Shahmatt

I'm looking to purchase a spanner or wrench set as a gift for a mechanic relative. It does not have to be bike specific, but as general as possible so that it can be used on cars and even machinery.

I know Park Tools is great and you can't go wrong, but those are sized more towards bikes. Something with a wider range would be ideal.

Are there any brands I should be looking at? Any help is much appreciated.

AnkleWork

https://www.snapon.com/

Unca_Sam

Just make sure your home is valuable enough collateral for the loan.

rumrunn6

I’d rather pick out my own tools so give him money or have him share his amazon wish list and get him something he actually wants/needs

TimothyH

Open end and box wrenches (spanners) are not sized specifically for bikes.

There are no fasteners on a bike which are not also on automobiles and other machinery.

Any decent set of wrenches which works on bikes will also work for cars and other machines.

Park Tools is overpriced for what they are.

Craftsman is decent quality. Snapon tools are extremely well made but also very expensive. I don't know what is available in Singapore.

WizardOfBoz

Well, we used to have several good companies in the US that made tools. Now, the manufacturing picture is much changed. And, as Timothy points out, Singapore will have different tool availability than here. China produces a lot of stuff over a range of quality, so I think you'll be better off checking with folks there.

I think you could probably google bicycle tool sets in Singapore and you'll get a better idea of what's available.

I agree with Timothy on the point that a Torx T20 is the same on a bike and car. And even though there's probably a different mix of fasteners, ideally a tool set has combination wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, needlenose pliers, a set of sockets (metric), an adjustable ("Crescent") wrench, a set of metric hex (Allen) keys and a set of Torx keys. Here, you have to add in imperial combo wrenches and sockets and hex keys. If you work on old Raleigh bicycles, add in Whitworth combo wrenches and sockets!

I differ on these points:
1) I don't think Park Tools are overly expensive (especially compared with Snap-On). I think that they're ok value for money, and I've gotten excellent customer service from Park. In any case, you could at least get an idea of what a bicycle tool set contains so that you can compare with locally available tools.
2) Craftsman tools used to be pretty good (I have a 40 year old, much used ratchet set), but current quality is pretty poor

TimothyH

It's really nice to have someone disagree without turning it into a war.

That's the difference between a conversation and a fight, between being human and being an animal.

Thank you.


-Tim-

FiftySix

Tools available in Singapore?

Craftsman are great tools for a working man on a working man's budget. Now days they are made in China or Taiwan. People in the know prefer the Taiwanese made Craftsman tools.

Edit to add: Craftsman screwdrivers aren't as good as their other hand tools, though.

The flathead drivers don't fit metric fasteners well, so I grind them to fit. Also, the tips can twist easily on the smaller flathead drivers.

The Phillips head drivers are much better, but don't fit European posidrive fasteners well. The Phillips heads do fit the Japanese cross fasteners better than the posidrive though.

I must say most of my Craftsman tools are from the 1980s and 1990s. I'm still sorting out what I think of the new Chinese and Taiwanese Craftsman tools.

alcjphil

The quality of tools that a professional mechanic will need will differ from the quality that a home mechanic will use. Most wrenches and spanners used for work on a car are of limited usefulness for working on bicycles where hex wrenches are much more useful. Much better to buy one or two specific tools that the person has need for than to buy a general set of wrenches that the person probably already has

FiftySix

If we're talking L-shaped hex wrenches, my favorite are the ball end type from Eklind or Bondhus. Their T-handle hex wrenches are excellent as well.

For hex wrench tips that fit on a ratchet or breaker bar, I've had good experience with Lisle.

WizardOfBoz

The other thing, Tim, is that I sense your comments are meant to help people. This rates high in my book, so I'm glad we get the pleasure of each other thoughts.

One thing I've been trying to do (hard, cuz I'm a logorrheic blowhard extrovert and I work out of my home, so this forum is my "water cooler") it to read to understand, not to reply.

Thanks for your kind note.

Shahmatt

Thanks all for the comments. It's a lot to digest but I'm slowly working on it.

Though I am based in Singapore my relative isn't. I was hoping to purchase from the US or Europe and have the set shipped to him.

He currently uses socket wrenches, so a combination wrench set: ratchet/open ended spanner tool might nicely compliment that.

He does use his tools professionally, so something appropriate in quality but not overly expensive.

I know of the German brand called Gedore. How would that compare with Snap-on?

Again thanks all for the comments and suggestions. Much appreciated.

FiftySix

The only German tools I've used are Knipex and Wiha. I've never heard of Gedore, I'll have to look for those.

dedhed

In the US the brand trucks you will normally see servicing auto shop etc mechanics are Snap-On, MAC tools, Matco, and Cornwell.

Other professional level tools brands often used are SK, Proto, and Armstrong.

On a home level all the major home improvement stores have warranted tool lines, Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, with others selling quality brands like Wright.

A warranty is only as good as the hoops you have to jump through to get it replaced. That's why Craftsman (back in the day) was king. Walk in any Sears, hand them a broken tool, walk out with a new one off the shelf, no charge, no paperwork.

RGMN

Not too surprising since Phillips and posi-drive heads are different profiles. Just because they have a cross shape doesn't make them the same.

