Cheap tool set?

Zascar

Can anyone recommend a tool set that is not expensive but has a decent selection of tools? I have some random stuff but would like to buy a set in a box with most of the normal stuff you need, some sockets, wrenches etc. Can anyone recommend the best value stuff to get? Thanks

quadrifoglio verde

Zascar wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a tool set that is not expensive but has a decent selection of tools? I have some random stuff but would like to buy a set in a box with most of the normal stuff you need, some sockets, wrenches etc. Can anyone recommend the best value stuff to get? Thanks

The halfords tool set is really good and comes with lifetime warranty.
Join airport group schemes (it's free) and you get 10% off every time in halfords.

colm_mcm

Halfords 200 piece one is the job. Its almost always half price.

http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/garage-equipment/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-professional-200-piece-socket-and-ratchet-spanner-set

Not at the moment but keep an eye on it

Ferris

Another vote for the halfords set here, I use mine all the time.

Zascar

Thanks but wow that Halfords one is pretty expensive!

I saw a few on Amazon, are any of these any good? http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_nr_seeall_3?rh=k%3Atool+set%2Ci%3Adiy&keywords=tool+set&ie=UTF8&qid=1424891423

I'm wondering would it be better to buy it bits, like get a socket set and spanner set seperately
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_nr_seeall_3?rh=k%3Atool+set%2Ci%3Adiy&keywords=tool+set&ie=UTF8&qid=1424891423
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mannesmann-Socket-Bit-Set-Pieces/dp/B009I4HRDW/ref=sr_1_5?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1424891461&sr=1-5&keywords=tool+set
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-SP1236-Combination-Spanner-12-Piece/dp/B000LFRYG2/ref=sr_1_11?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1424892341&sr=1-11&keywords=tool+set

biko

I started off years ago with just buying what I needed from factors and putting it all in a box from Argos/Lidl/Aldi or similar.
If you're just a hobby mech you may want to check Aldi/Lidl offer out.
There is a few threads on this in the DIY forum.

Mervyn Skidmore

I have the Halfords 120 piece set. At €100 and a lifetime guarantee it can't be bet. Be very wary of cheap Chinese chocolate tools.

my3cents

From Amazon if you bought
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-Socket-Piece-Square-Drive/dp/B0001OZHS0 and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bahco-Socket-Piece-Square-Drive/dp/B0001JZRYY
you would be unlikely to need anymore sockets.

I have both of the above and they have taken massive abuse.

Special Circumstances

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

The halfords tool set is really good and comes with lifetime warranty.
Join airport group schemes (it's free) and you get 10% off every time in halfords.

Ya boy ya, my previous source of vouchers had dried up.

I've a small 1/2 inch ratchet set from halfords and a breaker bar. 3/8 and 1/4 inch sets and a torque wrench from lidl. I usually only do small stuff or stuff that's handy without a lift but what I have has seen me through flushing diffs,removing prop shaft, replacing power steering pump,brakes,window motors and regulators, arb bushings and drop links.

Interslice

Bahco make great stuff ^. The lidl 230 odd piece set is great if you come across it. Find it better than the halfords one on terms of quality. Maybe they do different grades of tools though not sure bute broke my friends 1/4inch halfords ratchet in 5 months. The lidl equivilant i have has done 10 times the graft and not a bother on it. Bit of play but nothing major. All the sockets and bits are excellent.

my3cents

Interslice wrote: »

Bahco make great stuff ^. The lidl 230 odd piece set is great if you come across it. Find it better than the halfords one on terms of quality. Maybe they do different grades of tools though not sure bute broke my friends 1/4inch halfords ratchet in 5 months. The lidl equivilant i have has done 10 times the graft and not a bother on it. Bit of play but nothing major. All the sockets and bits are excellent.

If its available (about once every 6 months) on a limited budget I'd go for the big Lidl set the quality is excellent.

cletus

Interslice wrote: »

Bahco make great stuff ^. The lidl 230 odd piece set is great if you come across it. Find it better than the halfords one on terms of quality. Maybe they do different grades of tools though not sure bute broke my friends 1/4inch halfords ratchet in 5 months. The lidl equivilant i have has done 10 times the graft and not a bother on it. Bit of play but nothing major. All the sockets and bits are excellent.

