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We've just bought a house, after a long and protracted period of solicitors faffing about removing charges.
It needs a fair bit of work doing. We're getting mates / professionals in to do the big stuff (new bathroom, rewiring, french windows, big brick shed for my bikes) but I'm planning on doing as much of the rest myself as I can (shelves, laminate floor, loft hatch, all the little faffy things that crop up).
I see this as an excuse to buy new tools. I'm not too bad for hand tools, but I reckon I'm gonna need a decentish drill and spirit level for starters. Any recommendations? Anything else I might need?
A good battery drill is like a third hand. Anything from the DeWalt 18v range is good and will last for years. I bought a 18v set 8 years ago that also came with a hammer drill, rip saw, jigsaw etc and it's still going strong after 2 house refurbs and hundreds of these little faffy jobs you mention.
If you can afford Festool then they are the cream of the crop.
Mikita or bosch 18/24v drill and impact driver!
Then spax screws
Cool, that's pretty similar to what I was thinking - I don't want (or need) to spend a fortune, but £100-150 seems about right (maybe a bit more with a set of bits too). There's a bewildering range though, crikey!
For starters:
Good 18v drill (Makita LXT)
SDS drill, you can get away with a cheap one for limited use
Chop saw (Evolution Rage is good for the money)
Spirit levels, whatever is on offer but get a long one and a short one
Work mate (or copy). IMO a couple of the cheapest ones is better than one with all the fiddly adjustments.
Jigsaw (Makita, Bosch Blue, Dewalt)
Oscillating tool for trimming door frames etc when doing the floor. Get a mains one as battery ones unfortunately don't last long. Useful for close trimming in confined/awkward places. Bosch one is a good place to start.
Depends on the house really.
Modern build then then a decent 18v combi drill, with hammer, will cover most jobs.
Older house with decent, solid walls and mortar, then get a 14.4v drill for construction jobs and a mains powered hammer drill.
Bosch and makita mostly for me but Panasonic also do a nice line of battery drills and impact drivers.
Trend "snappy" quick chuck and drill bits save a lot of time.
Don't buy a drill with "101 assorted drill and driver bits", just a gimmick and made of cheese.
Shelves? One of those circular saws on a table with a laser thing on would be good, as would a jigsaw.
Have you considered getting a Mig welder and angle grinder yet?
Evolution Rage Mitre Saw (get the big one) as nickjb said ^. Made laying laminate an easy job, and can be used to cut brick when you have a suitable cutting disc (I'm planning my pizza/wood fired oven).
This might be a daft question, but would it not make more sense to buy a half decent SDS / hammer drill and have that as an only drill? Will it not work without the "hammering"?
I use my cordless drill a lot more than my SDS drill. Really wouldnt want to use an SDS doing lots of lighter jobs and screwing duties. With decent drill bits my cordless will do most jobs fine up to 10mm holes in concrete and brick.
I bought a Makita twin pack - cordless drill and impact driver*. Worth its weight in gold, and wasn't particularly expensive (it's not the Li-ion version).
Also got a Makita circular saw which, again, is invaluable. Make a few cutting guides (google the instructions) and you won't know how you managed without one.
* If you're doing any DIY, you NEED an impact driver!!
Yeah I think a decent circular saw is definitely on the list.
I've never used an impact driver / hammer drill / whatever they're bloody called 😳 before - is it that useful? House is 100+ years old, so proper walls.
This might be a daft question, but would it not make more sense to buy a half decent SDS / hammer drill and have that as an only drill? Will it not work without the "hammering"?
SDS+ is the only way to go if you have hard masonry materials to drill, you could get a keyless chuck to fit in it, but the whole thing gets a bit too large to do small jobs accurately.
An impact driver is a great tool for construction but not essential, just means you can put self drilling screws into most things with less effort. Not to be confused with a hammer drill.
Impact driver applies additional force as torque, like adding a big spanner to the shaft of a screwdriver.
Impact/hammer drill applies force along the drill bit to break up masonry at the drill bit tip.
Cool, cheers Neil - every day is a school day 😀
Just to qualify, I'm not *completely* clueless, but most of the DIY I've done has been with borrowed tools, hence my lack of knowledge.
If you are smashing things up then a big SDS.
If generally putting things back together a smaller SDS (big SDS can be too big and heavy).
If you are not going to be doing lots of holes in hard materials or big/long holes etc then I would question if you need one. The are very useful if you do though and make drilling lots of holes a piece of cake. After my big SDS died (it did work hard for it's living) I just needed a small one. Was going to get a £100-120 bosch (blue) or Makita but spotted the £30 in lidl and got that as I was near the end of the rennovation anyway and just had a few heavy duty holes and some minor chiselling to do (wiring runs in walls and finishing off around the fireplace).
Was so much easier to use than the heavy one I used for the big jobs and perfectly adequate for what I needed it for but I have no doubt a £100-120 bosch or makita will be a bit nicer and better for a long term drill so that would be my advice along with a nice 18V li-ion cordless.
