Workshop Tools? Help needed.

[J-B]

Hey all,

I'm soon going to be in the market to buy a toolkit/toolchest and while shopping around I was told about Tengtools (http://www.tengtools.com.au/). I personally have never heard of them but they are about half the price of the Sidchrome tool chest I was looking to buy and have more tools included.

They did seem to be of a decent quality from what I played around with in store but I was wondering if anyone has had any information or opinions on them.

Or should I just stick to the Sidchrome one I have been wanting for years

 

[trotty]

Teng are an entry tool. Reasonable quality for an apprentice. I personally stick with kinchrome sidchrome. And snap on. ( way overpriced ). Even SP tools are great now. As they say I. Everything. Get what ya pay for.


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[mills_88]

Depends what you are going to be using it for as well, if it's just to be used to work on cars occasionally you wont need as higher quality as if you are going to be using it day in day out as part of your trade.

 

[Leggy98]

All my tools are snap on great tool but I paid way to much for them. I wish I got sp tools in stead

 

[naughtika]

I've had my trusty old teng tools for the last 3-4 years (if not longer)

I've got the 3/8" drive socket set..

this is similar to what I've got link

then i eventually got cordless power tools, 1/4" and 1/2" socket sets as well..

 

[veegeeta]

We sell teng tools ,sp tools and kincrombe tools at work. I use sp tools myself . Teng is great for starting a trade as you can build your own toolbox and only put in what you need. When you buy other brand toolboxes they are 75% full but have things that you might not ever use. I havnt heard of any problem from teng yet.

 

[Jonson]

Teng are surprisingly good for the money. Good enough for the weekend play around. I personally use JH williams ratchets (they make the snap on ratchets before they become snap on, so much lower price tag). For spanners CGL are good, well priced and last forever. Sockets are throw away, no matter what brand you get.

 

[dwarfmarine]

Ive got a good mix of Kincrome (gear spanners and 3/8"driver bits), Sidcrome (Socket set), Craftsman (more gear spanners) Stanley (screwdrivers) and SCA(Shitty back-up ring spanners)

Try find brands with lifetime warranty (all the brands i listed do- except maybe SCA)... so if it breaks, it gets replaced for free!
Ive broken a gear spanner, stripped screwdrivers and the ratchet on my socket set went.. all replaced for free under lifetime warranty!

 

[J-B]

Awesome thanks for the input guys I will have to have a closer look into which toolkit has more stuff that I'm going to actually use.

Most of the brands have Lifetime warranty so I think this is coming down to personal preference. Good to know that Tengtools are a decent kit, and saving a decent amount of money on them could help me afford another car quicker :tongue_smilie:


Now does anyone have any ideas on Decent Welders and Air compressors?

 

[trotty]

As a welder myself u can't beat kemmpi or fronius. But they are way overpriced. I personally have had no issues with uni mig/ tig welders. For the price they are throw away units. But I use em day in and day out and work em hard and they punch above their pricetag. U want something that's 180 amps+ , as for air compressors it depends on the tools u are using and air consumption requirements. U want something with about 11cfm and a 55-70 ltr tank.


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[naughtika]

air compressors, go with what trade tools sell.. bigger the better, but the louder it gets..

i think there are those upright ones that are more than sufficient for power tools but do "run all day" if you use it as "very well"

 

[dwarfmarine]

I've got a basic Bunnings spec 40L direct drive compressor...
Wish I didn't... Nowhere near a big enough tank. Kept running out of juice while spray painting a bumper and even more using the air chisel when I had to strip mortar off 400 bricks... What slowed me most was the compressor kept running out..

But if you're only using a rattle gun it's probably fine

So if you can afford it, get a 50 or 60L belt drive.


I'm interested in the welder discussion too... I've been considering one for a long while.
Something cheapish but will do most things (probably try make my own exhaust as a test for example)
(I'm eyeing off the 140w arc 'starter kit' at Bunnings for $280)
Definitely won't be used often, but enough to do most jobs if I ever need it

 

[J-B]

I also heard that the main thing would be running out of juice and was advised that if i wanted to be doing sanding/grinding and painting I would be wanting something with 200ltr/min+ and that a belt drive was a better option than a direct drive but it could have just been the person trying to sell a compressor to me.

