Never got the right tool !

[alan_fincher]

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

Do you know a B&Q with a reasonable selection or reasonable tools at a reasonable price, (whether canal-side or not) ?

[Grace and Favour]

Do you know a B&Q with a reasonable selection or reasonable tools at a reasonable price, (whether canal-side or not) ?

 

 

Sorry - - that's an oxymoron

Edited June 25, 2010 by Grace & Favour

[Josher]

Please continue discussion here.

[RLWP]

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

 

I'm reminded of those famous words of Winston Churchill:

 

"Give us the job and we'll finish the tools"

 

Richard

[Byeckerslike]

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.

 

 

Hi, the fixing that your describing sounds like a Torx headed bolt, it should be an easy affair to determine the size ant one from Halfrauds.

 

Rob

[Guest]

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...

Torx are taking over the world. We are now using wood screws that have torx drive at work. Tons better than pozi too.

[ChrisPy]

What do you do with all those tools (and sundry materials and fittings) that you just had to have in order to do one critical job, which you will probably never use again?

I have a garage and a boat full of such tools and stuff. Plus several boxes of mixed screws, bolts and nuts that I am loath to dump, because I can always find the one I need after 20minutes searching.

 

 

I recall my father always having a bedroom adapted as a workshop, full of tools, and some bigger stuff in the garage, right up to the day he died 94. He could make just about anything. Compared to an uncle who kept all his tools in a kitchen drawer. I fit somewhere in between but as has been said, the tool I need at home is still always on the boat, and vice versa.

 

What is scary is the number of different spanner sets, power saws and power sanders I have collected. They all seem to be indispensable but it's hard to justify when questioned by SWMBO.

 

I admire those tradesmen who have everything they will ever need all packed into one toolbox. Mind you, most of us have to multi-task so there need to be tools for carpentry, plumbing, painting, mechanics, electrics, etc.

 

On that subject, we had a decorator in to paint the walls and newly plastered ceilings of 2 rooms. Because the existing colour of the walls was rich red and dark brown, SWMBO and I put on 2 coats of white emulsion first, so he didn't waste time doing the same. It took us about 1 hour to do the walls in each room. How did the decorator manage to spin the same job out to 6 hours, just for the walls in one room? And he made a convincing job of never stopping or taking a break. Paid him by the day - first mistake !!

 

I watched a couple of painters put the blacking on a 57ft widebeam same as mine the other day (side only). It took them 2 hours to get round the boat once. I started the same job the next day and it took me 40minutes to get each coat of blacking on (same paint). Maybe it helped me that my boat was on sleepers and I could wield a well-loaded long handled 9" roller with ease, except under the swim, whereas their boat was on trestles and they had to reach up. At the end of the day they had the same amount of dribbles and runs as I did. But I must admit that I looked like a coal miner and their overalls remained spotless.

[twbm]

I have adopted the contents-of-shed-in-back-of-car approach to tool management, being as how the boats are in Alvecote and I live in Southampton. It also helps stop grown up children raiding the toolbox and nicking stuff when I'm away working on the day job.

 

I have a particular issue with steel rulers: I own ten, but only know where one or two are at any given time. The others, I believe, have develped the ability to slip behind a convenient air molecule into Rulerworld and take holidays there. One of the ways they amuse themselves between visits to the Ruler pool and Ruler bar is to re-appear on the workbench for about 30 seconds, wait til I've seen them, then disappear again. Or perhaps I've just read Hitchhikers too often.

[nb Innisfree]

What do you do with all those tools (and sundry materials and fittings) that you just had to have in order to do one critical job, which you will probably never use again?

I have a garage and a boat full of such tools and stuff. Plus several boxes of mixed screws, bolts and nuts that I am loath to dump, because I can always find the one I need after 20minutes searching.

 

 

I recall my father always having a bedroom adapted as a workshop, full of tools, and some bigger stuff in the garage, right up to the day he died 94. He could make just about anything. Compared to an uncle who kept all his tools in a kitchen drawer. I fit somewhere in between but as has been said, the tool I need at home is still always on the boat, and vice versa.

 

What is scary is the number of different spanner sets, power saws and power sanders I have collected. They all seem to be indispensable but it's hard to justify when questioned by SWMBO.

 

I admire those tradesmen who have everything they will ever need all packed into one toolbox. Mind you, most of us have to multi-task so there need to be tools for carpentry, plumbing, painting, mechanics, electrics, etc.

 

I quite enjoy working out how to do a job with the limited tools available rather than locating a tool for the job. Before we moved onto our boat I had an impressive collection of tools being of the mind that the proper tool for the job is necessary but we had to put all those into storage and now everything I install and therefore repair has to done with a few basic tools, I think the handiest one being an angle grinder especially with the thin 1mm cutting discs. Mind you my Myford lathe would be very handy occasionally.

[bargemast]

I guess you lost a lot of your gained time (by working fast) once you started counting their dribbles and runs to compair with yours.

 

As long as you don't end up with more paint on yourself then on your boat, things are fine.

 

Peter.

[RLWP]

<snip>

I have a particular issue with steel rulers: I own ten, but only know where one or two are at any given time. The others, I believe, have develped the ability to slip behind a convenient air molecule into Rulerworld and take holidays there. One of the ways they amuse themselves between visits to the Ruler pool and Ruler bar is to re-appear on the workbench for about 30 seconds, wait til I've seen them, then disappear again. Or perhaps I've just read Hitchhikers too often.

 

They are in league with centre punches, scribers and particularly spanners.

 

Richard

[Barry]

And flathead screwdrivers!

 

I can find crosshead screwdrivers any time I want but when looking for the flatheads out of my new set I always end up with the old one I've had for years and years

 

Maybe the old one did away with the new ones in a fit of jealous rage

[blackrose]

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

 

How did you manage to get in there? Everytime I've been past the same boats are moored there.

 

 

Northampton on the Nene

 

Gap in the fence at Wickes in Banbury

 

On the GU at Southall

 

B&Q Southall closed about 3 years ago.

[ChrisPy]

And flathead screwdrivers!

 

I can find crosshead screwdrivers any time I want but when looking for the flatheads out of my new set I always end up with the old one I've had for years and years

 

Maybe the old one did away with the new ones in a fit of jealous rage

All new flathead screwdrivers lose their virginity by being used to open paint cans, or as wedges and levers, as do brand new chisels.

Once they are covered in paint or are bent they look old and get consigned to the rubbish tools drawer.

Obviously you're looking in the wrong place.

[Barry]

All new flathead screwdrivers lose their virginity by being used to open paint cans, or as wedges and levers, as do brand new chisels.

Once they are covered in paint or are bent they look old and get consigned to the rubbish tools drawer.

Obviously you're looking in the wrong place.

 

Ah there may lie my problem then

 

My new flattie's have never been deflowered

 

Maybe they are just shy then

[WotEver]

They are in league with centre punches, scribers and particularly spanners.

When they're vacationing they wear odd socks and spend their time writing letters home with innumerable biros.

 

Tony

[Natalie Graham]

All new flathead screwdrivers lose their virginity by being used to open paint cans,

I have a proper paint can opener. It sits permanently in the top draw of the toolbox, except for when I have a can of paint that needs opening, when it is nowhere to be seen.