# New tools recommendations



## Electric_Andy (11 Mar 2020)

I've decided to bite the bullet and get a good socket set. The one I have has been very useful but at only £30 odd, some of the sockets have been chewed inside. This has led me in desperation to use the smaller sockets with adapters, which have all broken!

I'm looking at this one: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/44-piece-12-metric-socket-set/ It's a bit more than I want to spemd but I figured it should last a lifetime. Or are there any other brands that people recommend?


Also, I need an impact wrench too. The one I've seen (corded) is 450nm torque and less than half the price of the cordless ones. Would anyone advise against using a corded one? All I can see is that you're paying more for a battery, charger etc with a cordless one, and whilst they are very handy, Im always near a plug socket when I will be using it


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## I like Skol (11 Mar 2020)

A bit paltry IMO

I have been using a Sealey AK694 for over 20yrs and still going strong. Only issue I have had is mainly that the plastic tray broke up after a decade or so, mostly due to being bounced around in the back of my old landrover.

Also consider the AK690 1/4" socket set. By far my favourite tool set as the small size makes it a joy to use in most situations where brute gorilla force is not needed, although I have wrestled with some stubborn 13mm nuts at times and always won!


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## MichaelW2 (11 Mar 2020)

Old pro grade tools are a great buy at car boot sales, the larger ones usually have tool specialists.


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## Electric_Andy (11 Mar 2020)

Yes, I'm not too fussed about how many pieces, I just need good quality sockets from 8 - 32mm. I have good quality breaker bar and an ok ratchet that does the job. If you're happy with the Sealey quality though, the AK694 32 piece looks enough for what I need. Ta


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## Electric_Andy (11 Mar 2020)

ok having thoguht about it, I only need the sockets so have bought the sealey sockets only. 

cheers


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## I like Skol (11 Mar 2020)

The sealey is 64 piece and covers metric, imperial and whitworth so is handy for any older or oddball jobs you come across and also likely to find a socket to fit corroded or chewed fasteners.


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## numbnuts (11 Mar 2020)

I bought a Gedore set when I was 16 for my first motorbike, cost an arm and a leg, I still have them all today is perfect working order, I'm 69 this year......


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## Smudge (11 Mar 2020)

I've had a 42 piece 3/8 drive Draper Expert Range socket set for around the last 15 years. Its had a lot of use and i cant really fault it for the £35 i paid for it.
Halfords professional range always seem to get a good rep, especially if you buy them at the discounted prices that come around regularly.


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## Pale Rider (11 Mar 2020)

Half inch drive is rather big and clunky for general use.

Top quality - aka Snap-on - 3/8" is what you will see in most automotive workshops.

Arguably too dear for home use, and not easily available.

Although once you've had Snap-on, most of the rest pale in comparison.

Halfords Professional are surprisingly decent, and being Halfords, easy to obtain.

I see a lot of the recommended sets are six sided.

Probably a safer choice because it's more forgiving of slack manufacturing tolerances and a slightly chewed fixing, but a top quality 12 sided socket is quicker and nicer to work with.

My two best, favourite, and most used sockets are 3/8" drive 10mm and 13mm Snap-on 12 sided flank drive.

Flank drive is their design which drives against the flat part of the nut rather than the corners, which gives better grip and is less inclined to round the nut.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvQAAd-gdE8


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## Smudge (11 Mar 2020)

Snap On used to also sell tools branded with the name Par X. I bought these as an apprentice motor mechanic in the mid 70's instead of Snap On, because the price was better for my low apprentice wages. They were still very high quality tools, but without the expensive Snap On name.
I only stuck the apprenticeship for a year as i hated it.


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## Pale Rider (11 Mar 2020)

Blue Point, sometimes called Blue Spot, is another Snap-on budget brand.

This being Snap-on, 'budget' is a relative term.

Still decent quality, I have a few.

http://www.snapon-bluepoint.com.sg/Home


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## derrick (11 Mar 2020)

Electric_Andy said:


> I've decided to bite the bullet and get a good socket set. The one I have has been very useful but at only £30 odd, some of the sockets have been chewed inside. This has led me in desperation to use the smaller sockets with adapters, which have all broken!
> 
> I'm looking at this one: https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/44-piece-12-metric-socket-set/ It's a bit more than I want to spemd but I figured it should last a lifetime. Or are there any other brands that people recommend?
> 
> ...


Snap on. 👍


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## wisdom (5 Apr 2020)

numbnuts said:


> I bought a Gedore set when I was 16 for my first motorbike, cost an arm and a leg, I still have them all today is perfect working order, I'm 69 this year......


I got my Gedore set when I was just 17.Heavy haulage apprentice.It too was AF,Metric and whitworth.Still got them all now 41 yrs and all are fine.Came in a blue metal box.


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## bruce1530 (6 Apr 2020)

I picked up a “Halfords Advanced Professional” 200 piece socket set. Lists at around £325, usually retails for 200+. Sometimes you can get big special offer discounts.

I got it in Cash Converters for 50 quid.

Lifetime guarantee on all of the parts - the plastic case it comes in had a damaged hinge, and Halfords replaced it, even though I had bought it second hand. 
Quality of the tools is far better than any other socket set I have used (although I have never used Snap-on).

I love it - and I hate it. 

I love it because the quality is so good.
I hate it cos it weighs a ton, is quite bulky, and 95% of the stuff will never be used. I’m seriously considering buying another smaller set, same quality, but only with the handful of sockets that I use regularly.


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## Electric_Andy (6 Apr 2020)

bruce1530 said:


> I95% of the stuff will never be used.


 Yeah that's why in the end I went with a 10 piece socket set, think they were Sealey, excellent quality and only a fraction of the cost of a full set. I've used a few on some really tough bolts so far and they still look brand new inside.


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## wafter (6 Apr 2020)

I've had good experiences with Sealey, Signet, Facom and Wera although they don't see much hard use. My old chap was a mechanic and used these brands amongst others (Britool and Gedore which are also decent); they seem like good value mid-range gear and a cut above the likes of Draper.

As with everything else I think you need to be careful in researching individual items though and not put too much importance on brand reputation as they can change, go bust, get bought out.. while some brands offer better tools of one type than of another. 

While I like nice gear and am usually happy to spend a fair wedge on quality, I've personally never had any time for Snap On since quality as it may be, it still seems grossly over-priced and I think their pricing is somewhat exploititive and marketing-led rather than 100% reflective of product quality.

Ultimately if you're not using the gear daily for heavy tasks (hanging off it with 5ft of breaker bar and tube!) any decent mid-range stuff should do you well. I reckon your sealey stuff should be fine


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## rogerzilla (6 Apr 2020)

My experience of Machine Mart stuff (mostly branded Clarke) is that it's of dubious quality.


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