Hierarchy of Quality

[BobProperty]

Starting to look for tools for the compressor which I'm supposed to be getting at the weekend. As with most tools there seems to be a lot about, with huge price differences for what is ostensibly the same product.
(As a few of you know I'm in the construction business and to make a similar comparison along the lines of power tools where most people would put say, B&Q own brand near the bottom of the list and say, Pro Hitachi stuff near the top. But then you get what you pay for and I have no need for a £400 drill that can work almost non-stop for 8 hours on a building site but I do want tools that will work well and not break after 10 mins use. Hopefully you get the picture.)
For example, 1/2" drive impact wrench. Screwfix do one for less than £20. A top of the range Ingersoll-Rand is in the order of £300. (one of them will work 24/7 doing things like taking buses apart, the other probably won't )
So what's a good quality brand that will give me satisfactory "serious DIY" quality without going to the industrial 24/7 factory level? Or are some manufacturers good at some tools and worth avoiding for others?

 

[Shox Dr]

I don't think you can beat Bergen Tools, I've had some of their impact sockets for yrs, and they are as good as new, at 20quid for the set, you cant complain. I've also got some of their air tools, and again good gear.

The biggest thing you will find on the cheaper air tool stuff is noise, and vibration, the later because of poor tolerances, and there's not much you can do about that, however the noise you can. Take the coupling off and then the black plastic vent, and fill the void with foam or better still scotch-brite, don't ram it in as you will kill the power. built it back up, and hey-presto a much quieter tool

 

[Tomlt]

Bob, I've been where you are and am still slowly climbing out of it. Cheap tools are false economy even for the serious diyer, let alone pro's.

I do a lot of DIY and have put some thoughts together:

Machine Tools:
Old & british are the best if you can find them and can be had at reasonable prices, good brands being:

Startrite, Myford, Record, Harrison, Colchester etc, but these tend to be pricey so slightly cheaper tend to be places like Axminster Power Tools, Warco & Chester, these tend to be Chinese bought, but built to slightly better spec than the real cheapies.

Power Tools:

Avoid all cheap products from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Own brands etc.
Black and Decker are ok for light DIY, bosch green range is better.

For serious DIY look at the cheaper end of Dewalt, Makita, AEG & Bosch Blue. This usually means slightly older models (Ni-Cd over Ni-Mh/Li-Ion batts for example) but they are usually well built, and the batterys tend to still last well, plus spares are easy to get unlike the unbranded stuff.

Hand Tools:

Again total false economy, they dont last and will break when you push them on something stubborn. I love snap-on gear but its really over priced, also a big fan of Facom. Britool is still ok, but not what it once was, the old tools from them will last a lifetime. Generic Stanley/Bahco tools are pricey in relation to own branded tools, but generally tend to last longer. Forge Steel brand from Screwfix arent bad for the money. If you want spanners/sockets you can do a lot worse than halfords, their pro/advanced range is pretty good and I have yet to not have anything replaced under their lifetime warranty.

Air Tools:

Yeh Ingersoll Rand will last forever, but I've found that Chicago Pneumatic (CP) are cheaper and usually pretty well made. Budget air tools often dont perform to their full potential, especially things like impact wrenches. I would recommend having a look at the Metabo range of air tools in screwfix, these are cheap yet seem pretty good quality, I have one of their impact wrenches and ratchets.

The machine mart/sealey/SIP tools are all usually chinese and built down to a price. I would always say buy the best you can afford, and upgrade tools as they break/wear out as and when you can afford to. Doing it this way I have built up a pretty decent offering of woodwork, mechanics and electronics tools.

HTH, Tom.

 

[zzr1200]

Chicago Pneumatic (CP),were the standard when I started my apprenticeship (but that was 30+ years ago) the other have up their game and overtaken them.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Chicago-Pneum...s=66:4|65:1|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:1|294:200

 

[rtbcomp]

Another way to consider if you're just starting is to buy cheap and cheerful and replace with good quality as they break. It costs more in the long run but eases immediate cashflow.

 

[BobProperty]

I think we share the same opinions.

Power Tools:

Avoid all cheap products from Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Own brands etc.
Black and Decker are ok for light DIY, bosch green range is better.

