Tools

[Harro]

I'm going to buy a new socket set to keep on my Beneteau.
I have a Perkins Prima M50. Do I need imperial, metric or both?

[brianlara 3]

Harro, fwiw II started life as a motor mechanic. If I were you I'd go to Bunnings and buy a Kinchrome 3/8 drive socket set which will have both metric & imperial (i.e. s.a.e.).
Try to get a set with not only normal length sockets but deep (about triple length) sockets too.
And, you might consider a 1/2 drive set as well.
Pm me if you want more info.
The two best brands of professional tools are Stahlwille & the american brand Snap-On. But you need neither.
Imo Kinchrome are next on the ladder, not suggesting at all that Stanley are rubbish.
And in Bunnings you'll find combination socket set which also have ring/open end spanners in the box also.
Cheers.

[Harro]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Harro, fwiw II started life as a motor mechanic. If I were you I'd go to Bunnings and buy a Kinchrome 3/8 drive socket set which will have both metric & imperial (i.e. s.a.e.).
Try to get a set with not only normal length sockets but deep (about triple length) sockets too.
And, you might consider a 1/2 drive set as well.
Pm me if you want more info.
The two best brands of professional tools are Stahlwille & the american brand Snap-On. But you need neither.
Imo Kinchrome are next on the ladder, not suggesting at all that Stanley are rubbish.
And in Bunnings you'll find combination socket set which also have ring/open end spanners in the box also.
Cheers.

Thanks very much for your advice much appreciated

[justwaiting]

Originally Posted by brianlara 3

Harro, fwiw II started life as a motor mechanic. If I were you I'd go to Bunnings and buy a Kinchrome 3/8 drive socket set which will have both metric & imperial (i.e. s.a.e.).
Try to get a set with not only normal length sockets but deep (about triple length) sockets too.
And, you might consider a 1/2 drive set as well.
Pm me if you want more info.
The two best brands of professional tools are Stahlwille & the american brand Snap-On. But you need neither.
Imo Kinchrome are next on the ladder, not suggesting at all that Stanley are rubbish.
And in Bunnings you'll find combination socket set which also have ring/open end spanners in the box also.
Cheers.

The only tools that I buy from Bunnings is NWS pliers et al.

Stanley, Sidcrome and REPCO come from the same production line!

One of the issues is storage of tools - being able to find them and trying to keep rust at bay. For that reason I would be looking at sets that are available in plastic cases.

I prefer 6 point sockets with a shallow flexi handle ratchet with plenty of teeth.

I gave all my Kinchrome and Sidchrome tools to my kids

I kept my SP and Gearwrench tools.

If you get split sets of metrics remember that there are differences between Japanese and Euro series

[brianlara 3]

Many years ago when I was a Mercedes Benz service manager I had a first year apprentice mechanic who could't afford the Stahlwille tool typically used by the journeymen .
Instead he used Kinchrome. At the end of his technical college training get achieved the highest marks ever of any automotive engineering apprentice.
None of his Kinchrome tools ever broke and when I stopped work in '88, eight years later, he still had and used the same tools he had as a 16 year old .
These are tools for a boat, not a home workshop.
And the sockets you were refering to are called single hex as distinct from multi-hex.

[tuffr2]

Typically no matter what set you buy there will be a missing piece. I had a what I thought was a good full set. But I had to add a 8mm deep well socket. So you may have to do thd same thing.

I also added a 12" piece of pipe that fits on the end of my ratchet to add leverage.

So now I have all my sockets in a plastic case with a nice handle with a loose 8mm socket. And a piece of pipe outside the case.