Need to buy a torque wrench and verniers

[ACTAngler]

Gunna bite the bullet and buy myself a 1/2 inch drive torque wrench and a set of vernier calipers. Just wondering how much I need to spend to get good, but not workshop/professional quality tools. Kingchrome is about $100 from AutoBarn, so that's my starting point I guess. Supercheap also have an SCA brand for $100, not sure or their origin or quality. Any other brands worth looking at?

Thanks in advance.

[Large]

I bought a set of sockets from supercheap.

The 8mm went missing after a mate used it

I bought a SCA 8mm socket to replace it

I found it doesn't fit 8mm bolts or nuts

More like 6mm or so, but labelled 8mm

The local SCA is doing a runout on all SCA sockets etc

[boris]

mate most of the tools in my workshop (including my digital verniers) are kinchrome from Bursons but still kinchrome and I have had no problems with any of it except tyhe odd 1 that goes missing and I may or may not have left them in a car or truck

[El_Hefty]

The REPCO brand of tools isnt bad for the money, ive had a couple of mechanics work for me who used them and they did the job, being repco branded you know you are going to get service for years to come if required

[RevHead]

fuck that shit chase a snap on guy down he,ll empty ya bank ,account i just spent $3,000 on tools to upgrade ,then i bought a new roll cab ,for$ 1000 more 2 weeks ago fuck im broke ,n so,s me car now boo boohoo

[ALBI]

mate snap-on is the way to go if you are using day in day out ,my tools so far from strap-on about 30grand so far the torque wrench is good but i bought a repco 1/2 drive and 3/8 drive i use them at least once a week and have had it callibrated every 2 years and it has never been out at all!!!
i use it for everything from bike engine,s,landrover v8's,truck gearbox's,cat and detroit engine's.not once let down!!
as for vernier's kingchrome ones are good so are sp tools and also snap-on once again repco is good also. but you cant go past a set of digital ones very handie!!
tools are my trade and i hate when people buy high end stuff when they dont realy need it if you can claim it from the tax man and use every day buy a good qaulity set.

[Watto]

repco's ok gear - bit like sidchrome with the ' lifetime' replacement warranty - but cheaper

Kinchromes ok for the money

[Gix11]

Still fascinates me how guys that work with tools for a living still call the brand "King"chrome: http://www.kincrome.com.au/web/index.php

I use kincrome (got a full set and toolboxes off Deano a few years back) as I don't need them everyday and I'd recommend them for the home user for sure.

[RevHead]

as albi said i use my tools 6 days a week and ive had no trouble,ive broken tools and they get replaced under the life time warrantty,repco are ok i got a 2nd screw driver set from them, and if you brake them they get replaced,quality is whot we pay for

[ACTAngler]

Thanks for the advice guys. Definitely won't be using the tools every day, but I do my own basic car servicing and obviously the bike, so it won't be Snap-On, that's for sure! Sounds like Kincrome (with no g or h) or Repco might be the go.

Next question I suppose: where's the best/cheapest place in Canberra for Kinchrome tools? Gasweld or Fisher Discounts maybe?

[boris]

quote:Originally posted by Gix11

Still fascinates me how guys that work with tools for a living still call the brand "King"chrome: http://www.kincrome.com.au/web/index.php

I use kincrome (got a full set and toolboxes off Deano a few years back) as I don't need them everyday and I'd recommend them for the home user for sure.

I have enough dockets with kinchrome written on them Si that I know how to say it and spell it mate ;) even bunnings sell it so it must be good LOL and I use all mine at least 5 days a week so don't shy away from it ACTAngler mate

[ALBI]

autobarn sells kingcrome !
see i can spiell

[Deano]

http://tradesmart.net.au/catalogues/8-Current-Catalogue

page 17 of the cataloge, bottom right corner. we sell these verniers and have them in stock along with the kincrome ones are a little expensive and don't feel so good compared to the moore and wright verniers $59 is bloody cheap. i use verniers every day measuring shit so you do get to like the feel of certin verniers and the kincrome ones have a smaller display and feel cheap in there action.

click here for member locations http://tradesmart.net.au/documents/30-Locations

the same stores are also kincrome dealers aswell so one stop shop

i also only have kincrome, mostly cause i sell it but there warranty is pretty good and they are going to be around for a long time to come.

if you get stuck send me an email and i will sort you out.

