Review Milwaukee Spanners

[Wallace]

I posted these photos previously in the Welders Arms, I have been buying tools to build up a set at work so I can bring the originals back home as I was having to remove up to three drawers from the roll cab each weekend and that became old very quickly. As the majority of vehicles I am mostly working on have mainly imperial threads I was looking for a full set from 1/4" to 1" and metric from 6mm to 24mm, unfortunately the Milwaukee metric spanners are only available in 8mm to 22mm so i will have to purchase other makes and those in excess of 1".

The racks are a nice addition marked with spanner sizes down one edge, the Metric and Imperial being angled opposite each other so they go together in one drawer. Their ratchet spanners do the same but the opposite angle in the same colour so they can be placed together in one drawer or as metric and Imperial ratchet spanner together. As nice as they are, they take up a bit too much space for me at the moment, 30 spanners in one drawer is not an option at the moment as I am working out of the lower half of an older style Halfords Industrial roll cab so space is at a premium.

The chrome looks good quality as the spanners are well finished before plating, the scalloped shape feels nice to hold and whilst applying pressure from the limited use I have given them so far. The open ended MAX BITE serrations may be a gimmick, the ring end is quite thick compared with other spanners and that may be a problem in some confined spaces but only use and time will tell. The spanner size is heavily stamped on both sides and paint filled with black or red to match the trays, presumably so apprentices can put them back in the right places.

I did a fair bit of searching for prices and both sets were supplied by Powertoolmate for £203-98, £92-99 for the Metric and £109.99 for the Imperial. At the time of ordering they had different prices on ebay and their website so I ordered from both and saved some cash. If I had time I would have phoned and asked for a deal on both and they could have saved on one postage as they both arrived separately.

 

[Parm]

Phhwaaarrreeeeeee

 

[stuvy]

If the max bite is the same as the snap on ones flank drive I think there called Then there gonna be great

I have a Halfords box that is easy to take with me on evenings and weekends or even on a breakdown

I just take a box with side cutters grips and screwdrivers etc as well

 

[Shox Dr]

So who makes them?

 

[mtt.tr]

So who makes them?

almost certainly someone in Taiwan

 

[Wallace]

If the max bite is the same as the snap on ones flank drive I think there called Then there gonna be great

I have a Halfords box that is easy to take with me on evenings and weekends or even on a breakdown

I just take a box with side cutters grips and screwdrivers etc as well

I considered a Halfords set for work that I could take with me if I go offroading as that was on the cards with my Nissan Terrano, that's looking unlikely at the moment and I need my home set reinstated asap as there are modern and old cars that need repairs stacked up at home. The work set is mainly aimed at older Classic vehicles currently.

So who makes them?

Milwaukee as far as I can see as I have not seen any similar shaped spanners.

 

[mtt.tr]

they certainly look nice, really frustrating that its so hard to get AF set that are decent these look a contender mainly due to the assortment


Id say signet tools are a contender for the manufacturer

 

[armalites]

If the max bite is the same as the snap on ones flank drive I think there called Then there gonna be great

The ones with the opne end serrations are Flank Drive Plus.

You have make sure you don't use them on fixings where physical appearance is important and they do bit in pretty well.

 

[Wallace]

The ones with the opne end serrations are Flank Drive Plus.

You have make sure you don't use them on fixings where physical appearance is important and they do bit in pretty well.

That was one of my concerns with them, I'm not one for chewing up fixings unnecessarily.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Can't beat a good set of spanners!

Look forward to a further update as time goes on

 

[gordon stephenson]

I bought a set of Roebuck uniwrench, The ring end is really just sort of splines, They fit multiple nut sizes and even damaged hexagon heads, I have also bought a set of Milwaukee 18v tools from Powertool mate and managed to negotiate an unbelievable low price, Compared with local Milwaukee stockists.

 

[Wallace]

I bought a set of Roebuck uniwrench, The ring end is really just sort of splines, They fit multiple nut sizes and even damaged hexagon heads, I have also bought a set of Milwaukee 18v tools from Powertool mate and managed to negotiate an unbelievable low price, Compared with local Milwaukee stockists.

