Hex Sockets?

[Bouchard93]

I am looking for a nice set of hex/allen socket mainly in 3/8 drive in both standard & metric I want a nice set but not snappy nice lol

I have the bondhus hex keys now want some sockets to , what do u guys recommend?

 

[rival904]

Ive rounded off more than Id like the admit with my HF set at work.

Looking into some decent options as well. Was thinking giving gearwrench a shot before I jump into more SO debt.

 

[shockwave]

Look into vim they are the best for the price imo oe for cornwell too

 

[Bouchard93]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K1D01A/?tag=atomicindus08-20

these ?

 

[Honda guy]

I was going to say Snap-on, but.....

I want a nice set but not snappy nice lol

So, I'll recommend Gearwrench. I use/abuse them at my home shop and they hold up really well. Nice finish too. Downside for me is that the warranty is a little "ïffy", in my area.

 

[Bouchard93]

I would like to have a master set with both standard & metric just a grap and go when I come across a hex/allen head

 

[3baygarage]

I'd go with any American brand like proto/Armstrong. Wouldn't waste the money on an import set that might break easily and cause injury.

 

[genevabuck]

VIM Hex

 

[Duarte]

Sk ?

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

sears is having their sale now I found a 42 piece set of allens and torx for 29.99 if you have sears rewards. 99.99 regularly

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42-p...p-00934845000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

 

[reptilezs]

craftsman has a set on sale right now 30 bucks for a 42pc set with ratchet. even though the newer craftsman set if china made i have not had good luck with the older usa craftsman bit sockets. i would snap them regularly with hand ratchets, seems like they were too hard or bad heat treat. snap on is nice, if you can swing the price then get them. for my cheapies i have and allen branded set made in china, holding up fine to impact gun use. also have a lisle brand set for hand ratchets.

 

[Farmall450]

sears is having their sale now I found a 42 piece set of allens and torx for 29.99 if you have sears rewards. 99.99 regularly

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42-p...p-00934845000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

China I assume?

 

[Mumbly00]

I have US craftsman in 3/8 size that I use more often then most of my other sockets, and have had no issues at all.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

China I assume?

I believe there are still some USA sets available. They are replacing them with the china ones.

 

[shockwave]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K1D01A/?tag=atomicindus08-20

these ?

Yeah those I have used them for years without an issue

 

[shockwave]

But stay away from the lisle hex and Torx they are junk imo

 

[Farmall450]

I believe there are still some USA sets available. They are replacing them with the china ones.

Too bad there is no "local" Sears.

 

[FOCUS.FREAK]

Too bad there is no "local" Sears.

I believe you can get it shipped to you from their website.

 

[CWP1616L]

The reason I bought the Snap-on hex sockets is because they were the only brand that I could find where the bits did not wiggle inside the sockets. I have a couple of Craftsman and Proto hex sockets and the bits wiggle in both of those.

 

[jeffws]

I use Proto at work...

 

[CWP1616L]

I use Proto at work...

Does the hex bit wiggle inside the socket?

 

[e30bradley]

go with VIM. they are nice. They come in nice cases too. I have SO hex and VIM XZN.. No complaints about the vim.

 

[928'er]

Lowes has their 7 piece sets on sale for $9.97 (half price) in SAE or Metric.

Can't vouch for quality. If you're lucky they're Taiwanese (but more likely chinese).

Probably fine for the car tool bag

 

[outdoorsman310]

mastercraft

 

[Chuck122]

sk makes some nice ones but I prefer snap on. they are more compact.
it is definitely an item you dont want to cheap out on

 

[stonesfan68]

Amazon has a 7-piece SK 3/8 SAE hex bit socket set for $30

SK Hand Tools 19723

You can also get a very nice metric Carlyle set (Taiwan) from NAPA for about the same price.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

Look into vim they are the best for the price imo oe for cornwell too

+1 for VIM, they also make them for Mac Tools.

 

[erty67]

Lowes has their 7 piece sets on sale for $9.97 (half price) in SAE or Metric.

Can't vouch for quality. If you're lucky they're Taiwanese (but more likely chinese).

Probably fine for the car tool bag

I'm tempted to try them out. They look decent for $10

 

[nicksnothereman]

I am looking for a nice set of hex/allen socket mainly in 3/8 drive in both standard & metric I want a nice set but not snappy nice lol

I have the bondhus hex keys now want some sockets to , what do u guys recommend?

I usually just use keys or a t handle unless it requires a torque setting. If it requires torque I just go pick up one or two from retail.

So...ball end I would go with kobalt. Regular (flat) end husky, kobalt (if they exist), or craftsman.

They don't typically sell mixed sets (that I know of) on the racks so you're looking at 40 bucks or so at retail. But those are the extra long sets. Short sets maybe something like 25-30 bucks? Ball end long hex comes in real handy but still can do similar things with extensions and ball end hex.

