[Coleve]

New tools

Hi there fraternity,

Just a short one on a couple of bargains just purchased. One locally and the other online. Unfortunately, just for UK members.

Went into Lidl recently and as my wife did the important bits I usually end up browsing the dry goods. They usually have tools but I don’t usually buy them as the quality isn’t that good, but I did notice a digital protractor for about a Tenner and gave it a go. Has the usual off/on and zero button. I decided to test it first with a known angle and it’s spot on. Use it all the time especially with my compound mitre saw.

Second was a deal I received from a mail from Axminster Tools. I usually buy Kreg screws, but they can be expensive. Axminster offering a 1000 box mixed screws from UJK for £19 plus £1 delivery. So, arrived today, unfortunately my wife did not notice they don’t use the Kreg square drive, but instead a Torq T20. Instead.

Now I had spare t20 bits but not that long and you can’t fit them into a bit holder, so trusty welder to the rescue. I’m not a welder, which is obvious from the photos but worked out ok. I didn’t want to lose it so used the Dremel to cut some slots in the box and that should Suffice.

Colin
Scotland

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I tried a couple of digital electronic gauges a few years ago while they were still quite a bit more expensive and batteries died and electronics failed so I replaced them with analog instruments. They will outlast me by quite a bit but I confess that in some cases I need a magnifier to read them at times. Reading a digital one is much easier and much faster and the prices have come way down so that if they fail it's not such a big deal. Bottom line is that if it makes our hobby more enjoyable and helps us to make a better quality result without burning a hole in our pocket books then it's a good deal.

 

[AndyL]

Nice bargains Colin. Lidl has some decent stuff sometimes. Their chocolate is especially good I think
If you don't have enough pocket hole screws already, Amazon UK has some reasonable prices at the moment on some sizes: £2.68 for 100 of the commonly-used 8 x 1-1/4" and £11.39 for 500. I discovered the Kreg screws now come in quite nice re-usable, stackable containers - the 100-packs, at least.

 

[DesertRatTom]

The Wixey angle gauge now uses two AAA batteries and have an illuminated readout with big numbers. Really love it and really hate the junk with the flat batteries.

 

[Tagwatts]

I understand all that you have stated here and can say this sure looks to be a great buy. But I do have one question. You mentioned your wife did not notice the screws to be Kreg drive. The question, I have is, why would your wife be checking for this to have Kreg or Torque head screws. Who might be using these items. Just a question, I did not understand. Sorry to be so nosy.

 

[RainMan 2.0]

The Wixey angle gauge now uses two AAA batteries and have an illuminated readout with big numbers. Really love it and really hate the junk with the flat batteries.

Yes, I bought mine a year to soon

 

[Rogerdodge]

Axminster do UJK's long drivers for these, Colin. (Not disparaging your welding of course ......)

 

[DesertRatTom]

@RainMan 2.0 I had the old one as well, but bought the new model. Never had a problem with the flat battery model because it had an off switch. But the lit up backlight in the new one is a huge improvement and worth retiring the old one. Gave it to my son in law. My aging eyes had problems reading the old one. The new Wixey planer readout also has the AAA batteries. Digital readouts are my preference, but not if they use the flat batteries. I hope Wixey plans to change batteries in all their instruments.

 

[DaninVan]

This has come up in the past.
Something internally drains the flat battery in my digital caliper if I put it away, turned off of course, with the battery in it. I just take it out now as a matter of routine...and have a bunch of spares in it's case.