Toolshite

[Kiltox]

I’m sure there have been other threads but the search function is crap

Lets talk about tools.... I’m a big fan of Halfords Advanced hand tools but they don’t cover everything you could possibly want and there might well be good alternatives. 

Im never going to be able to justify Snap-On for the shit spannering I do, but I’m keen to avoid the bottom of the barrel Chinesium shite too. 

Looking for the following:

Screwdrivers - preferably a massive set of all shapes and sizes. Not a handle with loads of bits. Not particularly keen on “soft grip” handles, they just get filthy. 

Torque wrenches - not the cheapest ones you can buy but something with a bit better scale / setting etc.  Halfords might actually be the best for this. 

Hammers - dead blow, sledge, ball pein, rubber mallet etc. Cheapy Silverline ones dominate my tool box at the moment and they’re all a bit rusty and shite. 

Pliers - already pretty sure I need to replace my shit generic monkey metal pliers with Knipex

Any recommendations?

[sierraman]

US Pro are very good for the money. Wera screwdrivers, Kamasa for pliers. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

sealey black edition torque wrench is easy to read as it is marked out in white

[Skizzer]

Most of my hand tools are either Clarke (from Machine Mart) or Halfords Advanced/Pro.

This almost certainly marks me out as an amateur but they generally serve me pretty well.

[Stanky]

Because I'm a skinflint, I buy the cheapest tools I can get my grubby mitts on. If said tools then break for whatever reason. or cease to function as intended I will buy a decent replacement.

Following this logic, I have a really good Halfords pro 10mm and 13mm socket, and a few other nick-nacks but most of it sees relatively light use, never wears out or breaks and is therefore just fine.

 

[Shep Shepherd]

C.K do some good screwdrivers. I've had a set made by them for over 20 years now

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 21:32, sierraman said:

US Pro are very good for the money. Wera screwdrivers, Kamasa for pliers. 

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I’ve been seeing a lot of that US Pro recently. Assumed it was another Chinesium shitey brand. Is it just a bit better than the usual pish or is it actually something different?

[Kiltox]

Pretty much all of my sockets and spanners are Halfords Advanced/Pro - no reason not to be either. 

I own a single 10mm Snap On spanner that I found in a spare wheel well ? 

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:00, Shep Shepherd said:

C.K do some good screwdrivers. I've had a set made by them for over 20 years now

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Do they do standard screwdrivers or just VDE ones? for some reason I have it in my head that they only do the latter!

[Shep Shepherd]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:04, Kiltox said:

Pretty much all of my sockets and spanners are Halfords Advanced/Pro - no reason not to be either. 

I own a single 10mm Snap On spanner that I found in a spare wheel well ? 

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I found a 'stubby' Snap On 13mm combination spanner on the road outside my former workplace about three years ago. It was invaluable when I did the sump drop on the Aero late last year

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:07, Shep Shepherd said:

I found a 'stubby' Snap On 13mm combination spanner on the road outside my former workplace about three years ago. It was invaluable when I did the sump drop on the Aero late last year

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What do you reckon, left on an undertray by a mechanic and made a break for freedom? 

[Shep Shepherd]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:07, Kiltox said:

Do they do standard screwdrivers or just VDE ones? for some reason I have it in my head that they only do the latter!

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The ones I bought were standard ones, but they might not be available any more.

[big_al_granvia]

dont laugh but screwdrivers from aldi and aldi tools in general are pretty good for diy use

[Shep Shepherd]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:08, Kiltox said:

What do you reckon, left on an undertray by a mechanic and made a break for freedom? 

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I reckon so, as it was sleeping peacefully in the middle of the road when I encountered it

[Shep Shepherd]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:08, big_al_granvia said:

dont laugh but screwdrivers from aldi and aldi tools in general are pretty good for diy use

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So are the tools from the 'Middle of Lidl' 

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:08, big_al_granvia said:

dont laugh but screwdrivers from aldi and aldi tools in general are pretty good for diy use

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I have some Aldi ratchet spanners in my arsenal - apart from being a bit chunky they’re bloody good - they’re probably on the list of things I’d like to replace with something better though. 

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:09, Shep Shepherd said:

I reckon so, as it was sleeping peacefully in the middle of the road when I encountered it

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Poor guy’s probably still paying it off  

[Matty]

Can't beat a bit of bahco. Been using their stuff at work now for years. Beta do lovely stuff as well but pricey 

[djoptix]

Wera stuff is badass.

Having said that, if you can't do the job with an impact driver, it's not worth doing.

