Tools

[TDi90]

ok, for christmas i got a mechanics toolbox from mum! chuffed to bits, its just i dont have many tools to go in it. a couple of socket sets at a push, does anyone know where to get good tools, and LOTS  of them?

cheers, Rob

[Sheddy]

The obvious one is Monsuir L'Snap-on.  But he's a swine.  Not so much a tool seller but a tool pusher.  they get you interested with maybe a screwdriver set, or  astrip of sockets that they have on special offer.  He'll ply you and persuade you with things like lifetime guarantee's and weekly payment plans .... before you know it your handing over half your wages each week.  Oh yes, Monsuir L'Snap-on is a nefarious creature.  Once you've started useing sockets that fit and dont slip you'll be addicted to them.  You'll save your knuckles too.

Halfrauds do a nice range now, again they supposedly have a lifetime guarantee .... but they don't have the "feel" of snap-ons wares.

Machine Mart do the Irwin stuff.  Nice gear.

[chris.hunt22]

Clarke pro range at Machine Mart, cheap enough and lifetime guarantee on a lot of it (or hush hush wink wink......go round car boots looking for old cheap snap on tools, break em and get a brand new one from snap on man 8) )

[blackbob]

check local boot sales
i have found some good stuff if u want to rummage through the tool boxes
look for snapon britol falcom
if u find snapon u can swap it for new ones if the croam is damaged ie flaking

[TDi90]

cheers guys  :lol:

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

Was going to suggest car boots, but got beaten to it, so how about second hand shops?
If buying new, avoid anything where the chrome plating looks slightly dimpled. Its a good indicator that the tool has been made in China or India out of compressed cow dung. This means that the tool, usually a spanner, will bust and your Landy will bite you very hard, drawing blood.
If you are after the more specialist stuff try Frost Automotive on the Net.

As an after thought on this subject. I know all good mechanics never lend their tools out ( guffaw, guffaw, snigger, tee hee, that sounds rude etc etc...), but has it ever been thought of to set  up a tool list, by region?
e.g, I have a set of coil spring compressors that I will probably (hopefully) never use again, but would be happy to lend them , providing they don't get busted.

[freeagent]

The Halfords Pro stuff is REALY good, i've got loads of it, given it loads of abuse and not broken anything...

otherwise, I'd stick to Britool, Facom or Teng... Snap-on is too expensive unless you use it all every day....
Stanley spanners are pretty good aswell, i've got some that i've had since I was a kid (am 34 now) and they're still like new....

if you keep an eye on halfords they do special offers from time to time, like buy 2, get one free... pretty good if you buy sets.

[extreme90]

i like britool and facom now, used be snap-on but i now call um snap-off....says it all really
and life time garuntee of tony with all his stuff aswel   :lol:
dan

[ben_haynes]

Halfrauds do a nice range now, again they supposedly have a lifetime guarantee .... but they don't have the "feel" of snap-ons wares.

i would not bet on it

i have snap-on Mac, halfords Facom Brittol and Tona and various other sets

the mac tools are ace but the halfords ones have lasted longer than most of my snap-on stuff and they do have life time warrenty.

[mmgemini]

First of all I think in fact I know Snap-On sockets and ratchets are the best. They are also vastly overpriced. Well have a shout at your MP over that and get the import duty removed.

As has been said it's the feel of Snap-On that makes them good.

I'm not over fond of Snap-On spanners though. Most of my Snap-On is 3/8 drive and it still gets used. Even at my age Snap-On is my first call for tools.

I always recomend that people buy sockets and tools not in sets but as they are needed.

I have a pair of Snap-On side cutters that were used for years every day at work. Then at home most nights, yes I did "govvy" jobs then. These side cutters are over 30 year old and will still cut straight and clean. They still get used to cut piano wire.

There's a post on tools on www.lrtech.co.uk that might help. It could be on the Defender board.

I've recently bought some Halfords ratchet combination spanners. First use looks good. Time will tell.

Do not spend a lot of money on 1/4 drive. Buy cheap and replace with good as you break the larger sockets. My 10mm 1/4 drive Snap-On socket cost more than the whole set  :roll:

[Littledan]

i get most of mine from halfords they tools are pretty kool and with a life time guarentee so if u break it take it back and u will get a new one

they have a wide range of tool in there some are pretty priceie but well worth it with the guarentee

dan

[ben_haynes]

i have snap-on mac and halfords rachets and sockets but i cant feel the difference there is a bit more smoothness in the snap-on compared to the halfords but not much.

[skip]

It's all according to how much you want to spend. but at the end of the day don't buy anything cheaper than Draper i'e not the cheapo indian spanners from the market. WHY? Cos they snap, crack, fall apart ect. Trust me a spanner that snaps on you is bloody painful.

Have fun choosing.

BTW I like halford pro too.

[thermidorthelobster]

Tip of the day:  go and buy a vaguely decent set of hex sockets (as opposed to the 12-pointed ones which are not as useful) from the market, then throw away the ratchet and buy a decent one.  There will be nothing wrong with the  cheapy sockets, but the ratchet will pack in.  But there's no point in buying an expensive socket set when all you really need is the ratchet.

