Get Your Tools Out, Girls! - Ladies Night at Nortech continued By Michelle Dee

Continued from

She was impressed and told me about how not only could Duncan make a curve with a straight piece of wood, he could also knock up a coffee table in next to no time with a few stair spindles and a DIY shelf kit! But proper furniture is this mans true vocation. He loves wood and loves working with it.

Next I had a talk with Lee Burnham from Manchester. He was displaying an extensive range of clamps. Lee is a representative from LJ Hydleman & Co Ltd. and has been promoting Bessey Clamps, the world leaders, no less, for a year. LJ Hydleman are also the people to see for Dremotec Torque Wrenches, Ring ratchet sets by Carolus and versatile tool trolleys by Metec (the kind you keep in your garage to store everything neatly away).

They also stock Gedore Equipment which as every tool man worth his salt knows are one of the highest quality tool companies in the world. So girls, if you ever need anything to stay put (I can think of a few) best use a Bessey Clamp with satisfied customers in every town and city, it's always the best choice! Cheer up, Lee; you could have been doing brushes!

I watched Ken from Fein demonstrate the Multi-Master, then stood incredulous, as he casually pressed the blade into his hand which had, seconds earlier, taken a bite out of a piece of metal. Needing more information, I talked with Ken and also had a go trying to slice my hand off with the famed Multi-Master.

It is of course, impossible because the blade oscillates instead of rotating. It's similar to the saw used in Casualty to take off plaster casts. This tool does everything. With a range of detachable heads, you can cut carpet, sand wood, take up linoleum kitchen floors and lots more.

Ken really had a multi-function tool! He also gave us a bit of a history lesson and informed us that as long ago as 1895, Fein manufactured the first ever power drill. Wilhelm Emil Fein is the father of power tools and also invented the first electric fire alarm, 20 years earlier. Believe it or not, he invented the first portable telephone in 1885.

During the evening there was a steady stream of ladies coming into the Toolstore which proves that power tools are not an all male affair. It was clear that the aim of the event was to promote and publicise tools in the hope of making a sale at a later date or encouraging ladies to hire them by explaining their uses.

I do know that a couple of ladies, Annabel Snaith and Nicky Simpson purchased a Laser Leveller from Tony that evening. Perhaps you could let us all know what it does and was it any good?

Now, if all these beefy power tools aren't your thing - just a bit too much machismo perhaps, there was the saw man, James Howard, for those girls who prefer to do it by hand. James, who hales from Sheffield works for Spear and Jackson also based in Sheffield. HE had a range of hand tools on display including the Predator Saw, a Philadelphia Brick Trowel and a smaller version for pointing.

Other builder's tools included different sized chisels for taking bricks out of walls. These can also be used for cleaning off the old cement ready for the bricks re-use. James visits East, West Yorkshire and Cumbria, promoting Spear and Jackson products. He said the things he like best about his job was the diversity of the places he visits.

We couldn't believe how the time had passed and even less how we could actually have enjoyed an evening in a Toolstore . I hope next time Tony will have a builder, plumber and electrician on hand - it's amazing what the experts will tell you if you just dare to ask! Come on ladies, let's get doing it for ourselves!

Steve Young from Osborn International and Gary Brader who was demonstrating Karcher Cleaning Machinery

These 2 ladies will be. Pauline Smith and Margaret Wharam (nee Slide) arrived early and only left after a drill purchase and lots of really useful advice - they had a great time and were happy with their complimentary free Nortech Mugs!

All the tools we saw tonight are available to buy or to hire from the Nortech Toolstore.

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