I'm on a tiny budget so am I to expect little?

[dazza]

I can't fault the Draper Expert range.
I was only thinking of you this morning as I saw a very nice drill vice at the car boot sale for £15, I assume you now have one?

I've bought one and sent it back as it was too big. I have ordered another one thought it would have arrived by now.

 

[the snooper]

Not at all Dazza, Draper Expert, Clarke Pro, Stanley Expert are all more than good enough for the average DIYer and not bank-breaking either.
Even Halfords stuff is decent enough, just avoid stuff like Silverline, Rolson etc. though I believe Silverline do do a better quality range on some of their stuff?

I've used draper expert professionally for over 20 years and it's never let me down, snap on and Mac are no doubt great quality but even so I think over priced and I refuse to join the snap on gang, I have mates that have snap on limited edition spanners and they won't use them so why buy them, it's just look at what I've got, I use mine I didn't buy them to admire

 

[Wozzaaah]

I've used draper expert professionally for over 20 years and it's never let me down, snap on and Mac are no doubt great quality but even so I think over priced and I refuse to join the snap on gang, I have mates that have snap on limited edition spanners and they won't use them so why buy them, it's just look at what I've got, I use mine I didn't buy them to admire

I'm the same, Snap On is lovely shiny stuff but massively overpriced for what it is.
I bought a few bits and pieces when I started out as weekly payments was an easy option but I've lost so much of it over the years and never replaced it with S/O.

 

[WorkshopChris]

I've used draper expert professionally for over 20 years and it's never let me down

Yes the expert range is good, i cant understand from a business why they produce the odd bit of kit thats well under the mark. When i was at college some of the workshop hand tools wer draper all excellent gear, however i was once face with a dead machine at a customers and all they had to hand was blow moulded plastic case full of draper sockets. i managed to twist a 3/8" extension and flare open a 1/2" drive socket.

I'm the same, Snap On is lovely shiny stuff but massively overpriced for what it is.
I bought a few bits and pieces when I started out as weekly payments was an easy option but I've lost so much of it over the years and never replaced it with S/O.

Me to still got most of it but odd bits have disappeared mostly replaced with the clark pro range all seam ok.

I think the OP would probably stand a better chance of obtaining quality tools if he start his collection of sockets off with older tools then replaced odd bits as required.

Although spanners might be better of with a new set from machine mart or halfords both have the pro range at a good price.

I was looking a eBay earlier and i was amazed the price people were prepared to pay for what to me appeared to be Snap on Copy sets.

 

[dazza]

I was wrong the breaker bar i broke was sealey not draper expert.

 

[arther dailey]

Car booties for tools, I was up at 5 am straight to a bootie and managed to get a full set of quality AF 1/2" sockets for £4. you can get decent quality second hand stuff that will outlast so called cheap stuff , the sockets I bought probably 20 years old, not worn on edges, yes a few have slight rust but the bolts they undo wont know that ! Arther

 

[the snooper]

I'm the same, Snap On is lovely shiny stuff but massively overpriced for what it is.
I bought a few bits and pieces when I started out as weekly payments was an easy option but I've lost so much of it over the years and never replaced it with S/O.

I have a few odd bits of snap on that I've acquired over the years, never bought any, never will

 

[Lufbramatt]

Not at all Dazza, Draper Expert, Clarke Pro, Stanley Expert are all more than good enough for the average DIYer and not bank-breaking either.
Even Halfords stuff is decent enough, just avoid stuff like Silverline, Rolson etc. though I believe Silverline do do a better quality range on some of their stuff?

Have to admit I have a silverline 1/2" socket set, and apart from the ratchet being crap the sockets themselves are pretty decent 6 sided jobbies, none of them have flared, rounded or split in 10 years of use. Often my "go to" set as the Halfords pro ones are 12 sided and guaranteed to just knacker the bolt heads. I think the set was about £60 and came in a red metal case, not sure if they still do it. Most of their stuff is gash though.

 

[mpats]

Also worth keeping an eye on lidle/aldi for cheap usable power tools. Cheap grinder or hand belt belt sander are always useful. My old man has a cheap aldi leccy drill driver which is perfectly usable, I have the one from lidle and it works fine. OK it's not up to spec with the makita, but it doesn't need to be for what you'll be using it for.

Gumtree and car boots for tool kits, don't go mad on snap-on etc. personally, for the price, I don't rate them I would go facom, britool or halfords pro range. But anything to get you started will be fine.

You'll get on well with the 1mm cutting disks for the grinder, I find them easier anyway. Few flap disks and a twisted wire cup brush etc. Just remember to treat an angle grinder with respect, it doesn't care if it's cutting metal or you.

