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PRODUCT REVIEW


Draper's sleek Storm Force tools make able cordless companions


By PETER BRETT


DRAPER’S blue and black Storm Force range of cordless tools is now well established on the market and provides end users with a comprehensive choice of 10.8v and 20v cordless tools at very competitive prices.


My experience of these tools is that they are competent and well made with most, if not all, of the bells and whistles required by end users these days.


A couple of months ago I reviewed the 20v combi, SDS and hammer drills and now it is the turn of the 20v angle grinder and reciprocating saw to go under the magnifying glass.


The angles on the grinder


For me, an angle grinder is one of those indispensable tools that I use infrequently but when you need one, no other tool will do. The top three features that I look for in an angle grinder are balanced handling, a safe and easy to operate switch and a cutter guard that is easy to adjust, preferably without tools. In my view, this Draper Storm Force delivers on these so we are off to a good start.


Balance, in a cordless tool, is a lot about where the battery pack is placed and the Storm Force follows a lot of other designs by having the gearbox head and the battery pack at each end of the body to counterbalance each other. Combined


with the three-position auxiliary handle, most users will be able to fi nd a position where the cutting disc can be safely applied to the work and held securely for maximum effi ciency. This is helped by the fact that the body of the grinder tapers gently down from the switch to the battery pack and so can be easily gripped by even small hands like mine. It is also helped by generous and grippy rubber moulding strategically placed at the top and bottom of the body.


left or right handed users but, as we all know, the real test will come after many hours of work when the combination of brick dust and metal fi lings created by the cutting discs start to


The slider switch is easy to operate with your thumb by


possible. The good news is that the Draper’s switch stayed easy to lock off and on during my trials of it.


clog the switch sliders. Ideally, we should all take better care of our tools but experience tells us that isn’t always


Getting the right angle on the cutter guard is very important to protect the user from the spray of sparks or dust coming from the cutting disc when in use. Sometimes the guard has to be adjusted several times in the same cut depending on the circumstances so it is important that it is easy to adjust. The Draper uses a clip system that is simply sprung open to move the angle of the guard and then sprung closed again to secure it. The clip has a small adjustment screw on it to take into account wear and use, and the collar on which the clip is mounted is wide enough to achieve easy movement. The collar also has a groove cut into it to secure the spring clip when it is loose, so it will not simply fall off during readjustment. Details like these are tiny, but are actually very important for making a tool hassle free to use.


A black-coated alloy gearbox head incorporates the spindle lock. It engages positively and then the removal or replacement of the cutting disc with the two-pronged pin spanner supplied is easy.


Just a quick mention of the auxiliary handle: it too has generous grippy rubber and a substantial collar around the end


26 TBH January, 2019 www.toolbusiness.co.uk


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