Cheap Tools

gandy

gandy

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Hi,

I recently bought a few tools specially for the boat, and I had to use them in anger recently to remove the starter motor. What a let-down!

One of the bolts could be accessed only with an open-end spanner onto the nut (no spanner at all could be applied to the bolt head). I had the correct sized 19mm spanner, but it was not up to the job. The spanner was quite a loose fit, and when any force was applied the jaws splayed open.

I'm no circus strong-man, and in the confined space I could exert much force on the spanner anyway - it was simply a crappy spanner.

I know cheap tools won't be brilliant, but most of my mechanic type tools at home are unbranded or Draper, Seeley, Halfords etc.

What do forumites think? Is it unreasonable to expect a Draper 19mm spanner to undo a 19mm nut? Are cheap tools nowadays expected to be unuseable?

Cheers. I feel better now.
 
No such thing as cheap tools. You can cause more damage and injury with crap tools than if you'd spent a little more on decent kit. Just don't drop them overboard.
 
Draper expert are good and Facom are better.

What you needed for your job was a half moon spanner, it reaches around alternators, starter motors and injection pumps etc

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Some cheap tools are a waste of money - chisels and spanners particularly. The trouble is you can't tell in the shop whether they are chap and nasty or just cheap.

I generally go for the cheap stuff, power tools particularly, on the basis that the cost is less than hiring them for the job in hand. I take the view that if they are really cheap I can afford to use them once and throw them away and if they last for two jobs I'm winning.

I have 4 115mm angle grinders. The two B&D ones @ £35 have given up but the Power Devils @ £12 have been doing sterling service for years. OTOH it can be hard to be philosophical when cheap ones die from time to time, like the 9" angle grinder (£13) that died after a day's use and I couldn't find the receipt /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

BTW I usually find that alternators and starters can be removed using several socket extensions from the far end of the engine (it helps that I have 360° access in my engine compartments)
 
The trouble nowadays is that it's getting harder to find a retail outlet selling good quality spanners, such as Britool. However, you can still buy good quality tools from engineers' suppliers such as J & L Industrial Ltd and Snap-On Tools [excellent quality] are available from a nationwide network of franchisees.

"Buy cheap and you buy twice!"
 
To put the quality in perspective, when refitting the starter I took a couple of spanners from home. The 19mm open ender is marked "Made in USSR", so I assume it's from our old Lada. Even that is better quality than Draper, it seems.

The Draper set is going back for a refund, but I'm not yet settled on what to replace it with. Maybe buy a decent set for home and take some of my old cheap but useable ones back to the boat.
 
There is no such thing as cheap tools.

Tools that cost very little are more likely to cost you a lot of money and time.

Cheap tools can round off a nut, hex head driver or Phillips/Pozi screw head.

If I need a tool to carry out a repair, I want to know the tool will work. Half way across the Channel you cant pop down the road a get another if the tool fails. You cant call the AA, your life could depend on you making a repair.

The ONLY tools to use are Facom, MAC, Stawhille or Snap-on (my prefered product). Most tools that are widely available in DIY stores are badge engineered. The sets you can buy with everything in, in a plastic box are the worst, crap made in China.
 
I have a Britool pre-set torque wrench that was old when I got it 30 years ago. It still gets within 4% on test. The last time it was just outside the range so the tester oiled the mechanism and it was straight back in range.
Your £15 bendy wire ones won't work like that, for life.
 
Advice on spanners, please?

I know my way around woodworking hand tools, but when it comes to spanners I don't know where to start. Which are the good makes?
 
Facom and Snap-on are very good , i'd say Facom are better, but i always buy Snap-ons as they're very good quality, neat size and designs, but the best thing is the lifetime guarentee, you break it they replace it, I've broken a few pieces, and each time they just give me a new one, as long as the broken one hasn't been abused.

Al.
 
Not all tools in plastic boxes are bad. When I bought my boat it came with a West German made set of tools in a green plastic case. The set seems to be specifically for boat use and very good quality. Unfortunately it is still on the boat, so I cannot give the makers name.
As for spanners I have an old imperial set by Gedore, they are just as good as Britool, Elora etc., but I recently saw some Gedore badged sets made in the Far East, and not so good.
 
Curious item in a Volvo toolkit

Came with the MD2, back in 1967. An adjustable spanner, stamped "VOLVO". It is no better than any other adjustable.
 
Tool Alternatives

Hi,
Dont know if they are available in the UK, but S-K, offers a lower cost alternative to Snap-On or Proto, without the same price premium. The quality of the finish is slightly less than Snap-on or Proto, but unless youre using them 8 hours a day, you still wont get blisters.

Bear in mind that even the finest tools wear out, in a shop environment, I found that the most common size sockets have about a years worth of wear before they are rubbisn (corners are no longer sharp).

Although I am no longer employed there, I was the CEO of a firm in American Samoa called The Tool Shop, which specialized in (believe it or not), tools! I have no affiliation with the firms Ive mentioned, Ive just seen lots and lots of tools in every form, shape and size.

Best regards,
Michael
 
Draper

I thought so too, and I've used that sort of tool since I was a kid. As a schoolboy you don't have the cash for Snap On or Brittool anyway. I still have many of those tools, and use them regularly. My Halfords socket set must be 25 years old.
 
Tony read your profile "Ex Handgliding"

If you,ve come through that sport unscathed ,piddling about in boats should be a doddle!
However good tools could save you whence floating about.
There have been Posts on "What tools der carry on board etc"
Cos boats have engines and other stuff stuck in crampt and awkward places its more difficult to fix stuff on board than in your shed or car.

I,ve dedicated a bag of tools, a socket set , soldering iron, battery operated power drill, wind up torch cuddly toy conveyor belt you know the scene.

All live on the boat,don,t go home ,kids can,t borrow em ,don,t lend them to anyone all good quality.

In fact better quality than I,ve got at home. Cos boats more important!

Get to know your boat,s nuts! IE check out spanner and nut sizes, cos boats have individual weird differences, like engine made in Europe boat built in UK etc etc.

"Dedicate" a good set of Wrenches ,Hammers , Tongs, Screweies, Pliers, Sockets, etc.

Halford,s "Proffesional " doesn,t break the Bank ,half decent gear.
 
I guess I know what you mean.

I think tools are really personal, and I suppose 'cos I don't enjoy fixing engines etc I resent having to pay (say) eighty quid for a set of spanners that I hope I won't ever use. (So I bought a fifteen quid set, and look where it got me).

In contrast I'd never dream of buying a budget plane .. for woodwork tools have to be good quality and nice to handle.
 
Why buy a set and have some spanners you'll never use. Identufy the sizes you need for your engine and get only those.

<u>And</u> - wash my mouth out - buy a good quality adjustable spanner.
It'll make a better job of those unexpected sizes than any number of cheap bendy spanners.
 
good advice!

most useful/used tools in my (extensive) box -
1. Set of Halfords hinged / ratchet / combination spanners - extremely usefriendly and always amazed at the loading they handle too. Often on offer.
2. Pair of good quality sort of long nose moles - half way between true long nose and 'normal size' moles.
3. Original stilson's from my Grandfather's tool box.
4. Small crow bar
5. smallish 3/8 drive socket set with a funny hinged handle thingy that enables me to use it effectively on anything I can actually get the socket on! Thought it was a gimmick but it really does the job.
 
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