Electric vehicles

[Smiffy]

Yes I get that, it's known as snobbery and 'judging a book by its cover' It's just not something I would do.
Its a sad reflection of the world you live in.

It's not just the world I live in. It's the world we all live in.
I personally wouldn't hire someone that turned up with lidl tools. For a whole multitude of reasons. The odd tool I wouldn't judge on but if all they had was lidl and aldi then it would raise alarm bells.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

It's not just the world I live in. It's the world we all live in.
I personally wouldn't hire someone that turned up with lidl tools. For a whole multitude of reasons. The odd tool I wouldn't judge on but if all they had was lidl and aldi then it would raise alarm bells.

I prefer to spend money on tools rather than a van. Most of the lads have tools in the back that cost more than the van is worth. Just big silver toolboxes is all they are really

 

[LKSF]

It's not just the world I live in. It's the world we all live in.
I personally wouldn't hire someone that turned up with lidl tools. For a whole multitude of reasons. The odd tool I wouldn't judge on but if all they had was lidl and aldi then it would raise alarm bells.

No it isn't my World, that's what I'm saying. I actively walk in the opposite direction of anything like that.

 

[Smiffy]

I prefer to spend money on tools rather than a van. Most of the lads have tools in the back that cost more than the van is worth. Just big silver toolboxes is all they are really

I choose a local plumber as I've seen there vans around. They are all sign written neatly but older vans. They appear to be well maintained and no dents or scrapes. It gives of the corporate image that appealed to me that they aren't expensive to pay for new vans but are conscious in there work. Whether they do it on purpose or not they are giving of an image that appeals to some. I wouldn't use the bloke who drives an estate car. And likewise I won't use the bloke driving the 4x4 vw transporter.

No it isn't my World, that's what I'm saying. I actively walk in the opposite direction of anything like that.

You can try to avoid it but whether you like it or not it's the world we live in. Yes you can blind your eyes to it more than I can as I still have to work and if I want a decent wage I have to play the game. I would rather live in the middle of nowhere doing a bit of agricultural contracting, but it would not realistically be the best decision.

 

[Furniss]

Have we ever met a bloke with all the good gear/kit and a well organized van who turns out shoddy work and is unreliable or flip it, someone reliable and turning out great work from an estate car/shoddy kit and a heap of lidl tools ?

Or does one naturally follow the other.

 

[V8Druid]

certainly doesn't necessarily follow that a van load of the greatest kit on the planet will produce great work ...... if the 'operator' is incapable
a good craftsman will/can turn out superb work with the most basic of tools, as long as they are skilled enough to use them

 

[Furniss]

certainly doesn't necessarily follow that a van load of the greatest kit on the planet will produce great work ...... if the 'operator' is incapable
a good craftsman will/can turn out superb work with the most basic of tools, as long as they are skilled enough to use them

I guess there are outliers

 

[pettsy]

My van is 5yrs old, I like to keep it clean and presentable where possible. It’s the first thing someone sees when you pull up outside. If someone can’t keep their own kit tidy that earns them a living, I’m not sure I want to let them loose on my house! Obviously always an exception, I wouldn’t shoot down someone if they’re still running a tidy smiley transit! I also don’t mind spending on tools if it makes the job easier, but don’t buy just to have the latest model.

 

[V8Druid]

I guess there are outliers

had to google that one .. thought it might've been a French phrase - but no

Outliers (book) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Smiffy]

certainly doesn't necessarily follow that a van load of the greatest kit on the planet will produce great work ...... if the 'operator' is incapable
a good craftsman will/can turn out superb work with the most basic of tools, as long as they are skilled enough to use them

No but generally if you do it day in day out and are good at it you invest in tools to make your work better and life easier, whilst the supermarket tools are good enough for diy, they don't have the performance of the power tool manufactures, so time and money is wasted in that respect.
They are also being offset to a certain point against tax.
An estate car and ferrex tools are definitely red flags.

