|
General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
|
Thread Tools |
22nd Aug 2015, 8:25 pm | #41 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
|
Re: Quality tools
I do much the same with combination spanners. I started with a cheap, Woolworths-branded set when I was an impecunious student. When the odd one broke, I replaced with Britool.
|
22nd Aug 2015, 9:38 pm | #42 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,637
|
Re: Quality tools
I have a few Sears Craftsman tools, bought whilst working in America. Amazing range and good quality (and reasonably priced over there) Available here now, but I've no idea about price comparisons here.
|
22nd Aug 2015, 10:27 pm | #43 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
|
Re: Quality tools
Wasn't it the craftsman tools arm of Sears which bought Tektronix?
David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
22nd Aug 2015, 10:36 pm | #44 |
Retired Dormant Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Shropshire, UK.
Posts: 3,051
|
Re: Quality tools
Our local steam rally is held over the August bank holiday weekend, and (aside from a few 'market trader' stalls) is an excellent place to buy tools, both new and second-hand, many of the highest quality, and in 'vintage' sizes. There's sometimes the odd Megger and the like,too.
I presume the same is true of similar events elsewhere. |
23rd Aug 2015, 7:11 am | #45 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
|
Re: Quality tools
Quote:
Standard 6.3 shank hex bits are ideal for screws that are not too deeply recessed for them to be able to get into. A range of different ratchet, pistol and T-bar handles that take those bits are available, and some of them just feel nicer than others; so try a few and see which you prefer. A security bit set will include "drilled" hex and torx bits -- which will also work just as well on plain screws, of course. There is also a smaller hex shank that is emerging as a standard for interchangeable, precision tool tips.
__________________
If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments. |
|
23rd Aug 2015, 11:29 am | #46 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
|
Re: Quality tools
The small hex shank standard came out of power screwdrivers, the sort of industrial controlled-torque jobs made by Desoutter. Bits made for these things had to be very high quality, fitting thousands of screws per day.
David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
24th Aug 2015, 6:29 pm | #47 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Staffordshire Moorlands, UK.
Posts: 5,263
|
Re: Quality tools
those RS red handled screwdrivers were made for them by Spiralux, which is now part of Eclipse
__________________
Kevin |
14th Sep 2015, 9:31 pm | #48 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 2,181
|
Re: Quality tools
Last set of hand tools I bought was THORSMAN in a wallet from CEF. Possibly on the expensive side, but CEF only stock tools for the electrical trade .Mine are only a quarter of the age of FOOTPRINT ones I can find, but considering the use I've had out of them ,there's no wear on them after over ten years of professional use (and misuse)
|
14th Sep 2015, 10:01 pm | #49 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
Posts: 5,185
|
Re: Quality tools
Wandering around Poundland the other day, I spotted these two useful tools.
Both of which will be a useful addition to my workshop. The little scalpel knives and different style blades are excellent value and something I use on a regular basis. The T-bar screwdriver also has a set of small sockets as well as the screwdriver bits, very handy for removing transformers! Mark |
14th Sep 2015, 11:12 pm | #50 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
|
Re: Quality tools
The scalpel-like knife looks a bit like a copy of the X-acto range. If so, there's a lot of things to fit it.
David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
15th Sep 2015, 12:24 am | #51 |
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 27,788
|
Re: Quality tools
Poundland tools are pretty low quality, just as you'd expect, but they vary a lot and most are perfectly capable of doing occasional light duty jobs, and even if they break you haven't lost much. For absolutely bombproof performance in heavy duty jobs you really need professional grade tools, which are understandably very expensive.
I recently tried to move the door catch plate on my car, which for no obvious reason is held on by big Pozidrive headed bolts. They were very tight and I could only shift one of them with a Mole wrench clamped on the driver and my best bits - the cheap ones all shattered. The other couldn't be shifted at all and even my expensive bits (by my standards) broke. Fortunately I could make the required adjustment without undoing that bolt. If I had air tools and a set of pro bits I imagine they would have unscrewed without problems. |
15th Sep 2015, 6:33 am | #52 |
Octode
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Oxfordshire, UK.
Posts: 1,906
|
Re: Quality tools
Take care with the knives mark. I had that set and it snapped where the blade joins the handle on first use.
|
15th Sep 2015, 6:36 am | #53 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
|
Re: Quality tools
Even Swan & Morton scalpel blades snap very easily sometimes a bit of the tip breads off, sometimes they crack across where the fixing hole is. The sort of steel needed to maintain that sort of sharpness is as brittle as pot.
David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
15th Sep 2015, 7:48 am | #54 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
|
Re: Quality tools
Yes, safety glasses are worthwhile when using scalpels, particularly fitting/removing blades from Swann Morton-type handles.
|
15th Sep 2015, 12:04 pm | #55 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
Posts: 13,953
|
Re: Quality tools
Yes, they're brittle, but even 34 years ago when I was at uni and using genuine Swann-Morton scalpels for their intended medico-veterinary purposes, all sets of new blades came in a plastic installer-remover sleeve which removed all risk of injury or contamination when changing blades, and retained the old blade inside for safety. If you're worried about blade-safety [what do you do with your used 'sharps'?] get your blades in such a pack and get yourself a proper sharps-box too.
|
15th Sep 2015, 12:13 pm | #56 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
|
Re: Quality tools
We only use them once in a blue moon. Ours come in individual sterile foil pouches with just a bit of card for protection. Contaminated sharps go in a yellow or orange sealed "sharps bin", rather like you see at the doctors when you've had an injection. Speaking personally, I've never had any accidents, but I always treat them with the utmost respect and full concentration.
Back on topic now... |
15th Sep 2015, 12:16 pm | #57 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,528
|
Re: Quality tools
Typical blades for S-M scalpels (10A is my favourite) from RS just come in foil packs containing five blades individually wrapped in paper. A small pair of flat nosed pliers makes changing quite easy.
The metal handled genuine items make really good fine point low voltage meter probes too. Sleeve the handle with heatshrink and fit a M3/6BA solder tag to the rear end to attach the meter's own clip probe. Still works fine for its design job of cutting flesh, though, so be careful
__________________
....__________ ....|____||__|__\_____ .=.| _---\__|__|_---_|. .........O..Chris....O |