Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[anonymous-user]

Slow said:

Been using my digger to break beads than battling with bars for years. Keep thinking I should get a machine especially now it’s 20 a tyre for fitting round me!

How does this compare to those automatic ones you get for under a grand on eBay?

It’s more effort but just as good. No power just an air line.
My record was 4 tubeless tyres off/on in 25mins.

Diggers? You must be the bloke who can pick up a peanut with the bucket.

[Slow]

V6 Pushfit said:

Slow said:

Been using my digger to break beads than battling with bars for years. Keep thinking I should get a machine especially now it’s 20 a tyre for fitting round me!

How does this compare to those automatic ones you get for under a grand on eBay?

It’s more effort but just as good. No power just an air line.
My record was 4 tubeless tyres off/on in 25mins.

Diggers? You must be the bloke who can pick up a peanut with the bucket.

Not quite that skilled! I throw the tyre/wheel under the front blade, lower it onto it just shy of the bead then just bounce the digger till it pops off.

Wouldnt do it on a set of nice wheels just incase it finally goes wrong but for offroad stuff or older cars where im not bothered it works a treat.

[pquinn]

dublove said:

Can anyone recommend a decent hand rivet gun, ratcheting or hydraulic that doesn't cost a small fortune?

Company linked on this thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... might have something?

[AW10]

There was a post a while back about a £200+ Ryobi cordless sprayer. I couldn't justify the expense for a fairly limited use item so modified my existing pump-up Hozelock sprayer. I drilled a 12 mm hole, installed a screw-in tyre valve and pressurize it with a cordless tyre inflator from Aldi bought for £30. Slight annoyance in that if the pressure in the sprayer drops you have to reactivate the inflator but for £170 less I can cope.

[ecotec]

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

[ovlovlover]

ecotec said:

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

Wera Zyklop 1/4. I have the 8100 and it's great for interior/body screws/bolts and also for bicycle bits. I would buy another immediately if for whatever reason I needed to.

I use it with the Wera 1/4 torque wrench as well which is lovely. I wish my halfords adv 1/2 ones would die so I could replace them.

[B'stard Child]

ecotec said:

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

I've gone through quite a few 1/4" socket sets but the teng tools set I got has stood the test of time and the driver and all sockets are as good as new. The other option would be something from Halfords proffessional range - I've tested their lifetime guarruntee a few times without any issues

[thebraketester]

ecotec said:

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

I’ve got 2 Halfords 1/4” sets. One lives at home and one in the glove box. Hard to beat for the money.

[Promised Land]

ecotec said:

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

I had a cheap set until this was posted on PH years ago https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s... so bought one and it’s been used and abused a lot and still just as good.

Also got a set of wera deep sockets which are very useful.

Edited by Promised Land on Saturday 28th May 21:36

[guitarcarfanatic]

ecotec said:

Anyone have any recommendations for a 1/4" socket set?
I'm currently looking at Bahco and Gedore Red as possibles but be good to have some recommendations,

The Gedore Red is pretty poor and you have to be careful with the Bahco stuff as a lot if made in china now.

A lot of the good manufacturers have been taken over and divested unfortunately. 15 years ago, I would have said Britool were pretty much unbeatable, but they have dropped off in quality. So Facom if you are happy to invest (comparable to the old Britool/Sykes stuff), Teng for a middle of the road or Halfords Professional for a cheaper option. I am a huge Wera fan, but I think sockets are the weakest part of their game tbh.

I have a Sykes Picavant (Britool rebrand at the time) 1/2 and 1/4 kit from 2003 and all still works like new - the 6 sided sockets are super tight and I have rescued many a friend who had rounded bolts using less precise stuff.

[ecotec]

guitarcarfanatic said:

The Gedore Red is pretty poor and you have to be careful with the Bahco stuff as a lot if made in china now.