Good luck with the project, it's a fairly ambitious one to start on but you'll learn a huge amount.

 

[knighty]

he might as well get some cheap stuff on ebay ?

I've got a load of silverline stuff for work because I can leave those tools out / let other people use them and not care if something get's lost/broken/damaged... doesn't really matter with a £5 set of sockets and a £4 ratchet

ok, they're not great, but they're good enough for a good 95% of normal DIY jobs

all my good tools are kept locked up out of the way... but that means they don't get much use because its easier to just grab the cheap stuff

EDIT: just checked, I was off on prices a bit


but a cheap tool set sockets/spanners etc.. for 325 to £30 should work just fine for what he needs ?

not sure what kind of tools you guys were buying when you were a teeneager, but mine were mostly cheapies, anything decent I had was my dads old stuff

 

[Freddy0309]

Also worth keeping an eye on lidle/aldi for cheap usable power tools. Cheap grinder or hand belt belt sander are always useful. My old man has a cheap aldi leccy drill driver which is perfectly usable, I have the one from lidle and it works fine. OK it's not up to spec with the makita, but it doesn't need to be for what you'll be using it for.

Gumtree and car boots for tool kits, don't go mad on snap-on etc. personally, for the price, I don't rate them I would go facom, britool or halfords pro range. But anything to get you started will be fine.

You'll get on well with the 1mm cutting disks for the grinder, I find them easier anyway. Few flap disks and a twisted wire cup brush etc. Just remember to treat an angle grinder with respect, it doesn't care if it's cutting metal or you.

Good luck with the project, it's a fairly ambitious one to start on but you'll learn a huge amount.

Just one thing to add to that for the sake of a couple of quid buy some eye protection

 

[barracuda816]

^ and ear protection. Its very important esp at your age.

 

[jagxjs1992]

Thanks for the advice. I'll take a look into hearing protection then.

Also, I made this video:

 

[ukracer]

well make sure you stick around here too young one..your most welcome dispite the woes of fear in some posts

Yes .sadly I can't help much.

What I will say is I am REALLY glad my initial concern regarding a 15 year old doctor was unfounded.

If it helps my son is now 26 and did not have half as much confidence in his ability as you at 15. He has now had over 60 cars built a 2.0 litre mini from the shell upwards . Rebuilt a s20let engine.. welded many sills. Painted many panels and a few complete cars.
Has worked in many industries improving his wages most times and thanks to the help from forum members he is now a recovery driver and is hoping they will put him through his class one so he can drive the spec lift and commercial recovery trucks soon.

You seem more confident than he was at your age so stick at it and you will go far.

 

[jagxjs1992]

Yeah ... huge naive idiot springs to mind over brave, but thank you for the compliment sir. The hawk eyed amongst you will know that before I hit 16, I have indeed welded! (And as an FYI bonus ... I've also pressed the accelerator of the car while the engine was on, before I hit 16 ... too bad by the time I next the car I will actually be an adult )

<-- there is the 30 second video of my first EVER weld!

I'm very excited

 

[addjunkie]

There are the odd teeanger around that are not evil monsters from hell, some infact have produced great things engineering wise with a bit of help and guidance. On another forum , now sadly much quiter than it used to be a teen built a trike and had it registered before he was old enough to drive it.

The biggest skill to learn, and the hardest as a teen is the ability to listen for the answer once you have asked the right question.

Some of us never learn this skill. Now tools for the teen. Second hand, and nothing wrong with places like machine mart, or silverline. Ive abused many broken a few, but that is how we learn. Btw ive also broken snapon and britool over the years too.

The cheapest i found was stuff borrowed from grandad, i actually still have a few of them 35 years later. Whitworth arnt much good for jap bikes, but work fine on my old brit stuff

 

[jagxjs1992]

My family don't DIY at all, which means I have no one to turn to, and no one has tools. They are the type of people to call out someone the minute there is an issue. I can already diagnose and fix computer issues, which means I've helped them there, but I'd like to be a DIY person. I'd like to be the worst of the best

<-- here is a tour of the car followed by an FAQ, for those interested.

 

[roofman]

get the car finnished before you discover dirty girls Seb...otherwise invest in the best car cover you can afford

 

[eSCHEn]

Seb I'd rather watch you do a car show than Clarkson

Dare I ask - have you looked at insurance yet or are you leaving that joy bundle for later?

Keep up the good work

 

[cumbriasteve]

I did read/hear somewhere that a big powerful classic car was a fraction of the cost to insure than something like a five year old modern hatchback if you are a teenager.