No need for an impact driver unless you are doing construction and putting in lots of large screws in tough timber or bolting structures together. The cordless drill will do from what it sounds like you will be doing and drilling a pilot hole will prevent splitting, wrecking screw heads etc. Or use decent screws with fluted tips, not the cheapest you can find.
I would just buy what you need when you need it tbh.
So many different tasks you could be doing.
For so long i didnt touch anything but a pry bar , wall paper scraper , steamer then my knife and hawk.
As a basics youll want a
A Measuring tape
few hand screw drivers and a small flat vde for removing light fittings and other electrical items for save the hassle of working round em.
A hammer and a pry bar
A decent quality handsaw
Big power tools id buy as you find a need and as a rule generally avoid the big sheds. Screwfix can be ok , their titan brand seems to represent good value for diy tools- not had a bad one from them yet but do pay attention to reviews.
Dont forget ffx , toolstop , toolzone, uktools, justoffbase etc etc all can have decent deals on just what you need from time to time.
A right angle doo dah, I've a roofers one and a smaller 6" one. Much better than a saw handle., invaluable for a lot of jobs.
If tiling it's worth buying the disc diamond cutter - dirt cheap and piss all over the score and snap things.
If cutting lots of wood that rage mitre saw is brilliant, otherwise a couple of good saws (I use Bahco with a removable handle, comfy and with great blades). Good screws are worth their weight in gold (almost).
A hack saw, the blades on their own are invaluable for a lot of fiddy little cutting jobs.
I've a big corded SDS drill, ace for heavy work but too nose heavy and heavy for screwing stuff in, just bought a makita hand drill with 2 batteries (Li ion) for £110 on amazon and its just made the big fella redundent.
A big ish hammer, a smaller pin hammer and a nail punch.
Lots of pencils and note paper and tape measures.
A bit driver and a lot of bits - amazing how many times it's needed to take something apart and back together.
Until fairly recently i didn't see the need for a workmate but i succumbed and bought a Bosch one, what a time saver it turned out to be!. everything from decking to shelves!, its not perfect but when using power tools its a godsend!.
Other than that you know to avoid silverline right?? 8)
I did not know to avoid Silverline; looks like I do now.
I've already got most of the bits trail_rat suggests, so I guess I'm not too far off. To be fair I can probably borrow a lot of the stuff I'll need, but it's an excuse to buy new toys so it would be rude not to...
+1 all of the stuff above (I just buy as needed and try not to go wild).
My only other recommendation: A decent ladder.
No more wobbling on chairs trying to reach that fiddly light fighting over the stairs. But choose carefully - mine's nice and light, but the rungs aren't awfully comfy for long periods (unless wearing stuff soled shoes).
so proper walls.
That could crumble like Wensleydale.
Whatever drill you decide on, don't scrimp on the drill bits - I just got some De Walt masonry bits and they make mincemeat of the same walls using my cordless drill that I struggled with before using the corded drill and cheap bits.
Aye I figured decent bits were a must, seen some DeWalt packs for about £40 I think that looked ok.
I did the same as you & bought a Makita 18v LXT set. So far i have bought & used the following;
Hex drive impactor
Combi drill
SDS drill
Torch
Jigsaw
Ripsaw
Recip saw
1/2" impactor
Crosscut saw
Angle grinder
Vacuum
& just bought a strimmer.
I've also quite fancy the lawnmower which takes 2 batteries & the mini chainsaw.
Makita are bringing out 5Ah batteries soon too.
Other than that you know to avoid silverline right??
I'd take that with a pinch of salt - yeah if it's a cordless hammer drill you'll use daily for the forseeable, but for the occaional use circular saw or electric plane they can fill a gap adequately.
+1. Its cheap Chinese stuff but it mostly works, just not as well as Makite etc, but it is a fraction of the price. Toolstation sell a lot of Silverline and are pretty decent at honouring warranties.they can fill a gap adequately
Silverline .... My experiance is that if it has moving parts it probably wont work as intended from the box. So far the ruler and the square have been good but their sliding bevel was pish even when the wing nut was fully tight it still moved - replaced it with a forge from screwfix and its infinately better....
As i said above - titan and forge from screw fix does actually seem to be a decent bit of kit for the occasional user.
Just to qualify, I'm not *completely* clueless, but most of the DIY I've done has been with borrowed tools, hence my lack of knowledge.
Sorry.
Impact driver is smaller version of the air powered wheel nut wrench at a garage.
Trend Snappy quick release chuck fits 1/4" hex drive bits, put that in your battery drill chuck. Then you can swap from drill to driver bits by just pulling the gold sleeve back.
[url= http://www.screwfix.com/p/trend-snappy-quick-release-chuck/14847 ]Click[/url]
Tool stop are doing a makita 14.4v drill + impact driver + isosolating cutter/sander etc for £300 great bit of kit and unbelievable value.
