tbro
Go to the markets and buy old Sidchrome or Siddons, best stuff money can buy.
nickm
If you you can get a 6 point set. 10mm up to 30mm
jamesinc
What are these markets you speak of?
Vee_Que
Philia_Bear;102606 wroteMmm... reminding me... I very much love my snap on ratchets... about the only thing I will seriously splurge on...
I'm not a big fan of my snap on long flex head ratchet vs my gear wrench one. Same length, the gear wrench is a finer tooth and stronger, had to rebuild the snap on one twice now, and it's a hassle to get the parts.
Philia_Bear
nickm;102614 wroteIf you you can get a 6 point set. 10mm up to 30mm
Agreed, need 6pt in addition to 12pt
12pt loves to strip anything headbolt
tclarkson142
Try Cash Converters
PaddlerEd
I've still got the Crescent set that I got from PB and Brendan before we went on the road in the van 6 years ago...
I have added a few other sockets to it:
-1/4" deep sockets (3mm to 14mm)
-1/2" deep socket (10-21mm)
-Some odd sizes for different things
Keep an eye out for specials at the usual suspects, but decide what you want to pay for it in advance...
tbro
jamesinc;102615 wroteWhat are these markets you speak of?
I'm sure Sidders has markets that sell anything and everything, Parklea /Blacktown weekend markets that I use to go to did, garage sales, deceased estates, swap meets are all places that I've picked up hand and power tools, even found SST's for flatheads, reamers and guides even 1/4 drive WB tension wrench and full BW35 service kit, just gotta look and barter.
jagardh
perko
My old man had a Koken set which I used to borrow, probably 25 years old now and still perfect, has been used to rebuild 4 cars now, bits of pipe on the end of ratchets, you name it nothing can break it.
I have Sidchrome now, it's ok but the ratchet itself is not a patch on the old Koken one, also the soft handles tend to break down pretty quickly when you have oily hands, even though it gets cleaned every time it's put away.
Once I kill the Sidchrome ratchet I'll probably buy a Koken 1/2" but keep the Sidchome sockets since they're ok.
egads (she/her)
Ooooh, bahco. So indestructible.
nickm
14mm 12 point and head bolts found out the hard way.
jamesinc
Mmm Bahco. But also, flex head ratchets. What a tough decision.
Vee_Que
The set is pretty cheap and I am not exaggerating about how good they are. Remember, I work on trucks every day of the week.
nickm
Ex850R
My aldi sockets are 6 point and good, the ratchet handle fell apart but now used as short handle and can be hit with hammer!
Stanley set from Supercheap is ace, got on special for 90 odd bux. AND it is kool colour, BLACK!
Bahco sounds great! Have lusted after them before.. I had a snap on ratchet for years but needed rebuild and got lost.
Really like the Harbour Freight carbon fibre ratchets too! (Mr Mullis could help.)
AshDVS
I think it all comes down to how much you plan on using 1/2" stuff - I almost never use 1/2" but typically use 3/8" for everything.
All my 1/4" and 3/8" stuff is Snap On or Blue Point. I have a few bits of Koken or Kincrome stuff where I've bought something for a specific purpose and I even have a couple of 1/2" breaker bars (that live in the boot of the cars) which are TTI (Total Tools, in-house budget brand) that might get used once a year at most.
I've got a 3/8" Snap On rattle gun, which I use a lot, and have a 1/2" SP rattle gun which I don't use as much.
If you're doing heavy truck/bus stuff, like @Vee-Que spends his time on, it'd make sense to have really good 1/2" stuff.
If you're a hobby-mechanic, middle-range 3/8" stuff should get you through just about anything.
Major Ledfoot
I bought a Gedore half inch metric socket set, which included a selection of combination spanners, in about 1985 from Complete Hardware in Eastwood (they're still there, at 74 Rowe St, even now).
It was stolen in 1989, and promptly replaced by another Gedore set of the same spec from the same place. The latter kit has survived car prep for two Winton 24 Hours, four Bathurst 12 Hours, plus gawd knows how many clubbies before and since, and all of the tools I still have from that kit are still going strong to the present day.
None of the Gedore tools have ever broken. In fact, the only spanner I've ever had break on me was an el cheapo 14mm flare nut spanner.
The basic kit has been supplemented by mostly Sidchrome and Stanley spanners and sockets, with the occasional Kinchrome thrown in there. General rule of thumb is that if I bought a socket of a certain size, I'll also get a combination spanner of the same size, or vicey versie.
The local Home Hardware had a clearance special about 2 years on the Kinchrome 3/8 socket set, and that's proven to be quite handy for going to Pick 'n' Payless and the like.
jamesinc
I don't need 1/2" set that badly. I rebuilt Amy from the shell without a 1/2" set. It's more that it occasionally comes in handy.
familyman
If you can wait, look at what supercheap has. Then wait for their more-than-20%-off sale. I think they just had 30% off a couple of weeks ago. So you'll have to wait a few months. Sign up to their club membership if you're not, and watch the emails so you know when the next one is on.
I own Kincrome purchased years ago when Bunnings was clearing out old stock cheap, because (according to Bunnings staff) Kincrome was sold to the chinese. He showed me a ratchet from the new set that was replacing the one in my hand, saying they'd probably still be ok. But they sure looked and felt of a lower quality, which seemed to confirm what he said about chinese buying the company. I assume that's changed since then or no-one would be buying anymore. But the reason I mentioned it is, tezza suggested markets. i.e. You might see a Kincrome set from that era and grab it without realising.
