yalan

Yeah - totally agree about the Mudstuff product being easier... Typically well made stuff too.

No - the image you've supplied is part of a full rollbar system. Microcat has a different image page for this bar showing no 'part 16'. It is supposed to be a bulkhead replacement not a rollbar structure & so chassis mounts were never part of the original design.

Be careful quoting parts from this diagram as I'm not sure its the right one. Microcat shows a number of bulkhead bars - all with different part nos. The ones sold on eBay are the ones specced for the 'Tomb Raider' defenders..... Pics of the fitting of mine here: LINKY

To answer your original question..... Personally I use threadlock where recomended by the manual. I use copperslip on particularly prone items such as thermostat housing. IMHO you shouldn't use anything where it is not specifically recommended. Especially for torqued bolts. Reason being adding copperslip (etc) acts as a lubricant. Bolts turn easier & therefore will compress a joint tighter than a dry joint for the same given torque. This could break bolts or damage components through over tightening. Can't remember where I read it though!

If you've ever used a commercial cabinet you'll think its rubbish. I've got the clarke version too and as said above its not great.The exhaust in particular is terrible. Stick a vacuum on the port and all it does is lock the stupid cone filter solid with beads. Vacuum then overheats! Visibility pretty poor too as the flossy light at the back (casting shadows on the workpiece)being about as bright as a lit match. Pickup pipe often struggles to keep steady flow. Mine is running on a 17cfm 200ltr compressor so that isn't the problem. I'm currently building a new lid for it out of Plywood using x2 halogen floodlights and a massive panel filter.... See other people's solutions here..... http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=20261

Yep - another vote for the rage. Have finally accepted thet the original blade is now blunt but its done very well so far. Awesome being able to cut anything squarely regardless of material. You know when they're blunt because they no longer cut cold & start putting hot swarf out!

I quite like G&M. Good for a browse / rummage. Yes they can be a bit short but they must get loads of timewasters so its no real surprise. They'll aslo negotiate on price if you pitch it right. They also seem to get quite a bit of stock through their doors so they don't ever seem all that keen to buy unless they're getting a bargain. If you've got a bit more to spend then I hear dugard.com in Hove have a fair old selection though alot more 'professional' an outfit (=expensive kit?)

I like teng and that mobile set does look good. I was given a halfords set as my first kit in 1994. Since then I've built up a good set from a few different brands. My reckoning is: Halfords professional - unbeatable value & with lifetime guarantee & local shops open 7 days you just can't go wrong. Teng - good range but lacking the 'industrial edge'. My circlip pliers are just too weedy for the job designed for. Facom - my 2nd choice - have some awesome 'hex-plus' allen keys for +10 years and they beat my snap-on versions anytime. Old Britool - before the modern relaunch - awesome heavy duty kit. New Britool - Very good value for money but lacking the Halfords convenience & warranty. Old Kamasa - Found a kamasa screwdriver in my old landy in 1994. Nothing will damage it! Doesn't look much but very robust. Snap-On - I'm yet to break anything. Halfords is great knowing it can be replaced on a Sunday - but it better not to have anything break in the 1st place. Very expensive but does last a lifetime. Some bargains on eBay. Blue-Point - Not had much luck with the lesser Snap-on brands. Have had failures from both BluePoint & eurotools. Vice-Grip - Awesome for self locking pliers. Snap-on don't bother making their own version but sell Vice grip instead. Sealey - Fair build quality but nothing outstanding. My sealy tools work but are obviously built to a budget. Halfords 150pc set is an awesome starting point. And don't get me started on torque wrenches - getting my snap-on one recalibrated cost more than buying a brand new certified one from Halfords. And those halfords ones are very nice indeed considering how little they cost.

For 21p a tool you're not going to get much. That set isn't a 'halfords professional' set & therefore no guarantees. Looking at it - lots of those pieces look like bargain bucket nastyness. I'm not someone who raves about 'Must Buy British 'cos everything else is rubbish' but that really is built to the lowest possible cost. I wouldn't go near. Ha - in answer to a question - the Halfords 'web team' described this set 'A: Although this set is not designed for long term or heavy use.......' For a tenner more you can get this 90pc set but even better is the 150pc as previosly suggested. But that is £99.

You can get rubber compressor feet from Machine mart for about a tenner a set. Adjustable height too for uneven surfaces. Pretty good IMO. Clean supply is good for paint, underseal, inflating, bead blasting etc. You can get inline oilers which fit in to the tools inlet or you can just oil the tool with a few drops as you use it. Though if you've got a decent compressor - you really want a decent hardline setup with drops and drains.... good link below. www.tptools.com/statictext/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

Yup agreed. Mine is a 3.5hp running off a single phase. Almost as big as you can get on 1ph.... though it is on its own 32A circuit. It is also badged up as a Snap-On but is actually a British made FIAC machine. Very well built bit of kit.

Blasting certainly requires alot of air. With 8cfm you're going to have to keep stopping to let the tank recharge. The pump on its own won't be able to keep up. My 200ltr 17cfm machine needs to keep flicking the compressor on every few minutes to keep the pressure up whilst blasting. The machine mart cabinets stipulate a minimum of 10cfm..... You'd get flow but I imagine it to be a very frustrating process with a machine that small. I bought mine 2nd hand of eBay. If you go the same way you can find awesome machines - but be wary of poorly maintained machines with tanks rusting from the inside out..... Just like landies but more dangerous.

