Tools you wish you'd bought sooner...

[guitarcarfanatic]

Schiehallion said:

Does this qualify as a decent offer (with a further 10% off) - or might something better come along?

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s...

I think they get cheaper. £100 is pretty cheap for what you get though, considering the warranty.

I'm invested in proper Britool from back in the day (pre Facom purchase). Facom now sell Britool Advance as a cheaper (Chinese) alternative to their European made stuff which is OK - probably on par with Halfords Advance, but without the guarantee.

Their Facom branded stuff is still top tier, mostly French made using the old Britool socket moulds from what I can tell (6 sided, super tight and don't round!).

There is also Britool Heritage - but that's just rebadged import stuff as someone bought the name in the UK, but I think it's Chinese made and reviews are poor on some of the tool forums.

Other brands on par with Halfords Advance are Teng and Kamasa - both come out of Taiwan (same as Halfords Advance I think).

Wera are a nice package and a little pricier, but I've heard mixed things and they try to hide it, but their sockets are made in Taiwan so good, but not top tier in my opinion (their screwdrivers are banging though!).

[Car bon]

The Gauge said:

I've been waiting to see if this modular tray 1/2" socket set gets reduced, but it never is...

If you want a draw based set, then the other option is that Halfords sell the empty draw inserts, but only for the 90 or 120 - https://www.halfords.com/tools/storage/tool-boxes/

[Rustybanger]

Schiehallion said:

guitarcarfanatic said:

Yep, Halfords Advance is the best budget but reasonable quality solution - wait for an offer

Tend to last and good guarantee.

Does this qualify as a decent offer (with a further 10% off) - or might something better come along?

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s...

For £95 that seems pretty decent.

The only thing that's broken on my halfords set in about 10 years in the case hinge

[Jakg]

If were doing Halfords...

They've started selling impact accessories - i.e. impact adaptors and extension bars.

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-s...

£72 with trade card + 10% discount

You can get the bars separately but they are weirdly a different length so I got both:
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/sockets-...
https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/sockets-...

[bodhi]

Finally got a chance this morning to use the multi tool in anger, safe to say I'm suitably impressed. Used it to prep walls for painting in the wife's home office and it made short work of things. Much easier to manoeuvre than the corded multi sander I had been using, shifts any leftover wallpaper which the multi sander couldn't do, puts a nicer finish on and incredibly, produces far less dust.

Count me as a happy multi tool owner

[Turtle Shed]

Hedge Trimmer.

Yes, I've only had a house with hedges since August last year, but I should have bought one right away. What a lovely job to do.

For reference I bought the Hawksmoor one from Toolstation. £66 including battery and charger. Works like a dream. I was tempted with the Ego version at a lost more money (As I have their mower and strimmer), but we're talking £320.00 with a battery. (Mower one too heavy).

[donkmeister]

As this thread has become "recommend me tools" to an extent, has anyone bought a cheapy £30-40 torque tester and checked how accurate the calibration is after a period of time?

I know I could test with a weight hanging off the bar but I think I would check cal much more frequently with a simple dial or digital tester. Quoted accuracy is in the +/-2% range, but no idea how true that is or how much they drift.

Not going to buy a £2,000 one from RS either


ETA this is for calibrating my own torque wrenches, then checking them regularly. Not instead of a torque wrench.

Edited by donkmeister on Friday 29th March 20:45

[BobToc]

I’ve a couple of boxes of random tools (screwdrivers, hammers, spanners, drill bits etc) that I’ve accumulated over the years. Is there a good storage solution that doesn’t involve me rummaging through a box and some plastic bags every time I need something? Or do I just need a tool box?

[Horsey McHorseface]

Turtle Shed said:

Hedge Trimmer.

Yes, I've only had a house with hedges since August last year, but I should have bought one right away. What a lovely job to do.

For reference I bought the Hawksmoor one from Toolstation. £66 including battery and charger. Works like a dream. I was tempted with the Ego version at a lost more money (As I have their mower and strimmer), but we're talking £320.00 with a battery. (Mower one too heavy).

This one?
https://www.toolstation.com/hawksmoor-18v-51cm-cor...

How long does the battery last? And how long to charge?

Edited by Horsey McHorseface on Saturday 30th March 16:02

[sparkythecat]

donkmeister said:

As this thread has become "recommend me tools" to an extent, has anyone bought a cheapy £30-40 torque tester and checked how accurate the calibration is after a period of time?

I know I could test with a weight hanging off the bar but I think I would check cal much more frequently with a simple dial or digital tester. Quoted accuracy is in the +/-2% range, but no idea how true that is or how much they drift.

Not going to buy a £2,000 one from RS either


ETA this is for calibrating my own torque wrenches, then checking them regularly. Not instead of a torque wrench.

<<waits eagerly for the answer to this one>>

[MDT]

BobToc said:

I’ve a couple of boxes of random tools (screwdrivers, hammers, spanners, drill bits etc) that I’ve accumulated over the years. Is there a good storage solution that doesn’t involve me rummaging through a box and some plastic bags every time I need something? Or do I just need a tool box?