[Kiltox]

Wera screwdrivers look to me like they have the kind of soft grip handles that get minging if you even take them within a few feet of an engine, am I wrong?

[sutty2006]

£10 tool guy turned up at our place a couple of months back. US pro everything a tenner. I bought a box of drills, utter crap. Made of chinesium and went blunt after drilling one piece of metal. 
 

steer clear of Nielsen they really are crap. I’ve got a 32/3rd 1/2+bit inch socket fucking useless. 

[Out Run]

No shit, but these are great. I’ve had a set for years, never had any break or spin the hex when they have a spanner on the end.

[sierraman]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:03, Kiltox said:

I’ve been seeing a lot of that US Pro recently. Assumed it was another Chinesium shitey brand. Is it just a bit better than the usual pish or is it actually something different?

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Obviously it’s made in China, everything is these days. I bought a set of Torx sockets, really good quality, the plating feels good, well finished. Also got one of their 1/2 ratchets, nice weighty item. Unless you are using them day in day out you do not need Snap on etc. 

[juular]

Everything I have bought from Aldi is still going 5 years later

 Angry grinder, drill, lathe, socket and bit set, all good and dirt cheap.

Halfords stuff has been good too as much as I feel dirty saying that.

[Kiltox]

  On 29/02/2020 at 22:46, sierraman said:

Obviously it’s made in China, everything is these days. I bought a set of Torx sockets, really good quality, the plating feels good, well finished. Also got one of their 1/2 ratchets, nice weighty item. Unless you are using them day in day out you do not need Snap on etc. 

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They do seem to make a lot of different ratchets - quite fancy some longer reach ones and there’s not many half decent cheaper options around 

[sheffcortinacentre]

I've but really decent individual sizes that I use slot like 13mm for example the Clarke for the rest.

Check carboot etc for families clearing out sheds etc that don't no a flat from a posi.

You can find some good older brands britool,slots,etc.

[Andyrew]

Long handle all the things! 

I bought one of these, toolzone brand. Figured I'd start with a cheap one and when it wears out id maybe upgrade. I've leaned on it pretty hard over the past year of so on rusty shite and it's holding up well. 

Compared it next to the sealey one we had at work and it's identical at half the price at around £14 on eBay

Long handle combination Spanners I wouldn't be without, also aviation and some semi offset ring spanners 

Alot of them are all the same tool just branded as amtech, nielsen, seigen, us pro etc etc. 

Sockets is where the cheap stuff falls flat. 

 

[Kiltox]

I have a set of Bergen mega mega long aviation ring spanners - they're amazing for reaching belt tensioners and stuff.

[Faker]

I love my tools. I've 2 sealey tool boxes. 1 that I work from regularly, and 1 sealey professional box... full of new tools... that I don't use! 

I have a few draper expert socket sets that I have from my apprenticeship days. I've had to replace the ratchets a few times... but I still use the sockets for 30 years or more!

I have some Mac tools pull bars

I have a new sealey pro socket set, and a new teng tools socket set... that live in the sealey pro box I don't use! But they're soo pretty!

I've teng torques, teng allen key sockets, sealey and draper socket bits. 

I've a Halfords pro 3/8 socket set, that's the set I carry in my car along with sealey and draper spanner sets. The Halfords pro socket set is my first go to set for simply every job. It's simply superb. Have the set 20 years. Chrome finish has stood the test of time, and ratchet is super strong. My old draper sets have virtually no chromium finish left!

Screwdriver sets, sealey pro and teng tools. 

Fancy box with draper expert 3/4 drive socket set for heavy work next to box (photo).

 

[drewd]

My main socket set is a Halfords Advanced job, it's about 10 years old and still going strong. I've a smaller 3/8 and 1/4 set that I bought when they were stupidly cheap as I wanted the extra ratchet and deep sockets.

I've got some Bahco and Halfords screwdrivers, and some Bondhus Allen keys which are also good.

Aldi flex and regular ratchet spanners have been fine. As has the Rolson 2ft breaker bar. It's at least 14 years old, cost £7 off Preston market and hasn't failed me yet.

Laser sockets in bigger sizes have served me well when I've bought individual ones for one off jobs. I've a Bergen socket that's ok, but not as tighter fit as I'd like.

My torque wrench is an old Britool but I've no clue how accurate it still is.

Aldi pliers and vice grips have done me proud too.

My tool collection is a real mix in quality, I buy stuff based on availability and cost, generally buying the best stuff I can afford.