LIDL/Parkside multi-tool is this reasonable?

[Nicholas123]

Run the machine and hold the cleaning block on the belt or pad. It works brilliantly and saves money.

I get it it sounds like a sort of pumice or soap stone but I can't imagine the velcro hairs lasting long if you used something like that on them (not that they've lasted long anyway).

These bloody backing plates simply don't seem fit for purpose to me & at about a quarter the price of the whole unit to replace are simply extortionate.I wish I'd never bought the bloody thing in the first place.

 

[Nicholas123]

I have the Lidl 10.8 volt cordless multitool on board and it has been very useful , even cutting through thick fiberglass layup to fit the new plotter.

I shall bare that in mind if I ever feel like cutting a hole through the bottom of my boat & topping myself

 

[Nicholas123]

My £50 solar panel and a £30 inverter (300w) lets me run a whole bunch of 240v stuff, including the multitool under discussion.
My sander is a cordless 18v one from Makita, handy bit of kit although somewhat pricey.
Shore power would be nice but there's always a way around it...

An orbital sander or something might be useful in buffing up the gelcoat now that I have removed all the paint but I bet it would'nt half knock hell out the batteries?

PS: There are usually ways around doing jobs if you hav'nt got these fancy new fashionable tools.Fore instance; Normans job cutting a hole in fibreglass can be done conventionally chain drilling a series of holes & a decent file & a hacksaw.
Cleaning up the gelcoat as I am doing now can be done using a sanding pad & wet & dry. Price two quid in Poundland.Things need not necessarily be complicated

 

[Kelpie]

An orbital sander or something might be useful in buffing up the gelcoat now that I have removed all the paint but I bet it would'nt half knock hell out the batteries?

PS: There are usually ways around doing jobs if you hav'nt got these fancy new fashionable tools.Fore instance; Normans job cutting a hole in fibreglass can be done conventionally chain drilling a series of holes & a decent file & a hacksaw.
Cleaning up the gelcoat as I am doing now can be done using a sanding pad & wet & dry. Price two quid in Poundland.Things need not necessarily be complicated

I've got two 4.0Ah batteries for the sander, one charges up from the boat's batteries whilst I use the other. I've only got a small battery bank (two batteries of about 70Ah each) but have not managed to flatten it yet, generally I get bored of sanding before that can happen! If I didn't already have some Makita stuff then the sander would have been very expensive, as it was buying it as a bare tool 'only' cost twice what a mains one would have

 

[Nicholas123]

I've got two 4.0Ah batteries for the sander, one charges up from the boat's batteries whilst I use the other. I've only got a small battery bank (two batteries of about 70Ah each) but have not managed to flatten it yet, generally I get bored of sanding before that can happen! If I didn't already have some Makita stuff then the sander would have been very expensive, as it was buying it as a bare tool 'only' cost twice what a mains one would have

I'm sure that's good kit & it sounds like a good solution (I also have the same size battery bank) but it's very expensive.
There was a very cute 240v orbital sander in LIDL's a few weeks ago for something under twenty quid that I was very tempted to buy but then you need a generator.......which would also possibly run a pressure washer which in turn would help out no end with scrubbing but then there were complications with that.

For now I'm making good progress with the one pound hander sander & sheets & it must be keeping me fit :encouragement: