Eric The Viking
Established Member
- Joined
- 19 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 6,599
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- 74
I got there early enough for the DIY items to not yet be on the barcode system. Caused some fun (my mental arithmetic being quicker than the chap with the printout and a calculator).
Anyway, I had specific 'targets' in mind so here's a quick review of what I bought.
"Soldering Station" @ 8.99 - pretty good value at that price (review coming to in general chat section). If you do pyrography this would probably be a good buy, as it's powerful (48W) and I think you could 'roll your own' tips pretty easily. Electrically safe, too.
Plug cutters (4-prong type): 6mm 10mm 13mm 16mm @ 3.99. These look good value: They're clean castings and passably well machined in uncoated carbon steel. Not used yet. I don't expect them to be very sharp, but they will fettle well with a diamond plate. So I'd say they're OK for occasional use for me. Note that the relieving of the cutting blades has been done by hand and not wonderfully well, and the bodies are cylindrical, when really they should taper in towards the back so they don't bind. This is probably fixable with a file whilst spinning them in the drill chuck.
Plug cutters (apple-corer type): didn't buy these. Yes, they cut longer plugs if needed, but better versions attempt to balance the cutter and relieve the body behind the cutting end. I think the Parkside ones would bind fairly easily and lead to frustration, so I passed. I already have An old one from Axminster (they don't do an own-brand one any more, it seems), and that was around four quid on its own, so these ought to be good value.
HSS Step Bits: These are stepped conecuts, for getting big holes fairly quickly in sheet metal or plastics. Three sizes for 3.99. Max sizes: 12mm 20mm 32mm, TiN coated, HSS. These look good. The smaller ones have taller steps in them (smallest one's steps are about 8mm, biggest one about 4mm). You can get the nominal holes in thicker materials by cutting from either side, but these things always wander a bit of you're not very careful. The steps are laser printed with nominal diameters, and the shafts have three flats so they grip tighter in a drill chuck with less force required from the chuck jaws -- a nice touch. Not used yet, but they don't look any more blunt than conecuts I've had in the past, and can be fettled with a diamond plate anyway. I think they're good value.
I also got some Dremel-type cutting discs and arbours on the basis you can never have too many of those.
They also have 10.8V (called "12V" which they might be, but I doubt it) cordless drills in there for less than 30 quid - passed on that as I'm equipped. And a belt sander. And screwdriver bit sets.
I think it's worth dropping in today if passing.
E.
Anyway, I had specific 'targets' in mind so here's a quick review of what I bought.
"Soldering Station" @ 8.99 - pretty good value at that price (review coming to in general chat section). If you do pyrography this would probably be a good buy, as it's powerful (48W) and I think you could 'roll your own' tips pretty easily. Electrically safe, too.
Plug cutters (4-prong type): 6mm 10mm 13mm 16mm @ 3.99. These look good value: They're clean castings and passably well machined in uncoated carbon steel. Not used yet. I don't expect them to be very sharp, but they will fettle well with a diamond plate. So I'd say they're OK for occasional use for me. Note that the relieving of the cutting blades has been done by hand and not wonderfully well, and the bodies are cylindrical, when really they should taper in towards the back so they don't bind. This is probably fixable with a file whilst spinning them in the drill chuck.
Plug cutters (apple-corer type): didn't buy these. Yes, they cut longer plugs if needed, but better versions attempt to balance the cutter and relieve the body behind the cutting end. I think the Parkside ones would bind fairly easily and lead to frustration, so I passed. I already have An old one from Axminster (they don't do an own-brand one any more, it seems), and that was around four quid on its own, so these ought to be good value.
HSS Step Bits: These are stepped conecuts, for getting big holes fairly quickly in sheet metal or plastics. Three sizes for 3.99. Max sizes: 12mm 20mm 32mm, TiN coated, HSS. These look good. The smaller ones have taller steps in them (smallest one's steps are about 8mm, biggest one about 4mm). You can get the nominal holes in thicker materials by cutting from either side, but these things always wander a bit of you're not very careful. The steps are laser printed with nominal diameters, and the shafts have three flats so they grip tighter in a drill chuck with less force required from the chuck jaws -- a nice touch. Not used yet, but they don't look any more blunt than conecuts I've had in the past, and can be fettled with a diamond plate anyway. I think they're good value.
I also got some Dremel-type cutting discs and arbours on the basis you can never have too many of those.
They also have 10.8V (called "12V" which they might be, but I doubt it) cordless drills in there for less than 30 quid - passed on that as I'm equipped. And a belt sander. And screwdriver bit sets.
I think it's worth dropping in today if passing.
E.
