Spec me a socket set.

Iamzod · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:33

Need a decent(ish) metric socket set, the snag is I need to be able to pick it up tomorrow and it has to be under £40.

I was planning on going out & shelling out £3-400 on tools to equip the garage that i've cleared out but i need the socket set in the morning & don't have the funds until Friday for anything better. I've always just borrowed my dads stuff but as i'm transporting my Capri home in the next 14 days I need my own stuff now.

Using a credit card for a better than £40 set is not an option as I have an agreement with the GF that anything for the Capri comes out of my monthly commission from work.

Is this do-able?

shauncr91 · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:41

One of the Halfords kits is probably your best bet at this rate.

You get a nice selection of bits in this set for the price: http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/...uctId_176237_langId_-1_categoryId_255215#tab8

Can't really comment on the quality but according to the Q&A you get a 12month warranty.

Serpantine · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:42

Decent enough socket set with a standard 3/8" ratchet, all the sockets there are obviously 3/8"s and you even get some extensions! http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro23-33-pce-38in-drive-socket-set

Half decent brand too and lifetime warantee.

But, if you wanted to pay more and get quite a lot more sockets / tools I can't recommend the halfords 150 peice professional set enough, I picked mine up for £80 mind, they're £100 now.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_862421_langId_-1_categoryId_255215

Firestar_3x · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:43

Machine Mart might be your best bet, the cheaper sets from Halfords look poor.

I wouldn't touch a non pro halfords set with a bargepole.

Gaijin · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:43

Halfords Advanced Professional 28 Piece Metric Socket Set - £30

Assuming 3/8 and 12pt is ok.

"I have an agreement with the GF that anything for the Capri comes out of my monthly commission from work."

Is this for a reason? I'd look at my wife funny if she tried to enforce something like that on me.

Gaijin · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:44

Firestar_3x said:
Machine Mart might be your best bet, the cheaper sets from Halfords look poor.

There's really nothing wrong with them unless you are a tool snob or a pro mechanic.

They do up and undo nuts and bolts, and my 3/8 ratchet is only just dying after 5 years, and that's because I've been hitting it with a hammer.

Firestar_3x · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:45

Gayjin said:
There's really nothing wrong with them unless you are a tool snob or a pro mechanic.

Yes i have 100's of pounds worth of halfords pro gear, but the 65bit non pro set is terrible, the one you linked to is a better bet, but imho you can do better at Machine Mart.

dholdi · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:51

Borrow your Dads for tomorrow, you can take it back in a couple of weeks when you've saved enough for the Halfords Pro set.

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:51

My crescent tool kit from Costco was £48.

http://www.traderjonsonline.com/ebaypictures/012512/c001.JPG

Serpantine · 16 Mar 2013 at 19:54

pepsilol said:
My crescent tool kit from Costco was £48.

http://www.traderjonsonline.com/ebaypictures/012512/c001.JPG

That's a bit special.

Iamzod · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:03

Gayjin said:
"I have an agreement with the GF that anything for the Capri comes out of my monthly commission from work."

Is this for a reason? I'd look at my wife funny if she tried to enforce something like that on me.

It was my choice, that way I can spend what I like on it without having to justify it to anyone and as we pool all our money together it means my Capri has no detrimental effect on our finances at all.

Iamzod · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:04

dholdi said:
Borrow your Dads for tomorrow, you can take it back in a couple of weeks when you've saved enough for the Halfords Pro set.

32 miles is a ballache of a drive to borrow a 12mm socket :-(

kaiowas · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:18

Iamzod said:
It was my choice, that way I can spend what I like on it without having to justify it to anyone and as we pool all our money together it means my Capri has no detrimental effect on our finances at all.

That's fine in theory but here you're talking about buying a socket set that probably won't meet your needs in the long run just to fit this agreement when you're likely to end up spending more money buying the one you actually need sooner or later anyway.

In essence the £40 your spending now will be wasted just to comply with some arbitrary agreement when the financially sensible thing to do is just buy the set you need now and straighten the finances out next week.

Matt82 · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:22

Machinemart 3/8 metric set and breaker bar should be under 40

Matt82 · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:24

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/pro23-33-pce-38in-drive-socket-set

pepsilol · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:29

Iamzod said:
32 miles is a ballache of a drive to borrow a 12mm socket

I'm at my unit in Sheffield tomorrow, all my tools are there if you just want to work in it..there's a 2 poster there also. Just email me if you want to come over.

( This is assuming you're doing something normal, not dropping the box or something)

jaybee · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:30

£40 on a full socket set? Well you could do, but I wouldn't. It will be a waste in the long run as you'll likely end up buying another. Buy cheap and buy twice is not just said for the fun of it. Halfords pro are very good. I have the 150 piece and it has been used and abused by my friends and family for about 6 years and I have only had to replace one ratchet mechanism due to inproper use from an inexperienced friend using them (free due to life time guarantee) and I got that on a Sunday without a receipt. That's the beauty of Halfords pro sets.

What do you need to achieve with it that can't wait? Borrow someone elses?
Ir go down to Lidl/Aldi/market and spend as cheap as possible for some tat and then buy good stuff when you can. At the end of the day, cheap tools you will end up throwing in the bin and cursing that you could have put it towards a better set. Been there done it too many times. Now I only buy decent tools.

dholdi · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:33

Iamzod said:
32 miles is a ballache of a drive to borrow a 12mm socket

I assumed you were taking it home from your Dads in the next 14 days and could borrow the sockets whilst you were there.

dholdi · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:37

jaybee said:
I have only had to replace one ratchet mechanism due to inproper use from an inexperienced friend using them (free due to life time guarantee) and I got that on a Sunday without a receipt. That's the beauty of Halfords pro sets.

I didn't think the ratchets were guaranteed ?

If they are my 1/4 drive needs changing as it sticks when tightening / loosening and you have to go the opposite way slightly to release and then be able to use the changeover lever.

Iamzod · 16 Mar 2013 at 20:44

I'm needing the sockets tomorrow to take down a load of old racking in the garage that will stop me getting the car in, I had considered just cutting it up with an angle grinder and scrapping it but it looks like good quality stuff that I could re-use in the back room of the garage but it's too big to get through the door in one piece.

And the agreement with the GF works fine when you consider it's entirely possible to come home with over £2k in commission a month, my basic wage is already accounted for elsewhere. It's the only fair way to do it as my hobbies cost many multiple times what hers do.

(£575 last month though)

It means I can make purchases with no questions asked.