Why I love tools (and not just for fixing my cars)
I am going to talk cars in a moment, I promise, but it's front of mind: the other week I had to put up a gatepost. Or rather two of them, joined back to back, at a pretty normal height of 1.5m but overall a hefty 20cm by 40cm thick.
I knew I'd need tools for this. In no definitive order, I needed a tape measure, T-square, spirit level, sledgehammer, ratchet strap, chainsaw, drill (with a very long bit), spanner (preferably ratchet), club hammer and crosshead screwdriver and coach bolts.
If I'd been missing any single item, the job would have gone, by varying degrees, from slightly more difficult to nearly impossible. And had I been missing anything, I wouldn't have tried it, and the only tool I'd have used instead would have been a telephone.
If there's something I find utterly exasperating (I'll admit that's quite a lot of things these days), it's not being able to do a job because I'm missing the right kit.
And so as a result: I love tools. It's not so much that I adore the tools themselves, not in the way I love cars. I don't spend hours poring over the Screwfix or Machine Mart websites in the way I might the Caterham or Indian motorcycle configurators.
I don't lovingly polish my trolley jack of an evening [I've tried various tools there to find one that doesn't sound too much like a euphemism]. I just love what tools allow me to do.
Although, given that they're tools, perhaps by definition that amounts to the same thing. If the feeling is analogous to the one I get from cars, it's that tools provide a sense of freedom. I can make things, and I'll enjoy it.
I can repair things, and while I might not enjoy it because it gets in the way of a cup of tea and an episode of Yellowstone, I have options on how, when and perhaps how affordably a fix will happen. And maybe I'll learn something on the way, too.
And without tools, there are some things I simply wouldn't have: a greenhouse, a stocked woodshed, a sim rig for Gran Turismo, a dining room table that will outlive me, two modified cars and a motorcycle that lives in a shelter I made for it.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Five BEST used caravans for a summer staycation are revealed – and they're all under £5,000
THE best second-hand caravans to buy for under £5,000 have been revealed - as Brit travellers look for UK getaways this summer. Caravan specialists told The Sun the best brands to look for when RV hunting on a budget, as well as key tips for second-hand buyers across the UK. 6 Experts weighed in on which campers have the best value for money at the low £5,000 price point. A handful of brands were mentioned by multiple sources, with each specialist detailing which caravans had the best quality at their estimated price. Caravans For Sale told The Sun that shoppers should target "mid to late 2000s models". And they gave tips on what to look for before buying used caravans, including reports and battery checks. Bailey Senator The Bailey Senator is made by Bailey of Bristol, one of the UK's most trusted and long-established caravan manufacturers. Caravans For Sale spokesperson Linzi Oliver said it used to be in the "higher-spec range at the time [it was released]". 6 Once a flagship model, it is still known for its luxury touches, solid build quality, and spacious layouts. She explained: "You'll find older Series 5 or Arizona models just scraping under £5k if well-used, and they still offer great quality for long-term touring." Older models from 2001 can even be snatched up second hand for just over £2,500. But they still boast decent sized rooms and extra premium features that aren't found in entry-level campers. Watch the video to see inside the family-of-seven's caravan home The line was discontinued in 2010, but lives on as a top choice for used caravan buyers in 2025. Elddis Odyssey The Elddis Odyssey is a well-built, mid-to-high-range touring caravan made by Elddis, a trusted British brand based in County Durham. The Odyssey range was a popular step up from Elddis's entry-level caravans, offering more space and cosier interiors — without the sky-high prices of high-end models. "This range has a strong reputation for being robust," Oliver said. How much does it cost to live in a caravan? LIVING in a caravan can be an economical and flexible lifestyle choice in the UK. Here's a breakdown of potential costs: Initial Costs Caravan Purchase: £8,000 - £40,000 (depending on size, age, and condition) Caravan Insurance: £200 - £800 per year Ongoing Monthly Costs Pitch Fees: £150 - £600 (varies by location and facilities) Utilities (Electricity, Gas, Water): £40 - £120 Maintenance and Repairs: £20 - £80 Internet and TV: £20 - £50 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £15 - £40 Other Potential Costs Waste Disposal Fees: £8 - £25 Transport Costs (if moving locations): Variable, depending on distance Optional Add-ons (Awning, Solar Panels, etc.): £400 - £1,600 (one-time) Sample Monthly Budget Pitch Fees: £400 Utilities: £80 Maintenance and Repairs: £40 Internet and TV: £40 Gas for Heating/Cooking: £25 Total: £585 Annual Estimated Cost Total Monthly Costs: £585 x 12 = £7,020 Insurance: £500 Maintenance and Repairs: £480 Total Annual Cost: £8,000 Tips to Save Off-Peak Pitch Fees: Look for lower rates during off-peak seasons. DIY Maintenance: Handle minor repairs yourself. Energy Efficiency: Invest in solar panels to reduce utility costs. While initial setup costs can be significant, ongoing expenses for living in a caravan can be relatively low, making it a viable option for those seeking an affordable and mobile lifestyle in the UK. "And with larger 4 berth options, they're great for families." The expert added: "2005–2008 Odyssey models can often be found for £4,000–£5,000, usually in good condition with full service history." Though the line was discontinued in the early 2010s, it remains a favourite on the used market. The Odyssey is ideal for summer staycations, festivals or long weekends on the coast. Lunar Ariva Oliver said: "The Ariva is celebrated for being lightweight, often around 970kg MTPLM, which makes it ideal for smaller tow vehicles. "Older Arivas (2005–2009) are commonly available for £3,500–£4,800." 6 The two-birth caravan may be small, but it still has a well-equipped interior, including a kitchen, living area and a bathroom. It's a great choice for couples looking for an easy to handle caravan for short weekend trips away. Swift Charisma The Swift Charisma 565 is a great family-friendly caravan, with a 2003 model selling for between £4500 and £5000. It features a washroom, a side kitchen and a dinette, with an L shaped lounge. 6 "The seating is generally comfortable and the L shaped lounge is a very sociable area and makes into a large double bed", said caravan expert Andrew Jenkinson. This layout is ideal for four or makes a great 3 berth, plus it comes with a mover and an awning – not a bad buy at all." This caravan is perfect for taking kids away to the beach on school holidays. Compass Corona The Compass Corona 505 is a five-berth caravan with 2003 models of the vehicle selling for around £4,750. It's a lightweight family model with two double dinettes, giving it a spacious feel. "The caravan has a large front layout, side kitchen with a wardrobe and a washroom opposite with a dinette at the rear which comes with a bunk bed too. "This layout is ideal for families and with a spec that includes an oven ,heating, a fridge and a shower it's a great buy and it's also relatively light in weight too. "This is ideal for a family of first timers."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Furious residents who paid £735k for their dream homes on a luxury new-build estate say they have been left with an 'absolute s***show'
Furious homeowners who paid up to £735k for their dream homes on a luxury new-build estate have blasted developers for leaving them living on 'a building site' - years after moving in. The prestigious The Willows development in Darlington, County Durham, promised 'executive living' with detached four and five-bed homes starting from £520,000. Despite construction starting five years ago – and the final home completed in April – swathes of the award-winning 59-home estate remain in a state of disarray. Its affluent residents say what was sold to them in glossy brochures as a prestigious, high-spec lifestyle has instead become a frustrating ordeal, with unfinished roads, open trenches, exposed cabling, and missing street lighting plaguing the estate. They accused developer Story Homes of shifting its focus to other multi-million pound projects having sold the last of its 2,500 sq ft homes. Mike Darrie, 59, paid more than half-a-million pounds to be the first person to move onto the exclusive estate in the sought-after West Darlington area in 2020. He claims to have spent thousands replacing tyres, wheels and an exhaust on his two BMWs, which he says were destroyed by exposed ironworks on unfinished roads. Mr Darrie told MailOnline: 'Every wheel on one car is ruined, and three on the other are damaged, and we try and park very carefully. Homeowners have been left frustated with unfinished roads, open trenches, exposed cabling, and missing street lighting plaguing the estate 'My car's has had three sets of tyres on it. It's only done 30,000 miles. It's about £500 for two tyres. 'I rang Story the other day and they more or less told me to f*** off. They're not just interested. 'It's an absolute s***show, it's horrendous. 