Never got the right tool !

[JonL]

Is it just me that despite taking what seems like my entire garage when I go the boat to do some work, within 10 mins of being there I always find I haven’t got what I need whether it’s a particular screw, bit of timber, tool etc etc.

 

Sometimes I plan jobs for hours, thinking of everything but no every time there’s something I haven’t got.

 

Does anyone know of a B&Q with moorings available!

[frangar]

Yep!! try the one @ Hemel....was very useful when we moored down there!!

[MoominPapa]

Is it just me that despite taking what seems like my entire garage when I go the boat to do some work, within 10 mins of being there I always find I haven’t got what I need whether it’s a particular screw, bit of timber, tool etc etc.

The opposite is true also: snookered at home because the tool I need is on the boat. I just end up carrying around everything in the back of the car.

 

MP.

[Naughty Cal]

Must be a very common thing. We have three sets of tools on the go, one at home, one on the boat and the OH's enormous box at work. The "right" tool is always where you are not

 

The OH decided to change the brake pads on the Dastun on Wednesday, took the wheel off then discovered the tool he needed was at work. It wasnt a lost cause though as he also discovered the brake discs are shot so he couldnt have done the job anyway.

[paulcatchpole]

The opposite is true also: snookered at home because the tool I need is on the boat. I just end up carrying around everything in the back of the car.

 

MP.

 

Fully agreed, and as Phylis says below, the tool you need is always where you're not. In our case, it's either on the wrong boat, or in the garage at the house, or in the storage container.

 

On the other hand, if you perform every task just using a mole wrench, screwdriver with broken-off tip and a big hammer, it's not too hard to duplicate the tools in each location. Come to think of it, I think we've an excess of the aforementioned special type of screwdriver...

 

PC

[Naughty Cal]

On the other hand, if you perform every task just using a mole wrench, screwdriver with broken-off tip and a big hammer, it's not too hard to duplicate the tools in each location. Come to think of it, I think we've an excess of the aforementioned special type of screwdriver...

 

Are you any good at making security bits for Nissans?

[paulcatchpole]

Are you any good at making security bits for Nissans?

 

Which bit do you need making secure?

 

PC

[Naughty Cal]

Which bit do you need making secure?

 

PC

 

I need the brake calipers to become unsecure please

[paulcatchpole]

I need the brake calipers to become unsecure please

 

We're back to the big hammer again...

 

What sort are they, single-pot floating ones that use a 7mm allen key to undo the pins?

 

PC

[WotEver]

I need the brake calipers to become unsecure please

I've got a really BIG hammer in the car if you want to borrow it, PC.

 

T

[Naughty Cal]

We're back to the big hammer again...

 

What sort are they, single-pot floating ones that use a 7mm allen key to undo the pins?

 

PC

 

I need them to work again afterwards

 

They are single pot but they have a security bit (think cross headed screw type but with seven ends instead of the usual four) to enable the removal of the caliper and replacement of the discs and pads.

[WotEver]

They are single pot but they have a security bit (think cross headed screw type but with seven ends instead of the usual four) ...

Torx.

 

Tony

 

edit to add a piccy:

Edited June 25, 2010 by WotEver

[paulcatchpole]

I need them to work again afterwards

 

They are single pot but they have a security bit (think cross headed screw type but with seven ends instead of the usual four) to enable the removal of the caliper and replacement of the discs and pads.

 

A torx bit? Not seen one used for that, but no reason why not I guess.

 

You may get away with an allen key bit in a socket set, in an emergency.

 

I've some odd sized torx bits, if you're desperate enough to need me to send you a few. LMK.

 

How big is it?

 

PC

 

PS: Thanks Tony! We've a choice of two, as standard, my 4lb one, and Kate's ickle 2lb one. I wouldn't mind a bigger one though, 'cause the 4lb just isn't enough sometimes...

 

Edit: Thanks Tony, for drawing us a picture...