If your buying Halfords told it has to be the advance/professional range. The other stuff is just cheese

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

corsav6

Interslice wrote: »

Bahco make great stuff ^. The lidl 230 odd piece set is great if you come across it. Find it better than the halfords one on terms of quality. Maybe they do different grades of tools though not sure bute broke my friends 1/4inch halfords ratchet in 5 months. The lidl equivilant i have has done 10 times the graft and not a bother on it. Bit of play but nothing major. All the sockets and bits are excellent.

How much was the lidl set? I can't find any info on Google.

my3cents

corsav6 wrote: »

How much was the lidl set? I can't find any info on Google.

Hard to say as they seem to change them a little bit each time they have them iirc the set I'm thinking of was about €50 may have been less, picture of one I know was OK here from this other forum discussing them from a couple of years back.

Edit> Another Lidl one more recent I think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgmkXZ_EnAE

corsav6

my3cents wrote: »

Hard to say as they seem to change them a little bit each time they have them iirc the set I'm thinking of was about €50 may have been less, picture of one I know was OK here from this other forum discussing them from a couple of years back.

Edit> Another Lidl one more recent I think https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgmkXZ_EnAE

Thanks, they look good in the pic. I'll keep an eye on lidl specials because I need a set for moderate use and don't want to spend too much.

Interslice

cletus wrote: »

If your buying Halfords told it has to be the advance/professional range. The other stuff is just cheese

Ah i see that there now. Cheese would be a good description of the tray of scrap my mate has, i'll let him know his mistake! Would just barely do for a bicycle. Doesn't even have sizes on the plastic tray for the sockets which is head melter. I was wondering how so many were recommending it!

corsav6 wrote: »

How much was the lidl set? I can't find any info on Google.

I paid 90 euro 4/5 years ago.

This one



I use it once a week and not a bother. Replaced the 10/12/13/17 spanners with tengs so I can bate them with a hammer! Probably do the same with the ratchets eventually.

Special Circumstances

Is there any way to complement someone on their toolbox/gear/set without it sounding wrong? Anyway, that does look like decent set.. every thing and more that I have collected across 3 ratchet sets and a set of spanners.

This

http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1798168

plus this

http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=1639376

plus this

http://www.micksgarage.com/proddetails.aspx?pid=4154621

using this is a pretty good quality set for €90 quid. Get something else useful that you might need for €10 to round it off to 100.

biko

biko wrote: »

I started off years ago with just buying what I needed from factors and putting it all in a box from Argos/Lidl/Aldi or similar.
If you're just a hobby mech you may want to check Aldi/Lidl offer out.
There is a few threads on this in the DIY forum.

Thats what I call the first year apprentice approach. A valuable lesson I was thought years ago. I used to buy one good tool a week (most weeks) as an apprentice sparks and ended up with a fairly substantial tool kit in the end. Started doing the same with motoring tools (bloody Lidl and ebay) and am looking at investing in two of these to house everything. All my stuff is in 7 or 8 crappy plastic toolboxes and random cabinets in the shed. I CAN NEVER FIND WHAT I NEED WHEN I NEED IT!

Guy:Incognito

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Thats what I call the first year apprentice approach. A valuable lesson I was thought years ago. I used to buy one good tool a week (most weeks) as an apprentice sparks and ended up with a fairly substantial tool kit in the end. Started doing the same with motoring tools (bloody Lidl and ebay) and am looking at investing in two of these to house everything. All my stuff is in 7 or 8 crappy plastic toolboxes and random cabinets in the shed. I CAN NEVER FIND WHAT I NEED WHEN I NEED IT!

Those entry level boxes are fairly poor, very flimsy. These offers are much better http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/garage-equipment/tool-chests-tool-boxes/halfords-professional-5-drawer-ball-bearing-cabinet .
Roll cab and top box for €299.

I went with this http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/garage-equipment/tool-chests-tool-boxes/halfords-industrial-6-drawer-ball-bearing-tool-cabinet and matching top. I need a middle box cos I'm out of space now. Though I did get mine with a view to getting back in to serve my time but havnt found anywhere yet.

When I got it, the offer included the 150 piece set with the boxes

They sell the trays to take them out of the carry case and fit in the drawers




I need spanner holders, I've since got loads more. I have a bit of a ratchet spanner fetish :-)




All the other drawers are full too but I don't think anyone wants a full thread of my drawers

cletus

Interslice wrote: »

Ah i see that there now. Cheese would be a good description of the tray of scrap my mate has, i'll let him know his mistake! Would just barely do for a bicycle. Doesn't even have sizes on the plastic tray for the sockets which is head melter. I was wondering how so many were recommending it!