I'm not going to start a whole gearwrench thing on here. If the set is taiwanese and within 20% I wouldn't have a problem buying it (I think they're fairly cheap for most long sets; around 20 bucks shipped). If it's chinese then it's probably not much better (if at all) than what you can find at retail. I think the kobalt ones are taiwanese (for now) and well made in my opinion but not really in the "cheap" category. Really, none of the taiwanese retail stuff is traditionally cheap unless they're on clearance or at harbor freight. I lump it in together despite brand or manufacturer because the quality doesn't really vary and the durability is excellent (my opinion). Chinese stuff isn't there yet.

 

[nicksnothereman]

Lowes has their 7 piece sets on sale for $9.97 (half price) in SAE or Metric.

Can't vouch for quality. If you're lucky they're Taiwanese (but more likely chinese).

Probably fine for the car tool bag

With that fit & finish on the socket part? Nah.

Maybe in store is different though.

 

[kippieland]

I like my Wiha set.

 

[erty67]

Lowes has their 7 piece sets on sale for $9.97 (half price) in SAE or Metric.

Can't vouch for quality. If you're lucky they're Taiwanese (but more likely chinese).

Probably fine for the car tool bag

Taiwan/China......

I had some time to kill and was at Lowes buying plumbing supplies, so I took a walk around. 1st I found them on the "holiday" isle. All made in china. Then I went over to the tool section and it was a mix, but I lucked out and found both in Taiwan. Here's a sample pic comparing the two. The left is Taiwan and China on the right. Also got suckered into a Lincoln welder cart that was quite dusty.

 

[WildwoodChuck]

Get the Craftsman and as they get worn replace with quality Apex, Irwin or Vermont American inserts.

 

[byoungblood]

sears is having their sale now I found a 42 piece set of allens and torx for 29.99 if you have sears rewards. 99.99 regularly

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-42-p...p-00934845000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

That set was almost unversially Chinese made at all of my local stores.

 

[Adam.C]

Only sockets I've broken in the last 10 years or screws I've stripped have been caused by cheap hex Allen sockets. I think manufacturers are using these fasteners in high torque applications. Hex Allen and maybe torx are the one tool that I feel is a must have from snap on. A good metric or SAE set, 3/8 drive, can be had virtually new on ebay for less than $100. I think I paid 40-something for my set of Torx. I think most makers do a fairly good job of sockets and wrenches.

I encounter a great deal of Torx in auto interiors. I prefer 1/4 drive. Blue point are good Taiwanese made sockets- quality, dependable, and cheap. But I won't use them on 3/8 drive.

 

[malibu101]

FWIW- I have been using a 10 piece Proto set pretty heavily for a few years.
Many large size electrical lugs and other electrical equipment use Allen-head fasteners.

They have, and still are, serving me very well.
I don't remember where I purchased them or what they cost at the time.

 

[sberry]

I needed a set of metrics, did the deed and grabbed up a set from Walmart one holiday figuring I would buy some better. I was working on a big truck at the time, been fine, never replaced them.

 

[Jim C.]

I picked up a six piece metric set of 3/8" drive Craftsman Industrial sockets back when they were on clearance at my local Sears Outlet Store. The set included 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm and 10mm sizes. Although they seem to be well made in the USA, I haven't had a need to use any of them yet. The reason I brought them up however, was to say that I saw two metric sets in the same Sears Outlet Store approximately two weeks ago. So, they may still be around here and there.

Several years ago, I bought a six piece SAE set of 3/8" drive Craftsman sockets from my local Sears Store and I do use those frequently. The sockets were also made in the USA and included 5/32", 3/16", 7/32", 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" sizes. I've been very satisfied with these sockets, and to be honest, I don't see any difference in the quality between the standard Craftsman sockets and the Craftsman Industrial sockets. That being said, you could probably just pick up a set of metric and SAE sockets at your local Sears Store. If the sets were made in the USA, you might get some good quality sockets at an unaffordable price.

Jim C.

 

[ndoran]

mastercraft

LOL I have snap on in metric and Mastercraft in SAE. I used the Mastercraft ones today removing caliper pins, needed a 18inch breaker bar to break the pins free. The Mastercraft hex sockets never even flinched. They have performed flawlessly for nearly twenty years alongside my snap on ones.

 

[wjamyers]

I need 1/4" drive because that's which small torque wrench I have (the HF one). I need to torque my throttle body to 14 ft/lbs and my 1/2" drive craftsman torque wrench only goes down to 20.

So what do you people think about this deal?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0002UNOME/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

VIM Hand Tools SHM400 9 Pc. Metric Stubby Hex Socket Set
$30.00 shipped