Decent Socket Set

Soldato
Joined
17 Oct 2006
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2,544
Location
Aviemore, Cairngorms, Scottish Highlands
Thought I would ask in here.

I'm after a half decent Socket set for general tinkering on my jetski (like a motorbike engine). Any ideas what is a good one budget about £50-60. Dont need screw drives etc just spanners. Or should I just buy separate stuff. From memory Snap-on where pretty good but expensive.
 
Yup - halfords pro set here too. Got the 120 piece set on special offer a while back. Well biult, lifetime warranty - and the "clutch" or whatever in the ratchets can be changed if they fail (and done under warranty if you have the reciept).

Not let me down yet. If you are after something really pro then you would need to go to some trade supplier of tools that normally supply direct to garages etc.
 
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If you are after something really pro then you would need to go to some trade supplier of tools that normally supply direct to garages etc.
You can get garage quality tools from plenty of places online, although IME most of the tools used at garages arent really any better than a lot of halfords stuff.
 
Used Snap-on and Halfords Pro and the Snap-on stuff is better finished but the Halfords is just the same quality at half or more the price. Plus if anything breaks you can swap Halfords straight away without having to wait for the Snap-on chap to come round.

The ratchets are not covered with the lifetime guarantee due to the moving part in the ratchet, but have had one replaced before now by timing it right and going to the YTS(or whatever its called now) lad behind the till.;)
 
Used Snap-on and Halfords Pro and the Snap-on stuff is better finished but the Halfords is just the same quality at half or more the price. Plus if anything breaks you can swap Halfords straight away without having to wait for the Snap-on chap to come round.

I recently used a halfords socket to remove a set of locking wheel bolts, not wanting to risk a snapon socket and with no easyout available I borrowed one from my bosses halfords set. To my and others surprise I managed to hammer it onto the bolt tight without breaking it. The bolt itself was seized solid so half expected it to slip off but with a little effort it freed off.
The amazing thing is after all the wheel bolts were removed from the socket there was hardly a mark on the socket itself, the chrome was scuffed a little apart from that the business end was solid.
I use mainly snapon and Mac tools at work because of they offer reasonable quality and a lifetime warranty but they are shockingly overpriced sometimes.
Next payday though Im taking a trip to halfords to buy a set, they are quality and up there with the best of them.
 
Slightly OT and I know the general recommendation is to go for the Halfords Pro range but is the Draper Expert range any cop? Wanted to get a 3/8" cheap set in the £30-40 range and Draper seemed to fit the bill.
 
Yeh think i'll go for the 150 Halfords pro set as its half price now £99 from £199 and if get it on-line you get another £10 knocked off. ;)

i got this a day before the 10% off thing :mad:

Also, not sure what the difference is, but my set isn't like the one on the net. I think mine is a newer version but most of the bits are the same.

Cracking kit for the money.
 
Halfords pro is very solid, they do have a bit of a tendancy to supply 12 pointers for some reason though. Machine Mart's professional range is cheaper and not far off as good, plus their seperate rails are well priced. Or were anyway.

I like Teng Tools... They're a wee bit overpriced but they're as good as you need and also look and feel like quality. The textured finish looks lovely but it also helps when you're covered in unspeakable oily slime which you're not quite sure what it is :D
 
Halfords Pro Kit - Get the 150 Piece one at christmas, usually half price at circa 100 quid. Got mine brand new from a car boot for £30 :D
 
Slightly OT and I know the general recommendation is to go for the Halfords Pro range but is the Draper Expert range any cop? Wanted to get a 3/8" cheap set in the £30-40 range and Draper seemed to fit the bill.

I've had a Draper Expert socket set for quite a few years now, it's got 12-point sockets which are apparantly worse than 6-point (but so does the halfords I think), but after many years of abuse they've never let me down, I'd reccomend them but I can't compare it to halfords tools (or any others for that matter)
 
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