Wera KK 10 Compact Bitholder and Bit Set - Review

In addition to the Wiha Magnetic driver I reviewed earlier I also got a Wera Kraftform Kompact 10 Compact Bitholder and Bit Set also from Amazon - I buy almost all my tool from overseas as there is more variety  and they are often much cheaper - I get most of them from the US, UK or Japan I'll mention some of the places I shop at in another post.

Firstly this is much smaller then I though when it was when I ordered it (I've put a battery next to it in one photo so you can see the scale of it), this has its pros and cons; you can pop it into just about any pocket or bag and you can use it in tight spaces but you won't be able to generate a lot of torque due to the small handle.

The holder is plastic and flips open to allow access the bits while you just press the handle in to the cutout from the side - but it all clicks in quite securely.

The bit holder is actually really good, I believe it is the same as the Wera Rapidaptor Bit Holder it is a magnetic hex holder with a locking ring - when you put a bit in the ring snaps back locking it in place, to release you push the ring forward and the bit is released - it's very easy to use and works a treat.

The bits are not particularly long and  because  the bit holder is a little wide you might have problems if a screw is in a deep hole (although you can use any standard bit - so you could just gab some longer ones)

The Kraftform Kompact is made by Wera, Wera is a German company although much of what they make is manufactured in other  countries I believe this is made in the Czech Republic but they also make some of their stuff in Taiwan (I can't find a marking of where it's made although it may have rubbed of if it was on the handle even so I how found the quality to be very good and the do offer a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

The are different sets wit a different selection of bits there is also an ESD(Electrostatic Discharge) version available to protect components against static electricity.

Most of the time I would rather use the Wiha Magnetic driver or a normal screwdriver but I pretty much always have tis set in my bag when I'm out so the best tool is the one you have with you and the build quality feels very solid.

Link: Amazon Wera Kraftform Kompact 10 Compact Bitholder and Bit Set

Wiha Magnetic Driver with 8 Bits in The Handle - Review

A while ago I was looking for a set of screwdrivers for my car and I came across Wiha’s Magnetic driver that holds driver bit’s in the handle on Amazon US

Wiha 38026 Standard Magnetic Driver with 8 Bits in The Handle

I wasn’t too confident about these multi drivers as I have used a few cheap ones in the past and they were all pretty rubbish but seeing as Wiha is a well-regarded brand and the driver was made in Germany (and not too expensive) I thought it would be worth a shot.

Here is a video of how the bit storage mechanism works:

There are simpler designs that probably do just as good a job but I just really like the action and design of this – it’s very clever and a pleasure to use.

The magnetic holder is very strong which for the most part is a good thing – it will magnetise your bits so if that’s a problem I’d look elsewise but for what I’m using it for I find this helpful.

The grip is very study and quite comfortable although screwdriver handles are a matter of taste it has got the same style of handle as some other Wiha drivers so if you have used them you have a good idea of what it is like.  There are also flat parts on the handle to stop it rolling around.

If you’re always working in one place then you’d be better off with a screwdriver set – obviously this is not going to be as good as a full set but I actually prefer this one driver to many cheapish complete sets I have used – it is very solidly built and the bits are really good quality. I’s also not as compact as some other multi drivers but generally they are not as good to use.

There are a few different variations on this product – some are insulated for electrical work and some have a different selection of bits so make sure you get the one you want.

Overall I highly recommend this screwdriver if you think this is the kind of thing you could see yourself using – I’m planning to pick up another one when the price is low (it fluctuates quite a bit, maybe check CamelCamelCamel to see how it's standing) also makes a good gift.

Link: Amazon - Wiha 38026 Standard Magnetic Driver with 8 Bits in The Handle

Super Glue Comparison

I was recently looking for a good super glue for general use – previously I have been using Zap-a-gap a cyanoacrylate glue that works quite well but I found the bottle design to be not so great, the nozzle would clog and the cap was pretty useless – so I thought I’d try out some alternatives. After doing some research I settled on Krazy Glue (so crazy they even misspelled the name) and Loctite Ultra Gel Control.

This is just a quick review but I thought I’d run over the differences between the two products. I’m happy with both of these glues; they are a bit more expensive some alternatives but they are very strong and you only need a little bit of glue for most jobs.

Overview:

The Krazy glue is pretty must a straight up cyanoacrylate glue it’s a liquid glue that dries fast and has a strong bond. The Loctite Ultra Gel Control is also cyanoacrylate glue but it quite a bit thicker than the Krazy glue (hence the gel name) the gel has the advantage of being able to fill gaps and glue surfaces that don’t quite match.

Strength and speed: Both glues are quite good but the Loctite seems to bond almost instantly – this is not necessary a pro as it give you very little time to make any adjustments. The Loctite has also been the stronger of the two in my experience – this stuff really sticks, I find normally it’s the material of the things I’ve glued that will fail before the actual bond itself. For most jobs the Krazy is plenty strong enough but just not as strong as the Loctite.

Nozzle:

Again both glues do well here and are much more useable in my opinion then the Zap-a-gap I used to use. The Krazy glue nozzle seems to be a bit more precise but this could also be due to the glue being thinner. Both glues have excellent caps that actually work they lock with a twist so even if there is glue on the tip of the nozzle you will be able to open it, also the use a very short coarse thread maybe a quarter turn and the tread is at the base of the nozzle so it doesn’t get gummed up with glue.

Summary:

Both glue work very well, their strength is quite amazing actually. I prefer using the Krazy glue but the Loctite is stronger and if you are gluing surfaces that aren’t quite even I’d recommend the Loctite.

Link: Amazon - Krazy glue, Loctite

DealExtreme - Really Cheap Suff

Hi I thought I'd start off my online store reviews with DealExtreme. DealExtreme is an online store that ships out from Hong Kong - they have a whole bunch of stuff and the free shipping is great as there is no minimum spend to get it.

I've had no problems with DealExtreme except some of the cheaper items having a short life and a fair wait for the shipping. I might review some of the stuff I've bought at DX later on but I got a bunch cheap LED torches, some camera accessories, keychains etc. I also got some eee pc stuff for my brother including a D.I.Y touch screen kit. Most of the stuff on DX you can also get on Ebay - normally you can even find it at a cheaper price although sometimes Ebay can be more of a  hassle  and  occasionally  the sellers are not  reliable.

Pros:
Free International Shipping - that's with no minimum spend!
Can use PayPal
Really cheap prices.
Large range of stuff.
Seem to be happy to refund/replace items (from what I've heard).
They tend to be quite upfront about whether or not a product is genuine or a knock off.

Cons:
Shipping can be quite slow (there is an express option but its not free).
Don't expect high build quality on really cheap stuff some of it will brake straight away or not work when you get them - read the reviews on items to get an idea about this.
If your not careful you will buy a whole heap of junk you don't need :)

Summery:
Cool online shop with free international shipping great if you don't mind a bit of a wait and are realistic about what quality you expect for the cheap stuff.

Notes:
If your importing stuff remember to check the customs regulations.
Prices are in US$ so remember to use a currency converter like XE to see what the prices will be in your currency.

Link: DealExtreme