Workshop tool suggestions

[Alan88]

Our farm hasn't much workshop tools and I'm just wondering what suggestions everyone has for a good mig welder, bench grinder, compressor etc. To get well equipped with. I don't think I'll be doing big serious engineering like others on here merely trying to fix more myself. Thanks

 

[tomlad]

don't buy a cheep welder , u will kill it , that said , I don't know what make is a good one ? mines a kempi a mate has a lincon both seem to work ok .

 

[bovrill]

I'd say a pillar/radial drill with a decent set of bits is a must, 2nd hand from an engineering workshop closing down.
But the fashion on here is to have a mag-drill instead, which I don't think I could argue with!

 

[bovrill]

In fact, get to an engineering workshop closing down auction. For a fraction of the money of new tinny catalogue stuff, you'll get all you need that will last forever.
You'll just need 3-phase in your workshop, and a way of getting very heavy stuff back home!

 

[REStracTORATION]

Depends on you budget really

If you want the best then you have to pay
If you want to do a few jobs yourself and not invest heavily then
There is nothing wrong with machine mart stuff go on a vat free night if your vat reg you get the extra 20% off also
Get 150-200 liter compressor a 240 ish welder and a bench grinder with wire brush attachment etc

You dont need to break the bank at 1st if you find in a couple of years that your useing your equiptment alot then invest in the decent tackle
But make sure your workshop is kindoff damp free welder dont like not being used and dampness as the wire rusts up and creates problems throw a sheet over it to protect the worset of the dampness

 

[SilliamWhale]

Id say arc welder better for all round farm stuff first.

Even the sealey type £100 compressors are ok to start for general jobs.

Look for any old brand pillar drill on ebay eg meddings, elliot etc. Should be good value.

I use a screwfix titan bench grinder which is cheap and does most things for cleaning off. Otherwise angle grinders will be fine.

Dont spend the earth til you need too

 

[joe soapy]

Plumb air round the walls with a connector close to each workstation, you cant beat a blast of air to clean things up/move the dust to somewhere else

 

[Lincs Lass]

Join the Workshop tool addiction thread ,,you,ll suddenly have more tools that you know what to do with and a workshop that looks like aladdins cave

 

[Barleymow]

Depends on you budget really

If you want the best then you have to pay
If you want to do a few jobs yourself and not invest heavily then
There is nothing wrong with machine mart stuff go on a vat free night if your vat reg you get the extra 20% off also
Get 150-200 liter compressor a 240 ish welder and a bench grinder with wire brush attachment etc

You dont need to break the bank at 1st if you find in a couple of years that your useing your equiptment alot then invest in the decent tackle
But make sure your workshop is kindoff damp free welder dont like not being used and dampness as the wire rusts up and creates problems throw a sheet over it to protect the worset of the dampness

Depends on you budget really

If you want the best then you have to pay
If you want to do a few jobs yourself and not invest heavily then
There is nothing wrong with machine mart stuff go on a vat free night if your vat reg you get the extra 20% off also
Get 150-200 liter compressor a 240 ish welder and a bench grinder with wire brush attachment etc

You dont need to break the bank at 1st if you find in a couple of years that your useing your equiptment alot then invest in the decent tackle
But make sure your workshop is kindoff damp free welder dont like not being used and dampness as the wire rusts up and creates problems throw a sheet over it to protect the worset of the dampness

There is vat free on 2 weekend's in November had a.notification yesterday

 

[Alan88]

Thanks for the suggestions. Need to think what i really need and prioritise my spending. Is machine mart well priced? local shops here can be expensive but I wouldn't have to pay postage then.

I like the idea of an air line around the shed also I was in the tools addiction thread and now I think an induction heater tool would be good

 

[Bobthebuilder]

presuming you already have the small stuff like spanner/socket sets, but if not think about 1 of those tool chest offers where you get a decent selection of allsorts AND a nice box to keep it all in, also think about a decent cordless impact wrench, 18v/24v cordless drill, 9" and 5" angle grinders, again these sorts of power tools can be got as a package which will look quite expensive but will save a fair bit on buying single items, Halfords professional range is decent gear for not too many £££ and with Christmas/new year sales coming up they will have some good offers on, but a lot depends on if you want everything now or just gonna get bits n pieces when needed

 

[Lincs Lass]

Halfords professional range I decent gear for not too many £££ and with Christmas/new year sales coming up they will have some good offers on

Ive noticed Halfords prices have gone up in the last 2 months ,,I got a 200 pc socket set back in july ,half price was £150 then another 15% flash sale deal brought it down to £123ish ,,If you look at them now half price is £175

 

[Pheasant Surprise]

Ive noticed Halfords prices have gone up in the last 2 months ,,I got a 200 pc socket set back in july ,half price was £150 then another 15% flash sale deal brought it down to £123ish ,,If you look at them now half price is £175

You're right. I bought a 170 piece set this time last year for £100.

It's on 1/2 price sale again now but £150.

 

[Gulli]

I'd say a pillar/radial drill with a decent set of bits is a must, 2nd hand from an engineering workshop closing down.
But the fashion on here is to have a mag-drill instead, which I don't think I could argue with!

I'd say you'd be better off with a decent pillar drill unless you are doing a lot of big holes for a building or something.
Job to get the mag drill set up for drilling holes in small things as it doesn't always stick well.

Get an inverter arc welder too. Can stick anything together with one of them

 

[SilliamWhale]

Ive noticed Halfords prices have gone up in the last 2 months ,,I got a 200 pc socket set back in july ,half price was £150 then another 15% flash sale deal brought it down to £123ish ,,If you look at them now half price is £175

Trade card will bring the price down. Also remember that they'll probably discount more for black friday or xmas sales

 

[AJR75]

Not sure what you're intending of doing workwise but my first choices would be a welder generator (not huge and some very good deals on s/h units as has already been mentioned), oxy acetylene/ propane set, 5" and 9" angle grinders. With that lot there is very little that you can't accomplish.

 

[seedman stains]

It all depends on how handy you are,welding takes practice and sometimes expensive tools can be bought with good intensions and never used.pillar drill and bench grinder can be handy,as well as a compressor with a few bits then its up to you best it of kit I've bought over the last few years torque amplifier paid for its self x10.
Cows and good intentions don't always work never enough time to play with spanners

 

[sawdust]

Ive noticed Halfords prices have gone up in the last 2 months ,,I got a 200 pc socket set back in july ,half price was £150 then another 15% flash sale deal brought it down to £123ish ,,If you look at them now half price is £175

You're right. I bought a 170 piece set this time last year for £100.

It's on 1/2 price sale again now but £150.

I bought the 200 piece socket set last week and thought I was getting a bargain at £175

 

[Alan88]

It all depends on how handy you are,welding takes practice and sometimes expensive tools can be bought with good intensions and never used.pillar drill and bench grinder can be handy,as well as a compressor with a few bits then its up to you best it of kit I've bought over the last few years torque amplifier paid for its self x10.
Cows and good intentions don't always work never enough time to play with spanners

Your right there, my to do list never seems to get smaller.

 

[Kidds]

My workshop has all the stuff you say you want and mine is all Clarke/Machine Mart. It might not be the best of the best but it is plenty good enough for me and gets used a lot.