Workshop kit

[anonymous-user]

Having sorted out a workshop I now need to get some decent tools. I somehow don't think my collection of inherited or cheapo homebase and halfrauds tools will be up to the job of building a car.

So, I've been looking around and found what appears to be a bloody good deal. I'd appreciate the honourable members of the KitCar forum for their opinions.

Demon Tweeks 2004 Motorsport catalogue, page 310

Toolbox Combination for £399.95
3 drawer roll cabinet
6 drawer top chest
TRX/Spline/Hex bit & driver (42 piece)
Magnetic collector 150mm dia
Powermax screwdriver set (5 piece)
Hex key set (8 piece)
Security TRX/star key set (9 piece)
Deluxe combi wrench set (11 piece)
Magnetic pick up tool/pen
Curved jaws locking pliers 190mm
Socket set 3/8" drive (45 piece)
Circlip plier set (4 piece)
Professional hacksaw 12"
Parallel pin punch set (6 piece)
Needle nosed plier set (3 piece)
Plier set (3 piece)
Offset needle nose plier
Lead lamp 24w/12v
Locking pocket knife
15 function multi-tool
Angle grinder 100mm

Claimed total list price of all pieces: £1142.45

Professional roll cabinet and top chest combo for £319.00
3 drawer roll cabinet
5 drawer top chest
Needle nose plier set (3 piece)
Screwdriver set (8 piece)
Suregrip plier set (3 piece)
Combination pliers 7"
Diagonal cutting nippers 6"
Adjustable wrench set (4 piece)
Socket set 1/4" and 1/2" (51 piece)
2 ton trolley jack

Claimed total list price of all pieces: £712.50

There are a couple of cheaper combos listed too (which I'll post if anyone's interested).

What do you guys think? Do they seem good value? Which would you go for if you were kitting out a workshop from scratch?

[Ex-Biker]

Darran

Have you looked at Sealey?

www.sealey.co.uk

They often have good deals on tool kits.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks Mark, Sealey was a good call.

They've got this Toolbox combination for £327.83 including VAT which is a bit cheaper. Looks to be the exact same cabinets as the Demon Tweeks cheaper kit too!

[anonymous-user]

Shamelessly bumping this by commenting that I realised the kits in Demon Tweeks were in fact Sealey kit!

The Sealey combination listed consists of:
Wrench Set 11pc 8-19mm
Adjustable Wrench Set 4pc 150, 200, 250 & 300mm
Socket Set 51pc 1/4" & 1/2" Square Drive Metric/AF
Screwdriver Set 13pc Universal
Needle Nose Pliers Set 3pc 11"
Needle Nose Pliers 11" Offset
Diagonal Cutting Nippers 5"
Long Nose Pliers 6"
Combination Pliers 6"
Hex Key Set 25pc
Rollcab 3 Drawer
Topchest 6 Drawer
Krypton Torch 2xAA Cell
RoadStart Emergency Power Pack 12V 900 Peak Amps
Power Tool Bit Set 100pc

[jgmadkit]

Lex

Get the best spanners you can afford. Got some Snap-on ones 16 years ago and never looked back. I'm sure the sets you've highlighted are good value but you do get what you pay for so don't expect it to last past your 2nd kit build

John

www.madabout-kitcars.com

[anonymous-user]

I know what you mean John.

I've just found a couple of similar bundles with all Draper kit for around 600 and 900.

What's people's opinion on Draper stuff? Snap on would be fantastic, but they want more for one of their roller chests than I'm planning on spending on most of the kit I need!

And a roller chest is going to be pretty important as my workshop's on a farm which apparently has a problem with scrotes knicking stuff. I think I'll just borrow the farmers 12 bore and sit up waiting.

[peetbee]

Are you sure the scrotes won't just roll your tool cabinet into their van and depart with the lot? Serious question!

My own tool collection is a real mix of quality. Some sourced from car boot sales and some from machine mart and halford, up ot my prized snapon socket set and wrench, (inherited from my father, so it lasts well!)

I've followed the route of if I'm going to use it a lot then buy a good one, if it'll get used once a year then buy a cheap one. I haven't had many breakages so this approach is working so far.

[anonymous-user]

peetbee said:

Are you sure the scrotes won't just roll your tool cabinet into their van and depart with the lot? Serious question!

It's going to be bolted to the floor for just that reason!

[spartan_andy]

Got a snap on 3/8 ratchet and sockets about 12 years ago managed to bugger the ratchet went to see local snap on bloke and he repaired it at no charge this is the snap on guarantee

Apparently you get the same guarantee with the draper professional range

[Ex-Biker]

I don't particularly rate the Draper stuff.

I believe the Sealey stuff has a lifetime guarantee.

Halfords also have a lifetime guarantee on their pro range. I bought some torx bits a couple of months back. Broke one in a mateer of weeks. It was replaced, but I would rather have a tool that works than one to replace every few weeks.

Personally most of my tools are snap-on, due to the fact I left school and started working for a garage.

[Incorrigible]

Ex-Biker said:

I don't particularly rate the Draper stuff.

They do a nubmer of ranges of differing quality The "Draper Expert" is pretty good

As for kitting out the workshop, I'd buy a set of spanners, a set of 6 sided sockets, a nice soft hammer (copper and hide) and some pliers and screwdriver

Buy everything else as you need it, and as soon as anything becomes worn replace it with top of the range stuff (13mm spanners, screwdrivers etc)

[Aprisa]

It's also worth knowing that both Snap-on and Britool (maybe Mac) will call round regularly to any commercial premises (not just Garages) and create you a rolling credit account allowing a gradual build up of top-end tools.

I did this at work until the local Britool guy was dis-enfranchised

May try again with Snap-on as I get withdrawl symptoms if I don't buy at least one new tool a week.

Nick

[anonymous-user]

The question is, can I justify 8 grand on a Snap-on set?

Britool stuff looks interesting. I'd never before heard of them to be honest.

I think I may well take the advise of starting off with a small set and then replacing / adding to it slowly with top quality stuff.

Cheers all. Looks like Sealey will be getting £300 or so of my hard earned.

[Ex-Biker]

Britool / Mac stuff is probably as good as Snap-on without the name and possible their smoth chrome finish.

In all honesty as a start up kit, I don't think you will beat the Sealey stuff. As has been said, you can always replace stuff over time.

[spartan_andy]

I apologise it's the draper expert that has the lifetime guarantee.

I have a friend who was a mechanical engineer for a large company (won't say who) but he had an unlimited tool budget for about 2 years before he left the company and he bought draper expert as opposed to snap on. That's just his opinion mind you quite a few of the tools grew legs and walked to his workshop at home

[mattstead]

Now don't laugh, but Halford Professional range has the same lifetime gaurentee as the best of them and seem pretty nice..the price is usualy good too, I think.

Also, have a look at this list, for tools etc, that were used on a caterham build:

www.academy2004.org/archives/Caterham%207%20Build%20Tools.xls

if I've got the link wrong, then sorry, try www.academy2004.org and halfway down on the right is "tools I've used" section.

[ninjadingle]

Hi...

I may be wrong here but I believe that etching your Snap-On tools invalidates the lifetime guarentee.. I use plenty of them at work, all etched.

Britool ratchet handles are the best, they work on a clutch instead of a ratchet, so you can turn as little as you need to (or can do in a tight space!) Watch the drive doesnt fall out of them though (common problem with the 3/8 drive model)

Thinking about starting my own Snap-On collection, justification? My un-conceived sons inheritance!