PPPro drill

[antgel]

Hi all,

I bought a PPPro 1200w mains drill for about =A355 yesterday. Yes, I know it's not a Makita, but for my level of DIY, PPPro has always represented good value. It was bought to replace an old B&D 450w POS, and to complement a PPPro 12V drill/driver which is a good bit of kit for =A330!

However, they had an 850W SDS drill at around the same price. I know that a cheap SDS drill isn't light, but as I will use the drill/driver for 90% of tasks, perhaps this isn't a problem. I also shied away from it as I have no SDS bits.

But now I'm thinking I should take the 1200w back and swap it for the SDS. I have to fit some metal back boxes in brick, and I'm thinking that joining the SDS club would be a good move, even at this price point.

I know it's all in the eye of the beholder, but opinions please? Should I do the swap?

Antony

[Andy Hall]

Definitely. Swap it for cash and then buy a Bosch one.

[Grunff]

Spending that much on a PPPro just doesn't make sense, when you can have a Bosch or a Makita for only slightly more. I could just about understand someone buying a £20 PPPro, because you can't get any decent makes for that price - but not £55.

As for the SDS, again, why on earth would you spend that much on a poor make, when you can have a pro tool for about £30 more? That's less than you'll spend on bits.

[Rick]

B&Q don't do exchanges on power tools if you don't like them (so I am imformed by the returns desk). The tool I got the other week, that was not upto doing what I asked it to do, the assistant suggested that it must be a dud, so I agreed.

Rick

[David Lang]

Grunff wrote;

I reckon the PPro stuff gets a lot of stick it doesn't deserve, I've got PPro routers, drill drivers, sanders and a jigsaw, most of which is made by Ryobi anyway. All have a 3 year warranty & B&Q don't argue about it, they replace or credit.

Why spend slightly more on a brand name with a one year warranty? Bearing in mind you are buying low end brand name.

Dave

[Grunff]

Having used both PP and PPPro tools, I am fairly confident in saying that the performance sucks.

This is based on what?

Sure, but this isn't the only (or even the most important) consideration. For many people, the performance of the tool also matters.

Because they will perform better, and you'll be able to get spares for them.

How's that? The examples I gave were for either Bosch Blue or Makita tools - hardly low end.

[David Lang]

Hi Grunff.

I'd agree on the PP range, cheap as chips and yes, the performance sucks. Not so IMO with the PPro range. I have a 700 watt barrel jigsaw from PPro for example and the performance is awesome.

Based on me knowing a lot of people in the power tool trade who tell me so. Plus the fact that many design features are common to both and found nowhere else. Examples being the belt sander with a frame (rare these days) and the barrel jigsaw (also rare, but better control IMO).

You can get spares for the PPro range. You get parts lists with most of them. Apart from which, if I spend 'not a lot' on a power tool and it last

3 years, I'm happy with that. Performance is not always that much better anyway. As I said, to outperform my PPro jigsaw would take some doing - it laughs at 40mm worktop.

These days though I'm not sure it's worth repairing stuff. I had a 20 year old Elu orbital sander and the bearings went. £30 to even look at it, bearings could cost £10, another £20 labour. Total £60 odd quid and I'm left with a sander designed 20 years ago. Things have moved on. ROS sanders at £35 run rings round the old Elu, good as it was.

I'd assumed you were talking Bosh Green & Maktech. Even so, do the sums add up?

Dave

[Grunff]

Not tried the jigsaw, but I have used (owned in fact) the 18V Combi drill (really poor), the 800W main hammer drill (ditto), and the 8" sliding mitre saw (makes my NuTool look accurate).

Yeah, but there is so much hearsay in this area I'd rather not believe it unless it's been published by the brand or manufacturer in question.

Where do you order the parts from?

So does my 7 year old Bosch Green :-)

I would say in this particular example, it really makes little sense to go for the PPPro. For instance:

The OP is talking about a mains drill for £55. Ignore the 1200Ws for now

- the power rating of the motor has little bearing on the available output power, or the performance of the tool. My suggested alternatives would be:

Either of these tools is likely to outlast the PPPro by a decade or two, and be far nicer to use.

The there's the SDS drill, also at around £55. SDS drills are one thing where the cheap ones really are crap - I know, I've owned some. My suggested alternatives would be:

Sure they cost a little more, but the difference between them and a PPPro tool is vast.

I'm not saying cheap tools don't have their place - just that in many situations, going for the cheap tool just doesn't make sense.

For example, I own a NuTool sliding mitre saw. I recognise this tool as being really very poor in terms of accuracy and ease of use. However, the equavalent decent tool would have cost me ~£500. I couldn't spend that at the time. One day, soon, I will replace it with a Makita. But for now, it makes cutting fence rails etc. much easier.

[David Lang]

Hi Grunff

OK, but look at the obvious stuff. Who else makes a belt sander with a depth frame? Or a barrel jigsaw with side vents on the base for extraction. Circumstancial evidence granted, but a bit like a trout in the milk?

Web address on the warranty leaflet. I think the warranty issue is valid though. I have a Ferm biscuit jointer that had a minor fault after 14 months.. Screwfix said they would only repair it, I had to send it back at my expense and pay for the return delivery @£7:50. B&Q would simply have replaced it there and then.

Maybe. We will never know unless we buy them will we?

I know what you mean. When researching a new type of power tool I usually buy a cheapo first to see how I get on with it and if it's any good. If I get on with it and like it, I'll spend the extra and get a better make. But seriously I've only been impressed with the PPro I've bought.

A good thing about B&Q though - you can use their money to experiment. I bought a Pro el cheapo belt sander and decided that a belt sander would be a useful piece of kit. Then I took it back & traded up to a PPRo.

Dave

[Steve Firth]

The PPPro 18V cordless circular trim saw is actually marked "Ryobi" and the Cordless Drill from the same series is definitely a Ryobi, identical in every respect.

[Andy Hall]

Makita and Bosch both do. I have the Makita one...

[tony sayer]

In article , David Lang writes

The only PPro "thing" I have left is a router which is still intact simply 'cos the poxy thing is so badly designed that I don't use it!.

All the other PPro crap has long been since consigned to the tip....

[Grunff]

Well, ok, that's reasonable evidence :-)

[David Lang]

Hi Andy

OK, I'll rephrase the question;

At a similar price to B&Q PPro

Dave

[Andy Hall]

One needs to look at price, quality and performance.....

[David Lang]

Hi Andy

Agreed, but the discussion was about whether or not the B&Q PPro were made by Ryobi. I pointed out that the belt sander has a frame and the jigsaw is a barrel type, both unusual features.

I don't dispute that Makita & Bosch make machines with these features, but it's unlikely that they are manufacturing cheap units for B&Q, so Ryobi is the a likely candidate.

Dave

[Kaiser]

PPPro tools are made by GMC not Ryobi.

[Doctor Evil]

are made by Kress, and some by an Italian maker. It is always best to inquire where they are made. If Germany then it is a Kress. Their SDS drills are Kress and very good.

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[David Lang]

H Kaiser

Looking at some of the drill drivers I reckon Ryobi are buying stuff from them.

Dave

[tony sayer]

In article , Kaiser writes

Seems their websites down!...