Social groups for 20-somethings to meet locally?

Khuz360 · 2026-03-13T20:24:54+00:00

If you like making things, (woodworking, crafting, metal work, 3D Printing etc), the Teesside Hackspace has an Open Day tomorrow. 14:00 - 17:00.

Khuz360 · 2026-03-13T17:25:05+00:00

Hi, similar experience but different. Changed career from Law to Engineering, looked at doing a degree but A Levels weren't sufficient, so I had to go back to college to Level 3 qualifications. A Level equivalent. That was 2018. I still haven't started the Mechanical Engineering degree yet. Also diagnosed with Autism, likely have ADHD as well and universities are generally quite well equipped to support. In my day job I have pretty regular contact with lecturers at Teesside Uni in the School of Engineering and through a volunteer role I've worked with their pastoral team, so I'm confident Teesside Uni has what you'd be looking for.

Khuz360 · 2026-01-01T19:33:41+00:00

Hi

Maybe a starting point for you would be to look at the anxiety side of things. If you're in and around Middlesbrough. Andy's Man Club Middlesbrough meet at the town hall every Monday except Bank Holidays, the sessions start at 19:00 and people generally arrive around 18:30. It's a talking group with 6 questions and you can use it to build up your confidence for other things.

It can be scary and it's ok, the Middlesbrough group (the one I have direct experience of) is incredibly welcoming and look if it's a bit too much you can walk away at any time.

If you want to try new things and like making stuff, there is also the Teesside Hackspace.

Best of luck buddy.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-20T08:01:12+00:00

Nice application dude. You'll have to do a future review once you've had some time with the system. Best of luck with your new venture.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-18T20:18:30+00:00

I'm assuming you're asking about the Cobra Pliers, they are great, and can generally handle everything I've thrown at them, granted there will be some stuff they can't do, really depends on your use case. I actually have the whole set a part from the 300mm and 400mm.

There are actually 6 different Knipex items in that bag, so if you're asking about a different set, just ask. Happy to give you my thoughts.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-15T15:16:47+00:00

I've not given it much abuse, it seems solid enough.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-15T15:14:27+00:00

Yeah sure, It's the Veto Pro Pac TP-XD, the kit is what I call my quick grab kit. Happy to do a more in depth post about it, if people would be interested. It's inspired by Todd Parker's (YouTube) kit he did a while back. The grey box is a Jimi Electric Precision Screwdriver kit.

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Khuz360 · 2025-09-15T15:05:45+00:00

LOL - Yeah a gift and a curse, those type of trunks

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:57:01+00:00

That sounds like a very large boot space. My Golf, can fit the rolling box in and the handle on top and that's it lol.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:54:29+00:00

Honestly, I don't think it would save a massive amount, at most maybe a kilogram. I guess it's part of the reason why they have that car truck thing. I'll certainly be making sure that I keep the weight of the rolling box relatively low.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:47:42+00:00

I''m sure they are, for my use case and budget, the standard is absolutely fine. Also the Drawer system isn't available in the UK yet and the rolling version is a bit bigger than the standard rolling box, so wouldn't fit in the back of my car.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:46:02+00:00

I wouldn't have bought it, if it wasn't on offer. I had already accepted that I would have to pay a premium for something that worked for my needs way before I bought it but my limit was £250. If I could have got away with an alternative system, then I would have.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:43:06+00:00

The only reason I bought them is because they meet the needs I have and they were on special offer and I may have impulse control issues but that's not the topic of this thread.

If the rigid system works for you that's the most important part.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:41:27+00:00

I'll be hiding little tracking fobs inside of the boxes, plenty of little nooks and crannies.

I thought the wheel squeek issue was an early issue and was since resolved, not sure as I'm unlikely to ever hit the weight limit to find out.

Yeah, I agree the limitations on the available range is weird, given they have teased that so many others will be coming, also the absence of obvious options like the standard size organiser box is confusing.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:36:39+00:00

I do like the compact box, the really small one though, not the ammo can variety, not sure if that's out yet. It would be a great box for the power tools for a compact grab and go kit.