I was of the view that spending £££ on a tool chest would not improve my ability to fix things as well as spending the same amount on tools, but having all the tools in one place is actually a big help.

Really only look at ones with ball bearing on the draw runners, the Clarke stuff is all ok in this respect I got a HD Plus one 10 years ago it's still going well.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/new-tool-chests-an...

[B'stard Child]

BobToc said:

I’ve a couple of boxes of random tools (screwdrivers, hammers, spanners, drill bits etc) that I’ve accumulated over the years. Is there a good storage solution that doesn’t involve me rummaging through a box and some plastic bags every time I need something? Or do I just need a tool box?

All my house tools go in a fat max wheeled tool chest it’s huge and swallows everything and lives under my work bench - it’s way too big really but it’s 25 years old and still does the job (doubles up as a cutting bench)

I have two smaller “flight cases” one for all my plumbing gear and one for all the electrical stuff.

All car/garage tools go in a tool cabinet that lives beside the work bench

My garage is an utter mess but I can always find what I need and it helps me that I never mix them up.

Someone linked to a modular “fat max” system where all the boxes stacked on each other - trouble is if I bought that I’d centralise the storage of everything but I’d have surplus flight cases and fat max wheelie bin and I don’t like replacing stuff that’s not broken

[Bill]

BobToc said:

I’ve a couple of boxes of random tools (screwdrivers, hammers, spanners, drill bits etc) that I’ve accumulated over the years. Is there a good storage solution that doesn’t involve me rummaging through a box and some plastic bags every time I need something? Or do I just need a tool box?

I use this kind of thing for tools

And this for screws etc

For the frequently used bits, and a selection of jam jars, shelves, wheeled garage unit for the rest.

[skeeterm5]

Bill said:

I use this kind of thing for tools

And this for screws etc

For the frequently used bits, and a selection of jam jars, shelves, wheeled garage unit for the rest.

I buy my screws in boxes and have them all neatly arranged, in size order, on a shelf. It makes them easy to find and also easy to spot when I need to buy more.

[Bill]

skeeterm5 said:

I buy my screws in boxes and have them all neatly arranged, in size order, on a shelf. It makes them easy to find and also easy to spot when I need to buy more.

I do the same for bulk project screws but the smaller size house screws go in the fat max case with the front of the box as a label.

[Indecision]

skeeterm5 said:

I buy my screws in boxes and have them all neatly arranged, in size order, on a shelf. It makes them easy to find and also easy to spot when I need to buy more.

Same OCD as me then

[gmaz]

BobToc said:

I’ve a couple of boxes of random tools (screwdrivers, hammers, spanners, drill bits etc) that I’ve accumulated over the years. Is there a good storage solution that doesn’t involve me rummaging through a box and some plastic bags every time I need something? Or do I just need a tool box?

When we ripped out our old kitchen I kept a 1000mm unit, complete with worktop, from the old kitchen. I added 2 1000mm drawers which were £30 off ebay and so now I have a decent workbench with tool storage.

[Kev_Mk3]

The Gauge said:

B'stard Child said:

Schiehallion said:

Any recommendations for a fairly basic socket / spanner set? I see a lot of love for the Halfords Advanced stuff, but it really won't get much use so it's difficult to justify the cost on that basis - but I want it to last and be up to the job when I do use it.

Cheers,
S

Then buy Halfords Advanced - I've had a set of their ratchet spanner for maybe 20 years - they get loads of abuse (seriously they should have broken but they haven't)

There is nothing worse than skinned knuckles because the socket or spanner slipped or the ratchet strips.

I've got a set of 3/8 and 1/2 sockets and they are similar age and apart from losing a 10mm one none have broken yet.

Can't comment on the ratchets from Halfords because I've never needed to buy one

I do have a small socket set (Teng tools) which is the keep in the car set - and it has ocasionally been borrowed for the 10mm it still has

I've been waiting to see if this modular tray 1/2" socket set gets reduced, but it never is...






Quite like the idea of this mixed set in a carry case, useful for taking all the ratchets/sockets to where you are working, as opposed to trying to pick the ones you think will be needed, but I'm not sure if it will fit in the shallow drawer of my Halfords tool chest, might have to visit a branch and try it in their chest drawers..

Trade -

Halfords Advanced 26 Piece 1/2" Socket Set Modular Tray

£40.00 incl. VAT

[donkmeister]

Bill said:

skeeterm5 said:

I buy my screws in boxes and have them all neatly arranged, in size order, on a shelf. It makes them easy to find and also easy to spot when I need to buy more.

I do the same for bulk project screws but the smaller size house screws go in the fat max case with the front of the box as a label.

Me too, but it's mostly because the cardboard boxes get duffed up on commonly used sizes so they end up in a Stanley organiser rather than spilling out across my workshop.

Collated nails always stay in the box because they make the boxes much more substantial.

[The Gauge]

Kev_Mk3 said:

Trade -

Halfords Advanced 26 Piece 1/2" Socket Set Modular Tray

£40.00 incl. VAT

I ended up ordering the 1/2 inch socket modular tray set as there is currently 10% off, so worked out at £45.

Edited by The Gauge on Sunday 31st March 19:22