My mum was asking me what I wanted for x-mas and I don't really want out but a set of ratchet handles cause the ones up the unit are utter shite. They are about £60 for Halfords pro ones I think. Told my mum this and she ended up giving me £200! Which is always nice!

Now I have money for tools but I can't think of anything I need.

Is there any tools you should never be without or something worth investing in?

I don't wanna just buy an old crap, might as well buy something useful while I have the money!

I do need a bench vice, so probably get one of those.

Been thinking it over for the last few days but can't really think of anything. Just after suggestions more than out.

If you want a heavy duty ratchet that will take shit loads of abuse and not break, and be cheap, look at Laser tools. They don't have the finest ratchet mechanism, but you'll be doing well if you break them. Best for 3/8" and 1/2" stuff.

For 1/4" I'd recommend a Bahco ratchet - I've struggled to find a ratchet that has finer teeth than these. I've had mine 2 years and I've hung off the end of it a few times and it's fine.

A good pair of side cutters are invaluable, Facom are probably your best choice here.

And finally - an inspection lamp that clips onto the bonnet. Can't believe I lived without one of them!

impact gun. thats what santa is bringing me for xmas. should hopefully make my life alot easier.

Ahhh tools.. :)

I would say a

set of ratcheting spanners

A set of normal spanners 12pt and 6pt

A Decent 1/2 inch wrench and sockets. 12 pt and 6 pt

A Decent 3/4 Inch wrench and sockets. 12 pt and 6 pt

Small 1/4 ratchet and sockets with a screw driver type handle as well.

Decent set of screwdrivers.

Brake Calliper Spreader

A Car Crawler.

And some bright work lights

That's all I can think of at the moment.. :)

I just blew $300 at the Sears black Friday sales while I was over in the US... it was great fun I have now pretty much all the tools I'll ever need.

Mark

snap-on

snap-on

Dam good but expensive... and you can't get them from Halfords... :)

Ratchet spanners 110% Best tools ever!

Tbh i would reccomend anything Facom, they are great quality kit!

Getting me a Nice 1/2" Snapon Windy Gun for xmas

My shop sold Laser Tools and they were shite IMO.

If you haven't got one already, id say one of those lamps would be pretty damn useful, I've already discovered that..

Snap-on's lifetime guarantee isn't worth a thing these days...

My Snap-on man won't rebuild a 1/4" ratchet because he has to ship the parts in from the USA because it's an old ratchet. Dick.

Can't haggle the fucker down either.

Halfords Professional all the way.

At the end of the day mate, it all depends on the snapon dealer, ours is pretty good tbh!

'Irwin bolt grips' for those old rusty bolts,

good set of drifts and puches and a

big Thor copper/hyde mallet

A telescopic magnet! Handy if you are forever dropping bolts or washers down into hard to reach places. Also good for removing any little filings.

I tend to go for sealey stuff, it's generally not the sleekest of kit, but it will take some hammer and work for you all day long.

This is going to sound a little bit daft, but, don't buy a new vice. You'll pay a bloody fortune for anything like a heavy duty one. Find a nice, old school, heavy-as-hell, second hand Record vice (local auctions and surplus places are the best bet).

My favourite tools at the minute are:

- Half inch sealey ratchet, that I use for everything

- Sealey security bit set off Eurocarparts, blue case, cost £20-odd, fits everything

- Hitachi impact socket set (ebay: 290188970566). I best offered him £17.50 and got it. Only catch is, it doesn't have a 15mm in.

- Decent pair of Vise Grip molegrips.

- Foam kneel mat out of Halford's £1 bin - Thanks Charlie!

and never underestimate a compressor and an impact gun. 25-50 litre compressors go for nothing on ebay, you can't paint a car with one, but they'll run a buzzgun all day long.

Rathcet spanners are awesome if you dont already have them, i got a cheapo set for £10 at MPH 07 just cause i wanted some, and they have been invaluable!

And my bench vice is one of the best purchases I've ever made. Irwin Record it was, and its been used and abused so

much and still works like new.

Ratchet spanners 110% Best tools ever!

Tbh i would reccomend anything Facom, they are great quality kit!

Getting me a Nice 1/2" Snapon Windy Gun for xmas

go for the 18v cordless you wont be dissapointed best tool ever!!

santa is bringing me http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/...dkey=ClickInfo#

150 piece and on offer at £99.99 and with a life time guarantee.

and you also have £100.01 left to spend on other things.

At the end of the day mate, it all depends on the snapon dealer, ours is pretty good tbh!

mines good probable because i spend a fortune though lol

ratchet spanners FTW

i bought a set for £5 and they've not done me wrong yet

MIG Welder?

Air compressor and impact wrench

Cheers for the suggestions guys,

I already have a full set of good sockets, in fact we have 3 sets down the units. I have the 150pc Halfords set at home.

Got plenty of screw drivers, mole grips, pliers, side cutters, spanners, ratchet spanners.

Also, get yourselves down to Netto. At the moment they have a big halogen tripod lamp for £9.99. Its flimsy metal but the light is awesome, really nice and bright, can go from knee hight to taller than me. Dunno the exact heights but is adjustable. I'm going to buy another one this week cause they are really invaluable!

I might get an inspection lamp though, we had one but it broke. So need a new one really.

We have loads of carpet and stuff for kneeling on. But if I saw some mats for a quid I'd not say no, lol.

We already have a mig welder as well.

I really need a vice though, I'll look into a second hand one.

I suppose I should buy a plug for the bench grinder as well

I'll look into those Sealey ratchets, how to they price up compared to Halfords Pro stuff?

I'll look into those Sealey ratchets, how to they price up compared to Halfords Pro stuff?

Mine was about £15 IIRC

I really need a vice though, I'll look into a second hand one.

Tried smoking? As a vice goes, it's pretty minging, but it works second hand.

Well its going to get battered and bruised with use anyway so not really arsed!

He missed that one

Haha comedy! Really didnt see that one did he!