Cheese tools.

[bricol]

30 plus years ago I bought a set of no-name torx bits thast fitted into a 1/2" drive adaptor in a tin box from a stall on the market down The Moor in Sheffield when I was a student - I was fed up with using allen keys to try to undo the many funny screws on my Renault 11 - torx screws. Thwey must have been cheap - I was a student after all.

They've been leant on with long poles, used in air impact drivers, hammered into rounded off screws of all descriptions, lent to a mate who breaks everything, and they are still going strong.

I wish I knew who made them! If their other tools where as good . . .

 

[minimutly]

30 plus years ago I bought a set of no-name torx bits thast fitted into a 1/2" drive adaptor in a tin box from a stall on the market down The Moor in Sheffield when I was a student - I was fed up with using allen keys to try to undo the many funny screws on my Renault 11 - torx screws. Thwey must have been cheap - I was a student after all.

They've been leant on with long poles, used in air impact drivers, hammered into rounded off screws of all descriptions, lent to a mate who breaks everything, and they are still going strong.

I wish I knew who made them! If their other tools where as good . . .

Probably Japanese early entry stuff. I was given an Autocrat socket set when I was 21. Still going strong mostly.

 

[MoreWellie]

i have an old halfords half in ratchet ive tried killing it with a scaffold pole and hitting it with a big hammer it wont die

Halfords are good. I managed to break a half inch one and they swapped it under the lifetime guarantee. bit like grandads old broom

 

[Alan Reynolds]

With stuck ones I have had great success drilling out the torx splines in the fastener so its round. Then hammering in an appropriate sized splined bit and using one of those impact drivers you hit with a hammer. The splined bits seem much stronger but seem to give enough grip to turn it out.

That’s how I shift them. Give the disc a bit of a thump with a hammer first. Drop of real penetrating fluid for a minute. Then a sharp whack on the driver.

 

[dobbslc]

Halfords only seem to do a big set of bits that includes hex and star bits etc for £50, I can't find anything else.
Any recommendations for some decent bits in 3/8" or 1/2" drive in sizes T20-60?

 

[dobbslc]

They do these but they seem suspiciously cheap for their Advanced tools

Halfords Advanced 11 Piece Spline Bit Set | Halfords UK

Shop the latest at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

 

[rhubarb7]

Wrong tool for the job. Should have used a short one.

 

[keithski122]

If it holds the brake disc on don't they recommend heating it up first with a hot air gun to loosen the thread lock.

 

[dobbslc]

Wrong tool for the job. Should have used a short one.

I had a short one but only found it after

 

[rhubarb7]

I had a short one but only found it after

Sods law

 

[dobbslc]

Ta daa

They look quite nice.

 

[knighty]

either us-pro has different levels of tools, like DIY and professional or there's a lot of counterfeit tools around, because I've got some that's really good (especially for the price) and some that's total crap

lost an impact socket and bought another, it didn't look like the rest of the set, it was shiny instead of matt black.... and it was total junk

I really like their stuff because it's pretty good but cheap as hell too.... so I don't care if I lose something or just stuck and bray a socket on with a hammer etc. vs expensive stuff which I want to look after

 

[keithski122]

I'd put draper expert as the same quality as us pro.

 

[pedrobedro]

I've found the old school hand impact screwdrivers often work magic on these. The short stout bits also help.
When they don't, out comes the drill.

I found mine snaps the heads straight off them so I have to drill and tap then replace them with Allen heads. Friend of mine does a lot of stuff like that and he just gets the angle grinder out and cuts the middle of the disc in different directions then beats the life out of them with a club hammer to smash them to bits then takes the screws out with grips if they stick.

 

[qwakers]

I'd put draper expert as the same quality as us pro.

i wouldnt. id put draper expert at the same level as halfords advanced. i have 3 or 4 sets, one of which i have had for 18 years, i haven't even worn the original ratchet out and quality isn't degrading at all on the stuff I've bought since.

us pro on the other hand. i think its a rebrand of whatever chinese crap they can get hold of. you might get lucky and get something decent, but you probably wont.

 

[keithski122]

I had a draper expert 1/4 drive socket set, ratchet started slippng from day one. Draper were good back in the day but not so much now. All my us pro stuff is ok, only spanners and sockets though.

 

[dobbslc]

I'd put draper expert as the same quality as us pro.

No I wouldn't, the Draper Pro stuff is very good. The US Pro gear is known to be a bit pony but I got them for a previous job and they worked ok then but not this time.

 

[James1979]

For what it’s worth this has undone a lot of transit brake disks when the teng and Halfords ones have bust.

They were more like the drapers above. This is a one piece impact so it maybe stronger even though it’s a lesser brand?

I also tend to seat it with a good thump or two off a copper hammer, then apply a few ugga duggas. Touch wood it’s always worked.

I have got 2 sets to do on Saturday so I hope I haven’t jinxed that!!!

Have left hand drill bits on standby

 

[8ob]

I also tend to seat it with a good thump or two off a copper hammer, then apply a few ugga duggas. Touch wood it’s always worked.

What are you doing with Catweazle`s frog?

Bob

 

[JOEPRO]

i wouldnt. id put draper expert at the same level as halfords advanced. i have 3 or 4 sets, one of which i have had for 18 years, i haven't even worn the original ratchet out and quality isn't degrading at all on the stuff I've bought since.

us pro on the other hand. i think its a rebrand of whatever chinese crap they can get hold of. you might get lucky and get something decent, but you probably wont.

Yes Draoer expert is decent. Never broke a single Draper tool yet and I have 25 year old draper expert socket sets etc ive had from a teenager.

Sealey Premier Black Series are my go to now for stubby impact sockets, torx and Allen socket drive bits etc. For my level of usage they are top quality and great price.