tools - quality of

[kitped]

In my experience Rolson is just a cheap Chinese brand, not saying that any of the other rmarkes arn't made in China but you normally see that brand in the pound shops overhere!! Be OK for very light work but anything where you need to give it a bit then quality everytime.

[benhur]

In my experience Rolson is just a cheap Chinese brand, not saying that any of the other rmarkes arn't made in China but you normally see that brand in the pound shops overhere!! Be OK for very light work but anything where you need to give it a bit then quality everytime.

thought so, which is why i posted the question. I have already had cheap allen keys ruin two bolts...dont want cheap sockets creating more work....time for some solid tools - am starting to think it might be a good idea to save up for some wurth or beta quality stuff

[kitped]

Its true what they say in that you get what you pay for, quality tools will last a lifetime unless you are hamfisted of really abuse them and use them in a way they are not intended.

[Stormforce8]

The Halfords Professional range as mentioned previously is a great place to start - to get you started, take a look at THIS ONE

Avoid the cheaper end of the market - mostly, you do get what you pay for.

I suffer badly from a tool fetish, but it does making spannering pleasurable if you have the right tool for the job

Snap On mainly do excellent tools - many of them are re-branded from other quality manufacturers, but IMPO they still make the best toolboxes by far.

If you want to explore, do some searches on the following manufacturers - they all make quality tools - you'll tend to find that the majority are excellent in one particular area eg Bondhus make fantastic hex drivers, etc

Snap On (my choice of sockets)
Facom (my choice of ratchets)
Hazet
Beta
Gedore
Koken
PB Swisstool (my favourite drivers)
Bahco
Bondhus
Witte
Knipex (my choice of pliers)
Wera
Mac
Stahlwille
Wiha

[jarl]

My parents bought me a large Sealey ratchet/socket set. Fantastic bit of kit, I'd defo add Sealey to the list of quality manufacturers.

Personally, essential tools are decent spanners (ring/open)- 8-17 or 19mm, plus a really good 6mm spanner for the trannie wheel nipples. Decent socket set, decent allen keys (Ball ended allen keys can be a lifesaver), mole grips (these can be cheap), hammers- metal and plastic (again, can be cheap), pliers- normal and long nosed (probably want to spend a bit on the "normal" pliers, but I find that the long nosed ones are used for manoeuvring stuff rather than hard gripping so can be cheap), dremel like tool with fibreglass reinforced cutting discs and wire brush wheels (can also but cheap, but make sure you get a set of earplugs!).

I have a torque wrench (14-200Nm) and it never really comes out to play. The small stuff you just do up until it's tight enough, the big ones you either do up "bloody tight" or get the torque wrench out, so I wouldn't worry too much about not having a small torque wrench. Oil filters go on until they get a bit tight, then another 1/2 turn or so.

Also just as important as good tools is, IMO, a tub of copperslip to put on your threads so they don't sieze. Granted, more of a problem in the UK than malta, but I'd definitely recommend it as it saves you a LOT of hassle!

[Rubberchicken]

Torque wrenches tend to be useful for delicate stuff, I had a lidl one for ages for the obligatory wheel nut but when I did the head job on the GS I bought a proper set of big and small torque wrenches from Proxxon, because apparently the difference between having the head bolts too loose, done up just so, or pulling the studs out of the block is not all that big.

It was then that I found out that my cheap&cheerful lidl one was badly knackered and something like 20% off the mark. Which is impossible to see by just looking at it so beware.

Also, always store them completely unwound.

[jarl]

when I did the head job on the GS I bought a proper set of big and small torque wrenches from Proxxon, because apparently the difference between having the head bolts too loose, done up just so, or pulling the studs out of the block is not all that big.

If you're doing head bolts, then DEFINITELY don't use a lidl torque wrench!

[benhur]

wow!!!!thanks for all the pointers - this is going to take ages to sort out!!!

my mum (an ex teacher) always says good teachers give tonnes of home assignments....you guys must be excellent teachers then

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Quality tools are nice but don't underestimate the value of the cheaper "200 sockets, rachets & other tools in a box for 60 quid" type of thing (some are better than others....) - the ability of having a cheap socket to grind down for that awkward nut (bet you wouldn't do that with a £5 snap on socket!) or a wide selection of 1/4, 3/8 & 1/2 inch drive sockets that go down to 2mm (tiny) & up to 24mm. Sure, throw the ratchets in the bin - they'll be crap & buy some decent ones but by & large the sockets will last a lifetime of hobby & DIY use.
Choose one with the most selection of metric sockets
I have only broken one maybe two sockets ever - that's including years of hideous farm (ab)use, think a 6' power bar on a cheapy 17/19mm socket . None have been a top brand.

Personally, I virtually never use a torque wrench - I don't trust 'em & prefer to go by my own feel/judgement.


Phil

[hotbulb]

Quality tools are nice but don't underestimate the value of the cheaper "200 sockets, rachets & other tools in a box for 60 quid" type of thing l

Yes indeed! My big socket set is a second-hand MM/AF/Whit set originally from a Littlewoods (or similar) catalogue. I've had it for 30odd years, used and abused on cars and the Land Rover... including undoing some very big, tight and rusty suspension fittings. It's all still fine. For the bike I have a 1/4 inch Draper set, and a "bitsa" 3/8 set which is also mainly Draper. And when I got the bike I bought a 3/8 Halfords Pro torque wrench ( The Williams Superslim 1/2 inch one I used previously wouldn't "go low enough" for the bike's fittings).