What price one of these?

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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

I always thought the Halfords nice stuff was made by Sykes Pickavant which they sometimes stock as well.

I find that most things (including some very cheap stuff) lasts well if its treated with respect - I have one Snap-On spanner (13 mm combination which I found somewhere many years ago) and loads of stuff made by uncle tom cobley and his mates. My philosophy is that if I break a cheap tool I'll replace it with a good one as the breakage proves that a good tool will not be wasted - but I still have the one Snap On spanner which must prove something.
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Post by Barnsley BXer »

jeremy wrote: I still have the one Snap On spanner which must prove something.
Yes,you never use the bloody thing :wink: :D :D :D :D :D
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Post by Stewart (oily!) »

mine are gathering duast!!!
:D :D :D Stewart
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Terry Brooks
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Post by Terry Brooks »

:oops: I bought a couple of sets of "Drapers" spanners [oe's & rings] in 1973 .......I've never had any probs with 'em [they still work as good as new] .........the only prob is the "loose nut" drivin' 'em. :wink:
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

Snap-On are well made, theres no doubt, but then most tool's are better these days, unless they're the super cheap stuff you get in the bargain bins made of Cheesium and Crapite.

I've got Snap-on, Draper Expert, Facom, Sealey, Mac, and Halfords own, I break the odd spanner and socket now and again, but usually only when they being seriousley abused, dad bought me a nice set of Sealey Professional sockets a while ago, and they're the best socket set I've ever had, despite some BIG abuse (using the spark plug socket with an adapter and a breaker bar to undo head bolts on a 10.45 litre Gardner engine for example) they haven't broken or shown any signs of fatigue. I cant say the same of the Snap-on plug socket I started the job with! It's now in several pieces..

I look at it this way these days.
I could replace my broken Snap-on plug socket (probably for free from Mr.Snap-on) or I could just buy another Draper Expert / Sealey socket that will no doubt last me another 20 years.
For the casual mechanic there's not alot in it. Even pro's are buying less Snap-on these days, they might have Snap-on tool chests, but they are invariably filled with Mac tools or the such...
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jeremy
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Post by jeremy »

To be fair to tha makers of expensive tools - most are very good and they are often smaller and lighter and generally nicer to use than cheap alternatives. If I earned my living as a mechanic I'd probably replace the most used tools with realy good ones and leave the seldom used ones.

Many importers like Drapers have had no-rubbish policies for years - but its still interesting comparing the design and construction of expensive with cheap - the Snap-On 13 mm I mentioned is smaller and lighter than other equivalents that I have.

Snap-On's success comes from their sales methods - ie from vans and giving credit - its much easier to buy if the van comes to you during working hours than trawling various shops in your free time when you BMW could be sitting outside the pub.
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Post by tom »

So, let me get this right.
The man in Halfords told you their tools are made by the same people who make Snap on.
The man from Snap on told you thast their tools are made by the same people who make Halfords.
The Vauxhall club agree with them.

Well, I'll be a Christening trough of all knowledge!

And I still don't believe a word of it.

Tools have improved as the Doc has said. I own a few (too few!) Snap ons and still find after 12 years of heavy use that they fit well. You buy what you can afford, sure but you get what you pay for. Professionals don't waste their money, mechanics being underpaid.
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Post by toddao »

What a great thread! Everyone knows : A bad workman blames his tools. Someone said to me : A good workman doesn't have bad tools.
No mention so far of Britool. I had a great Britool socket set for years til it got half-inched from my van. Still going strong somewhere. I'm now tooled up by Lux Profi ( German stuff) - by-passed those 500 piece sets for a tenner ( courtesy of :x ) that if you wait til xmas you'll get free in a cracker! :D
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stuart_hedges
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Post by stuart_hedges »

Tom wrote:mechanics being underpaid.
*chokes on coffee*
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Post by tom »

Their employers aren't.
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cavmad
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Post by cavmad »

tom wrote:So, let me get this right.
The man in Halfords told you their tools are made by the same people who make Snap on.
The man from Snap on told you thast their tools are made by the same people who make Halfords.
The Vauxhall club agree with them.

Well, I'll be a Christening trough of all knowledge!

And I still don't believe a word of it.

Tools have improved as the Doc has said. I own a few (too few!) Snap ons and still find after 12 years of heavy use that they fit well. You buy what you can afford, sure but you get what you pay for. Professionals don't waste their money, mechanics being underpaid.
Both of those would be a first, perhaps start with some simple spelling though?
Vauxhall apologist.
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Post by Vanny »

jeremy wrote:I always thought the Halfords nice stuff was made by Sykes Pickavant which they sometimes stock as well.

Lol i was told by the nice people at Halfords when i opened my trade account that the tools where made by Facom! So there we go, there made by every manufacturer.

These days a i buy Halfords PROFESSIONAL (the rest are crap) like they where going out of fashion, with trade discount they become very reasonable prices and what i love most about halfords is it doesn't matter if you have a receipt or not so long as is say halfords on it, excellent service, no paper work they just take it off the shelf, remove the labels and hand it to you!

These days i find im never more than a ten minutes drive from halfords and when i'm at Billys im slap bang between two stores, which is good as billy has no tools :P

Given up buying Draper, i kill them far too quickly and i dont find even there best stuff has positive build quality to it. I certainly dont buy Machine mart 'Clarke' specials anymore, i've broken practically every clarke tool i've ever bought and suspect them to be made of cheeeeeese grommit.

I guess if there wasn't Halfords i might be tempted to buy exclusively Kamasa, have quite a few Kamasa bits and they are totally indestructable! Ooooh another plus for halfords, they sell things as singles and sets (for when you loose a bit) and you can buy a VERY comprehensive workshop kit (cabs and tools and toys) for around £2000 and the equivalent from Snap-On is nearly £14,000 :shock:
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Post by Stinkwheel »

As a total aside, I work for Snap-On.

I dont sell stuff so dont get panicky, I work at their UK repair centre.
We fix all the stuff you cack handed fools break :)

Obviously not the hand tools, but electronics, electrical, Pneumatic, torque and hydraulic.

My personal opinion quality tools are the best. I include all quality makes in that statement, some of the ones mentioned above are not quality in my opinion. I also agree that DIY use is different to professional use and you buy accordingly.

Ken or John or whoever mentioned it above, if you need a 9mm brake nut spanner then snap-on do one, just ask to see the catalogue.

I've got 8 9 and 10 mm varieties, i bought them myself (but i get a discount)

:twisted:

OH, and Snap-On do not make tools for halfrauds or anyone else, but they own a lot more of the tool companies than you would think (even a few european ones)
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