Spanners (buying advice reqired)

[anjum]

Thank you for the replies.


Part of my aim is just to have an easy life. Not scrabbling about for spanners,





)

Used to say this to myself..........I lied!!!

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I went for this set about 2 months ago and so far I am really pleased.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Aut...ch+Set+Combination+14+Piece/d60/sd3005/p42519
£30 for 14 Kamasa combination spanners going from 10-32mm, quality and fit is good and since getting them I have got some serious use out of them working on the tractor.
Ring thickness is good, and the chrome is excellent with a nice rounded comfortable grip.
The jury is out over how well they will last but so far I am happy.

 

[JohnH]

I'm a firm believer in "Made in West Germany" and modern Taiwanese tools as in this photo of my specially tidied tool trolley. I like the Elora 205 combinations because they have a cranked ring end which most other modern spanners lack. I also recommend Gedore's Taiwanese made Carolus ratchet combos as well.

The Eloras can be picked up on ebay for pence. The Carolus are a bit more expensive.

I also use Halfords Taiwanese tools, though I'm not a fan of their fully chromed finish..

 

[AndyStobbs]

Get some rails for those spanners. Practically self tidying then.

 

[Powermyster]

I picked up the halfords 25 peice last week on a whim. You can never have enough spanners!! Thy are not advanced so no
Lifetime warranty, but they do seems to be the same quality as the ones marked advanced.

I've only used them couple times so far and they seems to be a good job for the money

 

[armalites]

Be very careful, as snap-on's warranty only covers the original owner. So unless you friendly with your local snap-on rep you probably won't be able to get broken items repaired/replaced.

I'v never heard that before. I've only ever had to get a blade on a screw driver replaced and it wasn't by the original rep. Never once queried if I was original purchaser, I am but I couldn't prove that.

 

[doubleboost]

I'v never heard that before. I've only ever had to get a blade on a screw driver replaced and it wasn't by the original rep. Never once queried if I was original purchaser, I am but I couldn't prove that.

I have had gear replaced many years after I bought it from a different rep

 

[brightspark]

ive had screwdrivers replaced i bought from carboot sale . just snap the end of in a vice and they replace because if its just plain worn out they wont

 

[brewdexta]

Get some rails for those spanners. Practically self tidying then.

but which type of rails

crowsfoot, magnetic, shark rail .........

 

[doubleboost]

ive had screwdrivers replaced i bought from carboot sale . just snap the end of in a vice and they replace because if its just plain worn out they wont

I have a old lathe centre for "bursting" worn sockets and ring spanners
Flaking chrome is a replacement as well

 

[AndyStobbs]

but which type of rails

crowsfoot, magnetic, shark rail .........

Crocodile teeth

 

[julianf]

Im still in two minds. Ive seen a few snap-on spanners finish on ebay for not a whole load (eg item number 271613366829 ) and figure it would be easy enough to get a set for less than crazy money if i just kept an eye out.

But then what to spend my £40 of halfords on...


Which i came by in a curious way -

Battery charger at the boot sale. I purchased it, after the seller had dropped to £2, which should have been indication itself.
Of course, id did not work... But, in looking for details on it, i found that it was a product recall in 2006.

Like for like came in at £39.99 worth, which, it seems, i dont need to even spend on a charger. They actually even offered me a refund, but i thought that would be going a bit far!

Of course, the best part of the tale is that the chap at the bootsale thought he had done well selling the broken charger for £2! ; )

 

[Bill Edwards]

ive had screwdrivers replaced i bought from carboot sale . just snap the end of in a vice and they replace because if its just plain worn out they wont

They don't bend then, or is the trick to just get the very tip in?
I started to get Snap-on gear and listened to the sales rep.
When the screwdriver wears out (It was a Philips I bought as I go through them and am sick of replacing cheapies) they'll replace it.
Doesn't matter which van you go to, no receipt is needed etc. So this must also mean that the second hand spanners I've bought off eBay will be swapped for stuff such as flaking chrome with no ownership queries.

However, I've not actually tried to get the screwdriver replaced. Somebody I know who has had Snap-on gear for many years has warned me (since buying...) that when you go to get a screwdriver replaced they refuse because 'you've used it on the wrong type of screw' - i.e PH on a PZ.
Breaking it sounds like a good, safe way forward!

 

[brightspark]

stick ther screwdriver in the vice and just snap the end bit off with stilsons so its chipped the guy on the van did it for me and replaced it

 

[brewdexta]

Crocodile teeth

the plastic stick on strips or the ones on a frame?

I'm in the middle of sorting out my spanners and sockets and have only ever shoved them in a drawer and I'm bored of scratching around for the right spanner.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Sean]

Why not http://www.halfords.com/motoring/ga...its/halfords-25-piece-combination-spanner-set

Looks a great deal and I've had my Halfords ones for quite a few years and have been faultless.

i picked up that set t'other day - decent spanners but not the "professional range" a bit shorter, still a good pile of spanners for not a lot.

 

[Robotstar5]

the plastic stick on strips or the ones on a frame?

I'm in the middle of sorting out my spanners and sockets and have only ever shoved them in a drawer and I'm bored of scratching around for the right spanner.

Cheers
Andy

I use the crocodile teeth on a frame - link

 

[scotty-stoke]

ive had screwdrivers replaced i bought from carboot sale . just snap the end of in a vice and they replace because if its just plain worn out they wont

ive had replacements before when worn, depends how good you dealer is I suppose

 

[brightspark]

ive had replacements before when worn, depends how good you dealer is I suppose

i bought a couple of items of him and he snapped it for me cos he said it wouldnt be a replacement fair wear and tear just faulty materials snapping them indicates that they are brittle

 

[Maker]

I've used A flex head ratchet one in your link and It seemed pretty good, It was only 8mm so I don't know how they stand up to high torque however.
I've also got a couple of Stahlwille spanners which I'm very fond of and they're excellent (might just be in my head, thinking German = good) but they'er A bit out of your price range (and not available from halfords).