- Thread starter Rocketman
- Start date
Although I don't own either I think generally the answer is yes, they are fine for hobby use, but you can buy "identical" unbranded sets off eBay for less money!
Either way they can be improved if you are willing to spend a bit time with a flap wheel/ sander/polisher improving the finish.
If you're really keen you can make a dolly from an old piece of rail track if you have access to some! Do a search for more info
Regards
Frank
Either way they can be improved if you are willing to spend a bit time with a flap wheel/ sander/polisher improving the finish.
If you're really keen you can make a dolly from an old piece of rail track if you have access to some! Do a search for more info
Regards
Frank
OK thanks guys, I have gone with the Clarke set + the Sealey T-dollies. See how I go with them.
If I had enough time on my hands I would have made the T-dollies myself as they seem pretty straight forward to make with some bar but I need to get on with the jobs in hand not make more jobs
If I had enough time on my hands I would have made the T-dollies myself as they seem pretty straight forward to make with some bar but I need to get on with the jobs in hand not make more jobs
Sounds like it's too late but FWIW if someone gave me a clarke panel beating kit FOC it'd go straight in the bin based on a mates set i had the misfortune to use. Yeah, they'll move thin sheet metal but are soooooo soft they marr if you give them a dirty look and the dollies are so light i suspect they're hollow!
Dunno about the Sealey, their 'cheap' ones might be better or might (likea lot of most sealey stuff) just be overpriced tat. The more expensive/better Sealey kits are nearing the price of decent panel beating stuff like Kennedy which, although a LOT more expensive than the comedy clarke tat, are properly good value for money. Link is to a complete kit but personally i'd just buy individual pieces as needed because like most kits the choice of hammers isn't the best https://www.cromwell.co.uk/KEN5037650K
Dunno about the Sealey, their 'cheap' ones might be better or might (like
500e
Always buy fire insurance a flood is a hard start
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Had my dollies for 40 years or more the ones I used the most
are Gedore 254 heel, 253 round a bit like cotton reel 256 a bar with sort of chisel ends, 252 a real nice dolly to hold with a lot of faces. a Warwick232 like a big open ? with a handle, not used much Warwick 551
& my 2 favourites given to me by a retired coach builder no names or No Both heavy but common shapes, thin curved & toe dollies the 3rd one is another one I was given.You want them to feel nice in your hand no rough bits, with hard faces, & 
keep them clean & polished.
These are after 40+ years of use
Hammers are another whole world
are Gedore 254 heel, 253 round a bit like cotton reel 256 a bar with sort of chisel ends, 252 a real nice dolly to hold with a lot of faces. a Warwick232 like a big open ? with a handle, not used much Warwick 551
& my 2 favourites given to me by a retired coach builder no names or No Both heavy but common shapes, thin curved & toe dollies the 3rd one is another one I was given.You want them to feel nice in your hand no rough bits, with hard faces, & keep them clean & polished.These are after 40+ years of use
Hammers are another whole world
I will see how bad they are when I get them, if they are total rubbish they will go back.
It's easy to check if they are hollow with a simple water displacement check and then apply the density of carbon steel to see if the weight is correct.
If I didn't run my own design business and still worked at a toolmakers I could have check the hardness on a handheld machine.
Anyone know what a high quality dolly Rockwell's hardness would be? I would guess about 56. An option of course would be to get them through hardened for about £40 up to top quality dolly range and then polish them when I get them back.
You need to remember I will only use them a little and you have to draw a line somewhere on buying all high quality kit for your workshop.
It's easy to check if they are hollow with a simple water displacement check and then apply the density of carbon steel to see if the weight is correct.
If I didn't run my own design business and still worked at a toolmakers I could have check the hardness on a handheld machine.
Anyone know what a high quality dolly Rockwell's hardness would be? I would guess about 56. An option of course would be to get them through hardened for about £40 up to top quality dolly range and then polish them when I get them back.
You need to remember I will only use them a little and you have to draw a line somewhere on buying all high quality kit for your workshop.
500e
Always buy fire insurance a flood is a hard start
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The review on amazon put me off considering the price.
The hollow comment was a bit tongue in cheek but they were stupidly light, enough for a WTF moment when i first picked up a dolly
I get the occasional use thing, i know the price doesn't suggest it but the Kennedy stuff is IMO kinda closer to Hellfrauds profesional socket sets than it is to the likes of Snap-On. Price some Sykes-Pickavant, Picard, Stahlwille, Gedore or Martin (Martinsprocket) hammers & dollies and the finish*/weight/balance of the Kennedy kit makes them look a bit more of a bargain. Purely a guess but i would've thought 56 HRC is probably at the upper end?
* not shininess so much as smooth radii and consistant profiles
I get the occasional use thing, i know the price doesn't suggest it but the Kennedy stuff is IMO kinda closer to Hellfrauds profesional socket sets than it is to the likes of Snap-On. Price some Sykes-Pickavant, Picard, Stahlwille, Gedore or Martin (Martinsprocket) hammers & dollies and the finish*/weight/balance of the Kennedy kit makes them look a bit more of a bargain. Purely a guess but i would've thought 56 HRC is probably at the upper end?
* not shininess so much as smooth radii and consistant profiles
