SP tools. any good?

[=Calais v8=]

hey guys, im a 1st year apprentice at holden and im looking around for a tool kit. i've been considering a repco package which is worth $1,499 and basically has every i would need.

but i have come across a brand called SP which looks pretty good from what i can see, and seems to be in the same sort of price range which makes me think its not "cheap 'n nasty". apparently stone brothers racing uses them or something along those lines too.

i'm asking because i dont want to fork out $1,600 only to find that they are **** and cheap, or break easily.

does anybody on here use them? sell them? havbe any advice?

i also want to know if they have a lifetime warranty with them like most other brands. take repco for example, you break a tool, you take it back to the shop and they swap it over for a new one. it's as easy as that.

thanks for any advice.

[Hillerus]

I had some apprentices buy SP tools at my last job, and I don't believe they had a problem. Provided it comes with a lifetime warranty, It doesnt matter what brand you get.

I have an SP Air 1/2 Rattle Gun that I bought for $180 about three years ago, and I have never had a problem with it. And it was only slightly less powerful then a much more expensive Snap On one.

One bit of advice I can give; when you buy your tool boxes, always buy with room for expansion in mind. In other words, buy bigger boxes then what you think you will need, as you will always find stuff to put in them down the track.

That box does look impressive, but where will you put extra spanner sets and stuff like that?

[Wagon_Wheel]

Never heard of SP mate, but ive got a set of repco combination spanners and they are mint! Would def recomend them.
Kingchrome and sidchrome are decent too man

[iRiot]

i have that chest in yellow they are good

[richardsworkcar]

My suggestion would be go with Repco, the main reason are I know the tools are good and if you do have a warranty issue they have stores everywhere. I have a few repco tools and find them pretty good, nice ratchets and spanners, The repco screwdrivers are a bit ordinary though. SP air tools are distributed through Austec in Dandenong Sth, I assume they also are the distributor for the tools are well, I have no idea what there hand tools are like but check the tool box has bearing slides (that sort of thing) I know repco generally will just hand over another tool on the spot, check SP do the same thing, its easy to lose tools when they send them away for evaluation (I was always chasing warranty tools that never seemed to return) the phone number for Austec is 9706 5588 email salesvic@austechpne.com.au maybe call or email them and check there warranty info and maybe ask them a few questions. Another good mid range tool is Teng tools available through most bearing suppliers, Hope that helps!

[hakhawk]

One bit of advice I can give; when you buy your tool boxes, always buy with room for expansion in mind. In other words, buy bigger boxes then what you think you will need, as you will always find stuff to put in them down the track.

That box does look impressive, but where will you put extra spanner sets and stuff like that?

you pull the plastic and cardboard pretty up boxes out and drop the tools in, more space. then for the sockets you buy some of these



it just takes a bit of organising and you can stuff heaps in there while being able to find each tool relatively easy

[=Calais v8=]

thanks for the quick repies guys. i have emailed asking about warranties and such, so i am waiting for a reply from them to see what the deal is, and if there is somewhere in vic i can see some products as opposed to the internet. as for room, what hakhawk said, once you take the tools out of the packets there is plenty of room. as for size of the box, the only negative is they don't make the smaller 2 drawer "ad on" chest that i can see, but i'm not TOO worried. if needed, i can always get something else to store bigger items. the toolbox will be sitting on a rolling trolley so i can fit things there.

as for the box being good quality, it is nearly double the price of a repco one of similar size. ball bearings, gas struts etc. so i think it will last.

[PRH]

I have a set in my work van,had them about 6 months and not a single failure,the only downside i have seen is that the smaller sockets IE 1/4" drive could be single hex,i work on forklifts so they get a good "testing" at times.
Bare in mind these are just as easy to misplace as "snapon" tools.
Phillip

[cruzncommo]

yeh SP racing tools arent bad id recommend em

[vtdemon]

I've got some of the straight "snap-on" style ring spanners in my work toolkit and a 1/2" 500ft/lbs rattle gun and can't complain. Pretty much the best Air tools around that's for sure. A Workmate uses an SP 1/4" and 3/8" socket sets and doesn't complain.

[andyman]

i recently bought myself a repco apprentice package which cost 2200 with tax, it also included a bonus 6 draw bottom box worth $600,

has everything you need except a rattle gun and impact sockets, It comes with both metric and imperial, some included tools are 2 torque bars, full 1/4 3/4 1/2 ich socket sets, full deep socket set, sets of spanners combination, double open ended, double offset... punches, hammers, hacksaw, torqs bit and allen keys (handy for astra and vectras lol), hose clamp, test light, circlip in/out pilars, combi pliars, needle nose, side cutters,vice grips, any way its a 307 piece i think, well worth the money and the tools itself comes on a seperate pallet lol

you have to be tall though, im over 6 foot and the top draw on the top box is inline with my shoulders

[Rhino Racing]

