Mac Disaster

No it isn't being a snob. I think that laminate looks and sounds awful. There are much better alternatives and they are available to anybody to buy. There isn't any exclusivity.

Glad we're clear on that.

Therein is the fundamental mistake that people make. Who is an average user?

If use is very occasional. I might just about concede the weight issue provided that the job being done does not require accuracy. I might even concede the point about servicability provided that the user understands that some products come with it and some without service.

However, weight and ergonomics certainly influence accuracy and for a job taking several hours will influence productivity as well. If I can complete a job in one day because the tool is easy to use and accurate, as opposed to taking two days because the weight has caused me to get tired sooner and the job isn't up to standard then little has been saved. I might as well have bought the better product and saved the time and money that is implied by it.

If you say that none of the listed things matter to this so-called "average user", then you are also saying that he doesn't care about the standard of the outcome. I don't accept that association. DIY is not just about price, it is also about quality of outcome.

The jig saw example is the classic example of tool quality/cost/outcome and the SDS drill is the classic example of a cheap drill being too heavy and tiring the user.

and where do I buy the spare parts? I prefer to do my own repairs in most cases.

Give them a call.

Who? Wickes?

No prices though - apparantly they get in touch...

Never used it but it looks impressive

Darren

Yes they do, in various ways. DeWalt has a very similar site, for example.

Products such as Makita, Bosch, Festool, Metabo come with an exploded diagram with all part numbers listed. Then it's simply a case of calling a UK number and ordering. For example, I needed a Metabo part recently (carrier for the dust bag). I called them at around

Do they supply in the UK? Shipping costs if it's from Germany? Are we sure that the parts are the same for the Wickes and Kress versions?

Impressive. My only experience of Bosch parts supply was quite the opposite.

First it was difficult to get them to sell me the part (only a service centre part etc etc) and then it took several weeks to get it. Quite a few years ago I admit so it may well have changed.

They claim to supply the UK yes, and you can select Kress/Wickes as the brand so I assume so. I don't know for sure.

As I say, never tried it though - the only Kress/Wickes drill I have is many years old now and I suspect wouldn't be worth repairing when it dies.

Darren

Especially given 9/10ths of them are from dribble...

Are you really that careless with your tools? No wonder you promote cheap above all other considerations.

No need, the contraceptive personality will prevent any further procreation.

Given a couple of hours chasing a wall with a 6kg budget SDS with rotation stop, but no rotation lock, and no speed controller, I have noted the "average user" is very receptive to the idea of a machine that actually does the job properly and is not so frustrating/hard work to use.

Your rational is not snobbish but what you said previously is. I don't like deep shag-pile carpets and think they look 'tartish' and very much a statement of "we might have money but we sure don't have any class" but accept that some people do like such carpets and that is their business and no need for a snide comment - and certainly if not asked for one.

This assumption that anyone using cheap tools cannot achieve accuracy is patronising to say the least.

Last time I wanted Bosch parts (about a couple of years ago, when a mate of mine borrowed my garden shredder and accidentally fed it a lump of angle iron!) they referred me to Healers. They were quite good, faxed me a parts diagram, took the order by phone and delivered following day.

Parts on the pro tools can often be surprisingly cost effective. IIRC someone posted here about obtaining a whole new armature for a DeWalt SDS, and it only came to something like £26.

Some of the makers support tools for an impressively long time as well. I ordered some parts for a mates 20 year old Makita cordless a while back. I was quit surprised they still had stock all the required parts.

If they can get the trade custom then it might be viable, since shops with a similar selection (i.e. real tool shops) are few and far between these days. We are lucky here since we have Marshall & Parsons which is a old established family business shop. Service centre for all the main brands, plus a display floor crammed with a big range of stuff in spite of not being a huge shop.

I went there the other day to pick up some spares I had ordered for a LS1214 that I acquired from eBay a few weeks back, and noted they had at least ten decent SCMSs on display complete with stands etc. The expected brands, but also Electra Beckum and some other less commonly seen makes. They must have had 30 or 40 SDS drills to chose from.

(I took the precaution of paying for my order before going window shopping!)

If you look at the Wickes web site now you can see they have given up on that and dropped to a 3 yr one on the Kress drills. Still pretty much irrelevant either way since I have never had a decent tool need a warranty repair anyway.

Last time I looked in homebase it was half own brand stuff - mostly pretty poor. The "top end" was B&D and green Bosch. Still they have a nice range of cushions and lamp shades!

Ours will do you a catnic lintle.... as long as you only need one or possibly two lengths!

Can live in hope.

It is still 5 years in the shops.