Time for me to Finally get myself a decent socket set. because i keep on taking the Old man's ones but basically just want my own, and doing 200k service on the subie coming up is a good excuse to buy a set.

Anyone want to give some advice on a good brand? Or what to look for? I hear a lot of different advice.

As far as i can gather, Sidchrome are made in Taiwan which would be better than China, and are still expensive tools for what they are but are easy to get and are probably still pretty decent.
Blue Point is made by Snap On? Don't know where to get them from so far, and might not be worth it. But i want to spend big if they'll last me a lifetime.
Kinchrome are made by Sidchrome? and i dont like the ratchets, unless people can confirm they are good.

Dunno, what do you people think?

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Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

A Mod might like to move this to the right section too.
Just realised i posted in the wrong spot.

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Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

i got some cresent tools for x mas not to bad at all

or Metrinch tools look good, google them, nice tool design

for the cost vs useage you cant go past repco tools, pretty good and lifetime warranty

i used teng tools for my tool kit, no dramas apart from the ratchets **** up, really comprehensive kit for the price, but if i was to do my time as a mechanic again (which i wouldn't) i'd get kingchrome

but only if i was to be using them everyday, cheap but quality is repco, find someone who who works at a repco who can do a cheaper price and you're laughing

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http://www.healingchambers.com.au

Yeah right, I hadn't thought of Repco.
Or i dismissed them totally because of the Repco brand, sort of like Super Cheap auto's SCA brand. But if they're good it might be worth looking into.
All i really need is a 1/2" drive socket set, i have every other common tool, and anything extravagant i could probably borrow.

I want a good ratchet. And basically a socket that when it say's its a 14mm, it actually is a 14mm, not 14+ with a bit of tolerance. Want to steer clear of rounded nuts and bolts.

My other idea was Toolex Brand tools, which are Gasweld's own brand which i have been told were made in the old Sidchrome factory (I dont know if that means they were made in Australian factory or not?). They're pretty cheap, but i don't know what the quality is like. On inspection they looked like my dad's old ETC set, which 30+ years ago when he got them were about the best on the market. But quality changes and i know through working in hardware the once good brand of ETC has been bought out by Spear and Jackson, and now made in China and are relatively cheap quality. The Professional Eclipse tools (made by ETC) are quite good quality for the price too (lifetime warranty also).

Oh, and is it worth getting Metric and A/F?
How many in a set do people generally use too, Ie. is a 43pce set worth paying for if a 20 will do.

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Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

In my 250 piece tool kit i bought, i got A/F spanners and sockets, never have i used them, only when i come across some us piece of crap etc do i need to, so there is nood need at all the buy A/F tools, i dont think in the 5 years of owning the kit i've touched half my A/F gear

You seem to know more about the brands and where they are made and who owns them, i'm only going off hands on experience with the tool kits used in the workshops, owned by fellow workers

Definately get a set of single hex sockets (generally rattle gun sockets are) that way if you get anything that is stubborn, one of these will definately NOT round the nut, they are a little bigger than a normal socket, but designed for rattle guns so they will never die

Repco ratchet/socket sets are as good as any, i like 3/8 socket set and ratchet as they are smaller and can be used in more places, and having the 1/2 ratchet with reducer to use the 3/8 sockets is fine

depeneds on how much you want to spend

but i'd either go to gasweld and have a look around, or epco

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http://www.healingchambers.com.au

I've built my whole 1600 using a $249 toolbox from repco. I cant remember ever rounding a nut/bolt to the point where it couldnt still be taken off with the same tool. Ive had a few slips, causing a little rounding, but just move it around and have another go.
For the price its incredible value.
Only recently did my 1/2 ratched sh*t itself. It just gave way, and doesnt work any more. But thats after stripping a whole 1600, half stripping another, working on motors, and building a whole other 1600.
PLUS, i do admit to doing, what you should NEVER do, and that is use a ratchet as a breaker bar with a hammer hahahhaha That will definitely kill them!

So if your after an everyday, use on wahtever, whenever tool set that you dont need to put to bed each night and tuck in, go a repco kit.
If you want something that is top quality, that you will never have to replace anything ever, go SNAP ON. But you will be sacrificing both arms and a leg, so you wont be able to use them anyways hahahaha
If you want something in between, that is good quality, if a little expensive, get Kinchrome/Sidchrome.

