Arc Tourist
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- 5,019
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- Wales
A shovel. Couldn't get it to work properly, so had to hire someone with better qualifications than me. 
Last edited:
- Thread starter SierraV6
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RWD3M
Forum Supporter
- Messages
- 3,693
- Location
- Wiltshire, UK
One of the best I ever bought was a similar tool to a Leatherman, it was a Gerber version. I used that tool relentlessly around the world servicing military transport aircraft and still have it now where it lives in the glovebox of my GT6, JIC!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjR18PUg-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF
Without a doubt the most disappointing would be a socket that was in a set of 1/4 drive sockets I picked up in the US back in the 90's. It was 9mm marked up as 10mm! I couldn't even get that to fit with a hammer!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCNjR18PUg-kCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF
Without a doubt the most disappointing would be a socket that was in a set of 1/4 drive sockets I picked up in the US back in the 90's. It was 9mm marked up as 10mm! I couldn't even get that to fit with a hammer!
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
- Messages
- 12,779
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- Sevenoaks, UK
Lifetime guarantee on Gerber. I've used it once for my Suspension model then for my nephews. No quibble. Brilliant.
Too many bad purchases to list.
Bullet2012
Member
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- 5,365
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- on average about 200 miles from the ISS.
ex boss gave my colleague and myself one each as a “Christmas bonus” a few years ago. I had handed in my notice early January.
Tangledfeet
Think outside, no box required.
- Messages
- 3,187
- Location
- Top of a hill above St Andrews, Fife
In all honesty, and a slightly bitter pill to swallow in acknowledging, is the Stahlwerk plasma cutter. I've only used it a couple of times and it would seem I struggle to get the power in the workshop to have both it and the compressor going at the same time at anything above an indicated 20A or so, which is okay for 3mm or so. Never had reason to use it much, in all honesty - especially when a slitting disc has sufficed.
Afterimage
Member
- Messages
- 234
- Location
- England
My most disappointing power tool was a Stanley Fatmax 115mm grinder,it lasted less than five minutes before completely stripping its gears.
https://www.stanleytools.co.uk/products/detail/Products/POWER+TOOLS/Grinders/STANLEY®+FATMAX®+850W+115mm+NVR+Angle+Grinder
https://www.stanleytools.co.uk/products/detail/Products/POWER+TOOLS/Grinders/STANLEY®+FATMAX®+850W+115mm+NVR+Angle+Grinder
RaceDiagnostics
Member
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- 3,385
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- Broughty Ferry
How about an Easy-Out, never had one work easily on a rusty sheared off bolt.
Ashley Burton
Member
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- 5,123
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- Northamptonhire
I can't really think of any serious ones
Bought some cheap tools over the years, Silverline G Clamps were the best! They snapped in half
Bought some cheap tools over the years, Silverline G Clamps were the best! They snapped in half
Migmac
Forum Supporter
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- 8,638
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- Kintyre. Scotland
I bought a claw hammer. The most expensive one I had bought up to then. First time I used it, the cross hatch marks on the top of nails was getting left on the face of the hammer. Carried on using it as I didn’t have another with me. Went to pull a nail and the metal handle bent. It’s remains will still be rusting away in Eskdalemuir forest!
RaceDiagnostics
Member
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- 3,385
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- Broughty Ferry
Just got these two tool posts today from ebay, the machining is atrocious and the dovetail is too wide. Total junk, won't even tighten down on the post.
grim_d
Unlikeable idiot.
- Messages
- 4,275
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- Scotland - Ayrshire
You are using them wrong, realistically they are not intended for that situation, they are for when the head of a fastener is damaged or the head has sheared in the more traditional sense.
Think about it, if the fastener is so corroded Into place that the corrosion has more strength than the fastener what chance is a peice of brittle hardened steel going to have?
Easy outs are a classic example of getting a bad rap because people use them for the wrong application, I have successfully easy outed hundreds, if not thousands of fasteners, I wouldn't be without them.
Reman
Member
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- 257
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- Bristol, UK.
I only had limited luck with them as well, But I did have a set of reverse flute drill bits that would work pretty well on snapped off bolts/studs. They were handy because as you were going to be drilling out the broken piece anyway, you might as well give the vibration and heat generated by drilling a chance to shock the stub into unscrewing rather than tightening it further into it's bore. For larger drill bit sizes using a hammer action drill was particularly effective.
marlinspike
Member
- Messages
- 2,090
Are we including stuff like screws from companies like Silverline, that are so soft the first turn of the screwdriver screws chews them up? Another favourite are Aldi Dremel knock off cutting discs. I usually like Aldi stuff but the second you touch something with these they shatter. Defines the term 'false economy'.
Wallace
Member
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- 7,769
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- Staines, Middlesex, England.
I found this on a shelf today forgotten about, a Clarke deburring kit. The handle is made from boiled sweets and broke immediately but the tips fit a good quality tool I found under a machine at Petters. The sheet deburring tool works well and has been hanging on my tool board for years but the real mind bender is the rotary beburr as there is nothing to mount it on and the thread is 7mm x 1mm!
Sealey long reach coil spring compressors the type that has the double wrap over jaws for extra safety but the jaws never seemed to sit comfortably on the spring. I used them once but they just did not inspire confidence when on and then when I took them off one of them one had a slight but noticeable bend in it and the thread where it touched the spring looked like it had been hit with a hammer. I borrowed a set to complete the job from a work colleague. His set were shorter but far heavier, they were single jawed so sat perfectly on the spring and the thread on them was far thicker and stronger looking.
grim_d
Unlikeable idiot.
- Messages
- 4,275
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- Scotland - Ayrshire
Quite an unfair statement, being made in China does not automatically mean something is poor quality.
The western world driving the price of everything down and giving the job to the lowest bidder is what causes all the junk.
grim_d
Unlikeable idiot.
- Messages
- 4,275
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- Scotland - Ayrshire
Sigh, point missed somewhat old chap.
They make junk because we ask them too not because that's all they are capable of.
