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Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 5:24 pm
by Forestboy1978
Basically I'm eternally buying tools. I think, oh just 3 more small buys and this one last big purchase and that's it for at least 2 years but it never happens.
I can't tell if I have a mental disorder or I need this stuff. I mean, yeah, all of it gets used and I am now running as efficiently as I could have imagined myself doing but still I keep buying stuff. It almost seems as if I'm buying more though, rather than less.
When to say enough is enough....
Anyone else have this problem. And does it end or slow down??
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 5:44 pm
by seanandruby
Best to be looking at it than looking for it :;): 
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:48 pm
by r896neo
I was the same when i started and really the best advice i can give is to not go crazy as later on you will begin to see things as overheads that just sit there and dont earn you any money.
If you use it regularly buy the best you can afford but if its something you wont use regularly try and do without.
Especially in garden maintenance you need to think will this tool make me more money? will i be quicker doing the job or will i be able to take on jobs i otherwise couldnt without it? If the answer is yes you need to charge more. I used to do this by attaching a premium to high hedges which needed my tripod ladder and added on for example £15 to each job needing them. This can help you recoup costs on the purchase but crucially also stay competitive with normal hedges that dont require them. Alternatively you can put up all your prices marginally to cover these costs but i preferred the top up charge type method for items like that.
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:54 pm
by KAMIKAZEE DIY
FB, as long as your not buyings straightening irons for your hair etc all tool buying within reason is good.
Gumtree = the source of all evil, got myself two 110v transformers recently, just unfortunate I don't have any 110 tools, but I will find another tool bargain (that I dont need).
I'm just mad keen DIY, but i guess its a fine line between investing in your future and wasting young kids inheritance.........
Good luck
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 9:00 pm
by dig dug dan
I am still buying tools 20 years on. It never stops!
Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 11:56 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I always try and buy on quality over price
my hilti hammer drill cost £450 20 years ago but still works perfectly
LLL
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 6:52 am
by lemoncurd1702
lutonlagerlout wrote:I always try and buy on quality over price
my hilti hammer drill cost £450 20 years ago but still works perfectly
LLL
£450 20 years ago, that's £1,000 in todays money.
I kinda agree with what your saying if it's something that's in use on an almost daily basis.
I'm happy with cheaper versions of some tools such as drill/drivers, as long as their up to the job as I only occasionally use them.
I wouldn't buy one of those cheap compactor plates that you see on e-bay though. Hell no!
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 6:51 pm
by lutonlagerlout
yes but apart from 2 sets of brushes it has lasted 20 years and still does the proper job!
how much would I have spent on £100 bosch drill in that time?
LLL
Posted: Tue May 10, 2016 9:28 pm
by lemoncurd1702
lutonlagerlout wrote:yes but apart from 2 sets of brushes it has lasted 20 years and still does the proper job!
how much would I have spent on £100 bosch drill in that time?
LLL
About a thousand pounds 
but a Hilti would be a waste of money for me. The amount of use it would get, would last me 40 years+.
I've gone through 3 Titan or very similar breakers in the last ten years, but happy with that at £150 a pop. They do as good a job if not better than any others in the class.
And with that label it's like a Skoda, not likely to get stolen.
Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 12:05 am
by lutonlagerlout
I agree mate,for me tools that are in use every day are ,the stihl cut off saw,the makita breakr,the hilti drill and mainly the fork
LLL
Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 9:50 pm
by Forestboy1978
lemoncurd1702 wrote:lutonlagerlout wrote:yes but apart from 2 sets of brushes it has lasted 20 years and still does the proper job!
how much would I have spent on £100 bosch drill in that time?
LLL
About a thousand pounds but a Hilti would be a waste of money for me. The amount of use it would get, would last me 40 years+.
I've gone through 3 Titan or very similar breakers in the last ten years, but happy with that at £150 a pop. They do as good a job if not better than any others in the class.
And with that label it's like a Skoda, not likely to get stolen.
