A Lidl annoyed

[VicParticipant @vic]

I watched a YouTube video late yesterday in which a guy was reviewing his recent Parkside purchases. As the video was only seven hours old I was hopeful that one of the items I was interested would be in stock when I went out lunchtime today. One local store had the price tag and no stock, the other store didn’t even have the tag , so likely didn’t get any. There are two other stores I can try within striking distance tomorrow.

I did though manage to pick up one of these. Both stores had stock at one point, I managed to get the second to last one. I know these things get variable reviews, but I thought I’d give one a try at under £20.

 

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Diamond wheel?

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Not unusual.

[JAParticipant @ja]

I have never shopped at Lidl. Am I missing something, anything?

JA

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Only 30A plasma cutter for 80 and small linisher and stone combo for 35, both good

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Last post vanished into the ether;
Vic, what item were you seeking originally?

Re. that sharpener, I picked one up too, but don’t seem to have got used to it (yet)
It’s probably OK with practice, but for a quick job, I prefer the (more expensive) Sealey version.

Most of my drills get sharpened with either a Reliance or Potts jig, though I’ve been experimenting with another gizmo I picked up; I’ve no idea what it’s supposed to be, but it seems to index on two cutting edges and cam a bit as you rotate it.

Bill

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The problem with cheap drill grinding machines is that in many cases, the drills are aligned  by “plastic” guides., which melt if you are over enthusiastic.

Better to obtain / make, fixtures where the drill is located against metal

Having said that, some of my tools from LIDL have given excellent service. (In one or two instances, better than leading brands)

Howard

[Howard Lewis]

On Howard Lewis Said:

…the drills are aligned by “plastic” guides, which melt if you are over enthusiastic.

A thinking person could grind a 118 degree cone point using a 59 degree plywood jig on a bench grinder, leave the bit to cool down and then use the Lidl machine just to add the relief/back off.

[VicParticipant @vic]

I managed to get what I was after in another store. I particularly wanted this grinder as it has a useful 4,500 to 30,000 rpm speed range.

[DC31k]

On DC31k Said:

On Howard Lewis Said:

…the drills are aligned by “plastic” guides, which melt if you are over enthusiastic.

A thinking person could grind a 118 degree cone point using a 59 degree plywood jig on a bench grinder, leave the bit to cool down and then use the Lidl machine just to add the relief/back off.

It’s funny you should mention this. This unit accommodates drills up to 19mm which could wear out the Diamond Wheel quite quickly? I thought myself that taking off the bulk of perhaps a badly damaged drill by hand on an ordinary grinder, then finishing off with the Lidl.

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

In my experience the goods from Lidl are ‘pot luck’.  I’ve had some excellent and reliable tools which were good value for money, and some total rubbish.  I particularly remember a drill bit which untwisted itself the first time I used it.

George

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

I managed to get what I was after in another store. I particularly wanted this grinder as it has a useful 4,500 to 30,000 rpm speed range.

Is that a normal 43mm collar?
It looks like the basis for a toolpost grinder; I personally use a POF500 Bosch router, but it’s not variable speed.

Bill

[VicParticipant @vic]

Yes, one small but not unexpected fly in this particular ointment, is that the boss on this unit is 40mm. I had hoped to use it as an alternative/backup to my router in two fixtures which have a 43mm opening. Easily rectified with an adapter, I’m sure I have some pipe somewhere that can be machined to size.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I see it has 3.2 and 6mm collets – are these actually 1/4 and 1/4 for the American market or genuinely metric requested by the German parent company buyers?

If the collar is non standard does that mean they have a range of holders to tie customers to them?

Are the bearings good enough to use it in a CNC router or on a mill for high speed work?