You must also own a bradawl.
Simple but utterly effective.
Simple but utterly effective.
Which is precisely why you should never see one in a DIY toolkit.
Every DIY toolkit has, or at least should have, a gimlet, not a bradawl.
Preferably with a plastic handle.
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Utterly useless and on no account should anyone use it for its alleged intended purpose.
Clamps, act as a third hand and you can put them/hold things you may not want to with your hand.
I must confess to having too many tool toys 😳 .
Most of it is Makita 18v Lion kit and aside from the obvious drill drivers, the recip and oscillating multi tool have been very useful, more than I'd expected.
Don't forget tool storage / carry cases for when you're moving about.
some tools I've found essential for an older house:
Bosch heat gun - taken so much abuse and comes back for more ~30 quid
5" scraper - about 4 or 5 quid
wallpaper steamer - 20/25 quid
wet and dry vacuum - not cheap but worth it (100-200 quid)
Oh yes. Wet and dry vacs really are worth their weigh jn gold
Sorry to harp on but i can wholely recomend the titan wet and dry vac
Ive got the middle one with power take off and its been excellent. Eben worked as a make shift pump when i flooded the crawl space underthe utility room.
I'd like to vote for corded drills. They are vastly better to use, and you can get good quality far cheaper. Better in every respect except for having to plug it in - but that's worth it imo.
Also don't underestimate hand tools. I default to hand tools unless I have to do loads of something.
Better in every respect except when driving alot of screws in.
Yes, except for that 🙂
A screwdriver (with adjustable speed) and a corded drill would be best imo. Also no need to splurge on Makita or DeWalt for a DIYer.
I've done the same as you to two victorian houses (floors, skirting, wall/plaster repairs, faffing, etc. leaving the big stuff to the pros), and converted a van from a panel to camper with:
A 14.4V dewalt drill/driver and an ancient corded drill that cover most bases.
A basic Skil circular saw and a chop saw that have been useful
A cheapish Bosch jigsaw
The usual sanders (cheap detail, orbit and belt sanders - I never used the belt sander much; if you've got a lot of old ceilings/walls to repair, get a half decent orbit sander that your hoover can attach to).
Plus clamps, usual handtools, steamer, glue gun, heat gun, soldering iron and foldable work bench. I bought cheap work benches and regretted that (now on my third, should have just bought a decent one to begin with).
I just picked stuff up as I needed it and stolen other bits from my dad, so nothing matches, some is pretty old etc., but the outlay has been pretty small. I like the look of some of those 18V kits, but the 14.4V drill is relatively light (which is useful in awkward spaces, which most spaces seem to be) and does ok until you get to masonry.
Just reserved one of [url= http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/diy/drills/bosch-psb-18v-li-ion-2-gear-cordless-hammer-drill-845167 ]these[/url] for the drill, just need to pick up some bits for it now. Making a list of the other bits, plus I should be able to nick a half decent (if very old) workench and clamps of me dear ol' da'...
Making a list of the other bits, plus I should be able to nick a half decent (if very old) workench and clamps of me dear ol' da'...
If it is an old one (20+ years) it's likely to have a decent wooden worktop and metal parts, unlike modern mdf and plastic efforts
Seems like a good sensible option.
Just reserved one of these for the drill, just need to pick up some bits for it now.
I have that drill, flippin awesome. Loads of torque, can drill concrete easily, very robust.
I paid £99 with two batteries a couple of years ago.
Phew, good to hear it's half decent! Only one battery is the downside, but I guess I'll just have to go ride whilst it's charging...
Hah - was just about to post up a link to that drill - I too paid £100 for it (with two batteries) last summer.
And the batteries last a good time (I have only once or twice had to go to the second pack, normally because the first pack wasn't on full charge when I started using it).
It's a very good price that.
A laser level.
That's my birthday list - a laser level.
Although I would also like a draftsman's pencil - a properly beautiful alu one.
Quite tempted by that drill myself!
I have the 14.4V version which is now about 5 years old and has been fantastic. As I have said before get some decent drill bits and it won't have any problems.
My battery is still doing well but the chuck is now on the way out and needs a second tighten after initial use but at that price it is hard to justify a £100-150 professional model when I know how good the little green DIY one is.
Aye I can't really justify a pro one, it'll get a bit of heavy use for a few weeks then only come out occasionally.
Laser level would be nice, and probably actually really useful too.
Oh yes. Wet and dry vacs really are worth their weigh jn gold
This ^
But I have to recommend Karcher ones from personal experience (not tried others). I picked up a 3450 P from the outlet for £38 delivered (same model is £100 in Screwfix) and it is has been fantastic and the power take-off is useful unless that you are plugging in needs too much grunt (like my chopsaw which is a pain as it's handy for the chop saw). That is a limitation of a 13A plug though not the device.