Good advice from everyone here..... well done guys!
Firstly... congrats on the apprenticeship!Great to see people having a go!
This looks like a good basic toolkit. JBS also have some really good packages that are actually fairly good quality that wont break the bank or your heart if you replace one or two pieces. I checked on EGAY and the exact same kit you are looking at starts at $1255.... so if your heart is set on that you may save some $ from buying local.
Here is my bit to add about tooling in general..
1. If you work for a company that requires you to have your toolbox in the back of a work ute 24/7 this type of box will break where the drawers are welded on and they will hang down and be a pain in the arse! Which means a bit of extra money on a heavy duty ute box would be worth it. Kingcrome do an direct imitation Faber ute box now small 2 drawer one for $350... large 3 drawer one for $495.... that is box only! ( that is a sales price on now here in peanutland).
2.Do not under any circumstances use normal twin hex sockets on a rattle gun!!! USE IMPACT SOCKETS ONLY!
You may not break the socket at the time on the rattle gun but it will one day when you have a breaker bar on it and when it does break you may end up injuring yourself in the process. Also it will void all warranty as it leaves tell tale marks on the back of them.
3. Dont hit spanners with a hammer to losen off bolts or nuts! = damaged tooling or pending injury!
4. if you are in a corrosive type environment use something like penetrene to stop tools from rusting after use.
I am sure whatever tradies you have around you will guide you in the right direction .... dont be afraid to ask!
Good luck on your choice....... one thing is for sure, if you choose smartly you will have these tools for 20+ years to come.

[andyman]

Good advice from everyone here..... well done guys!
Firstly... congrats on the apprenticeship!Great to see people having a go!
This looks like a good basic toolkit. JBS also have some really good packages that are actually fairly good quality that wont break the bank or your heart if you replace one or two pieces. I checked on EGAY and the exact same kit you are looking at starts at $1255.... so if your heart is set on that you may save some $ from buying local.
Here is my bit to add about tooling in general..
1. If you work for a company that requires you to have your toolbox in the back of a work ute 24/7 this type of box will break where the drawers are welded on and they will hang down and be a pain in the arse! Which means a bit of extra money on a heavy duty ute box would be worth it. Kingcrome do an direct imitation Faber ute box now small 2 drawer one for $350... large 3 drawer one for $495.... that is box only! ( that is a sales price on now here in peanutland).
2.Do not under any circumstances use normal twin hex sockets on a rattle gun!!! USE IMPACT SOCKETS ONLY!
You may not break the socket at the time on the rattle gun but it will one day when you have a breaker bar on it and when it does break you may end up injuring yourself in the process. Also it will void all warranty as it leaves tell tale marks on the back of them.
3. Dont hit spanners with a hammer to losen off bolts or nuts! = damaged tooling or pending injury!
4. if you are in a corrosive type environment use something like penetrene to stop tools from rusting after use.
I am sure whatever tradies you have around you will guide you in the right direction .... dont be afraid to ask!
Good luck on your choice....... one thing is for sure, if you choose smartly you will have these tools for 20+ years to come.

another tip i was told was to buy the best kit you can with the money you have, saves on duplicates and triplicates in later life

[BANKS]

Sidchrome for me all the way.

Paid just over 1500 for:

9-draw roller box
1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" sockets 4mm - 45mm with various extensions etc
4-35mm imperial and metric spanners
100-120-200-250-300mm adjustable spanners
2 long nose pliers, 1 pair of cutters, 1 normal pliers, 1 electrical pliers
King chrome 1/2" torque wrench
300-150mm steel rulers
1 rubber mallet
1 claw hammer
1 magnet wand
1 50mm mirror wand
Flathead and philips screw driver set
Digital multimeter with temp and RPM
1 impact driver
1 security bit set
1 battery tester
Manual rivet gun

All brand new stuff from glenfords, researched it hardcore and found they where the cheapest. Had to get a couple of things ordered in which only took a couple of days but very happy with em and haven’t smacked my knuckles yet! My advice get a couple of catalogs, i know places like blackwoods and glenfords have kits all the time, plus the beauty is that you can buy extra packages or remove ones you dont need. thats with the one i went to mind you

[VRSS]

i went with sidchrome also, $1500 got me a 8 draw box, full 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drive socket set, metric and imperial open end/ring and ring/ring spanners, metric and imperial allen keys, metric and imperial pipe spanners, shifters, screwdrivers, pliers (long nose, short nose, circlip pliers) side cutters, vice grips, multi grips, chisels, punches, test light, shifters, hammer, and more that ive probably left out..

a mate from work got the $800 "apprentices dream" package from SP tools, which is a box similar to that pictured above with full 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 drive sockets, ring spanners, pliers, screwdrivers and some other bits and pieces. alot less than what i got in my sidchrome box but good for the price, he hasnt had a problem yet.

i have a few SP tools that ive bought seperately and id reccommend them, although i havnt used their ratchets or spanners so i cant say much about them but as said above my mate is happy with them

