Tool selection help

[newbie12]

Hi guys been a long time lurker and trying to sort out all new tools. I left all of mine on the farm when I moved cities and it's time to start working on cars again as a hobby. Looking to buy a full set. I have been reading as much as I can on here but am more and more confused on what level of tools I really need and which ones are accessible to me in Australia. My spreadsheet keeps growing and growing and I do not know what to get.

For spanners/wrench I am thinking the following:
Stahlwille 11 piece combination wrench set 96401006
KTC Flat Type Extra-Long Offset Wrench Set, M1603
Gearwrench 44 piece combination wrench set 81919 for a second set of spanners - these seem to be made in china now. Is there anything else I should be looking at in comparison to these for a second set of combination wrenches or are these good enough for the home?

Screwdriver set - Wiha 30299 Pro Tool Set with SoftFinish Grip, 20 Piece

Allen key - Rainbow PB swiss or Wera

Will update with more as I continue to piece together my options - ratchets, sockets etc

 

[Jimthediyguy]

If you are looking online, have you looked on Amazon?

Teton makes some good tools, or so I’m told on here. I believe they are made in Taiwan. I would try to stay away from tools made in China.....no prejudice, just experience, tools aren’t real good. But like anything, there are some that are. It’s usually the consumer that has to shell out their hard earned cash to figure out if the tools are or aren’t any good.

Anyway, good luck.....that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jakemac]

If your going to source tools in the Asian market from Australia, I'd look more at the Japanese brands than from China. The general quality will be better.

 

[Gmonkee]

Make your tools fit your needs first.

Stalhwille is good but make the socket set the backup '2nd set' and use the money to get something else.

You may find your new needs are much simpler than what a farm called for.

Take it slow and let your needs dictate what you buy next.

 

[newbie12]

If you are looking online, have you looked on Amazon?

Teton makes some good tools, or so I’m told on here. I believe they are made in Taiwan. I would try to stay away from tools made in China.....no prejudice, just experience, tools aren’t real good. But like anything, there are some that are. It’s usually the consumer that has to shell out their hard earned cash to figure out if the tools are or aren’t any good.

Anyway, good luck.....that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes looking at amazon and ebay as well as some of the tool shops recommended here, frankstools, jensputzier shop. Amazon.de seems to be good for stahlwille. Not too fussed where I have to source the tools from, just looking for good quality at a reasonable price given I won;t be beating on them day in day out. Gearwrench seems to get quite the love here but I figure that might be when they were manufactured in taiwan

 

[newbie12]

Make your tools fit your needs first.

Stalhwille is good but make the socket set the backup '2nd set' and use the money to get something else.

You may find your new needs are much simpler than what a farm called for.

Take it slow and let your needs dictate what you buy next.

Are you saying just get the one set of combination wrenches and buy more sockets? My only thought of a second set was to capture the missing sizes and sometimes you need two of the same size.

 

[newbie12]

I want to build a basic set so wrenches - combination, a few double box end (popular sizes), a flank drive set, then ratchets and sockets 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2", some pliers and add from there breaker bars, flex attachments, ratcheting wrenches from there

 

[newbie12]

the tekton don't look too bad
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0199R9UQ4/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZJN3PQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Gmonkee]

I use wrenches six days a week and it is rare I need two wrench sets. They are in the shop but rare I need to get them.

I use the 3/8" breaker bar and socket as a 2nd wrench as it is in the tote. Less **** to carry for me.

But if you like having multiple sets go for it. It is your dream after all.

 

[ChevyEFI]

I believe Sidchrome has duplicates of the Facom 440 wrenches. Those seem to have a few features for utility and ergonomics better than any Stahlville.

I think you have easier access to Ko-Ken sockets (etc.) than I generally do in the states. If so, they're a nice product.

 

[newbie12]

I use wrenches six days a week and it is rare I need two wrench sets. They are in the shop but rare I need to get them.

I use the 3/8" breaker bar and socket as a 2nd wrench as it is in the tote. Less **** to carry for me.

But if you like having multiple sets go for it. It is your dream after all.

Ahh that's a good point actually, I get you now. Will start with one set and see if the need arises. Do you find a need for dual open end wrenches or are combinations enough? I was thinking about grabbing something like this along with a set of combinations as these can be good fro brake lines and hoses.

https://www.jensputzier.com/stahlwi...9-motor-9-piece-wrench-set-96400310-3385.html

 

[newbie12]

I use wrenches six days a week and it is rare I need two wrench sets. They are in the shop but rare I need to get them.

I use the 3/8" breaker bar and socket as a 2nd wrench as it is in the tote. Less **** to carry for me.

