FEATURE 2019:


By PETER BRETT


The tool trade in trying times


WE have come a long way since Homo Habilis started using tools on the plains of Africa two and a half million years ago. With our sophisticated tools we make a world that is increasingly complicated and ingenious. How often have I heard that the solution to our problems will be found via technology – and by extension the tools that go with it?


I fi nd tools and their development fascinating and I patiently put up with comments from friends and family about anoraks and tool collections. There are lots of reasons why I like the tool trade and the people in it, be they retailers, designers, manufacturers or simply professional users. To be fair, they are probably a self- selecting group, but I have had so many people off er me help, suggestions and opinions that I tend to think well of them.


I am still of the opinion, echoing Harold Macmillan, that, in the world of tools, we have never had it so good. The improvements I have witnessed in my lifetime in terms of power tools - for example from corded to cordless, from bulky to slim and lightweight - are extraordinary. And it looks like the pace of innovation is not letting up because Health and Safety, the Green Agenda and changing materials and techniques are still driving it on.


Manufacturers like Festool and Wera regularly launch new bits of kit that are so well designed that some end users don’t know that they need them – yet! There have been so many times when I have looked at a problem, had a think and then been able to solve it by using the right tool. My cordless Fein Supercut needs a mention here too. It really does jobs that no other can do.


Home schooled In a world in which school leavers are encouraged to get a university education and trades can sometimes be seen as second best, it may be hard to make a considered choice to take on an apprenticeship. The modern apprenticeship scheme still has a few issues to be ironed out and its application throughout the country is patchy.


Further education colleges have complained about lack of funding and the death of skilled staff . Equally, some larger companies have embraced the scheme while others complain that the training and investment they have made into apprentices is all lost when they inevitably move on. The Apprenticeship Levy isn’t popular in all quarters either.


Recruiting apprentices is also tougher in construction trades where weather conditions can make things quite tough.


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But at least as an apprentice, unlike graduates, you won’t be saddled with a debt of £30,000 or more before you even fi nd your fi rst job. And skilled tradespeople can earn very respectable salaries relatively quickly since there is still a skills shortage in the trades.


If you have any opinions or anecdotes, collar me at the next tool show for a chat. It might be interesting to widen the debate into the pages of ToolKit Magazine.


Dust-busters The year 2019 has seen some defi nite trends. I reviewed three M-Class vacuum extractors/cleaners this year and discussions I have had with tool retailers seem to indicate that the ‘dangers of dust’ message is getting out quite well. The V-Tuf Mini-Plus is a budget model without some bells and whistles, but still does a great job and is simple to use.


V-TUF M-Class MINI PLUS


Top of the tree in terms of price and spec was the Festool CTM Midi. What it has as a USP is a great system for storing the hose and cable on the body where it is tidy and out of the way.


With excellent performance and strong build, and with all the tools included was the Nilfi sk Attix 33. A big and capable machine at home with construction debris, wood dust and even water – without the dust bag.


Festool CTM MIDI dust extractor


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