I have a number of restoration projects as you can see in my signature, some need more restoration than others!
Recently at a local Auto Jumble I was nearly tempted by a 75mm air powered cut off tool. (But I resisted).
I have a 4.5" and a 8" electric grinder, but recent events (yes that outrigger) and looking at my Stag has shown me that a more compact unit could be an advantage in some areas.
I was always taught to buy the best I could afford, well I can't afford Snap On (or Sealey come to that!) so as I was only going to be using it occasionally is there any difference between the lower end of the market e.g. Rolson, Silverline and that ilk, or paying slightly more for a Clarke or a Draper?
They are worth their weight in chocolate coated coffee beans. The only downside to them is that every supplier (that I can find) of the discs for them is eye-wateringly expensive.
Judicious use of the oxy-propane torch has always sorted Landrover chassis disassembly for me.
Sitting at this end of the world your local brand names don't mean a lot to me but I'll give you some general guidelines.
The high end (Snap-On, Shinano, Chicago Pneumatics, Matco and similar) gear is good. It tends to require significantly less air flow and deliver more torque than the cheaper "equivalent" tools.
The second-tier pneumatic tools seem to be pretty much as good as the brands mentioned above, and in many cases is made on the same production line but doesn't carry the elite name or warranty. Beware however that some of the second tier suppliers will also put their name on much poorer quality tools as well and it is never certain what you are going to get (even between 2 "identical" items).
The low end tools are generally cheap because corners have been cut - where a more expensive tool would have a ball bearing the cheap one has a brass bush. Machining tolerances are often worse and thus air consumption is generally *much* higher than a better quality tool. That said, pneumatic tools generally last very well[1] and for occasional home mechanic use even the cheap tools are adequate so long as you can cope with high air consumption.
[1] My Chicago Pneumatics 1/2" impact wrench still functions well after
2 decades, for most of which it was in daily use in a commercial setting.
On or around Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:36:37 +1300, EMB enlightened us thusly:
[air tool wisdom]
I bought a cheap 30-quid rattlegun and it was pants. The current one (65-quid axminster own brand) is good, but I don't think it generates the amount of maximum torque it claims to. Also occasionally it refuses to rattle in the FWD direction. Uses quite a bit less air though.
back to the topic: the next toy when I can afford it will be a plasma cutter
- having seen one in action on a very rusty SIII chassis at the local garage.
Although back to axminster, they list a dinky little 50mm grinder/sander/wotever thing with an angled head, which looks quite tempting. DC supply, so probably needs a transformer to run on - need to check that.
Plasma cutters are ace but IME they aren't great on rusty surfaces (and in that situation they rapidly eat contact tips). An oxy-propane cutting torch (as I mentioned earlier) will cut even extremely rusty steel cleanly and effectively slaglessly.
I bought a cheepo (£10) Amtech cut off tool to use at work, the motor seems to have a sticky spot from new but it's had loads of use, gone through loads of discs £2 for 5 at bowlers computer fair on saturday.
Theres loads of cheepo tools there providing the tool dudes there, he also goes to smithfield market on a sunday
I just bought it coz it was a tenner and so far I think I've had my moneys worth out of it and it's still going strong. I also bought a cheep topbox and rollcab from the computer fair (£240)
Well, we resell Silverline tools where I work. And I can honestly say I have never seen such a load of crap. Thier stuff is fine for occasional use, but any kind of heavy use or continuous use and they simply break. Ok, they're offering a guarantee on a lot of thier power tools now, but that just means you're without it for weeks while they replace it.
Granted we do actually use Silverline tools ourselves, but this is only on the knowledge that they will break after about 6 months, and we just get them replaced all the time. For us it works out cheaper than buying Makita/Bosch/DeWalt stuff. Funnily enough, the boss's personal tools are all decent brand stuff.....
I'd be looking at the mid-range stuff if I were you. I usually buy the best I can afford, but budget doesn't always permit the better brands. Some tools I have are still going strong after 10 years. Or longer.
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