2 squares and 4 clamps work out more expensive than buying separates. I had hoped they’d come in a box with foam and be ‘self contained’ but no such luck.
same with a lot of Banggood stuff.. they don’t really do package deals!
Having said that’s I use them all the time so they wouldn’t be interested he box much!

 

[Shane1978]

Yep - I saw a review (Dennis at Hooked on Wood) and bought 1 Banggood clamp to see if I liked it - came in 5 days! - excellent, 3 more are winging their way to me for a job that awaits. I noticed that Rutlands have loads of the Banggood/Drillipro kit but in black and twice the price rather than the red which is in turn a rip-off of Woodpecker stuff.

Saw the same review, bought 2 and now also waiting for 2 more. I’m becoming a big fan of drill pro and hongdui. I hope they can grow and maintain quality.

 

[Raymien]

I picked this up and it arrived a couple of days ago.

T Square

Obviously a copy of the Woodpeckers version, but less than a 1/6th of the price and I’m very happy with it. Paid £30 for the 400mm version, and putting it against my woodpeckers square it’s bang on

Drillpro is putting out more and more woodpeckers clones - they even do this now, with a blatant copy of the hook end.

Hook rule

I’m waiting on a couple of these to arrive - at £16 each, they were worth a punt...

Quick clamps

 

[billw]

Agreed. I thought I was making a mistake ordering from China, but I’m now in the market for 2 more.
have you noticed though: package deals with 2 squares and 4 clamps work out more expensive than buying separates.

Yeah I think they put deals on certain items forgetting that they also offer multiples - I bought 4 corner clamps the other day and it was a couple of quid cheaper to buy 4x1 than 2x2.

Shame there's not more choice on Banggood really.

 

[Shane1978]

I’m waiting on a couple of these to arrive - at £16 each, they were worth a punt...

They’re on my wish list. I very nearly ordered them, then I saw this:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNmgm1r
Ali express has specialist ‘shops’ too, like this one:

Ruby's Store
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mr89AnL
It would be great if we could find a way to keep track of the various Chinese brands and their products - beyond the bish-bash-bosh and Hooked on Wood YouTube channels.

 

[mikej460]

I picked this up and it arrived a couple of days ago.

T Square

Obviously a copy of the Woodpeckers version, but less than a 1/6th of the price and I’m very happy with it. Paid £30 for the 400mm version, and putting it against my woodpeckers square it’s bang on

Drillpro is putting out more and more woodpeckers clones - they even do this now, with a blatant copy of the hook end.

Hook rule

I’m waiting on a couple of these to arrive - at £16 each, they were worth a punt...

Quick clamps

I'd be very interested in your opinion of the clamps

 

[doctor Bob]

I quite like Rutlands but rarely buy from them as I have trade accounts elsewhere.

 

[billw]

They’re on my wish list. I very nearly ordered them, then I saw this:
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNmgm1r

Those ratchet clamps look awesome but I'm confused about which type you'd actually get because there's the standard F clamps shown too an d the heading mentions both.

 

[TheTiddles]

It’s not funny at all, - just a reflection of different approaches to quality control!

Oh it’s hilarious, like a vegan in leather shoes or an animal rights activist who uses medicine

Aidan

 

[Shane1978]

Oh it’s hilarious, like a vegan in leather shoes or an animal rights activist who uses medicine

Aidan

Agreed.
It’s funny how people only care about human rights and freedom of speech AFTER they’ve bought their German-branded mitre saw (made in china) and BEFORE they buy their over-priced Woodpecker/Rutland tools (also made in China).
Ive said it before: we need a way to keep track of Chinese tools/brands that isn’t curated/controlled by companies like Rutland and woodpecker (who are ripping us off) and is a bit more transparent and comprehensive than the YouTube channels.