Ok. How about a thread with your advice on value for money tools for the HOME diy mechanic? This is gear that will be used occasionally - spanners, sockets etc, but is not cheap enough to break/bend/round off stubborn bolt heads etc.

Kinchrome? Trojan? Sidchrome? Supatool? Any advice anyone?

I've noticed a manufacturer called Trojan that seem to make some fairly robust looking tools for a reasonable price, and many of them have a lifetime guarentee. Seen em at bunnings. Anyone used these tools? Any good?

I've got a pretty decent tool setup purchased over the years and a lot of it wasn't expensive. Just waited around for bargains.

Care to share your experiences to help the less well equipt members? Know of a cheap shop or some decent bargains? Post it here.

i stand by my sidchrome 1" socket set and spanners... worth the extra $$ for me...

a good way to save money is just to by metric sizes,, imperial is useless on our cars, and most things these days...

2nd to sidchrome sockets i think you can't go past repco.. other than these two and more expensive brands you will end up spending more and hurting yourself and rounding nuts etc with crappy tools.

i love the kinchrome screwdrivers.. but use stanley myself as they were a gift.. hope this helps..

Superworks Gold is uber for the price, just as good as the rest of the Kinchrome gear that come off the same production line, and a lot cheaper. Also KC Tools are the goods.

Superworks Gold is uber for the price, just as good as the rest of the Kinchrome gear that come off the same production line, and a lot cheaper. Also KC Tools are the goods.

Not used any superworks stuff, but bought a kinchrome torque wrench about 6 months ago which seems pretty decent, the few times I have used it.

I swear by Sidchrome for my ring/open ender spanner set and my socket set.
For other gear, Stanley FatMax is good but most my other gear is electronic test gear. I seem to be able to do most jobs on the car with just the Sidchrome gear and a couple screwdrivers! :D

I use a combination of both stanley and sidchrome. Good quality gear at an affordable price.

Though its not a tool as such but the best thing I have bought recently and believe any DIY mechanic should have is mechanic gloves, like you see all pit crews wear.

In terms of "budget", but decent gear, You cant really go past the Repco stuff, aswell as the Superworks Gold (from supercheap). Stanley is also very good.

Im in need of a new socket wrench, as the ones I currently have suffer from to much movement of the head (Much cheaper brand).

i like sidchrome and snap-on, they are a bit pricey but well worth it. I have never broken one yet, even with 2 metres of extension pipe for leverage. I probably wouldn't buy any tools without a lifetime warranty.

i pretty much have 3 full size cabinets of sidechrome gear (old mans ex mechanic) and is the grouse, but i dont mind the SWG gear as well, its good quality and according to some of the head office guys up until early this year was manufactured in one of the main factorys that sidchrome uses.

gotta full kincrome tool box and tools so pretty happy with those good quality have belted the crap outta them and they still work !! sidchrome arent bad snap-on is awesome but be prepared to sacrifice a kidney to buy say a screwdriver!!!!!

kincrome ftw!
that said i buy whats good thats on special so i also have some sidchrome, snap on and some craftsman gear in my toolbox

Snap on for me, I prob use them more than most here but even so the warranty can not be beaten.

Sidchrome used to be good when made in OZ but like most things is now not much better than a lot

Repco is ok but I hate repco and will not buy from there out of principle

Kingchrome is also reasonably good

I've got a kinchrome socket set and torque wrench, its always done the job and has a life time replacement warranty. I've also got a sidchrome socket set my dad bought in about 1975, still works like new. Although i believe the newer sidchrome sets are now chinese made and dont have life time warrantys.

Snap on for me, I prob use them more than most here but even so the warranty can not be beaten.

Sidchrome used to be good when made in OZ but like most things is now not much better than a lot

Repco is ok but I hate repco and will not buy from there out of principle

Kingchrome is also reasonably good

99% of my kit is Snap-On... Hell even my garage creeper is Snap-On...

Yeah it's expensive but whenever I've broken anything... they swap it for a new one...No questions asked. They even sell rebuild kits for their ratchets!!
And their ratchet ring spanners are pure gold!!!