A lot of the good manufacturers have been taken over and divested unfortunately. 15 years ago, I would have said Britool were pretty much unbeatable, but they have dropped off in quality. So Facom if you are happy to invest (comparable to the old Britool/Sykes stuff), Teng for a middle of the road or Halfords Professional for a cheaper option. I am a huge Wera fan, but I think sockets are the weakest part of their game tbh.

Thanks for this, yes, some research suggests that both Britool and Facom are now owned by Stanley Black and Decker - I saw the Facom screwdrivers and recognised them as identical to old Stanley ones I had (that were terrible!), Bahco now part of SNA europe who also own snap on (but not suggesting that all Bahco is snap on quality).

I was hoping the Gedore Red would be reasonable knowing it wouldn't be up to proper Gedora so thanks for insight.

It's all a minefield!

[ecotec]

Promised Land said:

I had a cheap set until this was posted on PH years ago https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s... so bought one and it’s been used and abused a lot and still just as good.

Also got a set of wera deep sockets which are very useful.

Thanks, these were the ones I was looking at

[guitarcarfanatic]

ecotec said:

Thanks for this, yes, some research suggests that both Britool and Facom are now owned by Stanley Black and Decker - I saw the Facom screwdrivers and recognised them as identical to old Stanley ones I had (that were terrible!), Bahco now part of SNA europe who also own snap on (but not suggesting that all Bahco is snap on quality).

I was hoping the Gedore Red would be reasonable knowing it wouldn't be up to proper Gedora so thanks for insight.

It's all a minefield!

I think the Facom sockets are still top quality - they bought Britool I think for a bit maybe…or something like that. You cannot go wrong with Teng.

The normal Gedore stuff is brilliant, but the Red stuff is possible a Draper rebrand? Or similar quality. Something like that. It’s cheaper for a reason

[The Road Crew]

I have this one https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s...

Replaced the ratchet with a snap on, just because I'm a tart and love the feel of the dual80 ratchet! Nowt wrong with the original though, whole kit is great value.
Doesn't get abused with high torque use so I've never broken a socket or extension.
Couldn't justify the man maths for a full snap on kit, I have the 3/8", but this is just fine for 1/4".

[Marumi]

guitarcarfanatic said:

A lot of the good manufacturers have been taken over and divested unfortunately. 15 years ago, I would have said Britool were pretty much unbeatable, but they have dropped off in quality. So Facom if you are happy to invest (comparable to the old Britool/Sykes stuff), Teng for a middle of the road or Halfords Professional for a cheaper option. I am a huge Wera fan, but I think sockets are the weakest part of their game tbh.

I wouldn't say that Halford's Professional are the 'cheaper option' in any respect.

[guitarcarfanatic]

Marumi said:

I wouldn't say that Halford's Professional are the 'cheaper option' in any respect.

Don't get me wrong, they are fantastic value and brilliant kit for most. But IMO, the teng ratchets are nicer for similar/slightly more money - and I think they only come in 12 sided sockets whereas I would always choose 6.

The decent Facom (red) stuff is leagues ahead though.

[markiii]

what i like about halfords pro is the warranty. just had 2 1/4 ratchets replaced. 20 years old, one had seized, one wouldn't hold a socket. both swapped, no receipt needed no questions no issues.

[sparkythecat]

5s Alive said:

Where did you get those red and grey storage caddies?
I've got one that I bought from IKEA over 20years ago and would love some more, but I've nott seen them anywhere again since.

[the cueball]

talksthetorque said:

Thanks Cueball, I think I might be able to source something similar to that for less than 8 for a bolt ( or even free if I have one already.)
Or have they been tts and done it fine pitch thread......

Sure you’ll be ok if you have stuff like that lying about… don’t think there is anything special about it

[bennno]

Yesterday involved sanding fascia boards to bare wood and flattening some bumpy render, this was utterly brilliant in doing both.

Sub £50 from Screwfix at the mo. Should have bought it years ago. So much better than sheet sander or mouse.