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Tools? Could somebody please explain?
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... I have a few Snap-On tools and they're nothing special...
Some are, some aren't.
I've always thought sockets is something Snap-On do particularly well.
Buying just the popular sizes - 10mm, 13mm, maybe a couple of others - is worth thinking about if cost is an issue.
As regards the warranty, personal experience has taught me any Snap-On man will change one of my tools if I manage to break it - even through misuse, provided it's not too obvious.
Wonder what would happen if I walked into Halfords and said: ''I bought this socket in 1977, or it might have been 1978, it broke yesterday and I expect you to replace it.''
Not knocking Halfords, by the way, one of the last tools I bought was a Halfords adjustable spanner for the caravan - nice, well-balanced tool, but not the best and priced accordingly.
You pays your money and you makes your choice.
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thanks for replies.. are draper any good , getting mixed responses on the interweb..if its not snap-on (too dear) or some poxy aircraft grade tools ..whats that all about?
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Draper fine for DIY, we even have some we use professionally.
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Draper fine for DIY we even have some we use professionally.
Draper Expert are usually OK,ordinary Draper is pretty well carp these days.
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The OP sounds like a modest DIYer so I wouldnt go spending £200+ on tools unless you know what your going to do withthem Snap on woudl be complete overkill. The Halfords Pro range are fine for DIY. What else depends on what car you have. If VAG then youll need torx and spline bits and an oil filter socket is nice. I have set of 1/2" drive deep impact hex sockets and use them a lot, especially on suspension work becuase there is a lot less risk of rounding off. A cheap elec impact wrench (like £15) also useful - they are suprisingly good and OK for very occassional use. Also buy a draper 1/2 and 3/8 torque wrench. All other bits buy as you need and look out for Lazer special tools (e.g. piston retractors etc).
If you want a scan tool try Autel on Ebay.
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Do not forget some Quality screwdrivers.
In addition I would not be without my collection of long ( 50cm) bladed screwdrivers.
I have also found a ratchet right angled screw driver very useful.
There are now a wide variety of LED torches, lights that strap on your head and inspection lights available.
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I've not really bought any serious tools for years, just the odd replacement for a lost or broken spanner.
What Snap-ons I have were found under the bonnets of cars that I attended as breakdowns over the years. ......13 & 17 combis and a full rail of 3/8 deep drive metric sockets..including a useful 16mm.
I need Whitworth, some of my best are a small set of 1/2 inch ex WD sockets and a set of 6 big ring spanners from a customer who worked on Lancasters in the war. Not good lookers but strong and well made.
Never bought decent kit for use on the road, you don't mind losing a cheap tool.
Rolson make a nice head torch with a strap that goes over the top from back to front as well as the one that goes round. very comfortable.AF stuff rarely gets used now.....only the Velocette and the Raleigh need those. Drapers are well made and comfortable to use for domestic garage work.
Ted
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Halfords Pro range are not bad, worth waiting till they have a sale when imo Halfords take some beating on value for money.
One of my most useful tools is an impact socket set, being 6 sided and very tough they will shift all but the most stubborn of rusted nuts and bolts, you can hammer the things on and give the extensions a good bashing if needed.
I use impact sockets in preference to normal sockets if there's room to get them on (being heavier and wider than usual) they will not slip.
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I've had a set of these for 20 years
tinyurl.com/ock57c
I bought these yesterday £50, reduced from £110
tinyurl.com/yegq4xt
And these at Xmas
tinyurl.com/yzpzkuc
The 2 halfords are current sales offers
Edited by Dox on 02/01/2010 at 10:50
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Why not buy second hand for a time until you know extactly what you need rushing out spending £300 on some gear might be a waste.
This set of mine is some snap on, britool,mac tools, facom, then draper expert. plus air tools.
Got some cheap junk too they come in handy for bending grinding to fit etc.
The snap on tool chest was £550 on it's own and can get silly buying if just for home use plenty of bargains to be had at carboot sales, id say save your cash till you know exactly what you need.
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3/8" drive is the way to go for cars, 1/2 is too clumsy.
Which brings us to another reason to buy Snap-on - their 3/8" drive sockets are just as strong if not stronger than the 1/2" drive in some of the home bodgers' sets.
I do have a single rail of Snap-on 1/2" impact sockets and an 18" breaker bar, which I've lent to other people a few times.
On each occasion the fixing they were trying to move snapped or twisted off.
No point in having anything stronger and with more leverage than that.
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3/8 is no good for suspension work
i usually use 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch only resorting to 3/8ths if space is tight
dont buy into snapon as the drivers fees are too much to keep his franchise alive
im a britool fan and also king dick but this will probably fail the swear filter even though its a good brand
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I do have a single rail of Snap-on 1/2" impact sockets
Funnily enough i just happened to have a narrow bodied 6 sider snap on socket (13 or 14mm) not impact surprisingly and no room for any other socket to get it cleanly.
This was to undo the top bell housing bolt on a 84 Supra...no room from on top, i ended up tilting gearbox/engine back and using about 5 ft of extensions to drive the socket from the back of the gearbox.
