Certain tools - do I need them?

[CountryFan]

I also have spanners that are over 50 years old so sometimes it pays to buy decent stuff.

Stuff 50 years ago was probably better made than some of the crap available today, sometimes I’ve been burned by buying expensive tools. I bought some Wera screwdrivers some years ago and they lasted about 12 months, if that.

 

[CountryFan]

None of the gas fitters and service blokes i know have calipers or taps and dies in their standard tool kits.

Thanks, but it wasn't for my existing job as a gas engineer, more just for diy purposes. Although, there’s probably been 1 or 2 times I could have done with a tap.

 

[endecotp]

We had an early and expensive digital calliper in a lab where I worked 25 years ago, and I found it really useful; mostly for electronic component related things. A bit later I bought myself a not-quite-as-expensive one from Maplin, which lasted until a couple of years ago. When it died I bought a much cheaper but otherwise similar-looking one from Screwfix (? I think) - and that has now died, much sooner than I hoped.

I will probably replace it. As my eyesight gets worse, it becomes more difficult to accurately read a tape measure or ruler and a clear digital display is helpful.

 

[Stuart981]

A lot of the tools you buy these days are brilliant if you just want to hang them on a pegboard in the garage to impress the neighbours but a different matter if you actually try to use them.

 

[mikehammer69]

Tap Set gets used very rarely but when I need it I need it

Like my stove there replacing the glass and refitting a top cover

 

[mikehammer69]

I've a expensive SDS max hammer that rarely gets used

It would be >50 a pop for hire so probably pay for itself over 20 years hopefully

 

[Mottie]

Got rid of all my big stuff before I sold the workshop last year - tyre changer, wheel balancer, Mig welder, engine hoist, floor standing hydraulic press, long reach trolley jack etc and most of the rest went in a boot sale last year. Can’t say I missed needing any of them - so far!

A couple of friends of ours are doing a boot sale tomorrow and asked us if we fancied joining them. We said yes so I’ve been rooting round the loft, my garage and the shed in my mums garden and loading up the golf. Got a few household items but most of the stuff is from my workshop when I sold it. Vacuum cleaner, pressure washer, bench grinder, socket sets, a couple of hand driers, Pat tester, bike stands, engine support cradles, pullers, spring compressors, many, many special tools that I’m just never going to use again, 8 pairs of new steel toe-cap boots and at least 50 - 60 pairs of overalls. All gotta go. I've made a prediction to Mrs Mottie who my first customer will be - my mate who won't be able to resist some of my tools. Din't know what one we are going to yet - he'll let us know when we meet him at 4.30 tomorrow morning.

Had a great time. We ended up going to Dunton boot sale. Still came home with about a third of what we went with. After knocking off our £12 entrance fee, we walked away with £422.00 profit - all from tools that I was never going to use again.

I got £90 of that total from my mate! He got well over 400 quids worth of tools so he was happy. Happier than his wife, anyway!

All I kept were my hand tools, trolley jack, axle stands, compressor, a few air tools and some specialist tools that I might use in the future although I don’t know when - I paid upfront for a 5 year service contract for our new car.

 

[mikehammer69]

Hmm
I can't weld but if I did I might keep it. You never know