Question For Tool Fans!

[Grease Monkey]

I am thinking of starting my tool kit but I am thinking of what brand to buy tools from, I was thinking about snap on but there a bit expensive but I will probably buy snap on. But them I thought abut blue point but people dont like blue point. Also I thought about Teng tools. So if anyone knows of any good tool brands for professional car mechanics what have a life time guarantee what are not to expensive and are sold in the UK please put the name of the tool manufacturer

 

[Tooljerk]

Screwdrivers, ratchets, crowfeet, other open end wrenches: Snap on
Sockets: Craftsman
Pliers: Knipex

 

[chammyman]

Another UK man, welcome.

Anyway over here we don't have half of what the Americans do sadly.

Anyway lifetime Guarantee

Snap On, only issue is either you need to try and find a van or order from the site.

Beta, again tricky to track down, snap on quality (almost) but cheaper.

Britool, not as great as they once were but reasonably priced these days, more readily available. Now a part of Stanley

Teng, readily available and quite good.

Blue Point, good quality but its NOT Snap On. Again finding a snap on van or the site to buy parts.

Halfords Professional. Readily available in any town, no quibbles on return even abused tools. The tools themselves are actually rather good and very reasonably priced.

Facom, another subsidery of Stanley, not cheap but again like Britool.

Mac, Snap On money but not the quality.

We could help you more if you tell us what you are. Pro mechanic starting out or weekend warrior?

 

[Frank Elson]

Britool, Teng, Facom (Facom ******* Ebay has some good prices) and Halfrauds Pro, like Chammy says.

If you're prepared to go round the boot sales there's some good old stuff by people like Elora and Gedore.

I also like Draper and Sykes Pyckavant. You can get a good start at your nearest Machine Mart, even their cheaper side hold up well.

Again like Chammy says, what sort of work are you talking about? Pro stuff or weekend maintenance?

 

[Grease Monkey]

Another UK man, welcome.

Anyway over here we don't have half of what the Americans do sadly.

Anyway lifetime Guarantee

Snap On, only issue is either you need to try and find a van or order from the site.

Beta, again tricky to track down, snap on quality (almost) but cheaper.

Britool, not as great as they once were but reasonably priced these days, more readily available. Now a part of Stanley

Teng, readily available and quite good.

Blue Point, good quality but its NOT Snap On. Again finding a snap on van or the site to buy parts.

Halfords Professional. Readily available in any town, no quibbles on return even abused tools. The tools themselves are actually rather good and very reasonably priced.

Facom, another subsidery of Stanley, not cheap but again like Britool.

Mac, Snap On money but not the quality.

We could help you more if you tell us what you are. Pro mechanic starting out or weekend warrior?

Britool, Teng, Facom (Facom ******* Ebay has some good prices) and Halfrauds Pro, like Chammy says.

If you're prepared to go round the boot sales there's some good old stuff by people like Elora and Gedore.

I also like Draper and Sykes Pyckavant. You can get a good start at your nearest Machine Mart, even their cheaper side hold up well.

Again like Chammy says, what sort of work are you talking about? Pro stuff or weekend maintenance?

Hey guys thanks for the replies, I am a pro mechanic starting out, looking for the best tool brand at reasonable prices. Frank were abouts in lancashire are you from, I am from wigan if you know that area. Thanks

 

[chammyman]

Well if your a pro snap on is the top really. You can get by on cheap stuff but the right tool for the job makes all the difference.

Ebay is the place to look. Look here http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catalog.asp?store=uk to check the price though, there no point buying used if your only saving a fiver.

Anyway the list I gavce will serve you well, theres some things you can get by with cheaper stuff.

What are you working with? Cars or commercials? Or both? This can affect what you need greatly.

Theres other top products like Stahlwille, Hazet, Elora (now part of draper but still excellent quality), Heyco, Kamasa etc. But you pay lots for them.

Also depending on what tools your using, say screwdrivers, look at witte or wera instead of just going snap on.

Tell us what you currently have and what your working on and we can help you better.

 

[Grease Monkey]

Well if your a pro snap on is the top really. You can get by on cheap stuff but the right tool for the job makes all the difference.

Ebay is the place to look. Look here http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catalog.asp?store=uk to check the price though, there no point buying used if your only saving a fiver.

Anyway the list I gavce will serve you well, theres some things you can get by with cheaper stuff.

What are you working with? Cars or commercials? Or both? This can affect what you need greatly.

