Sturdy Tools – What to Buy in Canberra?

EvanJames said :

Gerry-Built said :

I thought so too, until I discovered the “Littl’ Juey”… now I love using my Whipper Snipper to wage my war on weeds and anything else that gets in the way of my gardening prowess… and rarely have to change line (and NEVER have to deal with frickin’ correct tension on the lines)… EVERY Trimmer should come with it…

Yep. Got one! Makes life much simpler. I’m hoping I can cut my old roll of line into lengths to use in this thing, use them up.

Au contraire. As an ex grass chopping professional you can’t go past a Tanaka 4 way trimmer head: http://www.indmowing.com.au/catalog/popup_image.php?pID=568&osCsid=a3a10c3416441b37ba4bb7f8ea596ba8. No fannying around with cutting little bits of cord, and you’ll never replace one of these in 10 years…

Not much else to add to the actual discussion except that I happily buy Ozito electrical stuff for the little bits of DIY I get up to, but when it comes to gardening tools, the more you spend the longer it lasts.

One word of advice though – apart from mowers, never buy a 4 stroke petrol gardening tool. 2 stroke rools.

If you want good tools don’t go to Bunnings to buy them. nearly all their stuff is weak/cheap home use stuff and there salesman aren’t much better. Even there Makita / DeWalt range is the home use stuff. plastic chucks , plastic gears.

Known_only_as_Jack said :

Thank you all for your input; it is greatly appreciated. I will be heading out this weeks end to start establishing my workshop.

As for the return; well – ‘no receipt – no return’. Rest assured it will be the last time that I make that mistake as well.

Thanks again
Jack

Really? I’ve returned plenty of stuff to the big green shed without a receipt, and have never had any problems at all – including stuff that had broken. The only limitation was that I’d get store credit, rather than an actual refund.

If you paid using a card – EFTPOS or credit – they should be able to pull your details out of their sales system as well, and print out a duplicate receipt.

It’s actually one of the things that makes me come back there (well…aside from there being no alternative in the Belconnen area these days…) – their return policies are very friendly.

Thank you all for your input; it is greatly appreciated. I will be heading out this weeks end to start establishing my workshop.

As for the return; well – ‘no receipt – no return’. Rest assured it will be the last time that I make that mistake as well.

Thanks again
Jack

Any opinions on the Hitachi Lithium Ion stuff that Magnet Mart stock?

Kerryhemsley said :

No all tools aren’t created equal. A good sturdy one will help but you need to know how to use it. Ladies?

Anyone says ‘stud finder’ and I’m shooting them with my nail gun, quick as.

No all tools aren’t created equal. A good sturdy one will help but you need to know how to use it. Ladies?

Gerry-Built said :

I worked for the tool section in the big green warehouse back when they only had one store in Canberra; and even before it became green…

Re power tools: I used to suggest the cheap brands (like Ozito’s cheap brand; XU1) for one-off or weekend DIY jobs, but if someone wanted to be able to use the tool in the longer term, or for larger jobs, a Ryobi at minimum, but more likely Makita. Most of my own tools are makita, though I have some cheaper brands for my less used items (ie now defunct GMC). Generally I didn’t sell DeWalt to anyone but tradies as they are more costly for what you get than most DIYers require – and OP sounds like a DIYer. It is worth buying plastic, sealable tubs for the more expensive power tools, both to keep moisture out, and to keep bits etc located with them. Don’t forget a good set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); goggles, earmuffs, hat and respirator mask – do not skimp on these.

With a wheelbarrow, get steel handles… Every wooden handled barrow I’ve owned; the timber has been of such a poor grade, it splinters and warps – badly…

I agree re Makita, the Makita stuff I’ve got (some handed down after a lot of use) is still going strong, and has never missed a beat.

I do have an Ozito angle grinder, and it’s never been any trouble either, still going strong. I think that with cheap power tools, it’s worth sticking to simple stuff – things like angle grinders or circular saws, which are basically an electric motor spinning a shaft, with a cutting disc manually screwed in place. I think that where the cheap tools can end up running into trouble is with things like chucks on a drill, or other more complicated mechanisms.

AEG are a brand I like as well. Their non-professional stuff is probably fairly similar to Makita for quality, perhaps a bit better sometimes. They do seem to have a fair bit of stuff that fills the mid range “better than the cheap stuff, but cheaper than the pro stuff” price point.