'The road is like a four-wheel drive track. I've joked that we'll have a motocross circuit here shortly if things don't change. 'I paid half a million quid for a house - I didn't sign up to get car damage. 'That car was brand new last year and those wheels aren't cheap. And I'm not paying for them. I will take legal action against them.' Pointing to an exposed drain on an unfinished pavement, directly outside his five-bed home, Mr Darrie added: 'It doesn't matter how much the houses are. If it's £100,000 or £500,000 we shouldn't be left living on a building site.' Story Homes promised a collection of vast family homes 'all built to our most prestigious specification' which 'combine exceptionally spacious and modern interiors with external character and traditional features.' Residents have accused developer Story Homes of shifting its focus to other multi-million pound projects having sold the last of its 2,500 sq ft homes While homeowners say their houses have been built to exacting standards - for which they praised Cumbria-based Story - less can be said for the surrounding land. Complaints have been made over holes in pavements, unfinished footpaths and unconnected street lighting that has left some houses in complete darkness at night. Richard Hodson and his wife Karen, both 65, paid £715,000 to secure a five-bed property, thought to be among the most expensive on the estate. They moved from Solihull, in the West Midlands, in February 2022 after falling in love with the home's secluded location. Metal fences lie yards from their front door, preventing access to a footpath to the main road that has yet to be completed. Mr Hodson said: 'We chose probably the most expensive house on the development because of this spot. 'We were all expecting it to be finished in June 2023 and here we are in June 2025, and they're only just getting around to completing it. 'I'm quite a patient person, but I think everyone here is cheesed off now. We've been adversely affected by the raised ironworks in the road. It hasn't done our tyres or our cars any good. Mr Hodson and his wife Karen, both 65, praised Story for the quality of the 'desirable' houses but said they had become frustrated with the lack of progress to complete the development 'We're only just starting to see some progress, and that's largely down to campaigning by people who live here. 'Until everything gets finally finished, we can't properly enjoy it.' The couple praised Story for the quality of the 'desirable' houses but said they had become frustrated with the lack of progress to complete the development. Mr Hodson added: 'Many people are very, very pleased with the quality of the build of their house. 'Story had a lot of goodwill attached to this development, but unfortunately, much of that - if not all of it - has evaporated in the last two years.' In 2022, Story Homes landed an award for the best residential development in Co Durham for its transformation of The Willows. One homeowner said: 'It's almost as if they won the award and then they walked away.' Story Homes insisted it remains committed to completing the outstanding work and has apologised to residents - blaming 'unforeseen technical challenges and ecological requirements' for the delays. When our reporters visited the development this week, subcontractors had returned to the site to Tarmac pavements and clear rubble after being shamed in local newspaper coverage. One resident had described the new-build estate to the Northern Echo a 'diabolical health hazard'. Jane Thirling, 56, and husband Stephen, 61, moved onto the estate three years ago. Outside their home, workmen were using diggers to excavate a vast mound of soil that failed to resemble original landscape designs. Mrs Thirling said: 'There was meant to be a lovely open space outside our house - we've even still got the housing brochure showing what it was meant to look like. 'My husband's been talking to the council for a year and a half to try and get this sorted out. 'Before this week no-one was on site for five weeks and I think that was the final straw for a lot of people. 'Some people have been living on here for more than five years and they have had enough. 'It takes the sheen off moving into a new home. We've been here three and a half years, we shouldn't still be living on a building site. 'We shouldn't still have metal railings outside our house, when we were promised they'd be gone in six months.' Mr Thirling also accused Darlington Council of failing to stand up for residents and hold Story Homes and its subcontractors to account. He said: 'For me, the fundamental issue is with the council. 'Once the last house is sold, there's no real incentive left for the developer to spend money. 