I mostly use Snap-On at work (Aircraft Engineer) in Imperial sizes. God when I think how much I've spent over the last 15 years on these tools, could've bought another magna!!

Sidchrome used to be good when they were made in Australia, so I totally agree on that comment.
Though I have bought supacheap 3/8" drive long sockets and hung off them and they held up pretty good.....
Also a have some old sockets that were made by Blackhawk.. almost on Par with Snap-On...though the wall thickness was slightly more than Snap-On.

JBS tools are pretty good too... (Sold at Blackwood's)

Steve

i used to swear by sidchrome but i've got 2 apprentice workshops from kincrome from when i wanted to be a mechanic. but i have noticed some of the kincrome ratchets are identical to the sidchrome, i think the stuff comes from the same factory.

kincrome are good value for money, they have a catalog out every 2 months with specials.

Seeing as I'm a mechanic I should have some input.

Snap-On is great but very expensive - go Blue Point instead as its made by the same company but much cheaper.
Teng Tools Meccarosso range is good (Swedish company)
Beta have fantastic tools (Ferrari uses them - Italian made)
SP Tools and SP Air have very good tools at a competitive price

If you're after air tools JTC (Jetway Tools Company Taiwan) make a heavy duty rattle gun with 610nm Torque for $110AUD. Its the only rattle gun in my workshop that can undo an X5 bearing nut - the Hazet, Wurth, Snap-On and AC Copco all just conk out.

If you have alot of money to spend on tools I'd reccommend;
Stahlwille (the best spanners I have ever used)
Hazet

Good budget tools;
Teng Tools, Stanley, Kinchrome, Sidchrome, KCT

snap on ,stanley,mac tools and for anything air compressed wise i highly recomend airco

when we started doing the engine swap on my bro's supra we had a friend help who was an apprentice in the army. he was issues a full sidchrome tool kit. the tools were great and did the job well, but we found the chrome plating was flaking off and stabbing us. it was for that reason we decided to go kinchrome. now after what i believe to be very light duty work, the kinchrome sockets are begining to rust. i have a set of KC tube sockets and some random repco ones that have had similar use and conditions and are perfect.

my cousin is a panel beater and says the only tools he buys are repco.

if i had to make recommendations, Repco and KC tools.

I've go mostly Kincrome for sockets (metric only), 1/4 and 1/2 inch and sidchrome spanners, ring and open(metric only), screwdrivers are sidchrome, and if working on very old cars, where you may need imperial sizes, I scored Metrinch sockets and spanner set (used) for a bargain from E-bay. The metrinch sockets are good coz they work on all metric and imperial and rounded bolts/nuts. google metrinch.

You'll also find you need Imperial sockets on Commodores up to VS. The bolts on those cars are a mish mash of imperial and metric.

good friend's dad owns a Total Tools. The TTI brand, which is like total tools home brand isn't bad at all. For budget equipment it performs quite well. I have a TTI socket set which i use regularly.

Afaik, most 'repco' common metal made tools (ie, combo spanners, sockets, etc) are off the same production line as sidchrome gear these days, its just relabled.

this is not a plug for repco but....

as iv worked for repco for the last few years i can say they are the best bang for buck.
verry durable tight mechanisms, full lifetime warrenty swap over counter and rebuild kits avalible. repco tools come from stanly!

anyone here used the hsv tools?
i have been told they are a good tool ,but if they cant make a decent starter motor or a decent fuel filter i highly doubt they can make decent tools :bowrofl:

They're probably just sidchrome\kinchrome ones with an HSV badge on them. You'd be paying for the HSV name mainly.

Just like the Chip Foose tool collection - they're Snap-On branded but with his signature on them so you pay an extra premium ontop of already premium branded tools.

cant go past CGL lifetime warranty to.

They're probably just sidchrome\kinchrome ones with an HSV badge on them. You'd be paying for the HSV name mainly.

Just like the Chip Foose tool collection - they're Snap-On branded but with his signature on them so you pay an extra premium ontop of already premium branded tools.


