Tools

[richardtaylor]

I have got Snap on ,Mac and Draper Pro stuff - had some of it for years.

For sockets I really don't think you can beat Sanp-on - mine have been used and abused and are still going strong. That said two out of three of my Snap on ratchets have had it and slip like buggery.

I was always told to buy the best you can afford - ~Good advice that has served me well.

A lot of my kit is Mac and I would thoroughly reccomend it. For the seldom used stuff Draper Expert has been fine though.

[Morrisand944S2man]

If you don't have the money to buy Snap On or Mac tools then your best bet is to buy second hand from autojumbles / car show stalls etc.

Old tools are usually far better quality and outlast modern stuff.

[Morrisand944S2man]

Or ask your neighnours! I just got a knock on the door, one of my neighbours was having a clear out and gave me a huge handful (two hands needed!) of assorted AF and Whitworth spanners. All good old fashioned British makes.

[Rhythm Thief]

Another vote for Halfords' stuff. I've been using one of their ratchets and a selection of their spanners for years.

[mr rusty]

Halfords vote from me too- the first 'proper' tools I bought were from halfords, a set of ring spanners. That was in 1977 and I'm still whacking 'em with lump hammers now....they will no doubt outlast me! I really can't see the point in paying over the top for snap-on, certainly not for weekend use. I also have a set of sockets bought for me on my 21st birthday- 30 years ago now unbranded, marked 'Japan' and still complete and going strong today. I have no idea who made them but they're very good!

[rich.]

i buy the best i can afford, id love snap on etc but draper do the same job... ive treated my self to some sykes tools they are very good... how often are you going to be using them?

[tractorman]

Kanmasa were great and the warranty excellent. Just remember this when the 3/4" AF socket breaks a mile from anywhere on a Sunday! I had a friend who always used Snap-On stuff, but had some Kamasa sockets - and that incident actually happened more than once (he was working on a tractor!). He threw the Kamasa stuff out and replaced it with Snap-On stuff. Moral: if you depend on the tools, make sure it is good enough not to need warranties!

However, if you are like me and money is tight and you don't depend on the tools to make a living, Halford's stuff is pretty good - I've abused all sorts on the tractors and, even when a powerbar (swivel bar) broke, it was swapped without question. The sliding Tee bar I used after the powerbar broke is now curved and useless - it was part of an old socket set. Like Mr Rusty, I have some Halfords (open ended) spanners and they have lasted forty years with plenty of hammering!

My favourite tools have come from shows - mainly Cumbria Steam Gathering - where there were some quality American made tools at reasonable prices. My ratchet combination spanners are click-free and knock the spots of the Halford's ones (which have suffered some punishment and survived well). OTOH, I bought some larger AF combination spanners at a show and was able to bend them in a vice to fit an awkward nut! I don't know if they'd have coped with some of the tighter nuts I've come across (I now have some 3/4-drive stuff for those jobs).

My late father had a favourite spanner - 1/4 x 5/15 Whit I think - it was a Britool and from the late 40's/early 50's. It fitted anything up to about 9/16AF thanks to the worn jaws! Perhaps old tools are over rated sometimes!

[Rhythm Thief]

Avoid Silverline stuff unless you're really on a budget. It works, but not for long what with being made of liquorice.

[Grumpy Northener]

I have just bought this set from halfords half price - lifetime warrenty - without having it given to you for free or walking out without paying for it - I do not know how you beat it !

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165572

[alabbasi]

A lot of Chinese hand tools are perfectly fine for the hobby wrencher. In the US, a good option is Craftsman which is Sears own brand. Good quality and made in the USA.
I have a mix of Harbor freight (cheap Chinese) , Craftsman and some Snap ON and Black hawk wrenches on items that need a little more precision or have broken in the past.

If It was all Snap On, I would have to take financing on my tool boxes.