Lidl angry grinders and digital calipers coming soon to a Lidl near you, possibly

[Pete.]

What’s do find most dreadful about the calipers. They aren’t high quality items for sure, but as good anything off eBay for similar/slightly higher prices?

I have a mitutoyo set but I also have several cheap ones. This is far and away the worst. Just look at this 'ground' edge:

I think tey ground it with a chain saw.

 

[Al Strachan]

Fair play, not something I’ve studied to be honest.

I just accept the fact that it cost less than a tenner and it gives repeatable measurements and hasn’t fallen apart or broken yet. That’s pretty much all you can really hope for at that price. Isn’t it?

 

[My Old Landy]

Mine are now in the workshop but I checked them before chucking the packaging away
They are less smooth than the set I got last year but do give a repeatable measurement.

 

[Misterg]

I picked up a set of callipers today and I'm not impressed

Full of grit and really badly finished. They're not the same as the Aldi ones, but of an equivalent standard.

My 'good' ones (that I though were Aldi) turn out to be old Lidl ones (circa 2007).

From top to bottom: Old Lidl, current Aldi, current Lidl:

Old (good) Lidl after 10+ years of abuse. If you run a fingernail across the closed jaws, you can barely feel the joint.

Current Aldi (new) - you could trip over the step between the jaws...

Current Lidl (brand new) - likewise, there is a pronounced misalignment of the jaws.

What the pictures don't really show is the difference in the 'ground' surfaces. The old ones are satin smooth with flat surfaces and square corners - not much different from Mitutoyo ones at work. The newer ones (Aldi & Lidl) are rough and uneven - I doubt that they're ground - more like waved past a belt sander.

I took the Aldi ones to pieces to clean the grit out and stone off the burrs - the grey is loose grit (& look at the grinding on the jaws!):

Inside the current Lidl ones (I didn't take the back off, just slid the jaw out). Grit again (this is straight out of the box - they haven't even been in the shed yet).

I cleaned them up as best I could without taking the back off (which means peeling the label on the rear back) as I may yet return them. They still feel like cheap callipers, but at least they don't make your teeth itch every time you move them.

I think taking pot-luck on ebay is probably a better option unless you can go to a real, physical shop and see them in the flesh before buying.

 

[Gwil]

I bought a Parkside die grinder for 19.99 (euros) the other day. Nice solid well balanced tool for no money.

 

[Ross365]

As per Misterg's post, I picked some up and they are not impressive, and all of his comments rings true with me.

 

[Bobupndown]

They do all that I need of them, no complaints here.

 

[My Old Landy]

I took mine apart and I have now broken it the little plastic spacer bent as I tried to put it back in

 

[Ross365]

I took mine apart and I have now broken it the little plastic spacer bent as I tried to put it back in

Agh.... I decided I'd do all I could to "de-grit" them and polish off the rough edges, but stopping short of dismantling them - sounds as though that may be the safe approach

 

[Al Strachan]

if i relied on them to pay my mortgage, or had any interest or need further than something cheap that does the job i'd be paying best part of a £100 and upwards for a decent set and for want of a better phrase, not try and "polish a turd"

I'm sleeping easy tonight in the knowledge that when i eventually loose/break/cover in weld spatter/accidentally cover in epoxy primer/ cut in half with a grinder etc that i just go and get another one.

 

[Ross365]

Yes, they are not for professional use, but are "adequatish" for hobbyist use... and they mean that I can keep my Moore and Wright micrometers in a safe place.

 

[My Old Landy]

if i relied on them to pay my mortgage, or had any interest or need further than something cheap that does the job i'd be paying best part of a £100 and upwards for a decent set and for want of a better phrase, not try and "polish a turd"

I'm sleeping easy tonight in the knowledge that when i eventually loose/break/cover in weld spatter/accidentally cover in epoxy primer/ cut in half with a grinder etc that i just go and get another one.

Absolutely, so would I. My old Lidl one is smooth. I just wanted to have one by each machine as I struggle to walk. Guess I will have to try the Aldi ones instead!

 

[Mark 2]

Hypothetical question then, brace yourselves.
What would be the cost of one of these made in this country, beautifully ground edges and a decent run?

 

[Pete.]

Took mine back for a refund today. They tried to palm me off with a replacement but I told them to get and do one.

I know they are cheap and you shouldn't expect a lot, and I don't, but the last ones I bought were £7 and about 5x better.

 

[pedrobedro]

I used my old Profix ones from Lidl and the battery was on the blink, only had them about 8 years.

 

[ronan]

No point in opening a new thread, so i'll tack this on here if thats ok. Lidl are doing sheet metal nibblers in Ireland, dunno about the UK, there seems to be a difference in dates stuff is sold, for 50 euros. Made by Parkside, i have some of their stuff and its alright.

Parkside - You Got This! from Thursday, 17.08 - Lidl

Parkside - You Got This! from Thursday, 17.08 - Lidl Ireland

www.lidl.ie

550W Nibbler - Lidl Ireland

550W Nibbler - Adjustable die-plate with 90° locking Suitable for clean straight and curved cuts with low material wastage SPECIFICATIONS Min. cutting

www.lidl.ie

 

[roofman]

I picked up a nice little 300G hammer yesterday...not sure about the name though "Locksmith hammer"

 

[Sean]

bloody good little hammers those, like the sentiments above Ill loose it before ill break it and wont loose any sleep over it if its gone.

 

[Ross365]

Has anyone got experience of the multi-tool saws that Lidl and Aldi have occasionally offered?

 

[pcwizme]

Has anyone got experience of the multi-tool saws that Lidl and Aldi have occasionally offered?

I have a parkside one (lidl) with its little batteries, and its great.... I did break a blade but I dont use it for anything OTT