Tools are cheap

[Evans Electric]

I go back that far that  I remember when to lose a Spark's tool  was a hanging offence because it's replacement would be an unnecessary expediture in relation to his earnings.

In old non metric money a sparks with a family earning £30 a week loses..or someone snaps the blade of his Stanley belt clip rule ...has to shell out £5 for a replacement .

We have far better toolkits now than ever within the trade.  And at affordable prices.

 

[Apache]

What about the quality, Deke.

When I started working I bough a load of budget tools and wished I hadn't. I'd still rather have fewer, better quality tools.

I make an exception for things for a 1 off job

 

[Evans Electric]

I agree entirely Patche,  quality tools every time , last you a life time .

One of the problems with contracting is , tools being nicked, moving from job to job , tools get lost ,  vans being done over etc so I think most guys go with the middle priced quality stuff.

A car mechanic we do work for , a huge cabinet full of Snap-On     American tools including the cabinet ,  only buy them once .   But they are locked in the cabinet , locked in the premises , free replacement if they break ,( Which they don't)  only ever used by him . 

In our case a moderate Japanese socket set does all we need for , say, building some switchgear up etc.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Donkeys years ago, a bloke i was working with said look i got this great screwdriver set (He showed me 6 nasty looking screwdrivers) great aren't they only ......................99p (That was way before the 99p shop was even thought of) I  think they lasted a whole two weeks.

 

[Manator]

I have an almost full set of Clien tools, I do not like the screwdrivers. I have seen the full set advertised in CEF for sale at around the £800 mark. Evidently you can lease them as well :B-

I must admit it took me around three months to decide to buy the large holdhall bag, at £100 for a bag was against my principles, however its one of the best bags I have ever had. Well worth the outlay.

I also have a very old pair of pliers that I made as an apprentice, the older guys here will know where I am coming from here. Those were the days when electricians were considered technicians, and did a multitude of disciplines. AHHHH those were the days

 

[steptoe]

I agree with Deke,

Nowadays we can have the same tools for a much less outlay, 

Quality is not available to buy today the way it was,  even if you wanted it,

I always work prices out by what my hours work can actually buy,

Say my hour can buy 10 pints, 20 years ago it would buy 30something, beer has got dearer, I can buy pliers for an hours wage, would've  took me almost 2 hours 20years ago, cordless stuff was a weeks wages, now it's a day, btw, I'm transposing current money into an equivalent, 

I'm a bit different with sockets and stuff, I probably have more mechanic tools than spark tools tbh, :C

 

[Blue Duck]

I have a load of grandads tools from the forge, not much good now though a few follow me about.

Most of my stuff is knipex or wera, I feel it's the best quality for the price compared to say CK,  looks good, works well at first then the finish starts to fade and they go blunt unlike the knipex which still look brand new and stay shaper longer.

I could not contemplate klein tools at CEF prices! you can get them from the US for probably half the price but then there's the postage.

Have to hold out until their exclusivity deal ends then the prices should go down though not at CEF.

I did buy a klein pocket knife thought it was ****! :slap

 

[Andy™]

 I have seen the full set advertised in CEF for sale at around the £800 mark.

or £100 everywhere else

 

[kerching]

My name is kerch and I am a Toolophile ( and RR ophile, but there is a restraining order out on that )

i have been collecting tools,for,over fifty years!.......i very rarely lose anything, had a set of Bahco croppers and a set of Milwaukee impact bits stolen by a Romanian ceiling fitters labourer just before Xmas.cannot prove it but .....

i have

Facom

IT

Boddingtons

CK

Wera

Wiha

Estwing

DeWalt

AEG

Makita

kewteck

'old' Kamasa

horses for courses as usual

i try to buy the best I can afford based on half a century of experience...but it does not always work.

wiha multibit driver....fantastic blades/selection........handle retaining mechanism is pants and the bits fall out

CK side cutters with3.5 & 4 mm screw shear BRILLIANT cannot fault them in any way, ever, END OF!

just saying

 

[kerching]

Also Klein.   "The American Electricians favorite" and that is a GOOD thing?

their screwdrivers have rubber handles that made a brief appearance here about 30 plus years ago and lasted about 4 seconds

 

[leesparkykent]

The Klein electricians bag is very similar to the CK magma technicians bag Imo but the CK bag is half the price of the Klein bag. I think the best tool bag on the market also American is the veto pro pac XL or the OT XL.

 

[apprentice87]

Years ago i had piles of SnapOn stuff, Had to sell them during a bad patch.. Worst thing i ever did... I had a socket set that must have been about £3000, was brilliant stuff, FAR nicer than anything else. Modern SnapOn is not a patch on the stuff from the 1980's can tell you that....

I have tools that I bought 40 years ago, still as good as new. Presto and Dormer taps and dies and Moore and Wright micrometers and stuff. All gone downhill now though. A new Moore and wright micrometer is nothing compared to an old one.

I always get the best i can. Miller and Lincoln welders, my Harrison and Voest-Alpine lathes are vastly better than any of the chinese rubbish you get now. My Qualters saw, and Elliott shaper and miller, would not want chinese stuff if it was free..

john..

 

[kerching]

The Klein electricians bag is very similar to the CK magma technicians bag Imo but the CK bag is half the price of the Klein bag. I think the best tool bag on the market also American is the veto pro pac   LC TECHor the OT XL. OR THE MC

Corrected that for you as I have all three

 

[ProDave]

I never pay more than 99p for a measuring tape, because for some reason this is the tool I most often loose on a job.

On the other hand I have gained tools before. Gone into someone's loft and there's a half full drum of 1mm t&e, an pair of decent sidecutters, and a voltage tester. :innocent

 

[leesparkykent]

Corrected that for you as I have all three

All three...that's a bit flash lol. I don't think the build quality can be beaten. It has more than paid for itself with time not spent routing around a tool box looking for a tool.

 

[kerching]

I have two Veto Bags, the Tech and the XT

The MC is very good....only problem is that i try to,fit FAR more in it than i actually need. The issue is that I KNOW that if i thin it out a bit then at the next job what i need WILL be in the Van miles away

just saying

 

[Andy™]

All three...that's a bit flash lol. I don't think the build quality can be beaten. It has more than paid for itself with time not spent routing around a tool box looking for a tool.

he probably has 2 of each too. and a spare

 

[Blue Duck]

I'm saving up for one (tech LC) won't be able to afford the matching klein screwdrivers to go with it tho!

 

[leesparkykent]

I might order the MB for my MFT as have the metrel mi 3215 and the bags pony....

 

[kerching]

All three...that's a bit flash lol. I don't think the build quality can be beaten. It has more than paid for itself with time not spent routing around a tool box looking for a tool.

You think thats flash!!?!?