[cpbait]

yeh iv got kinchrome, bought it when i was a first year mechanic, sp tools are good, iv got sp air 1/2" air gun and a 3/8" air ratchet, paid $180 for each and they haven't skipped a beat in 3.5-4 years, if you get sp air airtools, just make sure you oil them with a drop of oil every day or in the morning when you go to use them, just a drop, not to much and they will last for a long time, we had them as workshop air guns and no one oiled them in over 12months and they were run flat out and suffered, but mine hasn'e had any problems as i oil it, and as others have said, buy what you can now for the money you have, and start with a kit like this, then you can buy other tools that u need bit by bit, thats what i was told and have done, now iv got tools from kinchrome, sp air, sidchrome, snap on, stawheeli(think thats how its speit), teng tools and more, congratulations and good luck with your apprentice ship too.

i bought the kinchrome apprentice set for $1400, came with 141 piece tool set full 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" socket and ratchet set, minus 1/4" ratchet, spanners, screwdrivers, etc, top box and 3 draw rollcab, 1 large hight draw and 2 normal hight draws and a large storage compartment on the bottom, good to start with, then i upgraded to a 13 drawer rollcab and still use it all, been realy gwd, but yeh start with a kit like this then build up, good work.

[Hillerus]

One thing I can recommend to you guys buying tools, is to go out and buy Knipex sidecutters and circlip pliers. I have bought cheaper stuff in the past, and have been quite disappointed with it.

Knipex is the best you can get. It IS expensive, but in my opinion, well worth it.

Those circlip pliers you can get with the detachable ends on them are crap. I bought a Kincrome set (my tool kit consists of about 80% Kincrome), I used them once, and threw them in the bin. The money is much better spent on Knipex.

[matty88]

I too have the SP rattle gun, but my tool chest package is TTI (Total Tools brand). I'd recommend the tools, only downside to them is they are chrome and obviously get scratched easily and look poor.

[vnskidder]

[QUOTE=Hillerus;703443]One thing I can recommend to you guys buying tools, is to go out and buy Knipex sidecutters and circlip pliers. I have bought cheaper stuff in the past, and have been quite disappointed with it.

Knipex is the best you can get. It IS expensive, but in my opinion, well worth it.

i bought a set of four and they cost me $167, but they are the best i have used.

i bought a sp tool kit and they are great. my cost my $1390 plus about $700
worht of tools i have added.

[Rhino Racing]

Hey there calais v8,
If you are keen to get SP Tools i see that they have a sale on at the moment.
The $1600 box you are talking about is reduced to $995 .
You can upgrade to the box, plus trolley, plus extra tools for around $1900.
If you cant find them on sale i will scan a copy of brochure for you but i am in peanut country here...(Kingaroy)
Good luck on the tools mate!

[joel87]

gday mate i am a second year and i have sp spanners , sockets and an air ratchet, have never had a problem, the spanners are almost identicle to the snapone ones the trady has, the only problem i have had is the boss leavin my 10mm in a car when i was buyin lunches, i highly recomend them

[vtdemon]

I can also recommend Sidchrome for value for money and good warranty, as the majority of my kit is Sidchrome. Our old Sidchrome rep would replace tools under warranty no question.

A lot of tool manufacturers sell tools under different brands so if you want to save a penny find out what these are and you could find yourself saving a few hundred dollars buying the exact same tools just with a different brand name enscribed on them!

Any thing with a lifetime warranty is good as long as it's a comfortable and appropriate tool to use for your job.

[cpbait]

another good one is the repco brand, i bought a set of repco midget spanners, look and feel like the snapon ones, except i got the repco ones for $70/$75 trade and the snapon ones are $300+ for the same set, and there vertually the same, a guy i work with has alot of repco tools and he's never had one problem in the 6-7 years he's had them, he's also got a lot of snapon too, thats never skipped a beat, but if u want good tools at an affordable price and especialy as an apprentice, repco are good too, recomend the midget spanners, have saved me alot of times and iv only had them for bout 5months, same as my ratchet spanners, although i got them on special of snapon, but well worth it too, when u advance a bit further in your career, espec, for those tight places a ratchet and socket just won't fit.

[cpbait]

also calais v8, do u live anywere near dandy area? if so go to the carribean market and when u walk past the fruit and veg part in the entrance, go to your left were the other stalls are there under cover and about 2-3 rows along there's a tool guy, take $50 with you and you will be able to get realy good pliers in short to extra long, straight, 45deg. and 90 deg. ends, side cutters, normal pliers, off him and get a heap for that price, ask him for a tax reciept to so you can claim them, he'll give you one, me and a few of the guys from my work have bought these of him and we've never had a problem and there realy good quality, highly recomend going to him, he has extensions and other tools, just incase your wondering no i don't know him at all, just highly impressed with the tools his got and the prices and especially if your an apprentice, qualified or work on your own cars, these a realy good prices and tools too.

[=Calais v8=]

well thankyou all for your posts and advice. i decided to go the SP kit and it arrived the other day, and i am very very happy! the tools look to be of a high quality, and well worth the money i spent. i took all your advice into consideration and had a bigger look-around at different brands and ideas before making my decision. i appreciate your opinions very much.

thankyou all.