Tools for home use - which brand?
Discussion
The Vambo said:
Hainey said:
The other recommendation is a good impact driver. I have the 18v Dewalt (Black & Decker, really!) and it's as good as my mates more expensive Ingersoll rand.
It isn't. It probably does the job fine but it will not last like a Rand will. I even use a Dew
k every day, and every day I prefer my Makita.For the money you can't beat Halfords Professional. Perfect for home use. Mine have stood up to far more abuse than I should have expected them to whilst rebuilding my car. They are great quality for the price.
They aren't as good as Snap on or Bahco, but they're nowhere near as expensive either.
They aren't as good as Snap on or Bahco, but they're nowhere near as expensive either.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I have a 92 piece Bahco socket set.....I love it, the most used set of tools I own and they really are very good quality.
Tango13 said:
Bahco is very good quality kit, I have a pair of their wire cutters that are about 25 years old, still like new and still work perfectly.
Cheers. That was my gut instinct based on the 1/4 set I got. Nice kit and reasonably priced. I have Bahco impact sockets. Take abuse and keep their corners and don't elongate. Good kit.
I bought a Bahco 1/2" socket set a couple of years ago, it's great. Within the scope of home mechanicing you just cannot break the stuff, it really is good. It may not be cheap but it's not ridiculous either.
I also have Draper Pro (very good) and Taskmaster (get them at motor factors}, they don't look flash but they are very good.
Some of the German supermarket offerings are good. Be selective. The cheapest screwdriver sets are crappy but I have a set of Aldi combination spanners that are very good and were very inexpensive.
I also have Draper Pro (very good) and Taskmaster (get them at motor factors}, they don't look flash but they are very good.
Some of the German supermarket offerings are good. Be selective. The cheapest screwdriver sets are crappy but I have a set of Aldi combination spanners that are very good and were very inexpensive.
anonymous said:
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If it's torque wrenches then Norbar make some very nice ones (I have three in different sizes), usually a whisker more expensive than the Halfords ones but not properly into your category 3. They all arrived recently calibrated and slackened off.Most of my other stuff is Teng or Bahco. Both seem to be a step up from the Halfords but still at sensible prices. My son now uses the Halfords kit I upgraded from and it'll probably be all he ever needs, but that's not to say it'll be all he ever wants!
Hainey said:
The Vambo said:
Hainey said:
The other recommendation is a good impact driver. I have the 18v Dewalt (Black & Decker, really!) and it's as good as my mates more expensive Ingersoll rand.
It isn't. It probably does the job fine but it will not last like a Rand will. I even use a Dewk every day, and every day I prefer my Makita.The Vambo said:
Hainey said:
The Vambo said:
Hainey said:
The other recommendation is a good impact driver. I have the 18v Dewalt (Black & Decker, really!) and it's as good as my mates more expensive Ingersoll rand.
It isn't. It probably does the job fine but it will not last like a Rand will. I even use a Dewk every day, and every day I prefer my Makita.Enjoy your evening.
I have an old torque wrench I keep for my alloys, but it's served well in the past. it's not a set & click one, it's ye olde moving needle, but for the older engines I worked on ,it was perfect. just how near ( as engineering folks) do we need the torque on a set of bolts to be.
As I said- tools that you will give heavy use ( socket sets etc), buy the best. but for the tools you will only use in a blue moon/for special jobs- I'd either look at cheapo or hire.
As I said- tools that you will give heavy use ( socket sets etc), buy the best. but for the tools you will only use in a blue moon/for special jobs- I'd either look at cheapo or hire.
I've been using and abusing Blue Point and Halfords range for the last 10 years.
The BP stuff is great and has never let me down but the Halfords is more readily available (plus it's cheaper) and with a lifetime guarantee which is handy as a few bits have failed. If you have/can get a Halfords trade card, so much the better.
The BP stuff is great and has never let me down but the Halfords is more readily available (plus it's cheaper) and with a lifetime guarantee which is handy as a few bits have failed. If you have/can get a Halfords trade card, so much the better.
