I Love Beta

[bart1]

No flank drive on that socket, just regular old corner drive. Even Kobalt sockets have flank drive... I think Pittsburgh Pro does too.

That's my pic and no they don't have relieved corners. Also notice the box says 12 point and "Crome"

 

[superautobacs]

Sweeet 1:18 model:

 

[rice rocket]

So Trident-Supply started carrying Beta, received my first order from them.

I picked up some in the past from Amazon when they were blowing stuff out, and also had some shipped overseas from the UK, but having a good distributor that's communicative and supports this forum is what I've been waiting for. Taylor was great in replying, and they were accurate with their lead times.


First up, 3/8" ratchet. The ergonomics on this are fantastic, the head clearance is nice and short, but the ratchet mechanism is a little draggy. It's 72T, but I suspect it's draggy because it has 17T of engagement at any given point. I'll report back as it breaks in to see if it gets any better.

 

[willhollin]

I don't need one but I like the look of this!

 

[rice rocket]

They make one with a griplatch that looks nicely thought out.

Top cab:

Latch:

 

[woodstockva]

So Trident-Supply started carrying Beta, received my first order from them.

I picked up some in the past from Amazon when they were blowing stuff out, and also had some shipped overseas from the UK, but having a good distributor that's communicative and supports this forum is what I've been waiting for. Taylor was great in replying, and they were accurate with their lead times.


First up, 3/8" ratchet. The ergonomics on this are fantastic, the head clearance is nice and short, but the ratchet mechanism is a little draggy. It's 72T, but I suspect it's draggy because it has 17T of engagement at any given point. I'll report back as it breaks in to see if it gets any better.

I have the 1/4" & 1/2" version of that ratchet...I like them a lot....EXTREMELY comfortable & I love the directional changer.

 

[jedigazza]

i purchased some ring spanners from beta and they were the most appauling tools ive ever come across, the stampings, machining of the hex's were pathetic and the finish looked unfinished. they definitely must have come out of taiwan or china.

 

[SpannerMonkey]

The Beta Easy range is made in Taiwan or China. I haven't heard good things about the Easy range. I'm happy with my normal Beta ring spanners though.

 

[jedigazza]

The Beta Easy range is made in Taiwan or China. I haven't heard good things about the Easy range. I'm happy with my normal Beta ring spanners though.

im gonna assume i got the easy range, as they were WOEFULL. hahaha i replaced them with a Hazet set anyways. I should have got Stahlwille, but they were just too pricey for the amount that i used them.

 

[BK13]

im gonna assume i got the easy range, as they were WOEFULL. hahaha i replaced them with a Hazet set anyways.

If they were easier for me to get (I know, in the age of the interwebs not really a good excuse) I could see no reason to get anything other than Hazet, assuming they offer what you need.

 

[rice rocket]

If they were easier for me to get (I know, in the age of the interwebs not really a good excuse) I could see no reason to get anything other than Hazet, assuming they offer what you need.

Availability is one thing, price is a whole other story. Doing a quick check, Hazet is nearly triple the price of Beta on 15 pc combination wrench sets, that's a little too rich for my blood.

 

[rice rocket]

I have the 1/4" & 1/2" version of that ratchet...I like them a lot....EXTREMELY comfortable & I love the directional changer.

Nice! I have the 1/4" too, I don't use too much 1/2" but I might get one for the sake of completeness.

The comfort is really unmatched, I use the 1/4" on almost everything I can because it's so handy and comfortable.

im gonna assume i got the easy range, as they were WOEFULL.

Here's my 3 most used wrenches (12, 14, and 17 since I've owned 3 Hondas in the past 4 years). jedigazza, did yours look the same?

The finish is a satin/bead blasted finish. I guess it looks cheaper than polished, but the metallurgy is solid. I personally prefer the blasted over polished for some extra grip with oily hands. The finish has held up well, I even link wrenches (shh, don't tell). Haven't rounded off a fastener to date, and I live in the rust belt.

In their holder.

I liked 'em enough to pick up the full 6-21 pc set from Trident for my garage, and the 9 pc set lives in my car now (since it covers all standard Honda sizes). I like the space saving layout of the holder, which saves me room in my drawer (I don't need to see the sizes after the first month or so, it should become second nature).

With the rest of the wrench drawer:

Gotta get myself a smaller Ernst holder for those ratcheting Toptuls....

 

[rice rocket]

Finally got pics of the 1/4" drive set, this whole set is super handy. It's my go-to set to do just about anything in the house or on the cars, except suspension and brake stuff obviously.

The case closed up:

In my Milwaukee tool bag:

 

[Sorin S.]

I am not a professional but to fix my BMW are more than enough and I like very much

free image upload

caricare immagini

hosting immagini

 

[motofool33]

some of the beta stuff i used in Italy when i worked over there was good but their cheaper line is china made like most big brands.

 

[jedigazza]

Nice! I have the 1/4" too, I don't use too much 1/2" but I might get one for the sake of completeness.

The comfort is really unmatched, I use the 1/4" on almost everything I can because it's so handy and comfortable.



Here's my 3 most used wrenches (12, 14, and 17 since I've owned 3 Hondas in the past 4 years). jedigazza, did yours look the same?

The finish is a satin/bead blasted finish. I guess it looks cheaper than polished, but the metallurgy is solid. I personally prefer the blasted over polished for some extra grip with oily hands. The finish has held up well, I even link wrenches (shh, don't tell). Haven't rounded off a fastener to date, and I live in the rust belt.

Hi mate, yes mine are exactly the same as that picture shown above. The double hex part of the wrench looks more properly machined in yours. In mine it looks poorly machined.

