Need some good tools (Snap-on or similar)
Discussion
Hi Chaps,
I need some allen keys and a decent spanner set, been looking at snap on stuff on ebay etc, but are there any suggestions for an alternative?
£21+£3 postage just seems a bit steep for allen keys!
£82+£15 postage is ok I guess?
I need Snap on or a similar professional quality as they will be in constant use on some serious machinery (100,000psi+) I already have a good socket set etc!
I need some allen keys and a decent spanner set, been looking at snap on stuff on ebay etc, but are there any suggestions for an alternative?
£21+£3 postage just seems a bit steep for allen keys!
£82+£15 postage is ok I guess?
I need Snap on or a similar professional quality as they will be in constant use on some serious machinery (100,000psi+) I already have a good socket set etc!
Halfords pro, i use it every day and it performs as well as my partners snap on stuff, pluss when i broke the 3/8th ratchet undoing some head bolts (it had alreay done 100 + similar jobs so it WAS user abuse! ) it cost me 4.99 and i could get the repair kit on a sunday, he had to wait a week 
Another +1 for halfrauds Pro stuff. Had my first socket set from them 16 years ago, sees nearly daily use and the few things I have managed to break they've swapped without question.
They even swapped the ratchet when it wore out (after 10 years of (ab)use) as they'd changed the design and the repair kit was only for the new version (they could have ordered in a repair kit for the old design ratchet but offered a new one instead).
Last time I looked the other w/e they also had a 1/2 price sale on lots of the tools too.
They even swapped the ratchet when it wore out (after 10 years of (ab)use) as they'd changed the design and the repair kit was only for the new version (they could have ordered in a repair kit for the old design ratchet but offered a new one instead).
Last time I looked the other w/e they also had a 1/2 price sale on lots of the tools too.
T.K said:
I would think it depends how often you are going to use them. I would say Halfords Pro is absolutely fine for a 'competent home mechanic'. I have a lot of Halfords Pro stuff and it is mostly very good or excellent, and has lasted me very well.
Petrolhead_Rich said:
they will be in constant use
I'll have a look at the halfrauds stuff thenRight, im a uk tool distributor. Ex snap on, now into other brands.
Blue point is not snap on.
It's a lesser quality budget brand, more on par with halfords, very average and nothing special.
Koken make very nice tools, there a Japanese make and there quality rivals snap on at about 1/3 the price.
I deal with these now and get superb feedback
Blue point is not snap on.
It's a lesser quality budget brand, more on par with halfords, very average and nothing special.
Koken make very nice tools, there a Japanese make and there quality rivals snap on at about 1/3 the price.
I deal with these now and get superb feedback
NHK244V said:
Halfords pro, i use it every day and it performs as well as my partners snap on stuff,
Couldnt agree more. In my line of work I've used everything from Kokon, Snap-On, Draper, to unbranded chinease stuff and everything in between. In terms of price/performance Halfords stands up very well; all my tools are Halfords and Ive yet to break one. They are used in industrial environments on agricultural kit, so not exactly mollycoddled, and have performed fine. Nick1point9 said:
Snap-On said:
We'd rather explain the price of quality than have to apologise for something less
Halfords pro offers good value for money but the customer service, after sales care and absolute quality of Snap-On justifies the price.FWIW I have Halfords stuff, some old Stanley, Britool and Facom. The Facom spanners are nice. And indestructible I suspect.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/wera-9-piece-hex-plus-he...
I use these at work, very good and the bigger ones haven't bent after using a spanner on them to get some more leverage
None of the ends have started rounding off on them and I haven't ever had one slip in a hex socket.
I think they are more expensive than the strap on ones (off the van) but definately recommended.
Have a look at the MAC spanners, they have better handle areas than the Snap On ones imo.
I use these at work, very good and the bigger ones haven't bent after using a spanner on them to get some more leverage
None of the ends have started rounding off on them and I haven't ever had one slip in a hex socket.
I think they are more expensive than the strap on ones (off the van) but definately recommended.
Have a look at the MAC spanners, they have better handle areas than the Snap On ones imo.
Petrolhead_Rich said:
Hi Chaps,
I need some allen keys and a decent spanner set, been looking at snap on stuff on ebay etc, but are there any suggestions for an alternative?
£21+£3 postage just seems a bit steep for allen keys!
£82+£15 postage is ok I guess?
I need Snap on or a similar professional quality as they will be in constant use on some serious machinery (100,000psi+) I already have a good socket set etc!
Some allen keys? A decent spanner set. What sizes do you need? If it's only a couple of sizes of key and a couple of different spanners then I'd buy Snap-on or Facom and just buy those individual sizes.I need some allen keys and a decent spanner set, been looking at snap on stuff on ebay etc, but are there any suggestions for an alternative?
£21+£3 postage just seems a bit steep for allen keys!
£82+£15 postage is ok I guess?
I need Snap on or a similar professional quality as they will be in constant use on some serious machinery (100,000psi+) I already have a good socket set etc!
If you need a full spanner set (Metric or Imperial?) then you'll save a bundle by going for Halfords Pro stuff so long as you take someone with a Trade Card along with you.
I have Snap-on and Halfords pro stuff in my works kit along with a smattering of Facom gear - so far none of it has let me down. The old adage always applies with tools - Buy cheap, buy twice!
Lastly, Blue Point is not the same as Snap On. All of Snap-on gear is made by a firm called Danaher. Blue point is 2nd line stuff that tends to be finished more roughly and not as well engineered so ends up larger, this can make some jobs more difficult as the spanners will be thicker and sockets have a thicker wall.
I'd avoid eBay too unless you know for sure you're getting the genuine article. Lots of fake stuff on there that could snap under load - no comeback.
voicey said:
Another vote for Halfords Pro here - very good value with a trade card.
They really are good tools. A trade card gives a fixed 20% discount on anything, but note that it will cancel any other offer that might be on, so if it's a half-price socket set then you're better off without using the card.I've only ever managed to break a TX50 that was attached to a two-foot bar
My tools are a licorice allsorts collection consisting of Teng, Draper, 2 snap on items and a hugely expensive grease gun that's yet to be commissioned. I like the Teng stuff the best. For me it is the right mix of price and quality. Must have had the 3/8ths drive socket set a decade now' It's sat rattling around on my tractor all of this time and dismantles and reassembles my spud harvester and destoner every year. One of the tractor techs used it and commented how nice it was.
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