Recommend me a socket set...

[sunray]

@dje - Facom - had forgotten about them, have used them in the past, seem good quality.Maybe, since this is to be a "toolbox pack", I should go for a small Facom Expert 3/8" drive, and a separate rail of sockets, rather than a boxed set.Having said that, I already have a few nice Wera tools..... My head's saying "buy something sensible from Draper etc..."

. We found that anything impact, ratchet or with component parts, they would just refuse to warranty most of the time and just put it down to "tool abuse".

 

That is such a shame, their lifetime warranty used to be the icing on the cake.

[alistermorton]

Teng make quite good smallish sets.

[sunray]

Teng make quite good smallish sets.

IO've not used their socket sets but one manufacturer I've worked with purchase their ratchet ring spanners in preference to their usual go to Snap-On.

[ninjadingle]

Bahco do some nice sized sets if you want 3/8" drive, fairly good quality too.

[bruce]

So to close this one off...

 

An unexpected event happened, which had the arguably-beneficial effect of restricting my choice... I realised I had a £30 Halfords credit note :)

 

I also went back to what the basic requirement was - something small, lightweight and "tool-box-sized".

 

So the solution is a Halfords Advanced 1/4" set (which goes up to 14mm), with a separate 1/4-3/8 adaptor (that has to be eBay - don't see them on any of the mainstream suppliers) and separate 15/17/19 3/8" sockets.

 

An added bonus was that the Halfords set was reduced from £35 to £24

https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/socket-sets/halfords-advanced-40-piece-1%2F4in-socket-set-332374.html

[sunray]

So to close this one off...

 

An unexpected event happened, which had the arguably-beneficial effect of restricting my choice... I realised I had a £30 Halfords credit note :)

 

I also went back to what the basic requirement was - something small, lightweight and "tool-box-sized".

 

So the solution is a Halfords Advanced 1/4" set (which goes up to 14mm), with a separate 1/4-3/8 adaptor (that has to be eBay - don't see them on any of the mainstream suppliers) and separate 15/17/19 3/8" sockets.

 

An added bonus was that the Halfords set was reduced from £35 to £24

https://www.halfords...set-332374.html

And I think you will not have any regrets. Did Halfords not have the 1/4 to 3/8 adapters anymore?

[bruce]

Did Halfords not have the 1/4 to 3/8 adapters anymore?

 

They had the "other way round" - 3/8 to 1/4 and 1/2 to 3/8. The also had 3/8 to 1/2 - but they don't do 1/4 to 3/8

[Dave m]

Looks like a good buy

 

I have several sets as I work on old British bikes and the Halfords “pro” is bloody good.

If the cheap one has a “lifetime guarantee” put the receipt somewhere safe!

 

I might buy one for work myself

[bruce]

Halfords always ask for your email "to send you the receipt" - normally I say "no thanks", but when it's something with a. long warranty it's not a bad idea.

[dje]

I have several sets as I work on old British bikes and the Halfords "pro" is bloody good.

 

Glad to hear it's not just me then!

During lockdown there was no work on and I made a semi successful business, driving all over Merseyside buying rusty, dusty and forgotten-about Raleigh bikes (all Nottingham built, 501 or 531 frames) and re-building them, then selling them eBay, a few went for over 1000% mark up on my costs. I got a bit attached to a 1980s Elan and still ride it - the local bike club ride around my way a lot and I always get admiring looks for my steel frame and friction shifters

[musht]

Halfords Pro line , decent quality worth buying, also has advantage of a warranty that's claimable, straight swap in shop for even questionably used tools....

 

Even if your a regular Snap On customer find warranty is lifetime of tool, not your lifetime.Snap On corporate states its main business as a leading provider of in workplace finance, not tool making.

 

Ludicrously priced coarse ratchets spring to mind.

 

King Dick is still around if want to buy Blitish, think mainly forged in Taiwan.

 

Bahco made in PRC but decent.

 

Decent six sided sockets and quality spanners are worth the money, they fit better and far less liable to round fasteners.

 

Unless it's Snap On level, polished chrome peels off and makes for loose fit, only use black impact sockets in impact drivers.