 

[bart1]

I was in Italy recently and ran across a hillclimb race around Trento. Lots of Beta tools in use, and Beta Racing even had a car there.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I like some of the beta stuff, but some of it feels pretty cheesy. I really like their big open end wrenches in satin finish.

 

[mofo62]

.


Nice!!!


https://scontent-a-mia.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10698607_883962304977451_905526100742262027_n.jpg?oh=815e6d7ae1506e391422dfd21c0b5f87&oe=55161F47


V!

 

[Dodo]

1979, US West Grand Prix at Long Beach. Gilles Villeneuve and his Ferrari 312T4. Beta Tools in the background.

 

[mofo62]

.


Wau...


*Beta - C27

V!

 

[FMC1959]

Is that something new? It looks like Beta's answer to the Hazet Assistant...very nice.

 

[Monte]

here a video:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rtE8uViZxSY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[FMC1959]

This looks really cools and convenient. In my teens I was using a Craftsman knock-off of the Hazet Assistant that my father had, which me and my brother had got him as a gift! He sold it years ago when he sold the house and retired.

The Hazet or this Beta would be very practical, but probably won't be buying one. Pretty expensive for my needs and already cluttered shop, but do like this Beta!

 

[superautobacs]

Those Italians with their cool orange carts

 

[thomfr]

This is my c25.

Bought it second hand. Love it because it is so handy. Have more stuff from Beta. Love the original series and the cheap series are good for incidental use like fast repairs on the way (by far superior too cheap sets).I never had to claim anything from Beta for breaking on the lifetime guarantee.
As I would need a second mortgage to buy a full set of Hazet or even worse Snap-On here in Holland while using my tools only about 8 hours a week as hobby Beta suits my needs perfectly.
Saving currently for a second trolley from Beta.
Thom

(wrenching on Alfa and Volvo as a hobby)

 

[colin39]

They do look like well built trolleys.

 

[mofo62]

.



*Beta - Ohh...

V!

 

[Virgil Cain]

Anyone got a line on a good place to buy Beta combination wrenches in the US?

 

[Fedwrench]

Anyone got a line on a good place to buy Beta combination wrenches in the US?

try trident-supply.com or amazon

 

[rice rocket]

I bought mine from Trident.

I have a thermoformed wrench holder for them if anyone wants them (I think it's 6-21mm), it's too tall to fit in my toolbox.

 

[thomfr]

Finally bought myself my dream toolbox (with the current $ to € rate I would need to get a mortgage for Snap-On):

Beta C24SA XL

And some filling bought with it (not yet everything in it, still have to move my older Beta stuff in the top drawers and all the other stuff in the lower ones ;-) )

My old folding (Beta) tool chart will be used for the odd tools like woodwork tools etc.

Sorry for the crappy iphone pics.

Thom

 

[owm]

My 2 week old Beta C24/5 cab:
https://scontent-sit4-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14212106_693947424089763_4471289673932974717_n.jpg?oh=6c53599de4d86e65079ba04da44f51e6&oe=58469824

 

[mofo62]

.


Owww Beta.



https://scontent-mia1-1.**.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14232526_1319958641377813_7047445065568694401_n.jpg?oh=01d8896777cd121b7e9a74f16053aa3e&oe=5881BFFB


V!

 

[PureLeaf]

Their Cantilever boxes are made in China. Their full line ratchets and sockets are Italian. And the Beta "EASY" line which is their budget line is made in Asia.

--- Original message ---

The Beta Easy line just went through a complete maker over in 2016. We are not actively promoting the Beta Easy line in the states. The Beta Easy line is now a mix of Italian and Taiwan Tools.



Peter Speitel
Vice President


--- Original message ---

Thank you for the inquiry. The ratchets and sockets are all made in Italy. The cantilever boxes are made in China to Beta's specifications and quality standards.
Let me know if I can help in any other way.

Peter Speitel
Vice President

 

[rice rocket]

Good info, thanks.

Are they ever going to address that they don't put their COO on anything? Not sure how the FTC hasn't come banging down doors yet.

 

[PureLeaf]

Good info, thanks.

Are they ever going to address that they don't put their COO on anything? Not sure how the FTC hasn't come banging down doors yet.

Some of the BETA stuff interests me just to try a new different company, but the whole lack of COO in addition to the difficulty of even purchasing it in the USA means its not even worth the effort at least to me. Would love to try some Italian made tools, but not if I can't be 100% sure it wasn't made in Taiwan or PRC instead. Their prices are pretty outrageous at least on this side of the ocean too. More so even than Snap on...

If anyone has questions, I recommend submitting them to their Amazon seller. Thats they're USA distributor, and he was extremely responsive and helpful.

 

[rice rocket]

Yep, Peerless Hardware is the lone US importer. Everything goes through them.


COO questions aside, I'm actually very fond of a lot of my Beta tools, I grabbed some stuff during the Amazon SmallParts blowout, and it piqued my interest in the brand. I've had some mediocre (i.e. why'd I buy a brand name one of this), and I've had some excellent, but outright disappointments have been few.

If you want to dip your toe in the brand and try out some must-haves, any tool that you'd want in a soft grip/ergo handle, they make the best handles, hands down. Whether it be pliers, screwdrivers, ratchets, they just know ergonomics better than anyone else it seems. The tool quality itself is sometimes not the top 1%, but top 5% usually. i.e. I prefer the dual 80 ratcheting mechanism, but simply can't ignore how good the Beta fits hands. My Knipex pliers are still my favorite, but if I'm going to be doing serious gripping, Betas every time.

Also, Demon Tweeks ships worldwide, $10-20 shipping on most things that aren't super heavy, and their prices are 1/2 what they are here. Add in the crushed GBP, and you have even better deals.

 

[thomfr]

I would love to find one of these F1 70's style boxes as addition to my two Beta trolleys (just dreaming...).