Yeah I just bought another Titan. Can't beat it for jules or whatever it's rated in even spending 500+ You get a lighter tool but weaker so what's the point.
I'm on my 3rd in 6 years. The 2nd is still going but needs some work on the electrics. Need 2 anyway on some jobs so I'm repairing it.
I'm leaning towards Husqvarna these days, even echo rather than stihl but at the moment everything is Stihl but that will change over the years. Makita for handheld stuff cos it lasts and generic 5ah batteries are cheap and just as good makita ones.
I just bought a Makita battery chainsaw for my van cos I've fitted an inverter and twin charger for batteries and OMG. I wasn't expecting it to be any good. Just handy to grab for small stuff but it is outstanding. Far exceeded my expectations to such a degree that I'm now thinking of slowly going the way of batteries for all that type of stuff.
Single handed operation is ultra useful, immediate start, no fuel, quiet and cuts really well. Awesome
Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 7:20 am
by lemoncurd1702
Forestboy1978 wrote:lemoncurd1702 wrote:lutonlagerlout wrote:yes but apart from 2 sets of brushes it has lasted 20 years and still does the proper job!
how much would I have spent on £100 bosch drill in that time?
LLL
About a thousand pounds but a Hilti would be a waste of money for me. The amount of use it would get, would last me 40 years+.
I've gone through 3 Titan or very similar breakers in the last ten years, but happy with that at £150 a pop. They do as good a job if not better than any others in the class.
And with that label it's like a Skoda, not likely to get stolen.
Yeah I just bought another Titan. Can't beat it for jules or whatever it's rated in even spending 500+ You get a lighter tool but weaker so what's the point.
I'm on my 3rd in 6 years. The 2nd is still going but needs some work on the electrics. Need 2 anyway on some jobs so I'm repairing it.
I'm leaning towards Husqvarna these days, even echo rather than stihl but at the moment everything is Stihl but that will change over the years. Makita for handheld stuff cos it lasts and generic 5ah batteries are cheap and just as good makita ones.
I just bought a Makita battery chainsaw for my van cos I've fitted an inverter and twin charger for batteries and OMG. I wasn't expecting it to be any good. Just handy to grab for small stuff but it is outstanding. Far exceeded my expectations to such a degree that I'm now thinking of slowly going the way of batteries for all that type of stuff.
Single handed operation is ultra useful, immediate start, no fuel, quiet and cuts really well. Awesome
Try changing the cable. They tend to break at the point where it enters the machine.
I change it with a longer cable so your not lugging and extension cable around as well.
Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 10:26 pm
by Forestboy1978
Well last year I fixed the electrics. It was just as the cable enters the machine it had detached I recall. Possibly the same issue.
Good idea re putting an extra long cable on it. Makes sense.
Posted: Thu May 12, 2016 11:19 pm
by williams
It never ends, infact it gets worse.
The more work you do, the more the tools wear out and the more they need replacing. :laugh:
Then you realise that the second hand tools you bought end up needing repair three times as much and weren't actually that cheap over a few years so you buy brand new, then you realise the cheap stuff is crap do you buy brand new branded stuff :laugh:
Having a time of it myself recently decided on a new canter tipper as fed up with buying vans that are a few years old with a few dozen problems. 3 husqvarna k760 broke within the last few weeks, so bought a new one and had two repaired, thought I'd buy a load of blades too as they were cheaper buying a load.
Nice new probst block splitter as one of the handles broke last week.
12 year old diesel wacker finally died a while back so going to replace that.
That's not including the seemingly never ending supply of shovels, trowels, hammers broom etc haha
I hate paying for new stuff but I like having it so it's a tough one :laugh:
Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 7:43 am
by Dave_L
I don't mind investing in new kit - as it makes me money. Think of a £35k excavator and the money that will return over 6 years - compare that to a new £35k motor car..........you'll loose 20% just driving the damn thing out of the showroom!