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Hi, I'm hoping to get some advice on the suitability of cordless saws for cutting MDF boards. The main use will be to cut down 8x4's into sizes which I need to work with - typically I would need to cut around 6x 9mm boards into thirds ..this is a frequent task so I'd like a saw that makes it...

Hi, My Trend T30AF vacuum has died after many years of reliable service so I'm looking for a decent replacement. I looked at the T31A which has replaced the T30AF, but it doesn't look as good and some reviews are rather negative so I'm wondering what alternatives I should consider. I want...

Hi, Can anyone suggest the best tool & method to cut chamfers on the edges of MDF / plywood shapes with irregular edges and internal corners? - see example below. I regularly need to cut a lot of these (and similar parts) accurately and quickly so I want to know the best way to do this. I...

Hi, My workshop is a double garage about 20ft square (on 2 floors) and I’m having trouble with damp, particularly storing MDF as it quickly deteriorates in the cold damp environment i.e. swells and goes soft. The building does have insulation, but it’s not brilliant. I use a 3kw fan heater...

Hi, I'm planning to refit our kitchen (with a little help) but I'm struggling to work out the best way to fit the units around our american fridge freezer which is 910mm wide. I plan to fit units either side of the fridge with a unit in between over the top of the fridge. The only available...

Hi, I work from home and produce MDF waste which I'm having difficulty disposing of. I'm not talking about industrial quantities ..I probably use 2 - 3 sheets a week on average, and only a small proportion of it is wasted, but I only have limited space and it builds up quite quickly. I have...

Hi, I want to make house signs and wondered if I could get some advice. I was thinking that Oak would be the best material to use, but I'm having difficulty sourcing it locally. I'd like to know what is the best type of Oak to use (English, European or American), how much I should expect to pay...

Hi, I'm currently having a double garage (workshop / store) built with a second floor above within a pitched tiled roof. I've asked the builders to properly insulate this so I can control the temperature and humidity consistently. The gable walls are timber studwork and they have filled these...

Hi, I frequently have to cut chamfered edges on various small MDF parts ..for example 40mm wide strips. I have used a router with some success, but the angles required vary and I can’t always get suitable cutters. I have an Axminster TS200 tablesaw with sliding table which I would like to use...

I use a CNC router to cut out parts for model kits from 6mm & 9mm MDF. The CNC cuts the parts out very accurately, but some parts need to have mitred edges (mainly 22.5, 45 or 60 degrees). Although it would be possible to cut the mitres with the CNC it’s not really practical as it would mean...

I need to get a new electric supply to my workshop and I wondered if anyone could give me an idea what the going rate is for electricians. It involves supplying 30M approx of 6mm SWA cable plus necessary parts to connect each end. The cable route is all above ground so it should be a fairly...

I'm thinking about buying a cordless circular saw for cutting down sheet material - mainly 6mm / 9mm mdf and ply. I have a Skil Orca circular saw, but I find it unnecessarily heavy and cumbersome for cutting thin sheet material. I’d really like the ease of use and convenience of a lightweight...

Hi, I'm looking for a decent CAD program for designing model houses for CNC manufacture. I currently use Coreldraw to draw the individual parts in 2d which I then export to separate cnc software for production. The problem is that with Coreldraw there is no way to view the assembled parts in...

Hi, I'm just getting started learning Sketchup ..I've done the basic tutorials on th SU website and it seems pretty straightforward, but when I try to work with my own designs I seem to get stuck quite quickly. One thing I have been trying to do without success is importing my old 2d designs...

Hi, I just purchased a 10.8V Lithium Ion Makita drill & impact driver. They seem like really nice tools, but I'm a bit surprised by the amount of sideways play in the drill chuck. I can move it from side to side enough to see movement in the shaft where it enters the drill body. This small...

http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/12v-d-driver-3-bat+impact-driver-pid692.html Hi, I'm thinking about getting the above Makita drill & impact driver set with 12V Ni-Cd batteries, but I'm not sure whether I would be better off paying a bit more to get the latest Li-on equivalent. I've seen a...

Hi, I have a brick built garage (single skin) with pitched tiled roof which I use as a workshop. It doesn't get any sun at all because it is in the shadow of the house and it is very cold and damp. The damp is a particular problem because I use a lot of MDF and it swells and even goes mouldy...

Hi, I have a small cnc router with a vacuum table (600mm x 400mm approx) and I need a vacuum pump for it. Until now I've been using an old vacuum cleaner, but it's just given up - burned out due to the lack of airflow I think. The vacuum cleaner was just about adequate, but I'd like to...

Hi, We're having an extension built over the next few weeks and it involves taking the roof off part of the house and having a new roof built. I asked whether any of the timber could be re-used in the new roof but the builder said they would have to use new. It's a fairly high pitched roof...

Hi, I haven't used a lathe since leaving school 25 years ago ..I enjoyed it then and I really fancy having another go so I'm planning to buy a machine. I want a small machine because space is limited and I only want to turn small items / miniatures. The machines I've been considering are as...