ANY retailer of Craftsman will now replace a tool that "fails to perform." It doesn't have to be Sears, it can be Lowes, Menards, or Ace Hardware. I had Northern Tools replace a split Craftsman 17mm socket. If anything its easier to replace broken Craftsman tools now than when Sears owned them.

FiftySix

I've had good experience with Proto as well.

FiftySix

Indeed. That's the point of my post. It's probably not a good choice for someone overseas to purchase Craftsman screwdrivers. I carry a French brand of posidrive screwdrivers, can't think of the name right now*.

Most of the machines I work on in my industry are from Europe or Asia. Only one or two product lines I work on are made in the USA, which is frustrating as the USA machines still use SAE fasteners. Which means I have to carry twice as many tools for my job.

*Facom

Drew Eckhardt 

Stahlwille makes lovely tools, especially split beam torque wrenches. Instantly select a torque with your thumbs, they're accurate over the full scale, and they work in reverse for left-handed threads. They take interchangeable heads, where I really like my hex bit ratchet for bike work.

TBS Aachen tools in Germany sells them for much less than US prices and ships worldwide.

alcjphil

Professional quality tools are not inexpensive, but they stand up and are fully guaranteed if they do fail. A friend of mine is an aircraft engine technician. He has had tools that did not meet his very high standards and he has found creative ways to break tools that did not meet his needs. The Snap on representative who goes to his shop always replaces his broken tool without any question other than to try to find out how he managed to break it
Try to find out about specific tools he needs, a bunch of sockets or spanners he already has are not going to be useful

Mad Honk 

Shahmatt,

I have all of the above tools in my boxes. I started with Craftsman and moved to Mac and Snap-on because of reliability. I shied away from a few lines but for the most part any tool made by the New Britain factory is top-notch. A lot of Williams, Proto, Black hawk, and Mac were all made there. I buy a lot of tools for the way they fit my hand and Back Hawk is one of those lesser known brands that work for wrenches.
Now to get to your question; the most recent tool truck on the scene is the Gear Wrench truck. All tools made in China, and backed by a replacement warranty. Not as high as the New Britain made tools in quality, but backed by their warranty. Also priced accordingly; a quarter inch ratchet, in medium length, with swivel head was $28. For bike related tools this would b a good match for the Park tool line. Maybe not on the same plane as Var or Campy, but still good tools. HTH, MH

FiftySix

What line of work is he in?

There are varying levels of professional mechanics. For instance in my line of work, no one carries Snap On level tools.

We carry our personally purchased tools to the customer's location whether in town or across the nation. We tend to pick good tools at a median price and quality range. Part of this is worry about losing our tools to theft or airlines, and having to replace the tools. The higher end tools draw the most attention while average tools seem to be less "admired" by potential thieves.

However, I have had tools stolen right out of my truck years ago in downtown Dallas on a job. Wasn't a good day for me.

Shahmatt

He does car restorations as a hobby. He does industrial cooling work for a living - working on machines used to quick-freeze food stuffs like seafood, cold rooms and related stuff.

Sorry to hear you lost your tools. A bleak situation that. Thanks for the tip.

FiftySix

That theft was over 20 years ago, so I've had some recovery time.

Car restoration as a hobby? If you know he needs a set of combination wrenches, that sounds like a good choice. I like the long reach wrenches for working on cars. They help to get down in tight spots on front wheel drive vehicles.

Tamiya

when I'm in SG I tend to go for Vessel (Japanese) or Stanley (Australian); Bondhus for hex & torx. But there's no main tool shop to visit afaik, most SG ppl mailorder from Amazon or buy in person when overseas.

Back downunder it's a lot easier to shop locally... we got Bunnings warehouse for cheap junk to decent brands. For the workman's tools I go to trade suppliers, can get all the U.S. Brands if you're willing to pay the premium. SnapOn is sold via company reps in their tool trucks.

Suggest you're wasting your time/$$$ buying any guy any tools tools for using are best only bought when needed. Buy them locally for the warranty support - tools get broken in use. There's general tool sets then there's specialised tools that don't get used as much but you can't do the job without it.

Plus each hobby of mine usually comes with their own favourite tool brands... like Park (cycles), Hudy (RC), Bergeon (umm for tiny expensive Swiss screws) etc etc

And then in my garage... my fleet are a mix between metric (Japanese), SAE (American) and whitworth (British), so I need three different sets of spanners... none interchangeable!

you might be better off instead buying him/her a nice toolbox or tool case or leather tool roll

JoeTBM 

I have been following this thread with most earnest but it seems to have gone overboard.

I can tell you that I have purchased no less then 4 general combo ratcheting wrench sets in metric sizes from Harbor Freight (I have 4 mechanics that work with me) and all of them have performed flawlessly over the last year +

This is the set
https://www.harborfreight.com/7-piec...set-95552.html


It only short coming is that it does not include a 9mm size but otherwise has been invaluable,m it does include 8, 10,12,13,14,15,& 17mm sizes I ordered 4 9mm combo ratcheting wrench to compliment the set from ebay and they also work great at $2.99 each

and it can be had for under $20 with a coupon rather then it's $24.99 advertised price.

These were purchased specifically for repairing modern bikes which I know was not the OP's criteria