Tools for home use - which brand?
Discussion
My kit is a mix of Craftsman USA (Sears own branded rated just under Snap-on- hard to get here new), Draper Expert, Bahco, Halfords Pro/Advanced, Teng, and other assorted decent budget brands like Bergen and Nielsen- and yes, Lidl & Aldi.
A good percentage of tools come out of the same Chinese factories and are then just branded with a different case for each 'manufacturer', so it pays to shop around, you can see a lot are exactly the same, just in different-named cases! My big 1/2" drive torque wrench is from Aldi and is exactly the same as the highly-rated Silverline etc one, and does fine for wheel bolts etc.
Ones to avoid are really cheap ratchets, sockets and spanners, they'll soon break or round off what you're working on!
If I was starting from scratch I'd buy sets from Bahco, Teng, Halfords pro or Draper Expert.
I have one Snap on socket and spanner just to say I have some!
A good percentage of tools come out of the same Chinese factories and are then just branded with a different case for each 'manufacturer', so it pays to shop around, you can see a lot are exactly the same, just in different-named cases! My big 1/2" drive torque wrench is from Aldi and is exactly the same as the highly-rated Silverline etc one, and does fine for wheel bolts etc.
Ones to avoid are really cheap ratchets, sockets and spanners, they'll soon break or round off what you're working on!
If I was starting from scratch I'd buy sets from Bahco, Teng, Halfords pro or Draper Expert.
I have one Snap on socket and spanner just to say I have some!
PositronicRay said:
Quite surprised, I just picking up my car after the MOT, and the "Laser Tool" van man was there.
I always thought Laser were DIY stuff, I had no idea the pros used them.
As a rule they don't, but two things have changed with them. One us that they have upped their game in terms of quality from a few years back and the other us that they do pretty cheap OEM tools such as belt locking kits compared to other manufacturers.I always thought Laser were DIY stuff, I had no idea the pros used them.
Check the price out of a bmw vanos locking set as an example.
Have Halfords recently changed suppliers for their sockets?
The set I bought earlier this year is proving to be a bit crap. The 1/2 drive ratchet sticks, both the 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets are a bit floppy. One of the extensions just pops out.
I remember my last set being much better (it got nicked grr!).
I'm tempted to go a bit OTT and replace the 1/2 & 3/8 ratchets with King Dicks. Are these still top quality & made in the UK? Sick of cheap rubbish.
The set I bought earlier this year is proving to be a bit crap. The 1/2 drive ratchet sticks, both the 3/8 and 1/4 ratchets are a bit floppy. One of the extensions just pops out.
I remember my last set being much better (it got nicked grr!).
I'm tempted to go a bit OTT and replace the 1/2 & 3/8 ratchets with King Dicks. Are these still top quality & made in the UK? Sick of cheap rubbish.
Edited by SuperHangOn on Sunday 28th August 23:56
Cheers, tried to free it up but no luck. Plus the ratchets aren't great anyway. I've ordered a King Dick 1/2 drive ratchet and a few extensions. Can't seem to find a KD 3/8 ratchet (they sell mainly to trade?) so will probably go Facom.
The Halfords sockets seem to be great but all being 12 point on 1/2 & 3/8 massively reduces their usefulness.
The Halfords sockets seem to be great but all being 12 point on 1/2 & 3/8 massively reduces their usefulness.
I have a Bahco 1/2" socket set and it's great. There is literally no way that you will break any of it in domestic use. Sure, attach an air powered impact driver to it and you may burst a socket, but normal mechanic-leaping-on-it-and-swearing levels of abuse are nothing. It will take that all day.
It's not cheap, but not ridiculous either and you will have it for ever unless you're in the habit of losing tools or have teenage kids who will use it to repair bikes etc and never bring it back.
A comprehensive kit is a good place to start, you can add to it as you need.
It's not cheap, but not ridiculous either and you will have it for ever unless you're in the habit of losing tools or have teenage kids who will use it to repair bikes etc and never bring it back.
A comprehensive kit is a good place to start, you can add to it as you need.
Are Bahco still european made?
The Facom 3/8 ratchet arrived. It's a different league to the Halfords - much smoother and very almost no movement in the mechanism at all. The Halfords wobbles all over the place.
Half the Halfords set was imperial,I don't like the ratchets or 12pt sockets - not looking such a good deal now. Better to selectively build up some good quality kit.
Hopefully I've jinxed our cars into not breaking so I don't need any of this stuff!
The Facom 3/8 ratchet arrived. It's a different league to the Halfords - much smoother and very almost no movement in the mechanism at all. The Halfords wobbles all over the place.
Half the Halfords set was imperial,I don't like the ratchets or 12pt sockets - not looking such a good deal now. Better to selectively build up some good quality kit.
Hopefully I've jinxed our cars into not breaking so I don't need any of this stuff!
Home mechanics seem to get hung up on brands and I have found that the brands I grew up have mostly gone or their stuff is made in China and the far east now. over the last couple of years have been repalcing my tools after mine were stolen for the council lock up some years back. Even used can be good buys so don't disregard them if you find some in good condition.
In fact i bought a nice set of A/F geodore open ended spanners for a reasonable sum last year. I then bought a set of teng combination spanners and a set of Silverline rings in metric. Luckily I ad a few of my tools in my work box so they didn't get nicked but my good Elora 1/2 ratchet was stolen!!
Now I have over filled my 3 drawer top cabinet so will need to sort out more storage once we move as there are still tools needed and some old cheapies needing replacing with decent quality stuff like a good set of 3/8" drive deep full hex sockets to replace the cheapies bought as a stop gap. They have had quite a bit of use now and are starting to shows signs of wear mind you have rebuilt nearly 3 MGF's using them.
In fact i bought a nice set of A/F geodore open ended spanners for a reasonable sum last year. I then bought a set of teng combination spanners and a set of Silverline rings in metric. Luckily I ad a few of my tools in my work box so they didn't get nicked but my good Elora 1/2 ratchet was stolen!!
Now I have over filled my 3 drawer top cabinet so will need to sort out more storage once we move as there are still tools needed and some old cheapies needing replacing with decent quality stuff like a good set of 3/8" drive deep full hex sockets to replace the cheapies bought as a stop gap. They have had quite a bit of use now and are starting to shows signs of wear mind you have rebuilt nearly 3 MGF's using them.
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