Something like this is what I was thinking of getting but there are no TradeTools in SA but i can get an equivalent item from Total Tools here in Adelaide.
https://www.tradetools.com/products/HD210

That Compressor is a 10Amp and I might be getting 15Amp in my shed so I could get something in that range if needed.


As for Welders I was hoping for something that can Mig and Tig weld but I wasn't sure if it would be best to get separate units or a combo one?

 

[naughtika]

as for welder, get the TIG/MMA inverter that way you can just buy the attachment for the MIG...

which you can buy later on.. here's what im talking about


link

 

[uzz320]

I went through the compressor selection saga a few years back - I ended up buying a 295 LPM FAD Proton triple piston w/ 70L tank - needs a 15a socket though. I got it from All Tools (SA) for $829. I used it to paint a car (never had issues like I did with the previous Supercheap one with running out of air), and still use it to run various air tools including a ratchet, chisel, rattle gun, die grinder, DA sander etc. You can outpace it with the die grinder and the DA sander, but only if you use them non-stop and at full speed. I imagine that it wouldn't last if it were used all day every day in a workshop, but neither would a $2500 one (not forever anyway) - for the use of one person though, it has been great for 3 years. It is also pretty quiet for a compressor, much quieter than the cheap, small Supercheap/Bunnings ones (lower RPM motor with larger displacement pump).

What do you want to run with the compressor and how often? The thing that I found was that I could not get a compressor that would never run out of air without needing three phase power - and that I could get compressors with the same specs for anywhere between 800-2000 dollars, so my choice came down to the best specs that I could afford; At the time it was more important for me to have the needed airflow for painting rather than a high quality (and presumably longer lasting) one that still didn't flow enough air.

 

[Kenny101]

In regards to welders, it all depends on your budget and how oftern you plan to use it. Budget end welders can be a bit hit and miss. Although in saying this I've heard of people getting good results/reliability out of cheap Rossi 3in1 welders- arc, tig, plasma. They are about $330 on ebay. I've never been a big fan of 3in1 welders as I prefer machines with a specific purpose- I.e mig or tig/stick

If you do want a decent multi use welder, and as you have suggested, wanting something you can use as mig and tig, then a lincoln powercraft 180i are great unit for $899 from Adelaide Tools. This way you can weld decent gauge steel with the mig or arc and also use the tig if you ever wanted to weld up an exhaust or intake pipes. Just keep in mind using a tig isn't as simple as running a weld with an arc or mig. It takes a bit of practise to get an average looking weld.

 

[Badger]

Sp and Kincrome are the same company, but both brands have certain things than the other one. Also Toptul and Unison are the same company and once again one brand makes certain things that the other one doesnt. Teng is always good.

Sidchrome isn't as good as what it used to be, I wouldn't bother with them anymore. They obviously found a cheaper way to make their tools which was a bad mistake.

 

[J-B]

@UZZ320 - My plans are to be able to run a dual action sander or a grinder and then probably a paint gun. I'm not too concerned with being able to paint a whole car in one go or something like that which is why I was thinking something 200ltr/min should cover me for most of the thing I would be wanting to do.


@Kenny101 - I will have to have a look at the Lincoln powercraft 180i. I completely understand that TIG welding will do my head in but I am more than willing to practice away until I get it right




I was also considering the Cigweld Transmig 175i or Transmig 200i which does TIG and MIG. I think that would be comparable to the Lincoln Powercraft one Kenny mentioned.

 

[Kenny101]

Welding is an art and is very satisfying when you nail a perfect run! practicing is a great part of the process too it's all about practice and learning as you go. Buy/obtain a heap of scrap/off cut steel and away you go!

CIG welder a are also a good welder, very compatible to the Lincoln's in quality.

@Kenny101 - I will have to have a look at the Lincoln powercraft 180i. I completely understand that TIG welding will do my head in but I am more than willing to practice away until I get it right

I was also considering the Cigweld Transmig 175i or Transmig 200i which does TIG and MIG. I think that would be comparable to the Lincoln Powercraft one Kenny mentioned.[/QUOTE]

 

[J-B]

That's it, If I make sure I can play around with welding things I'm sure I will pick it up eventually. If I get stuck my mates dad is a Sheet metal worker/welder by trade all his life so I will be asking for any tips he can give.

I just need to decide on what ones I want to buy so I can setup my Garage