# Boys toys & resources.



## escapos (Sep 18, 2011)

Hello all, hope you are well,

I was wondering if there are any 'tool time tim' types out there might be able to offer some advice.

I am thinking of buying in the UK a TIG welder and Plasma Cutter and can get a good deal and guarantee on them. I also need a petrol driven compressor about 5hp, 100lpm to run the plasma, this is a bulky and heavy item and ideally would like to buy in Pt.

Does anyone know where to get such things in central Portugal, Coimbra, Tomar areas, and what are the differences in prices like for tools and equipment.

I can bring the plasma and welder, they arent too big, just concerned about the compressor?

Also does anyone know about scrap yards in the areas mentioned as a resource for metal to 'play with'

I'm also interested in hearing from anybody heavily into building stuff and what their experiences have been getting materials and supplies, prices wise and availibility.

Greatful for any feedback, take care all.


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Try looking at Ferramentas eléctricas, compressor eléctrico

It's a site my boy's toy addicted husband likes 

If you use a google translate tool bar all the details will come up in English


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

I'd buy main bits UK, supplies aren't a problem but pricey, plenty of metal suppliers sheet, rod, angle etc around, scrapyards tend to be a bit thin, but Tomar has a big car one, Vila Nova de Poiares has a big general scrapyard and there's some great Metal artists around the region.
Also a lot of blacksmiths and local welding shops that are quite a good source.


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## escapos (Sep 18, 2011)

Thanks Canoeman for that sounds like a few things going on I could tap into, do you have any thoughts about the compressor or any links to suppliers I could look up on the net from here in the UK?
thanks very much, all the best


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## escapos (Sep 18, 2011)

siobhanwf said:


> Try looking at Ferramentas eléctricas, compressor eléctrico
> 
> It's a site my boy's toy addicted husband likes
> 
> If you use a google translate tool bar all the details will come up in English


Sorry, siobhanwf, I didn't see your post till after I replied to canoeman

Thanks very much for the link, you know our 'toys' keep us quiet and out of your hair for a bit though, just don't let him have any like minded friends


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Why does compressor need to be petrol driven? or is it you want portability, electric compressors readily available and not expensive 8bar 165Ltrs pm around 93€, you'll find local shops, builders merchants carry big ranges.
pages in English quite good for finding things, but a search on Portuguese one is better Yellow Pages: Business guide, shop, phone number and address 
LeRoy Merlin = B&Q worthwhile downloading catolques, firstly gives you a good idea on what's available but more importantly the *Portuguese name* for an item, invaluable Leroy Merlin - Bricolage, Construção, Decoração e Jardim -Leroy Merlin Homepage


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## Guest (Apr 12, 2012)

Hi,

Tig and Plasma cutters are a bit out of the B+Q league. There is a Draper distributor who covers Spain and Portugal so stuff from their catalogue should be available.
////snip/// There are a couple of places in Tomar which may have as they sell disc cutters etc, one is on Travessa Arco (or the next road) the other is on Amorim Rosa.


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

coleio said:


> Hi,
> 
> Tig and Plasma cutters are a bit out of the B+Q league. There is a Draper distributor who covers Spain and Portugal so stuff from their catalogue should be available.
> ///snip/// There are a couple of places in Tomar which may have as they sell disc cutters etc, one is on Travessa Arco (or the next road) the other is on Amorim Rosa.


I meant LeRoyM as general useful information price wise TIG & plasma going to be cheaper in UK, welding here is still predominately rod especially on a local basis.


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## escapos (Sep 18, 2011)

Cheers all, thanks very much for all the feedback, I have managed to get a great deal on a tig and plasma bought together, and even a 2 year warranty to cover me in Portugal as well so very happy to buy from my supplier whilst here in the UK.

Going towards a petrol driven compressor because of not wanting to use too much electric at home and the portability, also if I want to have a solar powered house and want to reduce usage as much as possible. I also want to be able to do high pressure paint spraying with it as well and run my air tools so an electric one may be overworked.

I know the plasma and welder arent exactly low consumption and may have to consider a separate generator, I would love a beefy diesel generator to run off homebrew biodiesel, and as a backup for household supply in winter when there is low solar output or failures. If I end up with a property with a flowing stream with enough drop, microhydro will give me enough electric to be able to be 'off grid', and maybe sell back, depending on my system.

I also plan to be building and running a bandmill, but thats for another posting, and for the 'boys' take a look here but dont tell the wife:eyebrows:

Home Built Bandsaw Bandmill - Build your own Bandsaw Sawmill - Home

As you can see I have lots of ideas but I want to minimise my outgoings by using natural resources as much as possible and is feasible, if you get what I mean


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Running water can be an issue here, you not allowed to deny or alter your downstream neighbours use plus a lot of dry up or reduced flow especially with current drought conditions.

Plasma & TIG hope you've bought single phase as 3 phase will really push up your electricity bills here, and hope you've got a nice pot of money going green is expensive sell back is a whole different ballgame and not aware of any micro hydro options think it's all PV.

Just a tip, I've recently bought on UK E-bay solar tubes for hot water at a fraction of cost to here.


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## escapos (Sep 18, 2011)

Thanks canoeman for the tip off's, I was aware about interruption of the downstream and I hopefully will be designing a system that will have zero impact in this respect, I understand this is a very sensitive issue there.
I was just thinking of the microhydro just for winter use when there is less sun and more water from rainfall and the solar in the summer when there is more sun and less rainfall to try and achieve some sort of balance, my hope anyway.

I'm not really that bothered about sell-back and understand the logistics about having a very different system, getting elecric for me and the wife is my main priority, I understand it's hard just getting mains supply if you dont have it, so selling back is probably real futuristic for Portugal 

I have got single phase equipment, looking real hard into the consumption of stuff and doing my best to plan ahead, hoping that the new thinfilm tech for solar has hit the domestic market by the time I am buying, they are being manufactured in Spain now for a while, but currently only commercially available at the mo I think, old tech pannels are inefficient and expensive, and there are companies trying to get rid of them to, shall we say lots of nieve UK buyers at the moment thinking they are getting a great deal on pannels
I had inside information end of last summer they have been stockpiling systems at UK docks/warehouses ready for rollout to the public here this spring summer, not sure if they are goung to partner it with a fake government icentive as well

I do see house roofs with loads of them newly installed nearly every week now.

Interested to hear about your solar hot water tubes, how many did you get for your house, they are very efficient I think and last well and with Pt sun don't get scallded ok

Cheers for the feedback, very much appreciated


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

I actually over bought because of offer and price, but they'll store for next house, just need to get them over now but it's not urgent.
No won't get scolded because they heat, hot water storage indirectly and have thermal cut offs.
If your correct about obsolete panels in UK then now is probably a good time to buy, they might not be quite as efficient as a new generation panel, but a couple of extra would more than likely address that issue. Might well keep an eye out for some as it's cost that puts me off. It's the batteries that add up.


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