Buying A New Set Of Tools !

[Longz]

Hello guys ! i was thinking about upgrading my ancient set of tools ( i have been using the one's since my old man had since 20 lol ! )

I need a suggestion of what brands are decent and good in price ?

I was looking at a stanley socket tool set ? 132 piece for about $200

what do you boys use ?

Edited July 29, 2011 by Longz

[Mimz]

3 main brands:

1. Sidchrome

2. Kincrome

3. Snap-on

For your main tools. Fill the odd here and there with with other brand. Go for one that is CR-V base last longer.

[Jamie77]

What kind of tools are you after?

[Miguelone]

Anything actually wrong with your old mans tools? If he's had the m since he was 20 they've defs stood the test of time.

[Longz]

just a tool set for any type of mechanical \ house work thought it was about time i bought my own set.

Well my dad's ones are old bit dirty and starting to rust a bit.... and they look like stone age tools compared to nowadays when i saw my mates ones.

Edited July 29, 2011 by Longz

[Duncan]

man I wish there was a cool tools thread somewhere...

[Miguelone]

just a tool set for any type of mechanical \ house work thought it was about time i bought my own set.

Well my dad's ones are old bit dirty and starting to rust a bit.... and they look like stone age tools compared to nowadays when i saw my mates ones.

Oh I thought you meant like a full mechanics tool kit.

I've got an SP tools chest at work, most of the newer Snap on sheet doesn't seem all that much better than any other half decent brand.

[turboedsloth]

man I wish there was a cool tools thread somewhere...

Where oh where would one find such a thread Duncan??

[fastjetjockey]

I bought a couple of new tooly things a few months ago.

Firstly I bought a Bahco 106 Piece Socket Set. Really pleased with the quality of the tools. Got it from Bunnings for $240. I've used Bahco stuff for work (rigging), and have always been happy with the quality of their tools.

About 5 minutes later I bought a Bahco Metric Reversible Ratchet Spanner Set. Such a tasy little cluster of toolness! All in a groovy pouch. Super happy with these, use them all the time on my car, and at work. The 5° action of the ratchets means you need sweet FA room to move them for them to work. Great stuff! Got these from Bunnings aswell for $74.

Bahco was the only brand on sale there that didn't have a lifetime warranty. They also had Kinchrome and Stanley. If it's just around the home I guess you could settle for Stanley. But wouldn't you want your kids to be replacing their old mans tool kit in 30 years time? lol

[tridentt150v]

Nothing wrong with Bahco.....

Sidchrome - dear as but one of the best you can get

Kinchrome - very good, but buy their premium range cos they also sell cheaper versions sometimes

Snap On - I don't own any, but supposed to be good

Dowidat - german excellence, not quite as common as it used to be, but a top brand

Blackhawk - make the best small spanner set you can find [as in little spanners]

VBW - make good stuff. usually extractors or stud removers

Eastwing - are the best claw hammers

Wiss - tinsnips/cutters

Dawn - vices

Visegrip - visegrips although theres another brand with blue covered handles that I've got that is also good [name escapes me for now]

Maun - best hole punch sets

Masterfix - the best rivnut set

and the list goes on...........

There are others, but you get what you pay for.

I have a Repco tool set for my work vehicle [supplied] and it seems OK - but I probably wouldn't buy one personally - the other brands listed do the same job and I trust them.

You need to buy good tools Longz, I don't want any rounded off nuts or broken studs on that R34 of yours...........when I win the lottery [and don't spend so much on tools] I'm buying it!!!!

[tweety bird]

any tool that comes with a lifetime warranty is usually good.

[stÖrmy]

snap on or nothing

[urtwhistle]

Snap-on or Blupoint or even Westrac branded tools IF you are using the tools all day every day and could get away with using them as a tax right off. if not I love the good old medium range Sidchrome gear. 1 thing that I highly suggest is a decent quality impact socket set. in 6 not 12 point.

