Gas_mantle. | 11/05/2015 19:16:01 |
![]() 359 forum posts 269 photos | I'm just starting out in this hobby and slowly building up a set of tools, just wondered what's your best purchase ? What's your worst ? |
Bezzer | 11/05/2015 20:04:09 |
203 forum posts 16 photos | Best is the next thing you buy, worst!!!, there's no such thing☺ |
Douglas Johnston | 11/05/2015 20:17:48 |
![]() 814 forum posts 36 photos | Try not to buy cheap when it comes to important items like measuring instruments. It often makes economic sense to buy quality tools as they will last a lifetime and the enjoyment in using them will make you feel good. A poor tool will cause endless heartache and will probably be replaced at some point in the future. Doug |
Clive Hartland | 11/05/2015 20:27:39 |
![]() 2929 forum posts 41 photos | Without doubt a good quality Lathe and Milling machine. Buy quality if you can and then learn how it works and how to use it. Accessories as you need them. Drills and taps and good files. Clive |
martin perman | 11/05/2015 21:05:02 |
![]() 2095 forum posts 75 photos | Peter,
My best purchase is the small machine I bought very recently, I dont actually do model engineering but I do restore old stationary engines for which I make my own fuel tanks, its a roller/guillotine/box bender which means I can get rid of my modified mangle and angle iron.
Martin P |
Alex Collins | 11/05/2015 21:06:51 |
![]() 147 forum posts 38 photos | Like most people, I buy tools as and when I need them. |
Neil Wyatt | 11/05/2015 21:15:52 |
![]() 19226 forum posts 749 photos 86 articles | Worst? Cheap drills, nothing worse than snapping a big drill in something. Best? My mini-lathe. Without it I would/could never have gotten into this hobby. Neil |
Cabinet Enforcer | 11/05/2015 21:33:36 |
121 forum posts 4 photos | Best, without a shadow of a doubt, 6x4 band saw. Even though it was 2nd hand junk that needed fettling. Second best, 6" mitutoyo digital calipers, 10x the price of an aldi set and worth every penny. Though a couple of aldi calipers for mucky work are great too. |
Thor 🇳🇴 | 12/05/2015 05:24:19 |
![]() 1766 forum posts 46 photos | My best buy would be the Emco Compact 8 I bought decades ago, it is still delivering good work. Worst buy, as Neill says, cheap drills. Thor |
john carruthers | 12/05/2015 07:05:42 |
![]() 617 forum posts 180 photos | best tool was a 2nd cut Sheffield steel file, a joy to use. |
Oompa Lumpa | 12/05/2015 08:15:14 |
888 forum posts 36 photos | Best tool I own, my glasses. Second best is cash. Can accomplish most everything with these two tools. graham. |
Jesse Hancock 1 | 12/05/2015 08:22:00 |
314 forum posts | Worst tools : Indian spanners. Absolute rubbish and dangerous with it, I might as well have made paper gliders out of the money. Best but not including ridiculously priced snapon are German SACO spanners they have never lost against loctite, self locking nuts, garage air-guns, or rusted/corroded nuts and are still in excellent condition. I also have a set of mini screw drivers made by CW of Germany they are good but they weren't cheap either. I think over the years I have grown a preference for German hand tools. Items which have everyday use anyway but not necessarily model engineering. |
mick70 | 12/05/2015 08:43:46 |
524 forum posts 38 photos | worst cheap drills. best is hopefully going to be my 1939 southbend 9" lathe when it arrives and i have got it sorted. brought some of bits back other week just waiting for trailer to pick it up.
|
Involute Curve | 12/05/2015 09:23:22 |
![]() 337 forum posts 107 photos | Best is a Hurco Miller for 60 quid, and this was tha cost of moving it, and a Facom socket set, expensive but worth it, worst is cheap hacksaw blades........ |
martyn nutland | 12/05/2015 09:29:03 |
141 forum posts 10 photos | Not my best buy, Peter, but if you want a bit of exotica in your early days you might try a tailstock scroll chuck from Chronos. It's hard to find on their website by describing it, so use the reference number 154032. I'd been looking for one of these for a tong time, in preference to the rotating Jacob's variety. A firm in America called Bison make them and I'm sure they're a splendid engineering job, but they cost mega-bucks. The Chronos job is cheap and cheerful (about 70 quid) and, I think, as the Americans would say, it's quite 'neat'! Enjoy your machining and good luck. Martyn |
Nick_G | 12/05/2015 09:40:48 |
![]() 1808 forum posts 744 photos | Posted by martyn nutland on 12/05/2015 09:29:03:
. A firm in America called Bison make them Martyn . I thought Bison was a Polish company. - Or is there more than one.?
Nick |
Nobby | 12/05/2015 09:47:38 |
![]() 587 forum posts 113 photos | A Myford Super 7 rusting away in a coal bunker for a fiver needed some work |
GarryC | 12/05/2015 09:59:17 |
![]() 740 forum posts 1043 photos | Hi Peter Best would be the Warco Lathe that I have now also on a par with it the Chester Mill. Worst has to be a drill bit sharpening jiggy thing that I haven't even been able to try and also a tiny 3" rotary table that I could never get anything to fit onto - I have a 6" now which is great. Cheap drills I'm not so sure about now as a lot depends as to how and when they are used and what they are asked to do, they can be handy to buy and have in bulk especially if the budget is tight and you get asked or need to do some less critical jobs - but you absolutely can't be without quality drills to hand to be able to make the choice me thinks. Have fun with the new lathe. Garry |
Ady1 | 12/05/2015 10:41:29 |
![]() 6137 forum posts 893 photos | In the past I found that Halfords did some really good gear (tools for life purchases) at very reasonable prices Don't know what they are like nowadays |
Ady1 | 12/05/2015 10:49:07 |
![]() 6137 forum posts 893 photos | Not my best buy, Peter, but if you want a bit of exotica in your early days you might try a tailstock scroll chuck from Chronos. It's hard to find on their website by describing it, so use the reference number 154032. It's a "unimat style" 3 jaw chuck, the old unimat SL used them and they can be beautifully made Their downside is they don't grip as tightly as a jacobs keyed chuck and you bash your fingers a lot getting them unscrewed There is a keyed version, item number 281343093107 on a well known auction site, 120 quid though Edited By Ady1 on 12/05/2015 10:57:20 |
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