[blackbob]

i got a lot of snapon stuff but i still prefer britol spanners
i still have the set i got when i started as a mechanic 26years ago
which are whitworth af and metric and still as good as new and they have a life time garrantee which stanley took over from britol a few years ago

[wonderboy]

What ever you buy, dont buy anything that from draper.  In their infant wisdom, the RAF whent cheap on most tools, ie draper and draper expert. Screwdrivers break, spaners snap and they do more damage to equipment than we do :lol: .  So they are ging back to the drawing board and we might end up with Snap-On again :D .

However i use halfords pro and Teng tools and never had a problem.  Just remember dont buy the cheapest set, buy the best you can afford.

[hairyasswelder]

First thing is to think how often you are going to use these tools.  Once a month, once a week, all day- every day or just the annual service???

I also have an assortment of 'high quality' tools and my preference is Brittool.  Draper Expert are pretty good for sockets as are Halfords if you want 'mid range' tools.

Snap - on are seriously overpriced, unless you use them daily and they earn their pay and yours..
I like Facom, Teng are ok

REMEMBER anything with moving parts is NOT covered by lifetime guarantee  :shock:

Try engineering suppliers as the discount to trade can be 40%+ (Snap-on wont do this) The ones we use sell Britool, Gedore,Teng, Draper and can get others

There was a Guy on here selling some new Teng stuff in 'For Sale' section
before christmas

Well that was my opinion  :P

[hairyasswelder]

Oh and I forgot,  DONT buy a snap-on welder
They are made by Cebora, Italy and rebadged, oh and repriced  :shock:
Good wellder but the sticker does not make it work better  :lol:

[Hightower]

I've got a toolbox full of Halfrauds Pro stuff and it's great.  Only problem I had is when an allen key socket thingy broke ('cos I put it on the end of a breaker bar and stood on it to try and free up a really rusted in bolt).  Took it back and they replaced it no Q's asked.
As has been mentioned, buy the best you can afford.  The Halfrauds Pro stuff is not that cheap, but it's readily available and they do stand by their warranty.

[TDi90]

good stuff, cheers for all replies!! i will go on a car boot sale hunt, and also off to halfords with my christmas money  :lol:  8)

[Manicminer]

I have a mixture of different makes. I tend to buy 1 or 2 at a time as and when I need them.
I will say that the Halford Pro are decent.

I'm testing some Newsome spanners at the moment(see if they will snap ). So far so good.

[snorkley]

if your not a full time mechanic/fitter,engineer,then halfrauds is good as anything used them for years noe and aint broke anything yet and i have tried!!!!!!!

[Range Rover Blues]

Like most people I got a lot from my dad but what I've had to buy is a mix of Halfruads newer stuff, Facom (pricey), Britool, Gedore, one or two snap-a-lot and some Machine Mart stuff.

Also got a lot of nice branded stuff in imperial when Half. stopped stocking it 2 years back, though that's little use to know now :roll:

Cash permitting it's worth having some impact sockets so you can hit them, they are great for hammering onto a rounded-off nut that's a real tight fit.

[Range Rover Red]

Cash permitting it's worth having some impact sockets so you can hit them, they are great for hammering onto a rounded-off nut that's a real tight fit.

Is that to get the nut off, or just to ease your frustration?

[Muddy]

Works for both :)

[Mudlark]

I have a vast array of different tool makes from the market cheapies to KingDick Britool Teng and Snap-On also have a couple of pieces from Bachco as well. Incidently the first decent set came from Kamasa when they first made them - the first company other than Snap-On to offer replacements for broken tools.


The only Torque wrench I like is the original Britool ones - worth buying and looking after.

I was once told to buy cheap for the lesser used tools sockets and spanners but go for the expensive stuff when buying ratchets and frequently used sockets and spanners, the 17, 14, 13, 10 sizes.

Best advice for tools that break a lot such as screwdrivers is buy from Snap-On (Halfords if it's local) because you can then at least change them on a weekly basis

[mmgemini]

The only Torque wrench I like is the original Britool ones - worth buying and looking after.

Yes I have two of those. A 1/2" drive and a 3/8" drive. The half inch one I boiught in 1969 !!!   I had it checked and re-calibrated a couple of years ago and it cost more for the re-calibration than it did new.

[Disco Matt]

Just digging this up to ask what people think of Sealey Tools? I've ordered one of their 1/4in ratchets and a set of sockets to match, the ratchet turned up this morning and looks well made, the chrome is good and the ratchet feels precise.

Main reason I ask is that they appear to be a near-copy of the Halfords Pro range, but at a fraction of the price. Looking at the 1/2in ratchet it's £17 cheaper than the Halfords one if bought on Amazon.

[Boddle]

 Depends on what you want them for is this box in the back of the landy (get me home kit) or is it left at home where you could spend more money.
For back of landy somewhere like B&Q or Halfords tool kit will do.

http://www.tengtools.co.uk/Teng_Tools
I know BriSCa stock car drivers use them but the are a major sponcer so how good they not sure but they do seem to be cheaper than snap on or facom.

[Disco Matt]

This is really a case of buying some halfway decent kit for home use - I realise Halfords Pro seem to be some of the best but as I said the Sealey range seems pretty good too, although I've not used it yet.

Checking the Halfords site their Pro ratchets have 45 teeth while this Sealey one has 49.