 

[V8Druid]

No but generally if you do it day in day out and are good at it you invest in tools to make your work better and life easier, whilst the supermarket tools are good enough for diy, they don't have the performance of the power tool manufactures, so time and money is wasted in that respect.
They are also being offset to a certain point against tax.
An estate car and ferrex tools are definitely red flags.

absolutely .... had a workshop full of 'em ... Mak, Dewalt, Hitachi, Fein, Nitto Kohki, etc., hand tools .. Bronx, Pearson, BOC, Ajax, Herbert, Fobco, Grimax, Meddings, DS&G, Colchester, Bristol, Cincinnati, etc., machine tools -- need good gear to get worked hard daily
never bought cheapo gear for work ..... waste of time and money
but, as said, for what I get up to these days and with only me 'driving' it, I have no complaints against/about the Ferrex stuff

 

[craig]

Sometimes there is an element of `all the gear no idea`

 

[bobthebuilder]

Sometimes there is an element of `all the gear no idea`

seen plenty of "digger drivers " with brand new kit who i wouldnt let loose with a shovel

 

[Smiffy]

absolutely .... had a workshop full of 'em ... Mak, Dewalt, Hitachi, Fein, Nitto Kohki, etc., hand tools .. Bronx, Pearson, BOC, Ajax, Herbert, Fobco, Grimax, Meddings, DS&G, Colchester, Bristol, Cincinnati, etc., machine tools -- need good gear to get worked hard daily
never bought cheapo gear for work ..... waste of time and money
but, as said, for what I get up to these days and with only me 'driving' it, I have no complaints against/about the Ferrex stuff

Definitely agree. And I know quite a few blokes with the odd cheapy tool in the box for items that are used once in a blue moon or prone to getting lost. Just about everyone I know hasa set of Magnuson spirit levels and I have got them for several gangs at work. They are brilliant value for money when it comes to groundworks. However i would question if a carpenter turned up with solely those.
Likewise I really questioned one bloke that turned up with a set of stabila to do underground drainage.
Rather than expensive or cheap I think it's best to go for value for money.

 

[Smiffy]

seen plenty of "digger drivers " with brand new kit who i wouldnt let loose with a shovel

What kit are digger drivers turning up with. Most on sites aren't interested if they need anything more than a pair of sliders.

 

[bobthebuilder]

What kit are digger drivers turning up with. Most on sites aren't interested if they need anything more than a pair of sliders.

there is a couple around here owner operators ,not good at all

 

[V8Druid]

there is a couple around here owner operators ,not good at all

had one here earlier this year ... B/f of one of the 'horsey girls', rent the barn .... not a ****ing clue what he was doing .. left a right state in his wake and was expecting to see it on it's side at any moment RAF did not come close

 

[LKSF]

There is a whole spectrum of different qualities of trades out there from 'all the gear, no idea' to 'many a good tune played on an old fiddle' and everywhere in between, we're all on there somewhere.
I think I must have worked with most of them over the years so know not to judge on first impressions.

I've worked with deaf joiners whose entire toolkits wouldn't have fetched a tenner at a carboot sale, my boss at that time took them on when no-one else would and they turned out to be great tradesmen in every way.
Knew two of the most humble, yet finest plasterers to walk onto a job, they drove around in a battered 20yr old Corsa van. I remember seeing it parked outside the local mechanics garage on many an occasion.

Saw a useless plasterer on a job who went to the pub at lunchtime, came back on the job and attempted to lift an 8 x 4 Pb over his head to fix on a ceiling, it snapped in half, but he screwed it up anyhow. Nasty piece of work too, didn't last long.
Worked with a joiner we called 'Old redeyes' as he used to go to lockins at the pub opposite his house until the early hours then walk to work. Lovely chap and really knew how to put a job together. Probably a functioning alcoholic and I have no idea how he managed to do what he did. If he'd been sober he'd probably be a master craftsman of the highest order!

Also been initially judged myself plenty of times too and took great pleasure in proving people wrong.
I've been that bloke in the newish van, the one in the car, the rusty van, if some very decent customers judged on appearance I would never have gone anywhere.

Heck I could write all night about people who were wrongly judged.

 

[TiltyShaun]

there is a couple around here owner operators ,not good at all

I hope that I am far enough away from Monmouth that you are not aiming that in my direction!! Even if it is true!!

 

[bobthebuilder]

I hope that I am far enough away from Monmouth that you are not aiming that in my direction!! Even if it is true!!

i was self promoting actually

i know iam not the best digger driver as i dont do it enough but i do know whats right and how it should be done
last job
this is what we started with

and this is how it turned out