If i hadn't had this particular socket i'd have had to remove engine and box complete.
I think whatever anyone buys they shoud keep their old stuff in a waterproof box, times i've had to use old sockets, extensions etc as drifts to drive out bushes and such.
Edited by gordonbennet on 02/01/2010 at 12:34
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...i just happened to have a narrow bodied 6 sider...
Another good point GB.
A mix of makes is always best because the length, size, or angle of one tool will just suit a job where another will not fit.
Especially true of spanners - I always kept three or four different makes and types of the popular sizes.
Having said that, to be fair to Snap-on, each spanner size comes in all manner of lengths, head angles and offsets.
And if you want a certain depth of socket, or a universally jointed one, or...
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Large sets of tools always seem to have so many sockets that I would never have used.
I would buy a smaller set and raid some car boot sales for other parts.
A couple of items I have found very useful:-
A not very common spinner ratchet like this tinyurl.com/yeqmrlb
and a short handle flex ratchet.
Edited by henry k on 02/01/2010 at 13:01
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...spinner ratchet...
I have one - it give you that extra bit of twist over and above fingers alone.
Very handy.
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thanks all for that mixed bag of advise....all taken on board ...the halfords kits that are on offer look rather tempting .....cheers zoo
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+1 on impact six sided sockets.
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The 150 piece Halfords set I bought for my son has 4 impact sockets included in the kit - handy for overtightened wheel bolts and the like.
The offer for this set at about 100 GBP seems to have stopped now whilst the other sets are still being discounted. A bit of arm twisting might yield a result - although most outlets do not employ anyone who is empowered with any form of judgement...
659.
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...spinner ratchet...
Some standard ratchets have a similar knurled wheel built-in (and cost a lot less than $45!), but what I would really like is a ratchet with the sort of drive that allows you to spin the handle like a screwdriver until the nut is tight enough to require normal operation.
I have a set of Sealey combination spanners that are particularly slender and often squeeze into places that would otherwise be inaccessible. Despite this, they are amazingly tough and withstand my frequent bashings with a mallet.
There is something deeply satisfying about good tools, and I speak as one who had made do with all sorts over the years.
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Hard to argue with those, Dox. Having browsed the site a bit, I have to say that Halfords has gone up in my estimation, both for having a usable website (as opposed to B&Q's, which I gave up with yesterday) and for listing things like this:
tinyurl.com/yh2xfxn
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"long ( 50cm) bladed screwdrivers"
Do you find that long screwdrivers work better? I have a theory that the longer shafts store more torsional energy and release it as the screw begins to turn. I've certainly found really short (stubby) screwdrivers to be particularly bad at shifting tight screws!
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Do you find that long screwdrivers work better?
I have used the same snap-on ratchet screwdriver in orange! for the past 22 years just fit the bits in the end this works on everything from jubilee clips to large screws.
As for large ones i have no real use they seem to be used for pry bars, the thing with tools we buy them and all use them differently and you just get into a way of using them that suits you the best.
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I thought this was going to be something to do with my old dad's joke about a two litre Jaguar.
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. I'vecertainly found really short (stubby) screwdrivers to be particularly bad at shifting tight screws!
Agreed, though it might be illusion as it's not often to get a wide bladed stubby, though they look fairly wide compared to their length.
I use as long as possible to fit, much easier to keep exactly straight whilst exerting pressure and downward force.
Reminds me, i don't know where my impact screwdriver is better find that before i need it in a hurry.
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>>Some standard ratchets have a similar knurled wheel built-in (and cost a lot less than $45!)
>>
I paid a fraction of that price for mine. I just included the illustration as, IMO, it is not a common tool. gordonbennet - re screwdrivers
>>I use as long as possible to fit, much easier to keep exactly straight whilst exerting pressure and downward force.
>>
I agree. If there is space I sometimes use a sweep brace with a screwdriver bit. This allows maximum pressure with lots of torque ( sometimes too much and the screw snaps.)
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Long and short screwdrivers to me are like a pistol and a rifle - it's easier to aim the rifle and you feel more in control.
Main use for long screwdrivers was bottom hoses.
As regards the spinner ratchet, the one in the link looked expensive, even for Snap-on.
Don't think I paid anything like that for mine.
Edit: Just checked the UK website, it's listed at £22.
Edited by ifithelps on 03/01/2010 at 15:17
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Halfords tools seem to be of quite good quality these days, I have a couple of items from there in the tool box. Snap stuff is pretty good, but can still be broken - I've broken snap-on breaker bars before, lifetime warrenty helps though.
I would suggest avoiding those sets that contain 1000's of sockets - 95% of them will never be used. Start with a small rack of good quality sockets and spanners and then grow over time. On the sockets go for six sided ones.
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>>>> As regards the spinner ratchet the one in the link looked expensive even for Snap-on.Don't think I paid anything like that for mine.
>>>> Edit: Just checked the UK website it's listed at £22.
I paid less than £5 for my unbranded one.
A couple of interesting spin ratchet varients.
spinratchet.com/
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