dan9090 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I got my first truck last year, 1988 truck cab 90, and do most non-major jobs myself. Been begging and borrowing tools so far but about to take the plunge with a new stocked up tool chest I already have an imperial socket set and spanner so mainly looking metric. I have my eye on this .... http://www.toolsnstuff.co.uk/product_info....380dedfcc03bfbc What do you think? Will it have most things I need to maintain my 90? What are views re the quality of this brand? Any thoughts appreciated. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I wouldn't buy tools that way. Buy the tools you need, rather than a load you don't. halfords professional socket sets are good value for money, they're nice too. halfords sell the individual sockets too, handy for the really large ones. Build your collection up over time, if that means buying a tool to do the job delays it for a while, so be it, at least you're buying a tool you're going to use. I much prefer it that way to shelling out £250 on tools, some of which i may never use. Buying tools individually means you can decide at what level you want to buy, for instance you want a good socket set so you dont round off bolt heads or nuts, but just the same, a cheap pair of wire cutters (say) may do just fine. It's the way i've built my tool box, and yes it's annoying when you've not got the right tool, but it's not like i'm doing this professionally, i can delay the job until i have the right tool. My 2p, I'm sure others will have other opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I'm with Luke on this - the tools they throw in with those cabinets are often poor quality even in the more expensive deals, the really cheap ones are likely to be made of chocolate and will be less use than having no tools at all as they will b*gger things up, break, and generally make things harder. Buy decent quality - Halfords Professional are very good and have a lifetime warranty I believe. Laser and Teng also seem to do some nice stuff for sensible money. Draper and Sealey can be good but they also sell some really cheap tat so beware. If you already have imperial sockets and a ratchet all you need are some metric sockets on a rail and you're covered. Go for the wall-drive 6-point ones. I do as Luke does - if a job needs a certain tool I'll buy it. Sometimes that can be a bit pricey but I have yet to spend more on a tool than it would've cost me to pay someone to do the job. I think the biggest purchase was an 18v sabre saw to remove a pair of 109 tub sides rather than pay £100 per side from Paddocks and that has paid for itself many times over since. Likewise look for deals - I needed a bearing puller for a job and spent a little extra to get a set of four from tiny to huge that were on special offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan9090 Posted January 18, 2008 Author Share Posted January 18, 2008 thanks for all the replies guys, i want to make the right choice. (especially when the wife is telling me everyday what she could do with that money... ) im off to look at Halfords professional sets it would seem! they certainly seem popular with you folks anyone any experience of Halfords tool chests?... they do the ball bearing roller ones which are same (quite high) price as everyone else but then do some cheaper ones. dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkw90 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I have had a Halfords tool chest for about a year now it was worth every penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 The Halfords chests are worth every penny - I have had 2 for some years now, and have been more than pleased with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkw90 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 I don't know if there still on offer but they were doing a deal about a month ago with a chest full of tools for £199, all the tools and chest were from the Halfords pro range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Halfords here too, good gear. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigblue110 Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 totally agree with all of the above points, personally i prefer to spend lots of money on high quality gear but then im using them every usable hour under the sun/moon but as landy man luke sed sometimes the cheapest pair of snips or screw drivers do just the job. on the point of tool chests see plenty of agency mechs coming and going out of our workshop and halfords pro seems to be quite a comman set used, and looks just as good as any other gear out there on the market. but when it comes to the crunch you cant ever argue with a life time warranty! top tools i say for the DIYer and at a none wallet draining price to! as for buying sets i wouldnt even consider it, loads of tools you'l rarely, if ever use and the ones you want to use u'll have broken the last time you got it out the crappy plastic tray. good way to waste a load of money i say. i 'accidentally' drove over my wonderful sealey box set supplied buy work with a chally2 just to make a point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 It's a nice idea, but lots of stuff that you are never likely to use - eg the 1/4 & 3/8 drive stuff. I have a FEW items of that, but they were bought as required - I have a couple of dealers within 10 mins so picking it up (or having them deliver it free) has never been an issue. The bulk of my kit has been bought piecemeal & is Facom. Follow the advice given above & you won't go far wrong. Wall drive sockets are very good & apart from one or two jobs that need bi-hex (some LR brake caliper bolts for example) they and hex sockets are the way to go. I have a small set of metrinch combination spanners & they get used a LOT! If you have a good used tool dealer near you then you can usually pick stuff up for a song & that includes all the big makes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiall Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 For diy get what u need , if u want better feel get facom , if u use your tools day in and day out get snap-on it depends on budget and what u really are u going to u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 I have a mate who sells loads of random stuff on eBay and then when he's got a pile of PayPal cash in his account, he goes and buys a load of Facom tools from one of the online vendors. It's rather nice gear. It'd be very easy to resent a man who has a big workshop full of Facom tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 yep, agree with everyone else... Halfords tools all the way, the big set they do for £150, is always on offer for £99... this would be a great place to start. I have a halfords tool cart, bought it to go under my Snap-on top box, the difference is huge, but the Snap-on is £650 new, and the Halfords cart was only about £240... for my weekend use the Halfords gear will last for ever.. I've also got a set of Britool ring spanners (Ebay, about 1/3 of their retail value) and various Teng and Facom bits... Good tools will last forever, I doubt i will need to replace my ring spanners or sockets unless the are nicked, as I ain't gonna wear em out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan9090 Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 thanks for the replies. im glad i asked the question since being a novice I just assumed for some reason that Draper Expert was a good choice. on the other hand, without all the high recommendations you've given it, I probably would have steered clear of Halfords 'own-brand'. now i'm just deciding whether to go for the big carry case or the nice sets in moulded trays that fit into the tool chests Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishbosh Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Dan - be careful to get the Halfords Professional range and not their normal stuff - there is a big difference and the stuff in the chests is often not the Professional Series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have two sets of Halfords professional tools - one for work, and one in my inventing shed. If anything breaks (which is rare), they usually replace it without question - lifetime gurantee on these tools and they are good quality. I recently replaced my 3/8" ratchet and the idiot behind the counter asked what I used it for............. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 i think thats the standard thing they are trained to say, everytime i walk in there i can only get about 10 metres before someone asks what i'm looking for, then stares blankly at me when i ask before saying... 'what are you using it for?' i mean ffs how do you explain what you use etch primer for without saying 'etch priming'???!! sorry rant over, btw i have quite a few halfords pro tools and would definately recommend them. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soutie Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 My second ratchet socket set was a Draper set that I am still using 14 years after getting it for a birthday present. It came in a metal box with 1/2' and 1/4' drive. To use the sockets that are smaller than 17mm on the 1/2' drive one has to use a 3/8's adaptor. One can also use the 13mm sockets and down with the 1/4' adaptor. I have never had problem with it and have supplemented it with the draper professional 1/2' sockets. I have to agree that the halfords socket spanners are really worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JST Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have two sets of Halfords professional tools - one for work, and one in my inventing shed. If anything breaks (which is rare), they usually replace it without question - lifetime gurantee on these tools and they are good quality.I recently replaced my 3/8" ratchet and the idiot behind the counter asked what I used it for............. Les. Les - thats probably because you had welded an extension on it, flattened one end and stuck a handle on the other and it was covered in mud or something similar! i forgot to add ^^^ for what they said, and i wouldnt buy draper. Kasama (sp?) have served me well over the years as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj_110 Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Snap on... Or do what my mate has done. Buy a machine mart set, and every time something brakes replace it with the most expensive tool you can afford, eg snap on. I totally boycot Mac-tools...but keep asking their franchisee for flankdrive spanners and other typical snap-on stuff hehehe JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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