I do do a reasonable amount of DIY around the house and garden though, so appreciate tools that just work. My philosophy is that if I need a tool for a job, there’s a good chance I’ll need it again at some point in the future, so I’ll buy something that will still be working down the track. YYMV!

Gerry-Built said :

I thought so too, until I discovered the “Littl’ Juey”… now I love using my Whipper Snipper to wage my war on weeds and anything else that gets in the way of my gardening prowess… and rarely have to change line (and NEVER have to deal with frickin’ correct tension on the lines)… EVERY Trimmer should come with it…

Yep. Got one! Makes life much simpler. I’m hoping I can cut my old roll of line into lengths to use in this thing, use them up.

I worked for the tool section in the big green warehouse back when they only had one store in Canberra; and even before it became green…

Re power tools: I used to suggest the cheap brands (like Ozito’s cheap brand; XU1) for one-off or weekend DIY jobs, but if someone wanted to be able to use the tool in the longer term, or for larger jobs, a Ryobi at minimum, but more likely Makita. Most of my own tools are makita, though I have some cheaper brands for my less used items (ie now defunct GMC). Generally I didn’t sell DeWalt to anyone but tradies as they are more costly for what you get than most DIYers require – and OP sounds like a DIYer. It is worth buying plastic, sealable tubs for the more expensive power tools, both to keep moisture out, and to keep bits etc located with them. Don’t forget a good set of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE); goggles, earmuffs, hat and respirator mask – do not skimp on these.

With a wheelbarrow, get steel handles… Every wooden handled barrow I’ve owned; the timber has been of such a poor grade, it splinters and warps – badly…

Pork Hunt said :

ALL petrol powered whipper snippers are the the invention of Beelzebub himself!

Anyone care to differ?

I thought so too, until I discovered the “Littl’ Juey”… now I love using my Whipper Snipper to wage my war on weeds and anything else that gets in the way of my gardening prowess… and rarely have to change line (and NEVER have to deal with frickin’ correct tension on the lines)… EVERY Trimmer should come with it…

Pork Hunt said :

ALL petrol powered whipper snippers are the the invention of Beelzebub himself!

Anyone care to differ?

Yep, I have one that is at least 13 years old & has never had a spanner on it except for a spark plug., its an Oleo Mac & is quite possibly the most reliable thing to come out of Italy that I have had anything to do with.

Re the $100 quote, I have a $40 240V Ozito drill driver that I have had for about 3 years, maybe longer (I dont use them enough to buy a good battery operated one that the batteries wont die on) & it has built a lean to, re roofed my pergola & built my kitchen. The only reason it died was that I was misusing it recently & burnt the motor out (too lazy to go & get a bigger drill). For 40 bucks it was sensational value for money.

My GMC cirular saw it still going stong after building a pergola at our old huse & doing all the floors in this house.

Anything battery operated you need to spend money on because the batteries are no good & dont last on the cheapieds

ALL petrol powered whipper snippers are the the invention of Beelzebub himself!

Anyone care to differ?

cranky said :

$100 is about the best price for a balance of quality/reliability at the big green shed. This applies to everything from drills & orbital sanders to electric chain saws..

I’ve got an ozito angle grinder and (hardwired) electric drill and they’ve done well (cost me around $30-40 each). 3(?) years warranty, on the spot replacement in store afaik. I was pretty skeptical at the start, but they’ve lasted many hours of continuous hard use. At the end of the day, even if it does die after 3 years, i’ve had pretty good value.

All tools are definitely not created equal!

After plenty of time spent lamenting the death of cheap tools, I’m now firmly in the ‘pay for stuff that will last’ camp. That doesn’t mean I buy the most expensive, professional quality tool available – I’m not a tradie, I’m not relying on this stuff to make a living – but I do want to know that when I’ve got stuff to do around the house, I’m not going to have to drive down to the big green shed half way through the job to replace the piece of crap that’s just failed me…

As for some specific advice, all of this is experience I’ve gained (normally to my loss!)

I’ll never again buy a Ryobi power tool. Their rubbish has let me down one too many times.

You don’t mention whether you’re looking for a cordless, or a corded drill. If corded, make sure you get something with a key chuck – keyless chucks suck, and if you ever need to do anything serious, will likely fail you.

When buying a wheelbarrow, look at what the wheel is made of. I’ve just had to replace the wheel on mine, as the plastic wheel had broken when I’d run it over sleepers with a load (guessing the impact had compressed the tyre, and hit the actual wheel, which broke). I’ve got a steel wheel now – not invincible, but a lot tougher than plastic.