From Halfords

Tools


Cheese

Interslice

His looks similar with a red and black rubber handle. Will get a pic of it later in the week as another to avoid. I semi-retract all my previous abuse of halfords ratchets over the last few months!

goz83

Mighty fine set above. I have the halfords pro kit. Has come in so handy and is excellent quality. The only thing that failed were the hinges of the case. Easily solved by running 2 large screws through the hinges horizontally, making damn sure they don't fail again. Would love a cabinet like the one above, but kit I have, along with the other tools I have are all I need.

TrailerBob

cletus wrote: »

From Halfords

Tools

You just need to be careful with the plastic carry case for these, it can crack if you threw something heavy in on top of it ....:D

But the set is fantastic.. I have given mine plenty of abuse dismantling and reassembling tractors... No breakages yet.

cletus

TrailerBob wrote: »

You just need to be careful with the plastic carry case for these, it can crack if you threw something heavy in on top of it ....:D

Well who's the smart fücker tonight ,:D

Guy:Incognito

Lovely set Guy. I'm no mechanic so wouldn't be going all out.

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Those entry level boxes are fairly poor, very flimsy.

I just want them to house whatever tools I have. The boxes themselves will probably never move. Just storage. Have a handy tool bag and DIY trolley thing for whatever I need when I'm arsing around. My bro has a Snap On tool chest from his toolmaking days many many moons ago. The box itself is still rock solid but the castors have bid their farewell. Result of half a tonne of obsolete tooling I suppose.


I went with this http://www.halfords.ie/motoring/garage-equipment/tool-chests-tool-boxes/halfords-industrial-6-drawer-ball-bearing-tool-cabinet and matching top. I need a middle box cos I'm out of space now. Though I did get mine with a view to getting back in to serve my time but havnt found anywhere yet.

I can buy something from bangernomics for that price! :eek: :pac: I still like it though.

All the other drawers are full too but I don't think anyone wants a full thread of my drawers

Ah go on. Show us!

cerastes

Interslice wrote: »

Ah i see that there now. Cheese would be a good description of the tray of scrap my mate has, i'll let him know his mistake! Would just barely do for a bicycle. Doesn't even have sizes on the plastic tray for the sockets which is head melter. I was wondering how so many were recommending it!




I paid 90 euro 4/5 years ago.

This one



I use it once a week and not a bother. Replaced the 10/12/13/17 spanners with tengs so I can bate them with a hammer! Probably do the same with the ratchets eventually.

The one I got from Lidl, is very similar, looks like its the same from the youtube link, Ive only used it a few times, but its seems fairly ok.
It was €49.99, not sure if I got it on offer, there are no combination spanners in it, but I think there might be some impact drivers though.

Good thread, need to get a roll around to put tools in, as someone else said, I have mine in all different boxes.

Ive seen some in Lidl, I might try one of them, the better halfords one looks ok.

toastedpickles

The halfords set i think is very good, i got mine for 150ish and its stood by me through all ive done on both my cars and other peoples too, looking at getting a 300 piece teng tool set now soon though

my3cents

toastedpickles wrote: »

The halfords set i think is very good, i got mine for 150ish and its stood by me through all ive done on both my cars and other peoples too, looking at getting a 300 piece teng tool set now soon though

But why do people buy sets when a lot of the tools will never be used?

I can see the point of a good basic socket set or buying a large set to get you started but why more than one?

toastedpickles

my3cents wrote: »

But why do people buy sets when a lot of the tools will never be used?

I can see the point of a good basic socket set or buying a large set to get you started but why more than one?

you never know when you might need two 18mil deep sockets for say a ball joint nut, and you've only one socket with two ratchets or something, its just handy to have another spare set lying about

Zascar

This thread should be renamed "Show us your tool" :pac:

So thanks for the replies but I went with a budget option, but I still think I got a lot for my money.

I went with this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009I4HRDW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE



A lot in it, seriously good value and great reviews. I just cant justify buying anything more expensive as I use them so little

I also bought this set of spanners and this hex key set - and I got the whole thing delivered for €42