The Minimalist Socket Man, or why chrome?

[nicksnothereman]

The title succinctly frames the question, but perhaps a little detail will make more sense.

I'm planning on building a high quality (but not truck quality) set of sockets for general use and working on my motorcycles, along with whatever modest car maintenance I'll be doing. What I don't quite grasp is why folks don't go purely with impact sockets for the sizes where they're available. Does Vulcan send his minions to punish people who use impact sockets on a ratchet? Seems like duplicating the sockets in chrome and impact is a smidgen wasteful of both $$ and space, but my experience on the mechanical side of the tool house is fairly limited.

Educate me, gently.

A lot of guys use 1/4" drive a lot of the time. No impact in 1/4". Also a lot of them are 6 point and most people on here prefer 12 point. There's some 3/8" drive impact sockets but it's not really widely available (at least at retail, professional tool mfgs make it). Visibility of sizes can also be an issue (which is why some of them use "printed on" labels).

If you have lower end stuff it generally doesn't hurt to use impact on higher torque bolts (if it fits). The one direct benefit to buying impact only (even if it's truck tools) is that usually the sets are comparatively cheaper than the polished sets.

 

[countryroad82]

I don't understand the cost issue many guys yell. For years I made good money with a 300? piece Craftsman chrome set and ATD 3/8 and 1/2 impacts. Cost? I got the Craftsman set on sale for about $250 and I had another $175+- in my impacts. So for $425 out of my pocket I had a decent set of chrome sockets and wrenches, plus my impact sockets. I ran with this setup for a good 10 years working in my shop doing bodywork and only started replacing everything with truck brands because I have a little extra means. Would I go back after handily better quality tools? Absolutely not. Would I if I lost everything I had due to fire, robbery, etc.? If I had to.
That said impacts (I still use my ATDs and they are still great have yet to replace them and do t think I will) are thicker and on bikes space *****! I have handled the GPs that are thinner and have thought they are cool. On my service truck that is my brand of choice for impacts. So OP argue what you want, if your just doing this for the home shop, buy some good but cheaper chrome and impacts, you will thank me later.

 

[Adam.C]

I don't understand the cost issue many guys yell [about].

Man I agree. The money you save doing your own repair work on even modern Asian cars far exceeds a decent set of Snap On.

I pay more for one KFC dinner than some of these guys are saving buying Chinese tools or trying to skip buying chrome sockets. It's just silly. If you are putting together IKEA furniture, the tools come with it. If you call the plumber and get Jiffy Lube to do your oil changes, stick with rakes and lawn mowers. If you are fixing your own vehicles, spring for a decent set of sockets for Gosh sakes. A set of 3/8 metric aren't going to cost your kid a college education.

 

[Gmonkee]

Age old battle here Adam. The techs and the financially capable spring for SO or some other prestige brand, the proudly budget minded head another direction.

The most of us are somewhere in the middle. A mix of some economical stuff with a few prestige items tossed in because we could at one time or another. Much of Europe lives by this idea toolwise.

To answer the first post I have to agree with the majority here. For Harry Homeowner working on the Harley and the Jetta on weekends mid range chrome sockets will do fine.

I did work in late model indy shops and heavy equiptment, I've only ever had basic sets of sockets almost all of them better Asain stuff. Never had any problems that told me to step up to prestige brands. Now that I'm back to H. Homeowner status I have reduced the tool stocks some and more to go. I can safely sell off the spare socket sets as none of them see regular use anymore.

 

[amolaver]

i use impact almost exclusively. i have chrome, but almost all of it was purchased many years ago. i needed tools, and as a kid, tools == craftsman (chrome, specifically). that said, in another, similar, thread, we discussed the 'impacts are too thick-walled' for everyday use. i actually measured a few sets - http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=2355393&postcount=9

while the impacts are MOSTLY larger, the difference is, in almost all cases, tiny. half a tenth or less in many cases. i can't recall a single instance where the wall thickness of impact vs chrome impacted a job in my experience. not once. i don't doubt that there are instances where it matters, but i'd posit that a particular brand/size of impact might be NARROWER than a different brand (same size) of chrome. point being - i don't buy the 'impact is too thick to use everywhere'.

ahm

 

[Marvelicious]

Age old battle here Adam. The techs and the financially capable spring for SO or some other prestige brand, the proudly budget minded head another direction.

The most of us are somewhere in the middle. A mix of some economical stuff with a few prestige items tossed in because we could at one time or another. Much of Europe lives by this idea toolwise.

Much of America too. That is exactly my point. I'm not saying "don't ever waste your money on chrome sockets", what I am saying is that there are still items I don't have that I would probably use more than I use the chrome sockets I have. I still don't have a set of snap ring pliers that are worth a slippery eff... (I need the real deal, not these "convertible" pieces of ****).

Assuming you've already got a compressor and an impact, my vote is to go get the impact sockets first. This is advice for a hobbyist, not a pro. If you make your living with your tools, **** it up and spend the cash - it's a tax write-off! As a hobbyist, sometimes I buy the tool the day I need it. Buy the chrome sockets the day you run across a spot your impact won't go!

 

[woody 73]

I had to think more about this post and a good (make that a poor night's sleep) got me thinking about skipping chrome (just for the op) and instead looking at just buying the following sockets:

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...-Thin-Wall-Deep-Impact-Socket-Set---6-Point-/

Thin like chrome they would get the job done.