Hi,

I'm going to get a set of tools for my garage and want to buy decent quality stuff and the right tools, I own a small socket set but that's about it and it's not exactly brilliant.
Was wondering what else to buy and where to get it from?
My intention is to buy a little beat up car to learn from and then take it up a level with something a bit more interesting (supercharging an S2k, MX-5 or some such other thingmy).
Also thinking about a cordless electric impact wrench for replacing wheels at track days, anyone got a suggestion?

 

boab , i got this set last year.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...ddkey=ClickInfo

Its on offer again made by snap on badged for halfords ,guaranteed for life it is a cracking bit of kit and a steel at

 

apart from all of the usual shiny socket stuff..

other things I got most use out of..

low profile trolley jack and axle stands..

plastic mallet

long breaker bar..

lamps..

 

I generally wait until I know exactly what I need and build up tools gradually rather than buying expensive sets of things at the outset - I've made the mistake before of buying shiny tools that I have never ended up using.

JIT

Machine Mart is good for buying all sorts of things at pretty reasonable prices though IME - good shop in Edinburgh.

 

I need to start with SOMETHING Euan will head down Machine Mart, probably start off with a set of Stands and a good low profile jack and then take it from there

 

An impact driver.

 

Certainly Machine Mart are good for jacks, stands etc but in my experience I would avoid their Clarke brand of sockets, spanners and wrenches. I have bought a spare set of extra Clarke sockets and to be honest they are not a patch on my 28 year old Kamasa one's, the quality is just not very good IMHO.

As much as I hate to say it, Halfords professional range are pretty good quality, and it has already been mentioned, they come with a lifetime warranty.

Other brands that I have found good on price and quality for the DIY sector are, Teng, Kamasa, Sykes-Pickavant and Sealey. But that's just my opinion.

With regard to a trolley jack, a low long reach one with a decent lift height would be my choice.

 

The Halfords professional range are actually quite good quality.

I would look at a used Snap On or Teng stuff from Ebay as another option.

Other stuff would be a breaker bar and impact sockets as mentioned.

A couple of different size shifters always come in handy.

Set of allen keys, imperial and metric.

I have a gas soldering iron which im quite proud of Not much use to most though.

 

Gas soldering irons are illegal! thanks guys, can anyone recommend a specific cordless impact wrench/driver?

 

i've got 2 gas soldering irons and rs one and clarke one

i've got a fully used and abused 13year old halfords 120 set still going strong lifetime warrenty so all broke bits get replaced

also got a few 'rails' of other sockers 12 pointers, big torx, impacts, etc

for cordless impact you have got to get the snap one one