What I would like is either two full sets of Metric and Imperial or to add the equivalent ratchet spanners although I'm not keen on loosening and tightening big stuff with any ratchet tool, probably why my Halfords socket ratchets and the few ratchet spanners I own have lasted.

 

[Shox Dr]

they certainly look nice, really frustrating that its so hard to get AF set that are decent these look a contender mainly due to the assortment


Id say signet tools are a contender for the manufacturer

As I was reading your post, I thought about Signet Tools, before I read it. I’ve a few bits of theirs, theIr imperial spanners are nice.

What I would like is either two full sets of Metric and Imperial or to add the equivalent ratchet spanners although I'm not keen on loosening and tightening big stuff with any ratchet tool, probably why my Halfords socket ratchets and the few ratchet spanners I own have lasted.

I was looking to have a Stuby set a standard length and ratchet set, in both metric and imperial, from 1/4 (6mm) to at least 1" (25mm) Best value for money that covered everything was facom. They were the only reasonably price manufacturer that covered ALL imperial spanner sizes as well

 

[grim_d]

they certainly look nice, really frustrating that its so hard to get AF set that are decent these look a contender mainly due to the assortment


Id say signet tools are a contender for the manufacturer

Not at all hard.

Gearwrench do Them, very good quality and very reasonable price, I have combination 1/4 to 1 1/4 and stubby 3/7 to 15/16, both have flank drive.

Those Milwaukee do look nice though.

 

[mtt.tr]

Not at all hard.

Gearwrench do Them, very good quality and very reasonable price, I have combination 1/4 to 1 1/4 and stubby 3/7 to 15/16, both have flank drive.

Those Milwaukee do look nice though.

As in, what shop can you walk into same day for af spanners.

Or unf fittings.

 

[mtt.tr]

As I was reading your post, I thought about Signet Tools, before I read it. I’ve a few bits of theirs, theIr imperial spanners are nice.




I was looking to have a Stuby set a standard length and ratchet set, in both metric and imperial, from 1/4 (6mm) to at least 1" (25mm) Best value for money that covered everything was facom. They were the only reasonably price manufacturer that covered ALL imperial spanner sizes as well

Yes i i real rate signet, they do or did make all halfords tools.

 

[grim_d]

As in, what shop can you walk into same day for af spanners.

Or unf fittings.

Halfords do some, old timey tool shops will have the unbranded blue roll type in A/F, once you have a set though there's not much need to buy another.

Local (proper) ironmonger will likely have some UNF, ours does, you know the type with a million pull out bins with no markings....locations known only by memory. They smell good too.

Yes i i real rate signet, they do or did make all halfords tools.

They perhaps do now, I have noticed a slight difference but it used to be gearwrench 100%, at least the spanners and sockets anyway....but not the ratchets funnily enough, Halfords ratchets were absolute tripe, the old roll cabs still had "made in USA" stamped in them, , seeing as signet is Taiwanese and most gearwrench is made in Taiwan it's very possible Apex are contracting signet for manufacturing.

 

[Shox Dr]

Halfords do some, old timey tool shops will have the unbranded blue roll type in A/F, once you have a set though there's not much need to buy another.

Local (proper) ironmonger will likely have some UNF, ours does, you know the type with a million pull out bins with no markings....locations known only by memory. They smell good too.



They perhaps do now, I have noticed a slight difference but it used to be gearwrench 100%, at least the spanners and sockets anyway....but not the ratchets funnily enough, Halfords ratchets were absolute tripe, the old roll cabs still had "made in USA" stamped in them, , seeing as signet is Taiwanese and most gearwrench is made in Taiwan it's very possible Apex are contracting signet for manufacturing.

I‘m sure Signet ratchets are made by gearwrench. Halfords ratchet screwdriver set is a bargain, again made by GW, rebadged as Snap-On x6 the price and more.

I dont rate Halfords spanners now, I bought 3sets for 75quid Couple of yrs ago, absolute carp. I’ve had 3 ‘Made in USA‘ Halfords roll cabinets, for 22yrs. Good as the day I got them.

 

[addjunkie]

Not good that they only go up to 24 and you need to buy other brands, not good for the ocd

 

[mtt.tr]

Not good that they only go up to 24 and you need to buy other brands, not good for the ocd

Might cure it!!! Shock therapy!