28 replies to this topic

[nrwilliams]

I hope this is in the right section.

I was wondering what socket sets people have/use/like?

I have always bought cheap and to be honest never really had a problem, my current set is 12 years old and from Halfords, but at the weekend I changed an engine in a Fiesta and used a friends Snapon socket set, and have to say it just felt quality, the ratchets were so usable and it was just nicer to user.

So I am thinking of treating myself to a decent set, any suggestions?

Thanks

Neil

[MRA]

Are yo ua Snap-On dealer by any chance ??

I mix & match as some tools from Britool are better than Snap-on, likewise I have a set of 3/8" drive sockets that I bought for £3.75 and I use them daily and on an impact gun

[nrwilliams]

LOL I wish, just seen the prices!!!

I will have a look at Britool, never heard of them, also just seen the Halfords stuff has a lifetime warranty )

Are yo ua Snap-On dealer by any chance ??

I mix & match as some tools from Britool are better than Snap-on, likewise I have a set of 3/8" drive sockets that I bought for £3.75 and I use them daily and on an impact gun

[lee439]

most of my personal tools are snap on collected after years of mechanicing and although they are good ive found most tools
that offer life time guarantee are good as they have to be of a decent standard to offer such a guarantee facom and britool used to be excellent however dont seem to see much of them now suppose it depends on how much use they are going to get to justify spending the snap on money our snap on dealer used to be quite good with freebies too t shirts ect but now being in the raf im used to using bad quality cheap tools !!

[Tupers]

I really like Bergen composite ratchets and Signet sockets and extension bars.

[Dan]

Britool stuff is made by grinding up old tanks, field guns, body armour, armoured cars and personnel transporters, heating it all in a volcano and forging what comes out the other end between slabs of granite. It's indestructible and very heavy duty. Lasts forever. Halfords Professional is good stuff, I'll use anything that's got some quality to it really. I have lots of Halfords, some Snap On, some Facom, some Britool, some King Dick, some Sykes. I have, I regret, about 3 items that say Draper on them because I can't find them made by anyone else. I use them sparingly but they are failing anyway!

[TopCatCustom]

I'm a Snap On convert now, I replaced all my socketry with it, metric and imperial, deep and shallow, 1/4" 3/8" and 1/2" and about 6 ratchets etc, but my bank balance would have been much healthier without it! Is very nice stuff though and I use 6 point sockets for everything I can.

Apart from that, I found Draper Expert tools to be just fine, Halfords tools are also good.

For anything other than sockets and spanners I use mainly who has a good reputation- i.e. Bahco files are excellent, Stanley chippy tools are good etc etc. I'm not into branding too much- i.e. welders etc from places like Snap On are usually re-branded other makes.

[MRA]

We sell Draper tools, Elora sockets are marketted by Draper and we have found them to be very good quality, they certainly don't spread like the new Snap-on sockets that I have.

Having said that I am putting a bearing puller together made of our own parts and Snap-On parts from our local supplier.... who also happens to own a Mini

[ANON]

have used most makes over the years. snap on is good but i don't think worth the money.

i bough a huge crescent 442 piece set from costso the other year. to be honest very pleased with it. have been quite brutal with some of it and it's still fine. the ratchets aren't the best but not nasty ones.
big set to, metric + olde worlde, 3mm-32mm sockets, af up to 1 1/2" loads of spanners, allen keys, torx bits, ratchet spanners etc...

think it was just over £200 but they don't have them in often though.

Edited by ANON, 22 March 2011 - 07:10 PM.

[bcjames]

My kit is pretty much all Snap-On now and I love it. That said, on a budget, I'd pick up an SO or similar ratchet, and a set of Halfords Pro sockets. That's the set up I ran with for quite a while, the ratchets feel real nice and the sockets hold up fine.

[TopCatCustom]

A few years ago when I had little money I splashed out £90 on a very small Elora 3/8 socket set and I have never been more disappointed! the ratchet has about 4 teeth and fell apart within a month, the sockets are ok but it is pretty crude. Managed to put it back together and keep it in my motor incase, but not great.

[Barman]

I've just taken my Mini apart with a Halfords socket set that I bought in about 1977... still going strong!

[MRA]

I was given a brand new unopened spark plug cleaner the other week..... from 1972. still in its box with the bag of sand etc......

[paul_s]

I've got a mix, I started off my tools with a cheap toolset, all in one box thing with 3/8" sockets and a bunch of screwdrivers, hammers, etc.
Last year I bought a lovely Britool 1/2" drive set, and it's simply brilliant, the ratchet is super smooth. I'm going to find it hard to buy anything else now!

In all honesty, I bought the cheap set to get me started, with the idea that I'd replace it with decent parts as things broke. But the sockets have been absolutely fine and I've had it about 5 years. Any new additions will have to be Britool or similar for me

[lrostoke]

My socket set is a 1/2" drive Halfords set, I've no idea how long Ive had it must be 10 years still going strong, and although you shouldn't sockets do get used with the air gun and no problems.