But if you like having multiple sets go for it. It is your dream after all.

Ahh that's a good point actually, I get you now. Will start with one set and see if the need arises. Do you find a need for dual open end wrenches or are combinations enough? I was thinking about grabbing something like this along with a set of combinations as these can be good fro brake lines and hoses.

https://www.jensputzier.com/stahlwi...9-motor-9-piece-wrench-set-96400310-3385.html

 

[Jimthediyguy]

the tekton don't look too bad
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0199R9UQ4/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZJN3PQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

See!

I don’t know what your needs are but when I started I bought a 3/8 and 1/4 socket sets first with, I think 7 wrenches and 3-4 screwdrivers. I thought I was big time. I could carry everything in a paper bag just about. I added the 1/2 drive later......along with a roller box, top box then a middle box and a side box. There seemed to be no end to it. Mind you by then I was buying from the tool trucks. My whole pay was going to them for the tools.

Anyway, just a couple of years ago I inherited my fathers Craftsman tools from the late 40’s early 50’s and everything was hardly used except the 3/8, 1/4 and the wrenches.

Moral of this story.....start with basic smaller sizes then buy as you need to.

Sorry I rambled on.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[newbie12]

See!

I don’t know what your needs are but when I started I bought a 3/8 and 1/4 socket sets first with, I think 7 wrenches and 3-4 screwdrivers. I thought I was big time. I could carry everything in a paper bag just about. I added the 1/2 drive later......along with a roller box, top box then a middle box and a side box. There seemed to be no end to it. Mind you by then I was buying from the tool trucks. My whole pay was going to them for the tools.

Anyway, just a couple of years ago I inherited my fathers Craftsman tools from the late 40’s early 50’s and everything was hardly used except the 3/8, 1/4 and the wrenches.

Moral of this story.....start with basic smaller sizes then buy as you need to.

Sorry I rambled on.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes generally the 3/8 is the most popular. Given that i am having to get most stuff overseas trying to buy as complete a set as possible to save on the shipping costs. The tektons seem to get good reviews.

What's everyone's thoughts on sizes I was thinking 6-24mm but might go up to 30mm should I be going bigger than that, and 1-1/16 to 1-1/4

 

[Gmonkee]

I roll with DOE wrenches for 90% of the work. There are two combos [13 and 18 mm] tossed in for the useful factor.
Fit and resistance to spreading are key, I chose wider open ends to get that and years later still good. If that width is a problem the sockets cover.

Get Euro wrenches if you can, brand aside I prefer the DIN standard stuff myself. Not a bad one in the bunch.

 

[newbie12]

Well spoke to Dave from Tekton, they do not distribute to Australia directly but Amazon does so just waiting to hear if warranty will still be covered.

 

[newbie12]

Any advantage I am missing of combo wrenches verses buying open ends and box ends separately seems to work out much cheaper to buy them separately. Apart from saving space, is there something I am missing?

 

[M6erfan]

Any advantage I am missing of combo wrenches verses buying open ends and box ends separately seems to work out much cheaper to buy them separately. Apart from saving space, is there something I am missing?

Nope.

It's a very good idea if you have the space and it works out financially (over combos). Gives you a bit more flexibility too.

BTW, not sure what your access to KTC is but they make great wrenches. And Ko-ken is outstanding for sockets/extensions/etc. I own and use KTC & Ko-ken and IMO it's hard to do much better.

 

[newbie12]

Here's my current plan.

Get this set and the additional pieces to make it a full set
https://www.jensputzier.com/stahlwi...double-open-end-wrench-set-96400306-3377.html

Seeing as most of my stuff is metric I will grab a set of the tekton sae wrenches, as these should see minimal use

Then grab some box ends which do you reckon would be better out of these two:

https://shop.ktcautotools.com/products/6pcs-extra-long-offset-box-end-wrench-tool-set

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B000HB00CA/

or grab the stahlwille plus this which covers the most common jap sizes
http://www.frankstools.com/ktcfltyexofw.html

 

[M6erfan]

Newbie12, That 1st link to KTC is not the KTC I was speaking of.

You want these, the same Co. as you linked to Frankstools...

http://en.ktc.jp/

Kyoto Tool Company

 

[newbie12]

Newbie12, That 1st link to KTC is not the KTC I was speaking of.

You want these, the same Co. as you linked to Frankstools...

http://en.ktc.jp/

Kyoto Tool Company

Thanks good pickup.

Might grab these too as everyone seems to be raving about them on here as a killer deal:

http://www.ntxtools.com/network-tool-warehouse/KDT-80550F.html

Will grab different ratchets though, or would tekton sockets be better?