Cheap hand tools

[Petercatterall]

Picking up on the various comments regarding Woolies sale tools. What are the different phillosophies on quality versus quantity?
Personally I buy cheap and through away I have used/missused some cheapo power tools for years now.
I do have problems however with things like screwdriver/bits and drills. There are sets of these on offer offering hundreds of pieces for a few quid, I've bought these in the past thinking, for instance, that I would have 'one of everything' on the boat; not so, some have been of such poor quality that they hav'nt completed even one job.
Buying more expensive tools does not allways mean they are better, small 'specialist' tool suppliers may simply be offering cheap tools at higher prices than the supermarkets.
I would like to buy a comprehensive set of drill and screw driver bits of reasonable quality in a good quality case, I would then be happy to replace the commonly used bits with better quality ones as they become worn (that is provided that I could recognize a good quality bit when I saw one)

Tips, advice, opinions please!!

 

[aitchw]

Try Screwfix . They have a wide range of Titanium coated screwdriver and drill bits.

 

[sailorman]

nothern tools> see site

 

[Talbot]

I use a set of bits from Screwfix

and have one on the boat and one at home. I have one handle at home, and the other at the moment is under the boats berth (dropped it overboard)

 

[sixpack]

here for good quality replacible bits and bobs such as drills and screwdriver bits and......

 

[LadyInBed]

I buy cheap sets (I look for the sets with the most durable case) then replace individual screwdriver / drill bits with quality ones as I ware them out / break them.
This works best for me as I hardly ever / never use about 80% of the bits in a set.

 

[gandy]

I recommend getting a catalogue from Axminster Power Tools, for good quality tools at reasonable prices. (www.axminster.co.uk). It's also an advantage to get exactly the right tool, rather than settling for what a shop has in stock.

Tony S

 

[William_H]

Drill bits. I have tried those gold plated supposedly titanium bits at about 3 times the price of good bits and been dissapointed. What you should do especially if you are drilling stainless steel is to learn to sharpen the bits on a grinding wheel. The secret is to learn on big bits and only take off a little at a time and cool it often in water. (use a new bit to see what the angles should be) I have tried these jigs bit think that hand held is best quickest. You can also sharpen up a bit even small ones by clamping in a vice and using an oil stone at the correct angle. Give it a try. regards will

 

[Forbsie]

Best company-leaving present I ever got was a set of Japanese Saws. Starting with no knowledge apart from school 20 years previously, I needed all the help I could get and these things are the scalpels of the woodworking world.

As for drill bits, I'd go for Hilti if I needed to go for quality.

 

[snowleopard]

i can't resist cheap tools and most do the job well enough. there are three areas where a more expensive tool is worth shelling out for -

cheap edge tools will never be really sharp (for long, if at all)

cheap spanners and sockets break easily.

HSS drill bits are far better than ordinary steel.

 

[Sans Bateau]

There is NO SUBSTITUE for GOOD quality tools. I would never waste money on cheap tools. When I pick a tool up to do a job I do not want the jaws of a spanner opening up or the end of a cheap soft screwdriver damaging the head of an already difficult screw. A small tool set with essentials in is much better than a huge box with everything in.

A lot of tools sold in this country by the likes of Draper, CK, Sealey etc are just badge engineered products made of poor quality steel in PRC.

To look after my boat and my two old cars (MGBGT and Mk4 Sprite) I have always bought and use Snap on Tools, you only buy them once.