For serious DIY look at the cheaper end of Dewalt, Makita, AEG & Bosch Blue. This usually means slightly older models (Ni-Cd over Ni-Mh/Li-Ion batts for example) but they are usually well built, and the batterys tend to still last well, plus spares are easy to get unlike the unbranded stuff.

I have 1 cheapo Screwfix SDS drill then my stuff is Ryobi, DeWalt and Makita.

Hand Tools:

Again total false economy, they dont last and will break when you push them on something stubborn. I love snap-on gear but its really over priced, also a big fan of Facom. Britool is still ok, but not what it once was, the old tools from them will last a lifetime. Generic Stanley/Bahco tools are pricey in relation to own branded tools, but generally tend to last longer. Forge Steel brand from Screwfix arent bad for the money. If you want spanners/sockets you can do a lot worse than halfords, their pro/advanced range is pretty good and I have yet to not have anything replaced under their lifetime warranty.

Old Britool Bedford? Stanley and Halfords Pro/Advanced

Air Tools:

Yeh Ingersoll Rand will last forever, but I've found that Chicago Pneumatic (CP) are cheaper and usually pretty well made. Budget air tools often dont perform to their full potential, especially things like impact wrenches. I would recommend having a look at the Metabo range of air tools in screwfix, these are cheap yet seem pretty good quality, I have one of their impact wrenches and ratchets.

The machine mart/sealey/SIP tools are all usually chinese and built down to a price. I would always say buy the best you can afford, and upgrade tools as they break/wear out as and when you can afford to. Doing it this way I have built up a pretty decent offering of woodwork, mechanics and electronics tools.

HTH, Tom.

A number of people seem to like CP. That Metabo by Screwfix looks OK but uses a lot of air and doesn't have the power of the more expensive CP kit.
From the ebay link in this thread - CP:
Working Torque Range Nm 34-542
Max. Torque @ 6.2 Bar Reverse Nm 746
Avg Air consumption l/min 135
Actual Air Consumption @ load l/min 538
The Metabo from Screwfix:
Air requirement 12cfm (360Ltr/min).
Torque 365Nm (270ft/lb).

 

[Chipper]

For compressors I went with Abac, a British company with local service agents. Could've driven it back to their base if I needed while in warranty, but local guy would've taken care of that. Mine's just DIY use, 3hp / 14.5 cfm displacement, but used a few times a week for the last 3-4 yrs no hint of bother (thats cursed it then...). Price was as good or better than comparable things too.

 

[Stewart]

If you keep an eye on ebay & also ebay motors you can pick up some really good tools for cheap like snap on & mac tools also looking on American ebay is worth it. I managed to get a good snap on 1/2 impact gun for £10 delivered from america and its spot on. Had to wait for delivery but was worth it.

 

[TechnicAl]

Facom always makes me titter

Whichever way I pronounce it, it just sounds wrong

either Fake em, or F**k em

 

[Hitch]

Air tools wise, ive not had any problems with the likes of clarke/sealey for stuff thats not used day in day out.
The big brands in pneumatic tools, Chicago Pneumatic, Desoutter, Ingersol Rand, Senco, (mostly nailers/staplers) Atlas Copco...

Then your down to stuff like Universal..

Dont know if these are comparable to what your looking for Bob, but ABAC do a diy range...

I think Fiac also do a diy range.

Both abac and fiac are leading manufacturers of compressors...

 

[Benny]

I got a set from argos which has an impact wrench, an air ratchet and sockets. was quite cheap and not bad quality. i do quite a bit of diy and these tools seem to be sufficient. then again i only got them at xmas but hopefully they will keep going.

 

[rory1]

Air tools wise, ive not had any problems with the likes of clarke/sealey for stuff thats not used day in day out.

i agree, the majority of my 'home' ( only used on the weekends) air tools are clarke, put a squirt of oil in them before i use them and they run fine, not had any problems.

for every day use ingersol rand do very good large air tools, i have a 1" drive impact gun /nut runner that runs off a road compressor that has lasted ages without a spot of bother. which come to think of it is pretty amazing since the road compressor has no water separator or filter.