tools, which ones are good?

[undersuspicion]

i live near repco so i will definitely have a look. What are their socket sets and spanner sets worth roughly? F l a k unfortunately we dont have bursons here in WA otherwise i would be have a look at SP range. Thanks for the link arcarmody, looks like a quality set reasonably cheap.
Still open to ideas and suggestions guys.

 

[ute boy]

i work for repco so i can shed some light on their tools.
our main brand was sidchrome untill we had problems with warrenties and sidcrome not covering them (because of 'abuse')
we run sidchrome still but have droped our instore range majiorly but if u got a part number of a box they can get them in.
orignaly when we got repco tools they were avarage but we have changed brands and their now higher quality. their now trade quality and a fair bit cheaper than sidchrome/kingchrome.
lifetime warrenty aswell and if u got a problem u walk in with it and walk out with a new one.
some of our trade customers still use the brand name ones because of the 'name' but some of the personaly owned guys are startin to get repco tools.
go in and have a look at the tools also their should be a tool catalog next to the tool cabnet but if not just ask.
also ask if they got the "2011 mega tool cataloge" which has everthin from spanners to hoists. (not all repco branded haha) have a look in it as it has a few more tools.

one thing i wouldnt suggest to get repco branded is the specialest tools eg tourqe wrenches because they have been known to de-calibrate dont work as well.

best thing to do is find out wat tools u like and feel comfertable using.
with specials repco/bersons/supercheap has some specials here and there with the kits but arnt usualy really cheap so pic your time.
if u can wait till next year do so and wait till sidchrome/kingchrome offers their specials for the tradies.
when your in repco and gettin prices ask for trade and they should be able to (not heaps but ocassinaly something)
another thing repco has 20% of for nrma members this month (excludes battreys, sat navs, engines and that sort of s**t) so if u get in quick u could save a bit =D
heres the link: http://www.repco.com.au/CA2571B7001...tion?OpenDocument&1=0-Home~&2=~&3=~&REFUNID=~
mitch

 

[kcpwns]

Just my two cents...love my king chrome shifters and the ratchet set goes alright...
Id recommend kingchrome

 

[FusionX]

best thing to do is find out what tools you like and feel comfortable using.

+1 to this. Have a look in the shops and see which spanners/ratchets/other tools feel good in your hand and are comfortable to work with. So are a bit better designed ergonomically then others and are easier to use, which is why I have a bit of every brand in my toolbox.

 

[Darren_L]

If you want a ratchet that sounds like a D7 turning around on Conrete then Sidchrome is for you. If you want a ratchet that sound like a ratchet, then get Kincrome.

Go into bunnings or the like and try both side by side, thats what I did and it was an easy decision to buy Kincrome. Not sure if some punk put snad in the Sidcrome ratchet but it felt and sounded **** house.

Sidchrome ratchets sound the way they do because they have a much heavier duty ratchet mechanism. Kinchrome ratchets might sound nice, but they break internally.

having said that, Sidchrome is nothing like it used to be nor is it's lifetime warranty. Once Stanley took them over things went downhill. But having owned both Sidchrome and Kinchrome tools myself, I would choose Sidchrome over Kinchrome without a second thought. Particularly when it comes to ratchets.

 

[acarmody]

To the OP, if you have a bit of time to look for some tools, go around to all your local markets, look for the old guys and see if they are selling any. Buy tools, like spanner and sockets that are really, really, old. I'm not kidding. Or if you know anyone like maybe grandparents or old uncles that used to be a mechanic ask them if they are willing to part with their tools for some money.

Example, my grandfather recently sold me some of his tools, stuff made in Germany, UK, USA, and Australia, stuff that he bought when he started his apprenticeship, in the damn 1940's, if I can ever break these tools, than I'm doing something damn wrong.

 

[nemesis_adrasteia]

i own a variety of different tools from different brands J.B.S., sidchrome, snap on and wurth.

i find them all to be pretty good, if i was to choose a brand i would have to go for wurth. incredibly good tools well designed not entirely sure what the go with the warranty is the rep just replaces anything that breaks for me(i work in automotive) also most of wurths tools that have moving parts(ratchets/rattle guns/etc) are rebuildable im pretty sure this is the case with snap on also.

 

[VK SL 3800]

Well my old man works for Total tools so i buy pretty much all TTI gear lol, only thing i have broke so far in a year and a half is the 16mm 1/2'' drive socket, mind you i had the S**ts with a really tight head bolt and had it on the 3/4 gun with an adapter and was going to town on the poor little thing for about 5 minutes before it broke. TTI have a lifetime warranty on all ratchets spanners ect as well.
The majority of Snap-on stuff is awesome but like everything there is the the odd tool that is just plain crap, if i had the money i would purchase a snap on kit.
I havent got anything bad to say about SP either all the spanners i have borrowed feel nice to use and are a little longer then the TTI equivalent, which is good most of the time but the rare occasion where the TTI spanner fits and the SP one wont does happen rarely.
Repco tools and TTI tools come from the same factory as do a couple of other common brands which have escaped my memory.

 

[mr calais 5.0]

I have a fair range of spanners, sockets and ratchets.. I have broken a few sidchrome sockets and kinchrome as well.. Just have a look around and pick up tools as you need them and you will have a fair stash.. Get both kinds imperial and metric.. Any body else have a few whitworth spanners?

 

[VZ_SS]

Hard to go wrong with sidchrome and kinchrome mate, barcho and stahlwille are also good brands. Most brands come with lifetime warranties these days. I tend to hit up markets and garage sales to add to my collection, sidchrome gear always going soo cheap. Not as shiny as the snap on boys though