Yeah Except they are made in Vic, they are the one of the only tools still made in Aus Afaik

anyone here used the hsv tools?
i have been told they are a good tool ,but if they cant make a decent starter motor or a decent fuel filter i highly doubt they can make decent tools :bowrofl:

or car :bowrofl: HA!
Had to buy a flare nut spanner from repco today...$21 ffs....for one ****ing spanner....

']or car :bowrofl: HA!
Had to buy a flare nut spanner from repco today...$21 ffs....for one ****ing spanner....


so very true mate [except the old monaros] i had a hq and it had some guts pity i sold it

Almost a year old, but ill bump this up an offer my opinion on this.

I was a mechanic, and back in the day, used alot of Snap on and Stahlwille tools at work.

Now my home kit contains a mix and match of gear. I got a fair bit of Koken which is IMO almost snapon quality for a very affordable price. They are made in Japan, and a alot better than all the made in Taiwan stuff. Other stuff includes Snap on, Stahlwille and KC tools, a few Hazet pieces aswell as bits and pieces from Proto, Bahco, Repco and SWG.

I personally DO NOT like Kincrome of Sidchrome. Both are over priced for what they are, and their warranties are a pain to claim on. The Kincrome warranty is pretty much non existant anyway.

The best budget stuff is both the Repco, and SWG gear by far. Best warranty, period. Walk into any store, without a reciept, and it gets swaped right there and then on the spot. Next level up IMO is the KC tools gear, which, is fantastic, and above that again is Koken. From there on, you start to hit expensive gear which is only really needed for mechanics.

gotta go with snap on, blue point and or cat all the same...
when i snaped my 3/4 breaker bar it was replace straight away no drama, i know its expensive but i found brands like sidchrome and kingchrome bend afair bit

although i was issued with my tool kit all snap on.... but still i've spent a good 2 or 3 grand in the last 3 years on tools

man i bought a bluepoint top box with my grant. biggest waste ever. cost like $1200 and had SFA tools in it. then a mate of mine got his and got SP top box. has like every tool ever.

doesnt help that the guys at work steal my shiny new snap on spanners though =\

I can't speak for the rest of the range because I haven't used them yet, but the Jimy Tools Long Flat spanners are really good - perfect for doing brakes.

man if that happen to me id go ape***t im still an aprentice and don't spend thousands of dollars on tool for some lowlife to steal my tools...

Snap on all the way

Cuppas, of course you got almost no tools as the box is what you are paying for

In a few years when your mates tool box is falling apart and his tools are all crap, your snap on, still under warranty, will still be like new

My 3/8 ratchet is nearly 15 years old and still going strong

I think people are mis-reading the original question, which is value for money for the home DIY mechanic.

While I agree, snap-on is the ultimate for professionals (and are extremely sexy to top it off).

Bang for your buck?
Torque wrench's - KC Tools
Spanners / Socket Sets - Stanley / Repco / Supatool (which from memory is Kincrome)
Screwdrivers - Kincrome Torque series, Stanley Magnetic range
Drill bits - Bosch / Craftech (trojan drills seem to snap really easily for some reason)

Powertools? Ozito for drills, cant seem to destroy the things....

If you love blue, and want a more 'brand' name for your spanners/sockets - Kincrome.

I wouldnt pay for Sidchrome anymore, love my mates old series toolbox (about 10years old, still works like new), current one's are chunky and not so user friendly for some reason.

That being said, I've always followed my dads advice - 'you buy the best damn tools you can afford' So far, my Kincrome toolset is going strong, as is all my stanley and KC tools equipment.

kinda OT, but I wait for fathers day and then just go top up on those cheap screw driver sets... 4 of them means I have screw drivers all year, and for $40 i think it's a bargain.

(I would buy expensive, but would feel bad when i grind a slightly different tip into the end of it.

With my grant I got the kincrome 6 draw top box full of tools (150 something piece) and came with a free 6 draw roller cab which won me the deal.

At home I use Kincrome, and SWG. I dont really think you can buy a BAD set of tools for home use.

haha yeah i changed four struts the other night using spanners and ratchets bought from markets. and a crowbar from dad's truck.