Just to put it into perspective, for the $249 that you spend on a complete toolbox with screwdrivers, spanners, sockets (1/4,1/2,3/4) , ratchets, knives, pliers, sparky pliers and a terminal kit, you can get a 40 piece metric/ A/F socket set by Sidchrome.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Sidchrome-40-Pie ... 240%3A1318

My vote is Repco =)

But if you want better quality, go to your local engineering shop, and they should have various brands, and a catalogue with more for you to choose from.

Chris

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Its all part of the experience .... if it was easy you wouldn't enjoy eventual success as much!

Yeah, i Work in hardware, so i have a bit of an idea of what is good and what isn't in terms of build quality and where they're made. Can't find any good European made tools anymore.
But thanks, I want some suggestions based on personal experience and your own use.

_________________
Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

As said before you cant go past the REPCO gear, ive been a mechanic for nearly ten years and ive still got 90% of the original repco gear in my tool box from when i started my apprenticeship. I was a bit sceptical about buying repco tools when first looking at setting myself up, but my wife worked at a repco store so i got a pretty good discount, im glad i went that way now, and there always great with there warranties.
If you decide to get a set of impact sockets, go to supercheap and grab some of there's, ive been using a set for about five years on the rattle gun and there still going strong, i think they cost me about $30.
Another good brand is T&E, there tools are very similar in price and quality to the repco gear.

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My names Travis and I have a Datsun problem.

For really nice tools that will last for a lifetime, look to Germany.

Stahlwille, Gedore, Hazet

Good industrial supply shops will be able to supply them and I have bought a lot from ebay.

also Snap On/Blue Point are good but you have to buy them from a Snap On truck and very $$$.

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1971 Datsun P510 SR20DET 276 rwkW
2005 Mercedes AMG E55 350 kW
1969 Datsun P510 L20B EFI 95 rwkW
1975 Ford XB Fairmont GS Wagon 179rwhp
1980 Escort Van SR20DET unfinished
2002 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa 185hp

I'm Gonna steer clear of Snap-On. I thought that when people said that they were overpriced, i figured that they might be double the amount of other brands. Turns out that isn't so. http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp ... ir=catalog

I thought that for just a 25PCE set, that was a little out of my budget.

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Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

i have an assortment of "teng" tools and they are alright

i do have a 3/8 rachet from snap on which i have had a 3m piece of exhayst on the end to break a nut on the bottom of a shock.

the snap on rep told me if it breaks it is guaranteed for life

yes this one rachet cost me the same as almost an entire carry about set but to this day after all the abuse it still works like the day i got it - perfect!

because i used the rachet everyday i wanted something which was good.

i demolished countless repco and sidchrome ones, but the snap on has never snapped off

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"the 910 is the poor man's 510"

For a garage set Snap On and Sidchrome are a little over kill.

I bought a Supatool set from autobarn a few months ago. They are made by Kingchrome which are the tools I'd buy if I was a mechanic. Around 35 piece 1/2 drive with AF and Metric, breaker bar, 3 extensions and a knuckle. Set me back about $135 from memory (might've been a touch less - I bought a cheap torque wrench at the same time). It's really well made, the ratchet isn't going to stretch the mechanism housing like really cheap sh*t does and the mechanism it's self feels sturdy. The sockets are all really good quality and I doubt I'll be breaking any soon. I higly recommend the Supatool stuff as a cheap but quality garage socket set.

get a desent set of tools cheep ones will f#*k you job, brake your nuckels and piss you off.
sidcrome, t&e, kingcome, repco are all good sets for the home mechanic. but if you plan on dooing allot of work get a long 1/2' snap-on rachet as well thay are sh*t hot! i evan do my weel nuts with it

Kinchrome for home or the pro is fine. Snap on/Blue point or MAC tools are the best but you will pay for it. I'd say go with Kinchrome. I have had mine for 15 plus years and never had any dramas. The socket set I bought was the first set of tools I had when I started my time still going strong today.

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1928 Model A CC Pickup