Socket sets

[Wilko220]

I'm looking to invest in a decent socket set and wondered if any of you can recommend any particular makes, types, or top deals that happen to be out there.

 

Best one I've found, on my little trawl of the net, is this:

http://www.impresstools.com/Product-det ... hopping-UK

 

As far as I know Draper have a good reputation (but do tell me if your experience is otherwise), and I like the idea of this 'Vortex' system. But before clicking buy, I thought I'd canvas opinion here...

[tonedepear]

No experience of those Draper efforts, but I'm a big of Halfrauds professional range and IIRC they're on half price at the minute.

[messerschmitt owner]

the halfords pro stuff is good, but the deep reach sockets suck cos they're not deep reach!

[Guest]

I bought a Halfords set in 1993 and its still 100%.

[Des]

Can they take a good twatting from a hammer?

[tonedepear]

Can they take a good twatting from a hammer?

 

They can, and if you remember to keep the receipt, they have a "snap-on style" lifetime warranty.

[warren t claim]

Can they take a good twatting from a hammer?

Over a locking wheel nut?

[Wilko220]

Oh God, what have I started...

[TimothyClaypole]

Hammered the crap out of my Halfords stuff, on THE actual socket too.

 

Nothing's broken after 3 years, the ratchet was getting a bit worn so I just bought a new one and a rail of sockets on their own so I have two sets to use as well as the full case set.

[wuvvum]

I bought a socket set from B&Q last week for £34.99. It's made by a company called Torq, who I'd never heard of before, but it seems to be reasonably good quality. It doesn't have many of the extra twiddly bits that I rarely use anyway, but it has a good selection of sockets from 8mm to 32mm (all 1/2" drive), a decent ratchet, a selection of extension bars and a universal joint. Only thing it doesn't have is a breaker bar, but I've got one of those anyway. Doesn't have any imperial / AF sockets either, but I rarely need those sizes, and I've got a selection of ring spanners for when I do.

[The Moog]

Worth remembering to photocopy receipt as they fade. Got a set and love mine. Big and useful. Just like me!

[Volksy]

Another vote for the halfords pro range, although I've managed to bugger two ratchets so far, the 3/8 ones have a habit of locking up, and the 1/4 drive one's socket release has jammed. Mine do get a lot of hammer though.

[michael t]

I bought a used one at an autojumble last year only cost me 12 quid best 12 quid iv ever spent i could probably have gotten it cheaper if id have haggled

 

[dieselnutjob]

still got my Draper socket set that I bought in 1991. it's taken a fair bit of abuse

[Craig the Princess]

My Kamasa set from 2003 is still going strong, the ratchet had some play but apart from that. I don't use it as much as some bods on here used theirs mind.

[Wilko220]

Lots of votes for Halfrauds here.

 

I'm still in two minds, when I compare £70 for a 19-piece set...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_232745_langId_-1_categoryId_165572#dtab

 

...versus £57 for a 71-piece set...

http://www.impresstools.com/Product-detail.asp?code=71244&productid=114065&site=Google-shopping-UK

 

But then, I guess it may well be a case of "you get what you pay for".

[ashmicro]

My Draper stuff has taken a fair bit of abuse in 20 years, and it's all still good. The Halford ones must be good, as my ham-fisted and bad tempered mate hasn't broken any of his stuff yet. I have a Taskmaster set as well, and it's AOK, even after being run over by a rally car.

[The Moog]

I have got the 150 piece set which has everything in it *

 

 

*except extra sockets for use to hammer over things. These can be purchases separately or ignored which ever you fancy!

[mouseflakes]

If you're likely to work on anything that might be 'stuck' or 'a bit rusty' - I'd recommend 1/2 inch drive, SINGLE HEX sockets - and try to find those where the hex comes as close to the open end of the socket as possible (not all rounded off at the open end).

 

Single-hex gives much more purchase. If there is any benefit to double-hex, other than the fact they require one twelfth less of a turn to align with the nut, I'd be interested to know. It would have be something more useful than that to make up for the fact they've rounded off one in three of all the rusted nuts I've ever tried them on.

[Station]

I bought a 24 piece set from Halfrauds years ago but was stolen, so I bought the same one again!

I've got a few Teng tools as well, highly rated and you can buy them in separates.

[M'coli]

Always buy a socket set with that allows the hammering of a smaller socket over it.

[catsinthewelder]

I've got the remains of a couple of cheap sets where the ratchets have broken, sockets are fine though. A Halfords ratchet and a small rail of Laser deep sockets are what I use 90% of the time it would be more but they only cover 10-17mm.

[trigger]

On a slightly different note i spotted these racket spanners in the paper that are on special deal at Aldi today, £12.99 for 5 sounds good, i might pop down the store later and take a look.

 

http://aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/specia ... _20320.htm

[andrew e]

Wilko, I would try buttering the sales guys up in Halfords, tell them you will buy a fortunes worth if they give you a trade card, worth a go squire.

[FredTransit]

Yeah try and get a trade card, or borrow one. The pro tools are very good, and don't worry about the receipt. I took a sheared off socket back and after a conversation in a raised voice got it exchanged. They have H A L F O R D S stamped on em so they can hardly argue you bought em from the pound shop!

[Wilko220]

Thanks for the tips, chaps - much obliged.

[dollywobbler]

I bought a cheap Halfords socket set in 1995 and this year, I finally broke it. I've battered the shit out of the ratchet and finally, it cried enough and just fell apart! Did buy a 'better' Halfords set, but I don't like it. The ratchet is too heavy, not responsive enough and I miss the thumb switch to change direction.