[Deano]

with the micrometer style torque wrenches you need to make sure that you unscrew the adjuster when it is not in use as the spring will be under constant tension and the cheaper (kincrome) torque wrenches go out of calibration very easily.

[ACTAngler]

quote:Originally posted by Deano

with the micrometer style torque wrenches you need to make sure that you unscrew the adjuster when it is not in use as the spring will be under constant tension and the cheaper (kincrome) torque wrenches go out of calibration very easily.


Shit, I don't need that! Do you mean onl if you don't back the adjuster off???

Link to catalogue not working for me.

[Slain]

i know my local autobarn is having a clearance on kincrome cos they arent going to stock it anymore. picked up a 1/2 inch deflecting beam torque wrench for $89, rrp is $189.

[latheboy]

You could get a plastic vernier if you just measuring bold sizes or get Mitutoyo for everything else.
Theres no substitute for quality.

[Deano]

quote:Originally posted by ACTAngler


quote:Originally posted by Deano

with the micrometer style torque wrenches you need to make sure that you unscrew the adjuster when it is not in use as the spring will be under constant tension and the cheaper (kincrome) torque wrenches go out of calibration very easily.


Shit, I don't need that! Do you mean onl if you don't back the adjuster off???

Link to catalogue not working for me.


go to www.tradesmart.net.au and click on the cataloge.

yes about the adjuster

[Deano]

quote:Originally posted by latheboy

You could get a plastic vernier if you just measuring bold sizes or get Mitutoyo for everything else.
Theres no substitute for quality.


i agree, all of our manual verniers are mitutoyo but we do have a couple of other random pairs of digital in other brands. even the manual mitutoyo cost us about $150 hate to think what the digital ones are worth. starret are quite good. a good middle of the road price from memory we have them for about $180 in digital

[latheboy]

I have a Kincrome 200mm vernier that i use for measuring raw steel and its good for about 0.05mm, Mitutoyo are good for 0.02mm
But they are just verniers and not that accurate anyway. If you will be using it on a mill or lathe get the best you can afford, if its just measuring bolts/drills/bearings and other stuff like that get $50 measuring stick.

Just dont drop it EVER and dont leave it closed with the locking screw done up.

[lurch]

quote:Originally posted by Slain

i know my local autobarn is having a clearance on kincrome cos they arent going to stock it anymore. picked up a 1/2 inch deflecting beam torque wrench for $89, rrp is $189.


Is that sale still going (I'm in Toowoomba as well)?

I've been gonna buy a 1/2 inch one for ages but never got around to it. Probably won't be able to get in there until tomorrow now.

[Slain]

i think so mate. it just depends on their stock levels i guess as i went in earlier in the week and bought a couple more tools and they were still half price.
as you walk in the door there is a big table in the middle of the floor near a couple of roller cabs.

[ozzy1100]

manual verniers, mitutoyo are the shit but like people say if u useing them every day like their mics they are the best
digi verniers in my opin are for people who dont like 2 learn how to read manual ones lol look for the type of work u will
be doing some of the cheeper manual verniers will be fine all verniers should only be use for within 2 tho (0.05mm) and cheeper
ones 2 around 4 tho (0.1 mm) anything closer you should be useing a mic...when i worked with them every day i had mitutoyo
verniers and mics but now at home in my work shop i have asain crap btu for the times i use them they are more then good enough
even when im doing machineing..(i brought a 6 piece 25-150 mic set for the cost of 1 25 mm mitutoyo lol)
just my 2 cents im a plumber now so fuck nows what 0.0000 of a mm is anymore lol

[ACTAngler]

Ok, I picked up a Kincrome 1/2 drive torque wrench from Fisher Discounts in Fyshwick (catalogue sale price $89) and I just got a cheap set of digital verniers ($50 Toolex brand) from Gasweld. Got talking to a mechanic in the store who said they were good enough for him, so more than happy with that. Thanks for all your advice.