The toolbox thread

[mazambaan]

1 minute ago, MTBeer said:

most useless shop I've ever had the misfortune of visiting. And waaaaaaay overpriced.

Agreed, best avoided if possible.

[Hairy]

18 minutes ago, MTBeer said:

most useless shop I've ever had the misfortune of visiting. And waaaaaaay overpriced.

100% agreed ... but they are just around the corner from me, so quick to pop in.

In hindsight, I do go there, but very rarely do I actually buy anything 🤣

[The Ouzo]

11 minutes ago, Hairy said:

100% agreed ... but they are just around the corner from me, so quick to pop in.

In hindsight, I do go there, but very rarely do I actually buy anything 🤣

unfortunately I use them way to often, but that is out of convenience (they are less then 1km from my house) and lack of other options. Leroy Merlin is about 1.5km from home, but the local branch just never seem to stock what I'm looking for. Have often followed a stream of cars out of LM and into BW.

Really wish there was a proper hardware store close by, not a hardware supermarket. 

[TheoG]

10 minutes ago, Hairy said:

100% agreed ... but they are just around the corner from me, so quick to pop in.

In hindsight, I do go there, but very rarely do I actually buy anything 🤣

Same here, they are the closest to me so yes its convenient but for sure overpriced on many things. 

Same goes for Cajees, walking distance from me, overprized, useless customer service but yet if I need something in a hurry its convenient.

[BigDL]

On 2/3/2022 at 3:50 PM, Long Wheel Base said:

Have you used the 3.0ah batteries? I'm now wondering if I should rather go for the 5.0ah. 

Nope - only the 5’s. Got two with my brush cutter; bought two extra and makita had an offer on at the time for two free batteries as well after a month of ownership, so I started with 6 and have so far not had to worry 

[dave303e]

On 2/3/2022 at 5:50 PM, Long Wheel Base said:

Have you used the 3.0ah batteries? I'm now wondering if I should rather go for the 5.0ah. 

Honestly, go with 5.0ah.

My initial purchase was the really entry level drill, came with 2 x 1,5ah batteries and the charger. 

I abused the drill for a good 2 years before it eventually went boom after putting in around 20 10mm coach screws doing post and rail fences. 

I then upgraded to the 458 drill, when overheats and kills the 1,5ah batteries a bit fast and that is when I went to 5ah batteries.

When we started doing a lot of the roofs we bought an impact driver for the pozi's and that is pretty much useless on the 1,5ah batteries, but you can work nearly a full day with it on a single 5ah battery and it is a pleasure. 

I honestly think go big, never has anyone said oh no my battery lasts too long...

[Long Wheel Base]

OK you okes are convincing me. I'll save up for the 5.0ah. Also, one very kind hubber who saw my post sent me a WhatsApp and could get me a good price. 

[patches]

On the Makita battery front I have 4x 3Ah and 1x 5Ah, and the only ones I "bought" were 2 of the 3Ah. All others I got as part of kits which I ended up splitting and selling to recover pretty much all my cost.

It also sounds like Makita has the free battery redemption deals in SA, so there's another way to expand the battery collection.

As for performance (not duration) I haven't noticed too much of a difference between the 3Ah and the 5Ah, in my Trim Router or small blower. My other 2 Makita tools (Track saw and dust extractor) are 2x 18V so until I get another 5Ah I'll have to mix and match. That said, 5Ah seems to be the standard used in tool reviews and shootouts.

Recently I added yet another Milwaukee tool to the collection. The Fuel 18V Impact Driver

Not sure why I got it as my AEG one was a beast and I have a ton of batteries for it, but I figured a change is as good as a holiday, plus it just looks better to have matchy-matchy drill and impact driver sets.

The downside... I only have 1x 5Ah Milwaukee battery, and retail on one of those is about double the price of a new Makita 5Ah. No idea why they're so pricey... seriously, nearly R2800 equivalent for 1 battery!! Madness!

[stefmeister]

15 hours ago, Long Wheel Base said:

OK you okes are convincing me. I'll save up for the 5.0ah. Also, one very kind hubber who saw my post sent me a WhatsApp and could get me a good price. 