[Bazyle]

On Bazyle Said:

I see it has 3.2 and 6mm collets – are these actually 1/4 and 1/4 […]

Most unlikely, Iwould think

🙂
MihaelG.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

no def 6mm – the 3.2 would = 1/8th which allows dremel sizes – suspect I will make a 6.3 collet as I have numerous fine drills on a 6.3mm shank

the 40mm (nominal) seems to be common with slightly larger dremel like routers – bit of a nuisance as I have two 43mm drill stands

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

While that die grinder is OK for the money, I do get right narked when they cant sell a fully configured unit with complete set of imperial and metric collets. Fortunately these KATSU style collets are available from AIM tools or the Bay, a full set costing about £7 delivered. If you get that set, you will then have 1/4, 1/8, 6mm, 3mm and a spares in 6mm and 1/8. There may be somewhere that sells an individual 1/4 collet but since the cost was modest I payed for the full set.

Annoyance likewise for the non standard collar size (although it is at least made of metal, unlike some). I know it isn’t going to bust a gonad to make up a shim 40/43mm for common holders, but why should I have to… ? I mean, who are these people?

What I would really like to find is a similar powered spindle with sensible speeds for drilling, say 500 to 2000 RPM for use as a tool post drill (at a similar price). I hope somebody spots the gap in the market before I drop off my perch.

 

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

I also looked at the latest Lidl drill grinder but was put off by the 180 grit grinder (probably diamond). I got conned once by the plasplug version drill grinder, also from Lidl. That claimed a 120 grit diamond wheel.

It absolutely ripped the bejabers out of the drills and left a cutting edge that even to the naked eye looked like a bush saw. Likewise destroyed a pair of scissors. I think it would have worked well if it had been offered with additional finer grit wheels say a 240 320 and 400. I looked everywhere for alternate spare wheels to fit, but never found any. The ones commonly available for Sealy branded units were a few mm too large.

Manufacturers backup seems a thing of the past now. I had a brilliant small diamond wheel electric knife grinder, very gentle and minimum metal removal and left a razor sharp edge. After a couple of years use the grinding disks reverted to bare metal. Find any replacements…? Nah.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I would happily have bought the Die Grinder today … but the Lidl in Prestatyn had none

🙁

To Lidl too late, I guess

MichaelG

[jon hill 3Participant @jonhill3]

Ive heard positive reviews of aldi and lidl power tools, however for my professional use I wouldnt buy them as getting spares is in the lap of the gods.  At least with named brands getting additional batteries, motor brushes etc is relatively easy when they are needed.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

Hmm… I would certainly not regard the tools offered by the discounters as anywhere near suitable for professional use under any circumstance.  Borderline OK for the hobby workshop if you are not too fussy and usually cheap enough to be worth taking a punt on but inevitably there will be compromises. Some are so obviously horrific you can easily avoid them!

If you decide the offering is not fit for purpose they will take them back, no quibble ( have returned items in the past because they were too grim even for me). There is usually a 3 year guarantee too.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Many tools sold under the PARKSIDE name are made by Grizzly Tools in Germany.  I have bought spare parts online for my brush cutter from grizzlytools.shop, including a new gearbox at a very reasonable price.

Russell

 

[jon hill 3]

On jon hill 3 Said:

Ive heard positive reviews of aldi and lidl power tools, however for my professional use I wouldnt buy them as getting spares is in the lap of the gods.  At least with named brands getting additional batteries, motor brushes etc is relatively easy when they are needed.

Agreed about the spares, but I believe most of us on here are hobbyists, and like them I have to pay for my tools. Having said that I’ve not needed any spares for the budget tools I’ve bought in the past. I have a Red Devil grinder I bought from Great Mills about 40 years ago and it still works fine. It actually came with spare brushes for the motor but I’m still on the originals.

A friend of mine is a professional tradesman and he only buys cheap drills etc because they’re more than capable of doing the job and he’s not bothered if they get lost or stolen which frequently seems to happen in his line of work.

[Keith LongParticipant @keithlong89920]

The Chester (Greyhound Trading Estate) branch had several of the die grinders in stock this morning

[Keith Long]

On Keith Long Said:

The Chester (Greyhound Trading Estate) branch had several of the die grinders in stock this morning

Thanks, Keith … it may be worth a drive tomorrow

MichaelG.

[Author]

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