True, hardened and knurled? Cost in materials and tooling would no doubt exceed £40 - even though I do happen to have a mill to hand!

Seems like the month for 25s! Bought a 25 off eBay two weeks ago to replace my old 4" vice. Had no idea how 'absolutely huge' these things are! Although not terrible the jaws are lacking a bit of bite.... but sadly new jaws are nigh on £40 a set (inc postage) Only paid that for the vice..... Anyone know of anywhere cheaper?

I have a snap-on 3/8 and 1/2" but without doubt would buy halfords next time. Calibrating the snap-ons cost as much as buying a new halfords version. The halfords ones are very solid and well put together and totally eclipse anything else such as draper and teng. Awesome value for money especially if you have a trade card (20% off own brand tools)

Good job - let us know how you get on with the new ones. I've got a disco 200tdi engine & rad bolted into my chassis with no oil connections as yet. Look forward to hearing of a complete success! Ch3eers,

I've read alot of damning reports over SIP welders so thought I'd add my experiences. Traded up to a SIP TopMig Turbo 170 after some decidedly below par experiences with a no-gas clarke. I got the SIP from work where we had just bought new Lincoln Mig and Tig machines which I use quite regularly. Although not quite so professional nor easy to use as the new Lincolns, the SIP welds very well indeed for both long and short runs. Thin body panels or thicker plate. Perhaps it has just been well looked after but I certainly wouldn't share the opinions above. Admittedly its not a hobby size machine & runs off my 32A socked and size Y bottle. Perhaps the comments above are more relevant to the size of the machine (domestic DIY level) rather than the brand.

I recon its all a fuss about nothing. A decade or two ago dewalt was a professionals brand. Bought from pro shops. Their product range was focussed and expensive. Their tools did what the pros expected. Some time ago Handy Andy ruined it all. Dewalt was on TV and everyone wanted one - but they couldn't afford the £300 odd quid a decent one costed. Management spotted a 'diversification' opportunity and dtarted designing cheap bottom of the range tat that homeowners wouldn't identify as rubbish. They got sold in Robert Dyas et al in big numbers. The brand then started making more & more cheaper tools. The good ones are still available but they cost a big chunk. IMHO the good ones still perform as well as they did all those years ago. With regard manufacture in PRC - again IMHO its all a bit irrelevant. You can move a production line anywhere in the world and get identical quality. Its just that labour costings vary. Some of the worlds best / most technically advanced products are made in China. But its also the place to get rubber dog poo manufactured if thats your thing. With Chinese manufacture, you get what you pay for. I'd rather have a well made Chinese spanner in my hand than a badly made British one. And regarding Makita - yes, lots of good tools in the past and indeed present. But they too are diversifying. Not seen the £99 18v (NiCAD) Makita drill sets in B&Q? We've got some at work and yes they do drill holes fairly well, but if the bit snags, the whole casing twists and opens up slightly. But the're cheap & cheerful. Long and short of it all - You get what you pay for!

I'd go with Halfords. Good value & trustworthy high street piece of mind. I bought a Michelin branded alloy jack a while ago. Bought because of the brand but it was blatently just a branding exercise to shift cheaply made low quality products. Took it home to show the wife by jacking up the sofa. Up it goes nicely. Opened the release valve but nothing... it just stayed there. Touched the lifting lever & the whole thing came crashing down. Not nice... Get a Halfords or sealey (possible clarke)

I'd go with a meddings. We've got a local place here that buys & sells old industrial machines. They've got several drills retired from schools - typically as a result of H&S requirements needing extra stops etc. They've currently got a 1ph meddings .... but a bit far from you www.gandmtools.co.uk

Yup - I've got one of these and they're great. Mine cuts pretty well in the 90degree set slot. Certainly straight enough to weld nicely. The swarf shouldn't be hot though - Its a cold cutting blade that only really spits out hot swarf when the blade is worn. I thought there was a fine adjust screw to get the angles exact? Haven't needed it myself. I've used it for up to 4mm andgle iron without any problems at all. Great product.

My first dremel lasted probably 5 years or so and am currently on second base (mains) model. Never had any major problems - reverted to original dremel cutters after short lived pattern parts. I've found the 'reinforced cutting wheels' a million times better than the fragile cut off wheels that come as standard. I always found it interesting that they were banned from the Ford R&D centre in basildon. I believe it was as a result of repeated eye injuries! Awesome tool - wouldn't be without one.

Very similar experience here. Mine currently comes form AP and is pretty much the same as what you quote. I udes to pay monthly and it ended up costing nigh on £17 a month just for rental. Turns out the longer you own a bottle the more you pay in monthly rental. Crazy! I've just switched to annual payment. Don't know what their rental prices are like - but these guys have been very good to me with equipment & the like. They're BOC agents & local to me in W Sussex.

Would like to get hold of a tester for my 200tdi before commiting to a full rebuild. Prices seem to vary massively on eBay from £60 (silverline) to >£500 for big brands. Any personal suggestions? Anyone know what to look out for in the spec to ensure it'll come with the dummy injector / fittings to fit the 200tdi? Cheers,

No fraid it isn't snap-on! Halfords tools are made by Danaher.