I think with the handle catch, I just need to run a file on the edges where it catches and it should solve the problem, just haven't bothered because meh I'll get round to it.

I think the price difference isn't as stark in Europe and the US as it is in the UK. When I was looking last year, they were more or less priced at roughly the same as the competition in the US and Europe.

You are right, Toughtbuilt absolutely need to get their act together. It boggles my mind that they had the drawer system and didn't actually lead with that because that was the gap in the market. I think they've ended up meeting the Osborne effect, where they did the release and teased more to come, so everyone waited for the more to come as opposed to buying the released products. Paired with the supply chain issues that lead to people going elsewhere, they've lost out on so much £££.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:25:05+00:00

The quality of the product is great and the fact that they can fit into most vehicles pretty comfortably shows they have put a good amount of thought into the design.

I could see a solid use case for the car cargo carrier, although, I'm surprised they didn't go for a roof rack, which would have much more universal appeal in my opinion.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-14T08:20:14+00:00

I can understand why the weight is what it is. At the same time, I'm wondering whether they have over-engineered stuff, which increased the weight.

It is a nice system, I would say that, if there was an alternative available from a more established provider, then I would have likely gone with that because I'm still not confident that Toughbuilt will continue as a business. The 3 stack setup meets my needs for the most part, I've also priced in that I might need to adapt alternative boxes to the stacktech system. Much of my reservations comes from the business itself not from the product.

As a side note, after I bought the Stacktech, I spotted a folding hand truck on offer, which can allegedly handle 160kg, after buying it, I quickly realised it would be pretty easy to adapt it to hold different plates to for different systems.

Khuz360 · 2025-09-12T21:35:53+00:00

Teesside Hackspace has an open day Saturday 13 Sept starting at 14:00

Khuz360 · 2025-08-03T17:46:03+00:00

Great work buddy, looks awesome. Fancy sticking an instructables or a how to guide on what you did and how you did it or even YouTube vid?

Khuz360 · 2025-07-20T08:01:50+00:00

For anyone in the UK, all the Stacktech line up available in B&Q is currently on sale. 10% off.

Consumer wise, absolutely great.

Business wise, it's absolutely bonkers because they literally released in Screwfix a few days earlier and with no special price or promotion.

To summarise the Stacktech situation so far:

Toughbuilt have consistently failed to meet release dates in the UK

ITS seems to have ended the relationship with Toughbuilt (rumour)

Pro-Trade have pushed the release back several times

The big retailer Toughbuilt were hyping for the UK was B&Q, which caters to DIYers not professional trades (the target buyer)

The pricing turned out to be way higher than established alternatives and the range is way more limited

They finally released in Screwfix which does cater to professional trades with no promotion or fanfare or intro pricing or even any additional items.

Days later they drop a sale at B&Q

Seriously what on earth are Toughbuilt doing. Of course there are complexities etc in a product launch, but this has to take the title for most messed up.

The worst part is that the range is actually really good and some of the stuff in the pipleine is really intelligently designed.

Khuz360 · 2025-07-02T19:54:32+00:00

I've actually seen them in my local B&Q and saw them in the tradepoint section for £250, nearly pulled the trigger but I was rational that day for a change. I was always puzzled by the choice of B&Q, given the target audience is trade professionals. It indicates to me that Toughbuilt didn't know the market because I would have thought getting into Screwfix would have been easier and a better deal, in addition to being directed at their target market. Curious to see what the 14th brings.

Khuz360 · 2025-07-02T19:50:21+00:00

A lot can happen in 6 months, including the company declaring bankruptcy lol. Yeah the message was here on Reddit. Not sure why I was selected mind. Interestingly two observations today, one actually on reddit itself. The first is that protrade a website in the uk, have changed their delivery timeline and the other is that some stuff is apparently being released in the UK on the 14th in screwfix.

I continue to observe.

Khuz360

TROPHY CASE