'The council were happy enough to start collecting our council tax but not happy enough to enforce the agreements they had with the developer. 'There's been a lack of transparency and a lack of reliable communication from anybody about what's going on. 'I was a project manager, I know things don't go perfectly. But when it goes wrong, don't treat people with contempt.' Mr Thirling said he would like to see rules changed that would only enable town halls to collect council tax when a development is completed in line with planning agreements. He said: 'It would focus everyone's attention – both the council and the developer. 'They've been collecting the council tax since we moved in and we're still waiting for what we paid for. 'How they won an award for this, God knows.' Story Homes, which is embarking on a similar homebuilding project in affluent Wilmslow in Cheshire, said final works were delayed due to 'unforeseen technical challenges and ecological requirements'. A spokesperson said: 'We have apologised to residents for the inconvenience this has caused. 'We remain fully committed to completing the outstanding works. 'This includes ongoing liaison with Darlington Borough Council to approve final road surfacing, footpath improvements, street light installation and final clearance of the site compound. 'We are taking clear steps to move the development forward and continue to provide regular updates to residents, who we thank for their continued patience and feedback.' The council insisted: 'Darlington Borough Council is not holding up anything on site.' A spokesperson for Story Homes said: 'We acknowledge the concerns raised and would like to reassure residents that we remain fully committed to completing the outstanding works at The Willows as soon as possible. 'Delays have occurred due to unexpected engineering challenges and environmental considerations, including the need for further investigation into a specific section of road surfacing, following a recent visit by Darlington Borough Council. 'In addition to completing the road surfacing, we are prioritising the completion of footpaths, street lighting, and clearance of fenced and compound areas, with work progressing in close coordination with the council, utility providers, and our contractors. All remaining works are expected to be completed by the end of summer. 'We understand the disruption this has caused and sincerely apologise for this. Residents continue to receive regular updates from our business, and we remain grateful for their patience and ongoing feedback as we work to deliver a high quality completed development.'
Auto Car
5 hours ago
- Auto Car
Why I love tools (and not just for fixing my cars)
I am going to talk cars in a moment, I promise, but it's front of mind: the other week I had to put up a gatepost. Or rather two of them, joined back to back, at a pretty normal height of 1.5m but overall a hefty 20cm by 40cm thick. I knew I'd need tools for this. In no definitive order, I needed a tape measure, T-square, spirit level, sledgehammer, ratchet strap, chainsaw, drill (with a very long bit), spanner (preferably ratchet), club hammer and crosshead screwdriver and coach bolts. If I'd been missing any single item, the job would have gone, by varying degrees, from slightly more difficult to nearly impossible. And had I been missing anything, I wouldn't have tried it, and the only tool I'd have used instead would have been a telephone. If there's something I find utterly exasperating (I'll admit that's quite a lot of things these days), it's not being able to do a job because I'm missing the right kit. And so as a result: I love tools. It's not so much that I adore the tools themselves, not in the way I love cars. I don't spend hours poring over the Screwfix or Machine Mart websites in the way I might the Caterham or Indian motorcycle configurators. I don't lovingly polish my trolley jack of an evening [I've tried various tools there to find one that doesn't sound too much like a euphemism]. I just love what tools allow me to do. Although, given that they're tools, perhaps by definition that amounts to the same thing. If the feeling is analogous to the one I get from cars, it's that tools provide a sense of freedom. I can make things, and I'll enjoy it. I can repair things, and while I might not enjoy it because it gets in the way of a cup of tea and an episode of Yellowstone, I have options on how, when and perhaps how affordably a fix will happen. And maybe I'll learn something on the way, too. And without tools, there are some things I simply wouldn't have: a greenhouse, a stocked woodshed, a sim rig for Gran Turismo, a dining room table that will outlive me, two modified cars and a motorcycle that lives in a shelter I made for it.
