The Bolt Extractors (£7.99)
I often find that old screws will lose their heads before they can be retrieved from their seats. This leaves the shaft in the material and makes for a difficult process in getting them out. These small bits are used to bore them out. If the head is still on, they can screw into the top and be used to undo them from their burrow, due to the thread being in the opposite direction. I am unsure how they will work with small fixings, but anything with large enough heads or shafts, will be fair-game.
They come in their own case and are in a range of sizes. Larger bolts will be a breeze, as even the smallest of them has a moderate thread girth. Time will tell how these will do. I am sure there are better quality versions available, but these will serve their purpose for now. The oposite end is a square drive fitting, allowing for the use of a socket-adaptor, adjustable spanner or wrench to be used. I was surprised that they weren’t hex-drive, as this would allow for the use of a standard spanner or socket. You can get a ‘hollowed-out’ fitting remover that I will add to my tool-set in the future. Look for this to be reviewed along with an update on these, when I do.
Pros: Well presented and in a varying amount of sizes.
Cons: A limited fixing size might be an issue.
The Mitre Saw Jig (Find – £5)
I was happy to find one of these, and at such a low price. It is a great tool for getting quick angles on a length of wood. Mitring is vital for frame making or wall edging. There isn’t always power available, and both of my electric mitre saws are heavy and quite a slog to move around. Sometimes you just want a tool to thow in a box and carry with you, this fits that, perfectly.
You can see by the image, that the metal buffers are still in place, protecting the main structure of the tool. It is also good as a straigh-cut vise. The limit of angles is where the power saws come into their own. As the wood is held in place, if fixed down onto a bench, it keeps your cut, precise. Not a bad find, and a useful tool for the my tool-farm.
Pros: A cheap find and a very useful carry item or fixed vise for your workbench.
Cons: Limited to the angles you can cut.