Edited June 25, 2010 by paulcatchpole

[Naughty Cal]

The OH has a set of them at work, just the car isnt at work

 

(He needs them a lot more now as more and more car parts are fitted with them)

[WotEver]

The OH has a set of them at work, just the car isnt at work

 

(He needs them a lot more now as more and more car parts are fitted with them)

He could buy a complete set for 9 squids: http://www.toolspot.co.uk/product/10pc-3-8...-double-blister

 

Tony

[paulcatchpole]

The OH has a set of them at work, just the car isnt at work

 

(He needs them a lot more now as more and more car parts are fitted with them)

 

Ah, back to the original topic then!

 

Aye, I know what you mean, my 3-series and Kate's Vauxhall are both peppered with them, but I've not seen one used for brake calipers before...

 

I've got the odd-sized enormous one that Vauxhall use for the gearbox input shaft bolt, used when moving it to replace the clutch on the older boxes where you can drop it out the bottom. The random things that get bought for a handful of uses...

 

PC

[Naughty Cal]

He could buy a complete set for 9 squids: http://www.toolspot.co.uk/product/10pc-3-8...-double-blister

 

Tony

 

And use them once because they have twisted or sheared the ends off

[paulcatchpole]

And use them once because they have twisted or sheared the ends off

 

I find I can knacker good tools as comprehensively as I can destroy cheap ones...

 

Must be me.

 

PC

[Naughty Cal]

I find I can knacker good tools as comprehensively as I can destroy cheap ones...

 

Must be me.

 

PC

 

The OH refuses to buy cheap or average quality tools, he has bought enough at work and binned them after a few uses to know only to buy proffesional quality tools and only buy them once.

[nb Innisfree]

Just the opposite for us, as liveaboards we have to make sure we have all the tools we need, filled up the back cabin with them which was intended as a small workshop

[paulcatchpole]

The OH refuses to buy cheap or average quality tools, he has bought enough at work and binned them after a few uses to know only to buy proffesional quality tools and only buy them once.

 

Yebbut, you'd think that'd make sense wouldn't you...

 

But I've got expensive, decently branded tools, that've turned out rubbish, and I've got some (but by no means all) cheap tools which have far outlasted expectations.

 

Fair point though, all the same.

 

I get by without being able to afford top quality tools unless it's a special occasion, so quite a few are at the cheap end of the market. A recent example was some branded cobalt drill bits. I had a set years ago, which lasted really well until they got lost one by one, so I bought a replacement (branded, expensive) set, but they've turned out to be absolute rubbish, think they're made from cobalt blue stilton. I've replaced them with a few bulk packs of standard HSS jobber drills (pence each), which have turned out to be about twice as good as the naff cobalt set. Okay, so that makes them about 1/4 as good as the old cobalt set, but I'm still not complaining at the price. And I can afford to lose them, and make the odd impatient mistake of spinning them up too fast.

 

But hey, whatever works.

 

PC

[nbfiresprite]

Is it just me that despite taking what seems like my entire garage when I go the boat to do some work, within 10 mins of being there I always find I haven’t got what I need whether it’s a particular screw, bit of timber, tool etc etc.

 

Sometimes I plan jobs for hours, thinking of everything but no every time there’s something I haven’t got.

 

Does anyone know of a B&Q with moorings available!

 

Northampton on the Nene

 

Gap in the fence at Wickes in Banbury

 

On the GU at Southall

 

 

 

Firesprite

 

In the cool office

 

Cambridgeshire

[billh]

Does anyone know of a B&Q with moorings available!

 

Yes, our moorings have: B&Q, 3 mins walk, Screwfix tradeshop & Selco builders merchants 5 mins, Howarth Timber, 10 mins.The first 3 mentioned have a lot of common items at all 3 so it's not hard to shop around for best price . Within the same distance are the less useful stores like Halfords & Argos ( at least for boaty things). So you see , urban moorings do have advantages.

Sorry, that's moorings with B&Q available, not B&Q with moorings available.

Bill

[paulcatchpole]

The first 3 mentioned have a lot of common items at all 3

 

The first two are owned by the same people, and B+Q have the cheek to use the same part numbering scheme on their next-day website service as Screwfix, just at increased prices.

 

PC

[billh]

The first two are owned by the same people, and B+Q have the cheek to use the same part numbering scheme on their next-day website service as Screwfix, just at increased prices.

 

PC

Yea I know