If there’s a choice between a petrol powered product, and an electrical powered product, the petrol powered one will almost always be more powerful, more flexible, and lead to less frustration than the electrical equivalent.

Lastly, I think that when it comes to tools, you do get what you pay for. If you can find the balance between paying enough for something that will last, and not paying the premium for trade level gear, then you’ll be laughing.

A lot of tradie guys use DeWalt power tools. Be aware too that Fisher Discounts also sell cheap handyman tools as well as more expensive tradesman (tradeperson?) tools.

Combined Electrical is another place in Fyshwick (Newcastle St) that sells quality power tools.

Stay away from places like Super Cheap Auto for tools, you get what you pay for there.

bikhet said :

Cyclone is a reasonable brand for the shovels and the mattock – at least mine have lasted me well in spite of being abused. Can’t help with the barrow or the edger.

When it comes to the electrical stuff there are two approaches. Pay big bucks for something good, or treat them as essentially disposable items – use them until they break and then buy another one. I know the “disposable” approach isn’t environmentally sound and may sound counter-intuitive, but the cost differential between the the good stuff and the cheap stuff is such that it may provide value for money.

If you want to do precision work with the drill and/or the jigsaw then you’re probably stuck with paying for the good gear. The cheap stuff won’t do it.

I agree that Cyclone still make the best garden tools. They are more expensive but this is proof they are better. If you buy a “steel” garden rake, first test it at the store by standing on one side of the prong bar and bending the handle to the same side. If the prong bar has little resistance then don’t buy the rake.

cranky said :

Fishers have been pretty reliable from the word go. For workshop tools, M & G are the local dealers for Hafco. All very reasonable quality at very competitive prices. I have nothing to say about their competition in Gladstone St.

Fishers are good to deal with and have a good range of reasonably-priced tools – but if you are looking for the best – M&G are head and shoulders above anything else in the ACT.

Just be aware – know exactly what you need, and be prepared to pay for quality.

You can buy ordinary fittings at ordinary fasteners.

As a bit of a tool buff, a couple of observations re power tools.

$100 is about the best price for a balance of quality/reliability at the big green shed. This applies to everything from drills & orbital sanders to electric chain saws.

Always buy a drill with a 10mm chuck.

The quality of drill bits does seem to relate fairly closely to their price.

Fishers have been pretty reliable from the word go. For workshop tools, M & G are the local dealers for Hafco. All very reasonable quality at very competitive prices. I have nothing to say about their competition in Gladstone St.

EvanJames said :

I hope you took the broken stuff back for a refund. Fit For Purpose means exactly that, as-does implied warranty… stuff should do its job and last for a reasonable amount of time.

Exactly.

My Dad (who came to Canberra in the 50s as a tradesman from Germany), never had much money but always bought the best quality tools (carpentry). As a result, we are still using those same tools long after his departure from this earth.

Just take all back for a refund, or ask for an exchange for a better product?

The big green shed has a wide range of brands from good to rubbish. Generally if you haven’t heard of it before it is probably rubbish. The old saying you get what you pay for is true to some degree as the better quality tools are going to cost more.

Take a look at the range available, discount the cheapest, look at the most expensive to see what you get and then determine where along the scale of second cheapest to most expensive you think you need.

I worked with a guy that used to say he couldn’t afford s*** tools so he had to buy good quality ones, which is a bit of a mix of ‘buy cheap buy twice’ and the fact that rubbish tools cost you in wasted time.

As for the tools, you can get reasonable quality electrics for around $100 each, avoid battery powered garden tools, I’ve been very happy with a ryobi petrol whipper snipper that takes a hedge trimming attachment and an edging attachment.

I hope you took the broken stuff back for a refund. Fit For Purpose means exactly that, as-does implied warranty… stuff should do its job and last for a reasonable amount of time.

Cyclone is a reasonable brand for the shovels and the mattock – at least mine have lasted me well in spite of being abused. Can’t help with the barrow or the edger.

When it comes to the electrical stuff there are two approaches. Pay big bucks for something good, or treat them as essentially disposable items – use them until they break and then buy another one. I know the “disposable” approach isn’t environmentally sound and may sound counter-intuitive, but the cost differential between the the good stuff and the cheap stuff is such that it may provide value for money.

If you want to do precision work with the drill and/or the jigsaw then you’re probably stuck with paying for the good gear. The cheap stuff won’t do it.