It isn't just about longevity, it's also about the appropriateness of the tool for the job.
I have a Clarke set of impact sockets, and they're crude lumpy things. For an exposed bolt, the 13 mm is fine, but it is just the 14 and 15 mm with a different interior profile - the exterior is way too fat. So in a confined space, it doesn't fit. The snap-on 13 mm is profiled perfectly, and fits every time.
I'm another big proponent of the Halfords Pro stuff - very solid tools, well made, and very cheap in the sales.
Koken is an outfit that make some really nice tools - they do a low profile 1/4" drive set of hex drivers that are indispensable for changing the cam belt on an Alfa V6. Also really nice 'nut grip' sockets that are life savers.
Snap on are great for spanners and sockets, if you can get them cheap on eBay. Roll cabs are the best. The rest of their re-badged range - not worth it at all.
Draper - used to be good, now made of cheese.
Bahco - good, but limited.
I have a Clarke set of impact sockets, and they're crude lumpy things. For an exposed bolt, the 13 mm is fine, but it is just the 14 and 15 mm with a different interior profile - the exterior is way too fat. So in a confined space, it doesn't fit. The snap-on 13 mm is profiled perfectly, and fits every time.
I'm another big proponent of the Halfords Pro stuff - very solid tools, well made, and very cheap in the sales.
Koken is an outfit that make some really nice tools - they do a low profile 1/4" drive set of hex drivers that are indispensable for changing the cam belt on an Alfa V6. Also really nice 'nut grip' sockets that are life savers.
Snap on are great for spanners and sockets, if you can get them cheap on eBay. Roll cabs are the best. The rest of their re-badged range - not worth it at all.
Draper - used to be good, now made of cheese.
Bahco - good, but limited.
If there is one thing I'd spend a bit of money on is a torque wrench, buy a good quality brand and it'll last you all your days, Norbar / Roebuck make excellent torque wrenches.
Recently I needed a new +100 lb/ft wrench and checked them out at Halfords and didn't like the quality so bought another Roebuck, my Norbar is over 30 years old my first Roebuck is 25 years old and work as good as new and still accurate.
As for sockets, ratchets, spanners etc nothing wrong with Halfords kit its pretty good for the money, look out for deals or find someone with a trade card.
Also a proper toolbox for your gear get a quality one and it'll last for years.
Tools is like money and holidays you can never have enough.
Recently I needed a new +100 lb/ft wrench and checked them out at Halfords and didn't like the quality so bought another Roebuck, my Norbar is over 30 years old my first Roebuck is 25 years old and work as good as new and still accurate.
As for sockets, ratchets, spanners etc nothing wrong with Halfords kit its pretty good for the money, look out for deals or find someone with a trade card.
Also a proper toolbox for your gear get a quality one and it'll last for years.
Tools is like money and holidays you can never have enough.
Klippie said:
If there is one thing I'd spend a bit of money on is a torque wrench, buy a good quality brand and it'll last you all your days, Norbar / Roebuck make excellent torque wrenches.
my Norbar is over 30 years old my first Roebuck is 25 years old and work as good as new and still accurate.
My Norbar must be at least that old, always wound back to almost zero after use. my Norbar is over 30 years old my first Roebuck is 25 years old and work as good as new and still accurate.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've got one of these (probably) - it's a Clarke CHT 141, according to the box. 28-210 Nm. The Machine Mart guy sold it me when I needed to get a wheel off, along with a set of adapters. Think it was £35 for the lot.Strangest thing is that as well as the obvious Nm, it has markings in kilogram force metres, units I suspect nobody actually uses. Would it have killed them to include pounds force feet instead? I suspect not. Pounds force feet are stupid, but at least they're some kind of standard. This does make me question whether they know what they're doing.
On the other hand, none of the wheels I've put on have fallen off (yet?
), and after having tyres changed at a garage I haven't subsequently needed to use any surprising settings to get the wheel back off again. So that rather suggests the thing works as it should.If I have any hands left, I was going to suggest not going for the cheapest... but it seems that at a pinch you might end up not completely stuffed.
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