It depends on application which size battery you should go for. Impact drivers for screws etc, and working long hours, then 2Ah is plenty and your wrists will thank you at the end of a long day. 12V options are actually ideal for this.

Drilling bigger holes (hole saws, auger bits etc), and wrenching large lag bolts, you'll drain a small battery in no time as the motor draws more current with these.

Blowers, vacuums, and high velocity motors generally are thirsty for amps, and it's usually a case of the biggest is best. 

Big batteries are heavy, and does impact handling. You don't necessarily need one battery to last you the whole day, as they recharge within 30 min nowadays. I'd rather have 2 x 3Ah than one 5Ah, or 2 x 2 Ah + 1 x 5 Ah than just 2 x 6 Ah batteries. 

 

Anyway, I'm shopping for new cordless impact drill, impact driver and grinder, seeing as my stuff got stolen recently. Now I've to decide if I'm sticking with Bosch or adding Makita to the mix.

[patches]

19 hours ago, stefmeister said:

It depends on application which size battery you should go for. Impact drivers for screws etc, and working long hours, then 2Ah is plenty and your wrists will thank you at the end of a long day. 12V options are actually ideal for this.

Drilling bigger holes (hole saws, auger bits etc), and wrenching large lag bolts, you'll drain a small battery in no time as the motor draws more current with these.

Blowers, vacuums, and high velocity motors generally are thirsty for amps, and it's usually a case of the biggest is best. 

Big batteries are heavy, and does impact handling. You don't necessarily need one battery to last you the whole day, as they recharge within 30 min nowadays. I'd rather have 2 x 3Ah than one 5Ah, or 2 x 2 Ah + 1 x 5 Ah than just 2 x 6 Ah batteries. 

 

Anyway, I'm shopping for new cordless impact drill, impact driver and grinder, seeing as my stuff got stolen recently. Now I've to decide if I'm sticking with Bosch or adding Makita to the mix.

Prior to acquiring the compact yet beastly Milwaukee 18V drill and impact driver, my 12V AEG set was my go to. Like you say, most stuff doesn't require an 18V, unless they're large diameter bits or big lag bolts.

(Here you can see the the Milwaukee 18V tools are more compact, bar battery, than the AEG 12V options).

And I've already got my eye on the Milwaukee 12V brushless kit to replace my AEG brushed one

 

This will likely be my "everyday" go-to with the 18V variants being brought out for the heavier lifting.

As for Makita or Bosch... I have always like the aesthetic of the Bosch professional range, but I would probably go with Makita 18V (or 40V if you're feeling rich). Makita has a huge tool range (probably the biggest 18V range out there), and they're every expanding. Not to mention they do outdoor/garden tools too.

The only place I have found them lacking is on nailers (which Bosch doesn't do at all).

Keep it real, go teal!

Edited February 11, 2022 by patches

[stefmeister]

2 hours ago, patches said:

Prior to acquiring the compact yet beastly Milwaukee 18V drill and impact driver, my 12V AEG set was my go to. Like you say, most stuff doesn't require an 18V, unless they're large diameter bits or big lag bolts.

(Here you can see the the Milwaukee 18V tools are more compact, bar battery, than the AEG 12V options).

And I've already got my eye on the Milwaukee 12V brushless kit to replace my AEG brushed one

 

This will likely be my "everyday" go-to with the 18V variants being brought out for the heavier lifting.

As for Makita or Bosch... I have always like the aesthetic of the Bosch professional range, but I would probably go with Makita 18V (or 40V if you're feeling rich). Makita has a huge tool range (probably the biggest 18V range out there), and they're every expanding. Not to mention they do outdoor/garden tools too.

The only place I have found them lacking is on nailers (which Bosch doesn't do at all).

Keep it real, go teal!

 

Yeah, I'm leaning towards replacing the Bosch drill and impact driver with what I had - the equivalent Makita drills are ~7k, so Bosch is slightly more affordable. The grinder I can replace with the Makita cordless one - seeing as I've my eye on their router and would probably need a brush cutter too.

