Posted by Peter Brady on Wed 22nd November 2006 at 06:00 AM, Filed in Power Tools, Tools
If you’ve got arthritis or just want an easier alternative to a conventional screwdriver you should give consideration to a powered, cordless screwdriver.
This Handy Power 3.6V Cordless Screwdriver is perfect for doing simple bits a pieces around the home and retails on DIYtools for a very reasonable £5.99 ($10).
Features include:
• Straight or pistol position.
• 3.6V rechargeable battery.
• Forward and reverse action – inserts and removes screws.
• Complete with carry case and 16 piece screwdriver and accessory bits.
If you really want to make good quality concrete then you need a mixer.
Unless you’re doing an awful lot of concrete work over a prolonged period there really is no need to purchase a concrete mixer and in fact they are readily available for hire.
Some features to bear mind:
1. There are petrol driven and electric driven mixers. For the amateur DIYer electric driven is ideal - although ensure that the cables are in good condition.
2. The ideal drum size is 4/3 cubic feet. This means that it has a dry material (i.e sand, cement, aggregate) capacity of 4 cubic feet which gives 3 cubic feet of mixed concrete.
3. Smaller mixers tend to have wheels and a pushbar like a barrow. A pivot allows you to pour the mix into a wheelbarrow.
Concreting may seem like a straight forward process but like most things it’s a little more complicated than it seems.
The most crucial thing is to have the correct tools to hand from the off. These include:
1. Concrete mixer
2. Mixing platform
3. Sturdy bucket
4. Arissing tool
5. Timber float
6. Broad blade shovel
7. Wheelbarrow
8. Tapping beam
9. Rake
This is a great little gizmo retailing for £40 ($74) at Black & Decker.
“The days when DIY gave you blisters and muscles are fading fast. The 400W Scorpion reciprocating saw comes with three blades (including a jigsaw) to power effortlessly through wood, plastic, PVC and (thin) metal at up to 5000 strokes per minute. And with comfortable polyurethane Gel Tech pads on the grip, your hands should stay soft as your biceps.”
Features:
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People underestimate the importance of ear protection in DIY situations. Prolonged use of drills, hammers and many other power tools can accumulate damage to your ear drums over a period of time. You may not even notice it and the effects may appear further down the road, but rest assured, your hearing will seriously deteriorate without proper protection. You may also end up with Tinnitus as a permanent side affect - and that is really something you’re gonna want to avoid.
SO GO PROTECT YOUR EARS! It doesn’t even cost very much.
Check out these various ear protectors:
Scan SSE031 Foam Earplugs (5) (Snr29)
“Made from a soft energy absorbing polymer foam with a special cell structure that allows the foam plug to gradually expand and conform exactly to most ear cannels.”
• Easy insertion and removal.
• Pack of five pairs of foam ear plugs.
• Conforms to standard en352-2.
Retails for £1.69 ($3)
Draper Electronic Ear Defenders
“Expert Quality, protects the ears against noise levels higher than 85dB. Solid state circuitry provides normal hearing up to 85db e.g. speech, but cuts out sounds above that level. On/off/volume switch and auto-adjust headband. Uses 2 x AA batteries (sold separately) providing approximately 200 hours of use. Display packed.”
Retails for £39.99 ($73)
Always check the instructions to see what form of ear protection is most suitable for you. Go buy some ear defenders now. It’ll be the best DIY investment you’ll ever make.
(Products via DIY Tools UK)