PS if you want some really good gear and don't wanna pay aussy prices or have access to freight coming out of Singapore. I highly recommend Promax USA tools, if people want the addy to the supplier I'll add it later. The impact gear works out atleast half the price of buying in Perth depending on if I airfreight or seafreight them.

But might not be worthwhile to most people unless your buying big sockets in like 3/4" to 2 1/2" drive gear like I do for my work.

[blind_elk]

any tool that comes with a lifetime warranty is usually good.

But whose lifetime? If the tool breaks, wouldn't that be the end of its lifetime?

Like a "concrete warranty" - once its off my concrete, what warranty?

Bunnings has a Supatool kit, 159 pieces in 5-tray cantilever tool box - only $89. And get a Stanley screwdriver box - 16 pc at Bunnings $34.

[tridentt150v]

I bent the f**k out of a sidchrome 3/16" whitworth spanner. Was hanging off it with a peice of steel tube about a yard long. I went to my local agent and they replaced it no questions asked. And it was 10 years old.

[tweety bird]

But whose lifetime? If the tool breaks, wouldn't that be the end of its lifetime?

Like a "concrete warranty" - once its off my concrete, what warranty?

Bunnings has a Supatool kit, 159 pieces in 5-tray cantilever tool box - only $89. And get a Stanley screwdriver box - 16 pc at Bunnings $34.

by lifetime warranty they mean for the life of the company (that made the tool) thay will replace/ fix the tool if it's broken.

so it's best to buy you tools from a long running company because they have a better chance of being around in the future, but if your not using the tools every day go with the tools that feel good because they will last as long as you will be using them but will probably cost less.

[RBish]

i have had snap on tools replaced/fixed, but my bluepoint rattlegun is weak as piss.. the snap on guy wont replace it but he said i can send it off for a rebuild at my expense but he cant guarantee it will be any better/stronger after... stuff that.

[warps]

Snap on is good gear but unless you use it for work (ie you're a fitter / mechanic) it's major overkill. Any home handyman or enthusiast who tells you otherwise is just trying to be cool, and doesn't know what he's talking about.

For the amount of use a tool set will get with a typical car enthusiast, Sidchrome or other mid-range gear (as per a few of the brands listed above) will do the job fine. My socket set is 25 years old and still going strong. It's scratched up and dirty, but everything works well. Stanley gear is fine as well - I have a screwdriver set (25 years old) and ROE spanner set and again it hasn't let me down (except when I snapped the blade off one screw driver trying to use it as a lever).

Stay away from the cheap and nasty supercheap gear and you should be OK. The only tools I've ever broken without ridiculous abuse is the cheapo stuff. Even the Repco gear surprised me with its quality. I wanted a small 1/4" drive socket set for the tight fiddly jobs that the 1/2" gear couldn't quite fit, and the Repco set is surprisingly good quality. I use it a lot more than I had intended, although it's only 12 months old so can't vouch for its longevity.

[Longz]

So decisions are as of

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SIDCHROME-69PCE-SOCKETS-SPANNER-TOOLS-KIT-VALUED-499-/290492614044?pt=AU_Hand_Tools&hash=item43a2b5859c

or

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stanley-Socket-Set-132-Pce-Combo-Set-Limited-Stock-/220823078552?pt=AU_Hand_Tools&hash=item336a14c698

[Cowboy1600]

Repco brand, Kinchrome or Supatool.

I assume this is a shed set and not a set you'll be using for hours a day.

Forget Snap On and Sidchrome. Far too expensive for tools not being used constantly. Kinchrome are bloody good quality and will last decades. Repco brand tools are also very, very good. Supatool are just rebranded Kinchrome stuff and very good quality.

I don't know about the Stanley stuff. I've never used it and don't know anyone who has. It seems a little too cheap to be a contender. The link you put up to the Stanley stuff, it doesn't look great and the price says no IMO.

That Sidchrome set looks bloody good.

There's a 174 piece Supatool set on special at the moment from Kinchrome for $299 - http://www.kincrome.com.au/web/support/promotions.php Have a look at the cattledog.