Any recommendations on a flex driver? I had one a while back but it had a plastic cover that buckled from being under pressure all the time

I would recommend Repco for value for money, altho if you've got money to burn Snap-On is good stuff.

I used my apprentice grant to buy a KC tools kit, i think its like 150 piece, its going good so far.

Good info to date

i have a mix kingchrome / sidchrome for the bigger or tight stuff. Stanly srewdrivers are fine to date, had a while.

For light duty and as a back up i bought a set of crescent spanners ,sockets drivers etc. Came in a big wall case for a bout 100 bucks. Great value and good fit but i would'nt lean on them to hard.

snap on is awesome, so's stahwille, my uncle has a nearly 40 yo set of stahwille ringys we use at work just about every day, almost like brand new. CGL stuff's ok, SP aren't too bad either, wouldn't touch kinchrome with a 10 foot pole, no particular reason other than I just don't like their stuff. Old sidchrome is good, new sidchrome is rubbish, rachets feel like they have about 7 teeth.

for drill bits, trimmer bits, taps etc, i can't go past Sutton as they always take the abuse i give them (nothing likes drilling through 15mm of solid carbon fibre)

hand tools, Bahco make great tools and cant be purchased at the right price when you shop around

power tools, i love my hitachi for value for money, they look sexy with their green and blue look and they do the job

Bought a cheapo socket set looong time ago and replaced in due course all broken sockets (the big-use ones) with Sidchromes, same with the actual ratchet.
Have foot long Sidchrome extension bar for harder bolts.
Spanners are cheapos too, but replaced, as well, the big-use stuff with - u guessed it, Sidchrome.
Stanley 30 buck screw driver box has been ok.
Makita power drill suffices.
Had Black&Decker battery drill for over 10 yrs and contrary to laughs it just worked fine until battery expired. Have Ozito now, seems ok.
All power tools low-end price.

It all depends on how much and hard one uses them tools tho!

For light duty and as a back up i bought a set of crescent spanners ,sockets drivers etc. Came in a big wall case for a bout 100 bucks. Great value and good fit but i would'nt lean on them to hard.

I have the same crescent set as addtional set i use for stuff i dont wanna wreck my good tools on.

anyone heard of genius?? lifetime gurantee, ive had my 3/8" socket set for years and had had lever bars on the rachet when i had no choice, and its like new. great tools.

I've used the genius branded tools a little - was quite impressed.

for drill bits, trimmer bits, taps etc, i can't go past Sutton as they always take the abuse i give them (nothing likes drilling through 15mm of solid carbon fibre)

hand tools, Bahco make great tools and cant be purchased at the right price when you shop around

power tools, i love my hitachi for value for money, they look sexy with their green and blue look and they do the job


anything hitachi make is pure gold, all my power tools as well as my plasma is hitachi.

sidchrome is my fave for spanners/sockets, cant beat em

anything hitachi make is pure gold, all my power tools as well as my plasma is hitachi.

sidchrome is my fave for spanners/sockets, cant beat em

Was using a mates hitachi impact driver (not sure if thats what you call it, electric ratchet gun thing)

That was awesome used it on suspension bolts and everything pretty much, makes things faster

Anyone know what these things are worth roughly?

Was using a mates hitachi impact driver (not sure if thats what you call it, electric ratchet gun thing)

That was awesome used it on suspension bolts and everything pretty much, makes things faster

Anyone know what these things are worth roughly?

cordless driver/drill was about $500ish, great product

for drilling i have an OLD Bosch 2 speed power drill, its a beast. it spent about ten years mixing buckets of plaster (up to 20+ a day) then i got it off my boss, cleaned it up and its still going strong. no model number though, anyone recognise it, i put a pen down to show you the size.

Anyone got a brand and price on a good torque wrench? Mine just crapped out. $25 half inch rachet job, ratchet destroyed itself. Need 200 Nm minimum, 250 Nm prefered.

KC Tools.

Go for around $150.

http://www.kctools.com.au/products/professional/wrenches_torque.html

dunno if its been said or not but the repco brand stuff is pretty decent
got a socket set thats had a hammering and its still going strong
would say these are only good for at home tools tho, dunno how well they will hold up in a workshop