Recommend a good socket set

[cctaylor]

10mm??

17mm actually, just went missing

Had to buy a 13mm separately as the set came with a 14mm.

My Ransomes triple lawn mower was a hybrid, the skid unit made in the US of A was of course A/F bolts, the cutting cylinders were made in the UK with metric bolts. You had to remember which part you were working on. Had to buy a 1/2 inch ratchet spanner once to put the engine back in after a minor repair. Access by any other means was almost impossible without substantial dismantling.

 

[stevec67]

I have Draper stuff, which is either adequate for the standard range or very good for Draper pro. I recently bought a Bahco socket set, very nice but more money. Britool, Wera, Facom, Snap On are lovely but wow, the cost. The only Facom stuff I own I found in the gutter. Guess what, a 12mm and, strike gold, 10mm 1/4 drive socket. So far the Facom 10km socket has not yet left to join Shergar and Lord Lucan. I have spares for the inevitable day.

Halfords Pro is excellent. You can get discount vouchers easily enough. Back in my sports car days a lot of the guys used to buy the £200 set with a 25% voucher and take it on track days, it had everything they needed all in one place.

 

[stevec67]

I was given a Pro Forge 1/2" set, a fridge engineer had bought it cheap at Screwfix , with a knackered ratchet. He left it at the factory one day by mistake, I looked after it, when I rang him he wasn't bothered, was only using it as spares so I could keep it. Thanks. It has a missing 17mm and obviously no 10mm, but I fixed the ratchet and it's handy as a spare. Feels like decent quality, cheap enough.

 

[stevec67]

17mm actually, just went missing

Had to buy a 13mm separately as the set came with a 14mm.

My Ransomes triple lawn mower was a hybrid, the skid unit made in the US of A was of course A/F bolts, the cutting cylinders were made in the UK with metric bolts. You had to remember which part you were working on. Had to buy a 1/2 inch ratchet spanner once to put the engine back in after a minor repair. Access by any other means was almost impossible without substantial dismantling.

Bizarre that anyone sells a socket set with no 13mm. They should all have that size and at least 2 10mm.

 

[cutting42]

So far the Facom 10km socket has not yet left

I should think so, that must be really heavy

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Bizarre that anyone sells a socket set with no 13mm. They should all have that size and at least 2 10mm.

Perhaps it’s like planes with no row 13, hotels with no room 13, apartment blocks with no 13th floor. Maybe the socket is marked 12A.

 

[puddlesplasher]

Bacho are a good quality at a reasonable price. Been using my set for the past 15 - 20 years with no issues.

 

[Linds]

If I was buying again not sure I’d buy a total mega set, prob still get a sturdy 1/2” drive set and a separate 3/8” and 1/4” one. Practically it means when all you need is the mini one (which covers 80% of tasks) then it’s smaller and lighter. Took my 3/8 with a rented camper van and it was well handy. Also if going away with a couple of bikes it’s a small set to lob in next to the car spare wheel.

 

[dweezil]

I don’t know what you mean. This empty tool kit is a bargin!

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Tribute-Series/54"-10-Drawer-Double-Bank-Firefighter-Tribute-Masters-Series-Stainless-Steel-Top-Roll-Cab/KTL1022AWET1

Put 3 tonnes of tools in and it'll be worth more than our house!

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Put 3 tonnes of tools in and it'll be worth more than our house!

Or if you’re working on a Boeing, 3 tons.

 

[stevec67]

If I was buying again not sure I’d buy a total mega set, prob still get a sturdy 1/2” drive set and a separate 3/8” and 1/4” one. Practically it means when all you need is the mini one (which covers 80% of tasks) then it’s smaller and lighter. Took my 3/8 with a rented camper van and it was well handy. Also if going away with a couple of bikes it’s a small set to lob in next to the car spare wheel.

For general car servicing a 3/8 is enough for everything under 17mm. You do need 1/2" for wheelnuts etc. 3 /8 is easier to fit in tight spots and lighter. The 1/4 drive set gets the use on bikes etc.
So I'd agree with you, selected sizes for brutalising the big stuff and a standard set for everything else. These days I wouldn't bother with AF sizes unless I knew I needed them. Says the man who was using a 1/4 Whit spanner this afternoon on something made in WW2.

 

[PsB]

Update: liking the look of this - https://www.bahco.com/gb_en/1-4--an...-combination-spanner-set-l-keys-pb_s106_.html - which gets good reviews. Anyone got it? Any idea how it stacks up against a similarly priced set from Halfords, say? (I must admit, I’m shallow, I like the orange colour scheme ;-) )

I have had a Bahco socket set for some years. They seem excellent (way too good for me as I use them very little). Got them in a sale.

 

[Colin L]

Tony,

Jeepers, you could buy a mains cable for that much money

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Tony,

Jeepers, you could buy a mains cable for that much money

Do decent tools make a difference?

 

[cutting42]

This thread is terrible, I have a collection of random 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets and wrenches, all perfectly adequate. I am now thinking of donating them all to a worthy cause and buying a nice new set. No idea what for, I really don't use them much, I just like tools.

 

[fegs]

This thread is terrible, I have a collection of random 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive sockets and wrenches, all perfectly adequate. I am now thinking of donating them all to a worthy cause and buying a nice new set. No idea what for, I really don't use them much, I just like tools.

I love tools and like a lot of people I've got lots of tools, all collected over the years
There's loads of stuff I'll never use again, especially from my motorcycling days (flywheel pullers, clutch tools etc)
Sometime soon I'm going to have to be brutal and have a good clear out

 

[cubastreet]

20 years ago I bought a 1/2" socket set from that big catalogue store. I left the UK 15 years ago and can't remember the name but it's the big store in malls everywhere. Edit: argos I think?

Anyway, the quality is pretty good and I've used and abused those sockets over the years including putting a breaker bar on them and jumping on it, and using them on an impact driver even though they're not designed for that.

I came across a nicer ratchet so I swapped it out, not that anything was wrong with the original one. A friend borrowed the set and it came back without the 27mm socket so that's missing. The worst thing is that the clips that used to hold the case together broke.

I didn't buy the set as a lifetime purchase, but I can't fault it. They probably don't sell it any more so not really any use, but thought I'd share. I had a Halfords pro spanner set and that was much nicer than the fuller pro set that replaced it when it got stolen.

 

[Dozey]

What I really need is a good quality set of everyday tools in a sturdy well thought out box. Not the ratty old tools my dad gave me 30 years ago.

 

[cutting42]

What I really need is a good quality set of everyday tools in a sturdy well thought out box. Not the ratty old tools my dad gave me 30 years ago.

How about this one?

 

[stevec67]

How about this one?

Wow. How would you even pick it up? There is even a metalworking vice in there. OK, a small one, but a big piece of cast iron. The planning and construction of that must have taken a lifetime.