new spanner set

ghostlymoron

ghostlymoron

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I need to get a complete set of metric combination spanners (8mm to 19mm) to keep on the boat. I've seen them at under a fiver from CPC but have been advised that I need to spend £30-40 for reasonable quality. Any ideas?
 
I question the need for 'reasonable quality' for spanners that will probably only be used for the odd job. Mine came from Aldi and are perfectly OK for jobs like removing cleats and tightening the stern gland. If I was planning a major job on the engine I would bring a decent set from home.
 
Hello ghostly, those ones won't be any good, Halfords 'Professional' are very good value*, guaranteed for life (if you can keep the receipt for life), and you should get an old school tool roll from ebay to keep them in, (soaked in oil to prevent rust).

*the only good value items in Halfords actually
 
vyv_cox said:
I question the need for 'reasonable quality' for spanners that will probably only be used for the odd job. Mine came from Aldi and are perfectly OK for jobs like removing cleats and tightening the stern gland. If I was planning a major job on the engine I would bring a decent set from home.
Click to expand...

i understand this point of view but cannot agree. Out sailing when an item requires attention it probably needs it urgently. This is not the time to realise that a particular tool is not up to the job!
 
ghostlymoron said:
I need to get a complete set of metric combination spanners (8mm to 19mm) to keep on the boat. I've seen them at under a fiver from CPC but have been advised that I need to spend £30-40 for reasonable quality. Any ideas?
Click to expand...


Do not confuse price and quality! Seek advice from some body that has the type of tool that you want to purchase. I certainly agree that Halfords professional range is good value and good quality. periodically they are offered as a special purchase.

Actual quality is far better than a lifetime guarantee. You do not want a replacement you need the tool to be up to the job!
 
I have a set from Aldi or Lidl (can't remember which) and they are perfectly OK for boat use. You would be very hard put to break one.
 
alan17 said:
i understand this point of view but cannot agree. Out sailing when an item requires attention it probably needs it urgently. This is not the time to realise that a particular tool is not up to the job!
Click to expand...

Cheap spanners are not made from plastic! It is probably impossible to buy any nowadays that are not chrome vanadium, but I have some old ones that were probably made from unalloyed carbon steel, still working perfectly well.
 
jerrytug said:
Hello ghostly, those ones won't be any good, Halfords 'Professional' are very good value*, guaranteed for life (if you can keep the receipt for life), and you should get an old school tool roll from ebay to keep them in, (soaked in oil to prevent rust). alfords shouln any time nowing the tool sale agaid be do

*the only good value items in Halfords actually
Click to expand...

halfords usually do a tool sale time soon they have done 50% off some tools in years gone by
other than that boot sales are perfect places to get good used spanners old quality tools are always in the cheap buckets on the ground
 
An alternative to top quality tools (probably a better one!) might be to have a winter maintenance programme that ensure no fasteners that you're likely to need to undo in an emergency are seized. I only have cheap nasty spanners on boar, but good quality Allen keys, screwdrivers and Mole grips.
 
in some secondhand shops there is often a box of spanners and tools in a corner. It is worth a quick sort through, and not impossible to find a decent Snap On or Britool lurking in a corner; especially true of sockets.

You don't need a nice shiny set in an aesthetically pleasing engineered plastic box.

I agree about wrapping them in a fabric tool roll with an oil cloth in the middle.
 
alan17 said:
Do not confuse price and quality! Seek advice from some body that has the type of tool that you want to purchase. I certainly agree that Halfords professional range is good value and good quality. periodically they are offered as a special purchase.

Actual quality is far better than a lifetime guarantee. You do not want a replacement you need the tool to be up to the job!
Click to expand...

I bought some of their Pro ratchet ones. Ratchet broker after 5 seconds (honest). Took em back.. lifetime guarantee pls.. ah doesnt include moving parts . EH ?? Ok, well under the one year warranty then pls.. hmmm haa hmm ok, gave me another set.
Maybe 10 seconds this time and back I go...third time lucky. Spent more time in the car than I did using them, but hasn't broken this time.
 
Silverline are quite good for the money and have a lifetime warranty. I bought a socket set in a hurry once out of Tool Station ( forgot mine on way to a job :( ) picked up a Silverline set for £65 ish thinking it will get me through and I still have it seven years later and its as good now as when bought. The only flaw was it had two 30mm instead of a 30mm and a 32mm. I dropped Silverline help desk an email and a 32mm socket dropped through the letter box two days later, they didn't even quibble about proof of purchase etc? I still rate my King Dick spanners but for cheap tools Silverline are great. Just stay away from their power tools. They are reputed to be quite awful with poor warranty. Hand tools though? Fantastic!
 
No complaints with my Clarke ones from Machine Mart (set at home and set on the boat). They fit the nuts correctly and I can't imagine breaking one, and what more do you need in a simple spanner?

Can't check the price easily as their site has hundreds of items in the "spanners" section and no easy way of narrowing it down - but I would guess it was probably around 20 quid for the set.

Pete
 
I let slip a 12mm Halfords Professional spanner under the engine. It stayed there in the salt water (Wooden MAB) for two years before I managed to retrieve it. It is still ok. Pretty good test I would say. I use their 'Professional' screwdriver set on board and it is still pristine after 3 years apart of the mid sized flat one which didn't like the 'under engine' test so well - half the tip broke off but the remainder is pristine.
 
vyv_cox said:
I question the need for 'reasonable quality' for spanners that will probably only be used for the odd job. Mine came from Aldi and are perfectly OK for jobs like removing cleats and tightening the stern gland. If I was planning a major job on the engine I would bring a decent set from home.
Click to expand...

I'd suggest the Aldi tools are usually quite good quality - one shouldn't confuse cheap with not-fit-for-task. All that I've bought from then has performed better than so-called "professional" tools at the cheaper end.
 
vyv_cox said:
Cheap spanners are not made from plastic! It is probably impossible to buy any nowadays that are not chrome vanadium, but I have some old ones that were probably made from unalloyed carbon steel, still working perfectly well.
Click to expand...
A big plus one! I have some cheapo combo spanners that I have had for over 30 years, they still work fine! I have some Snap On sockets that the ratchet is sha gged, they wont replace it, wear and tear they say! So much for the lifetime guarantee. I have also bought recently Silverline stuff off Ebay, good tactile feel to them, look good and they are cheap!
S
 
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