Theres other top products like Stahlwille, Hazet, Elora (now part of draper but still excellent quality), Heyco, Kamasa etc. But you pay lots for them.

Also depending on what tools your using, say screwdrivers, look at witte or wera instead of just going snap on.

Tell us what you currently have and what your working on and we can help you better.

Hey, Basically I am just starting off as Car Mechanic, and I don't have a tool kit so I am looking round at who makes the best tools in the UK. Thanks

 

[billymade]

What is budget to spend on a "starter set"? That might help your fellow countrymen to steer you in a direction that fits your needs and budget!

 

[speed bump]

Buy the tools you like, over time you will find what works best and what doesn't.

 

[chammyman]

Well cars means you can pretty much ignore 3/4 and 1" sets, certainly when starting out so thats a lot of cash saved right away.

That leaves 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2.

1/4 you can go cheap with, certainly to start as the applications are not high torque and 99% of 1/4 drive sockets are 6 sided. So you can get away with a cheap ratchet and a spinner say.

3/8, some say this is the size you'll use the most, I have to say I prefer 1/2. Its a lot more usefull for actual mechanicing (sis that even a word? ). 3/8 however is you main source with torx, hex and ribe key stuff. So don't scrimp here.

A couple of sets on ebay after a 2 second search

Silverline, is actually quite good, very reasonably priced.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ratchet-Socke...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

A better buy IMO and a more comprhensive set would be this Britool one, ideal as a starter 3/8 set.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Britool-60-Pi...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

1/2 this is where you will spend the most of your money, this is where you can get some torque into things like hub nuts and crank bolts etc. You will need a decent breaker bar, I have a 24 inch long halfords pro one and its the only one I haven't snapped and its over 10 years old now.

Anyway again a quick ebay search, again a good starter set and not to expensive. It WILL last you as well.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Britool-1-2-S...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Screwdrivers,

wera, they may look strange but they are excellent

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WERA-KRAFTFOR...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

witte

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Witte-MAXXPRO...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

not the brand anyone on here likes but I thik they are quite good

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Stanley-Fat-M...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Spanners, these are essential, a good mechanic can get by if he has to with spanners, they are an essential weapon in your arsenal

silverline again

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/14-PCE-PRO-CR...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SNAP-ON-bp-12...39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Ratchet spanners and flex head ratchet or flex head socket spanners are great but your only starting out.

Other option is of course 2nd hand but you can wait ages for the right deal. The ones I linked may be cheaper from other ebay sellers so have a good look, these were just to help guide you.

Pliers (knipex) and molegrips etc will also be needed but again there sno point in spendign thousands out when your just starting

 

[Frank Elson]

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/THE-TOOL-WAGON

I forgot about Kamasa and Laser. The link above is a bloke from Bolton who has decent prices and if you're in Wigan you could save a load on shipping by going to collect from him.

I live in Rossendale but work in Bolton four days a week

 

[Frank Elson]

I've been thinking, if you're in Wigan there is a Machine Mart and a K-Supplies in Bolton.
You can go in and look at the stuff.

 

[chammyman]

Kamasa are quite good but some stuff is dearer than snap on and blue point. A ratchet spanner set I got for example, I got them new with £100 off and they were still 65 quid. Fixed head as well.

But they are damn strong.

 

[Grease Monkey]

Kamasa are quite good but some stuff is dearer than snap on and blue point. A ratchet spanner set I got for example, I got them new with £100 off and they were still 65 quid. Fixed head as well.

But they are damn strong.

Hey, that machine mart in Bolton is it called machine mart, also the tools on ebay are they genuine. Also I was looking at facoms tools are they any good

thanks

 

[vssjim]

The Facom tools I have a top quality tools as good as any brand I own.

 

[Frank Elson]

Yep Facom are anothr good one.
There's another ebay seller called FacomGirl from the Manchester area somewhere, prices seem to be decent.

 

[ZRX61]

I've been a pro wrench for the better part of 30 years & I get along just fine without SnapOn tools..They are the Harley Davidson of the tool world: Over hyped, overpriced & under engineered

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I've been a pro wrench for the better part of 30 years & I get along just fine without SnapOn tools..They are the Harley Davidson of the tool world: Over hyped, overpriced & under engineered

Blasphemy!

 

[ZRX61]

Blasphemy!

Maybe, but it's true..

 

[gofastman]

They are the Harley Davidson of the tool world: Over hyped, overpriced & under engineered

HAHA! finaly someone who shares my thoughts on motorcycles!
However, our vews on tools differ