New spanner set & socket - recommendations please?

[Daydream believer]

I cannot understand why one would want to chuck spanners over the side. I cannot think of anything that I need them above deck or out of the cockpit for.:except adjusting the bottlescrews & I can always put a length of twine on a spanner if I felt a bit careless. Long term maintenance, Anode change etc. is usually done ashore in the winter-
As for rust, I rarely have a problem, but sometimes I spray the contents of the tool box with some WD 40 after I have finished with the tools.

 

[Bouba]

I cannot understand why one would want to chuck spanners over the side. I cannot think of anything that I need them above deck or out of the cockpit for.:except adjusting the bottlescrews & I can always put a length of twine on a spanner if I felt a bit careless
As for rust, I rarely have a problem, but sometimes I spray the contents of the tool box with some WD 40 after I have finished with the tools.

Have I misread the OP’s post? Does he want a floating socket set?

 

[Poignard]

If fighting rounded nuts 'n bolts use hexagon instead of bi-hexagon sockets. Transfers much more torque and has a better grip, hence common for wheel nuts.

I can't remember what they are called but I have some spanners and sockets that bear on the flats rather than the corners.

The downside is that they are bulkier and can be impossible to get into tight spaces.

 

[Daydream believer]

Have I misread the OP’s post? Does he want a floating socket set?

Read his last paragraph

 

[Wing Mark]

I have a full set of these

Flexible head ratchet spanner set. I find it almost completely does away with needing a separate socket set

the key word there 'almost'.

 

[jaminb]

Halfords have a Black Friday sale on socket sets. No idea if they are good value but my metric only set is compact enough and can cope with most things on my French boat

 

[Bouba]

Halfords have a Black Friday sale on socket sets. No idea if they are good value but my metric only set is compact enough and can cope with most things on my French boat

I need two sets because my boat is French but my engine is American

 

[wallacebob]

Aldi, plus a tin of 3in1. Never WD40.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I can't remember what they are called but I have some spanners and sockets that bear on the flats rather than the corners.

The downside is that they are bulkier and can be impossible to get into tight spaces.

They are called surface drive sockets.

 

[Graham376]

They are called surface drive sockets.

Never seen those. For 1/2" drive, I use mainly impact driver single hexagon sockets, less likely to round corners than normal sockets. My most used combination spanners are dumpy ones which often fit where full length ones don't. In common with some others posting, being a long way from home I have a comprehensive tool kit on board.

 

[Mister E]

If you purchase separate spanners you can then sew up a tool roll in canvas.
Th roll then anti rust liquid is partly absorbed by to roll to give better future protection.

 

[LadyInBed]

In addition I cannot recommend something like these too highly for restricted IE boat spaces .
Brilliant down the side of the engine etc
Articulated head ratchet spanner set c £50

Draper 25396 HI-TORQ® Metric Flexible Head Ratcheting Combination Spanner Set - 7 Piece

I agree, there is a 12 piece set at a similar price
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B096SDF...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

 

[Topcat47]

I have Halfords Pro spanners and sockets at home. Watch out for sets as they often only have eight point sockets in them and they don't last. Better to get pure Hex sockets. Eight point rings are OK. Om board I have a cheapo Draper set. Fine for use in emergencies but not for long term mainstream use. Non metric are a real pain to get hold of, Autojumbles, boat jumbles and markets are reasonable sources.

 

[pandos]

I have bahco, Halfords pro, some teng, but best value/quality I found was a Mannesman set, I found them to be good quality and the box was good so they were easier to keep together..definitely buy ratchet spanners and and a set that have flexi heads...make sure that the sockets are hex head not those silly multy point yokes created to round bolts and nuts

 

[penfold]

They are called surface drive sockets.

Also marketed as flank drive; there's also metrinch which uses the theory but accommodates imperial and metric fasteners. It does make them relatively bulky which is an issue in tight spaces. My current desire is a Wera Zyklop 3/8" set as they're just lovely to use and very versatile; too pricy to leave on the boat though.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Halfords professional/advanced are good quality and are often on sale.

That’s exactly what we carry on the boat. Excellent quality and coupled with a decent set of screwdrivers and some mole grips and side cutters and pliers and hacksaw etc you’re ready for almost anything.
(But I admit I also carry items such as pullers and a torque wrench plus various battery tools… so I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to tools)

 

[madabouttheboat]

I use Halfords advanced and Pro in a professional capacity and they seem every bit as capable as my colleague’s expensive Snap on etc. Less of a worry about possibly losing one overboard or in a bilge as well.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I have 2 sets of Silverline spanners which have put up with a fair amount of abuse at reasonable cost. 1/2 and 1/4 " socket sets from Halfords. I find it better to have full sets in a case rather than odd ones kicking around in the tool bag eVen though most of the sockets remain unused. I've had to replace the ratchet which broke when I was jumping up and down on it with a 5' scaffold tube attached for leverage.

 

[Sea-Fever]

Another vote for halfords professional. The spanners are good and 3/8" drive sockets not bulky.....including the flank drive one.

I'm not a fan of ratchet spanners myself.

IMHO there's almost nothing you can't achieve with a good selection of extension bars of different lengths.....these are the most used and most prized part of my toolkit. The halfords ones, in common with others, have a useful wobble feature.......if you only push the socket on the extension bar half way it retains axial flexibility whilst still able to deliver torque. Really damn useful.

 

[penberth3]

I have Halfords Pro spanners and sockets at home. Watch out for sets as they often only have eight point sockets in them and they don't last. Better to get pure Hex sockets. Eight point rings are OK. Om board I have a cheapo Draper set. Fine for use in emergencies but not for long term mainstream use. Non metric are a real pain to get hold of, Autojumbles, boat jumbles and markets are reasonable sources.

Eight point???