Yeah the cheap lack and decker mouse sander we've got obviously isn't particularly powerful, but also is probably going to encourage bad habits if I keep trying to use it for everything. ROS definitely seems like the way to go, having done a bit more reading I'm definitely looking towards a corded sander, going to have a dust hose anyway so no real advantage to being cordless and apparently they can lack power and eat batteries for breakfast Couple of ones I've seen recommended: On the slightly cheaper side (and smaller) Dewalt DWE6423 125mm ~£80 Or jumping up a bit in price/quality(?)/size: Metabo SXE450 150mm ~£130 Makita BO6030 152mm ~£130 Could risk a clone of one of the fancy ones (mirka deros/festool 150/5), bunch of companies seem to be making them, can get theom from aliexpress for even less but if wanting now/in the UK I know Sealey did one but that's gone up in price to over £200, I think there's a PioneerWorks one for £170 available now. As you can see it's a very slippery slope It'll be used for both trying to neaten up outdoor stuff to avoid splinters etc (have been using some excess fencing material to make a couple of bits for example) as well as hopefully in the future some slightly nicer bits. With my drill/driver I kind of went "buy once cry once" (although I was too impatient to wait for the brushless version to be in stock again and so saved a bit of money for a bit of extra crying), but sander I'm not sure, since I feel some of the mid priced ones are going to already be hitting diminishing returns. At the moment leaning towards the dewalt, but not sure on the 125 vs 150 if wanting to use it for rougher stuff as well will it struggle? Also intend on picking up some decent quality sandpaper for it. Edit: Could also just try a cheap orbital, just because our current cheap sander is seemingly terrible doesn't mean a cheap orbital would be I guess. But whilst looking at tools ended up falling down a bit of a rabbit hole and thought of what other stuff I might want to spend money on as well as/instead of (the money for the monitor for my PC will be taking the hit I think!) and remembered thinking a router could help make projects just a little nicer and had a quick look at the katsu trim router which is often well spoken of and found this site: https://www.aimtools.co.uk/collections/routers/products/101748 Also got some other bits like the plunge mount/bit and brushing sets etc so can see myself spending ~£100 to get a router setup, but will have to get it shipped elsewhere as my post code has a cost of £25 vs £4!
Anyone bought any of this foam that you can cut shapes in to tidy up tool storage, it all seems quite pricey but I'd like to do it for one small section of my tool storage cabinet (Ikea MDF filing cabinet bought cheap off of market place)
Have a look for cosplay supplies - somewhere like Tyges? The thickest they do is 10mm, and a 500x500mm sheet is only a fiver. Of course, there'd be nothing to stop you buying a pack of 2mm sheets and gluing them together as another option - as long as you didn't mind a rainbow of colours
Yeah I bought some of the Sealey Easy Peel, it worked really well. The stuff is never cheap but Sealey is accessible in the UK, and I had no bother with it.
Have a look at home insulation sheets like Celotex or Kingspan. If you peel off the foil backing, it’s just a closed cell foam type stuff. And I’ve seen it in varying thicknesses up to 150mm
Katsu trimmer/routers are very good. Contrary to what most people think, it is the original, and the Makita is actually the clone. Made and badged for Makita, by Katsu.
Thanks guys ill look into all of these. Shadow Foam on you tube is what made me aware of such a thing
No. There's a reason I keep all the ethelene foam used in packaging. Holy flaking ship. That was an event. Apparently the original plumber was Godzilla. The little bit was what was left sticking out of the elbow in the wall. It was crushing instead of unscrewing. I had to remove the internal elbow which involved two wrenches with 2' pipes on the handles, and some significant force. The original 70's era threads were pristine, so, yeah, they were sealed pretty danged tight. My contractors' comment when he heard what I was up to: "That's gonna be a BOOGER." So I hope today will involve bricking the hole up.
Easy mode DIY, but I still hate it: finally got the Ring alarm out of the storage box I put it in when I bought it in November 2022(!) and installed it. The sensors and stuff are easy, just peel and stick - though the conservatory one needed screwing in owing to an uneven surface and I've somehow stuck the sensor for the office window skew-wiff, and *that's* the one I'll be staring at all day! The outdoor siren, though... I hate DIY, and DIY at height is worse by far. I know it's only four holes (in the densest brick in the world), but I didn't enjoy any of that in the least. Still, it's done now - would have been nice to wire it in so it glows at night (and so I don't have to climb the sodding ladder again each time the batteries run out) but it'll serve its purpose.
I never had a fear of heights growing up or in early adulthood, use to shimmy up a ladder to dig a tennis ball out the guttering without a second thought, climb up or over anything. Until I went to Vegas. We'd been walking round either. Ceasers palace or the belagio, getting lost around their conference rooms admiring the art dotted round, we finally got back to casino main and saw a balcony that looked over the casino floor with the start of a very large chandelier, so we walked over to see where we were. We were approx 3 stories up, so I unexpectedly was looking down a very long way down a very long chandelier and my inner ear and knees said "noooooope". Ever since I can't do heights. Weirdest thing.
I know the feeling, I got hammered on a night out once when we were students. Woke up on someone's sofa, walked over to look out the window and as I approached the vista developed beyond my imagination. Turns out I was in an office on the fifth floor of the Strathclyde student union, to this day no-one knows how I got in there.
Can anyone recommend a workbench for very occasional use with relatively small items? In the past I probably would have bought a Black and Decker Workmate but I'm reading a few reviews chiefly mentioning poor quality compared to the ones from years ago. It'll be used for dismantling/cleaning small parts e.g. currently working on my KTM disc caliper (and I'm now banned from using the Kitchen worktop). I will probably occasionally use it with a small Stanley Multi-Angle vice to hold things for cleaning/polishing but won't be sawing large boards or anything like that. Any suggestions?
Nothing is as good as it was back in the day, so if it's only for light occasional use go with the Workmate, they're cheap, cheerful and do the job
I bought one of these from Costco a while ago when they were on offer for about £50: https://www.toolstation.com/keter-folding-work-bench/p10910 Can highly recommend!