[The Ouzo]

As an entry level tool, how do you guys rate the Dexter tools ?

Leroy Merlin has a Dexter Impact Wrench, with a 2.5aH battery and charger its comes in at 1700. Thats dirt cheap and I'm thinking for my occasional use it will work well.

[PhilipV]

On 2/10/2022 at 11:18 AM, stefmeister said:

It depends on application which size battery you should go for. Impact drivers for screws etc, and working long hours, then 2Ah is plenty and your wrists will thank you at the end of a long day. 12V options are actually ideal for this.

Drilling bigger holes (hole saws, auger bits etc), and wrenching large lag bolts, you'll drain a small battery in no time as the motor draws more current with these.

Blowers, vacuums, and high velocity motors generally are thirsty for amps, and it's usually a case of the biggest is best. 

Big batteries are heavy, and does impact handling. You don't necessarily need one battery to last you the whole day, as they recharge within 30 min nowadays. I'd rather have 2 x 3Ah than one 5Ah, or 2 x 2 Ah + 1 x 5 Ah than just 2 x 6 Ah batteries. 

 

Anyway, I'm shopping for new cordless impact drill, impact driver and grinder, seeing as my stuff got stolen recently. Now I've to decide if I'm sticking with Bosch or adding Makita to the mix.

Agreed. 

 

On my drill I only use the 1,5ah units, I've yet to need more than two batteries in a day, and I've only needed a second battery after drilling many holes into steel. 

But the drill is well balanced with the small batteries, and they charge quickly. 

So I'm sticking to the mantra that it's the motion of the ocean that matters. 

[patches]

On 2/14/2022 at 9:30 PM, PhilipV said:

Agreed. 

 

On my drill I only use the 1,5ah units, I've yet to need more than two batteries in a day, and I've only needed a second battery after drilling many holes into steel. 

But the drill is well balanced with the small batteries, and they charge quickly. 

So I'm sticking to the mantra that it's the motion of the ocean that matters. 

Speaking of the motion. and the heft behind the thrusts... last night I was fixing a bracket on the garage door with some self tappers. So as not to drive them into oblivion (or make enemies of my neighbours with the reverberating noise off the steel sheeting) I decided the impact driver was not the tool for the job, but rather the drill.

It was soon discovered that between working overhead at a funny angle, my laziness to use the clutch properly and curb the 135Nm of torque, and the hefty 700g 5Ah battery dangling on the end, I just about broke my wrist/hooked myself in the jaw when the short fasteners suddenly bit down.

I do have some 2 or 3Ah compact batteries on the wish-list

And along with that is one of the Milwaukee multi-head 12V Brushless Installation Drivers, for work that requires a lighter touch.

Based on the reviews. this little guy will do about 80% of what I generally use a drill or impact driver for.

Edited February 16, 2022 by patches

[geomark]

On 2/14/2022 at 9:41 AM, ouzo said:

As an entry level tool, how do you guys rate the Dexter tools ?

Leroy Merlin has a Dexter Impact Wrench, with a 2.5aH battery and charger its comes in at 1700. Thats dirt cheap and I'm thinking for my occasional use it will work well.

I have an oscillating multi tool of theirs that I bought for one job so wasn't prepared to spend much money, its proven remarkably useful for sorting out pre-existing poor workmanship around the house and has stood up well for the price point.

[The Ouzo]

4 minutes ago, geomark said:

I have an oscillating multi tool of theirs that I bought for one job so wasn't prepared to spend much money, its proven remarkably useful for sorting out pre-existing poor workmanship around the house and has stood up well for the price point.

Its what I was thinking too. I have 1 or 2 of their hand tools. My dad has a Dexter angle grinder that he bought after having good experience with their tools in Greece.

So for the odd occasion that I use the thing I think it would be fine.

I'm planning on redoing the shelving in my workshed and then adding some bike racking, I could get by with my aging Bosch electric screw driver, but an impact wrench would make life so much simpler and quicker