Where to buy tools in brisbane?

[Jitterbug]

I am in the process of setting up my own business, performing specialised mechanical maintenance, and need tools.
The only specialised tools are sockets up to 3", other than that, standard shifters, sockets, vice etc etc.
For those in the know, where in brisbane is recommended for decent trade quality tools without breaking the bank? I guess I would use bunnings as the bench mark...

Thanks and merry christmas!

[nugge t]

Trade Tools have a good range at good prices. They stock Sidchrome but also have their own brand, Force which looks pretty good and I think, but don't hold me to it, has a life time warranty as well.

[Blknight.aus]

Theres a number of places you can use, put your kits together in parts

for your most common use items buy the good stufff, things like the ratchet, breaker bar, extension bars and the most frequently used sockets (for a rover 10,13,14mm)

[uninformed]

IMO Sidcrome is absolute junk now. Their ratchets are horrible. Masters sells gearwrench ( i have no idea on quality) and for some reason the sell Stahlwille spanners. Quite well priced considering. (Stahlwille are top quality german made) Masters is actually the cheapest place I have seen these spanners.

I buy most of my stuff online. I troll Ebay.com (usa) for snap-on and if you know what you are looking for, you can usually buy new or near new stuff at half price (still $$ but worth it IMO)

Koken make some pretty good sockets and ratchets.

The last chippy I worked with had the new Stanley stuff, black chrome finish. Looked ok?

I think Genius is ok, Canadian company, made in china etc.

Trade Tools stocks some brands but can get most.

[scarry]

Trade Tools have a good range at good prices. They stock Sidchrome but also have their own brand, Force which looks pretty good and I think, but don't hold me to it, has a life time warranty as well.


X2:)

Find their prices pretty good,and the force stuff good as well.Their prices on power tools are also good,and they have a large range on show and in stock.

[Disco44]

Trade Tools have a good range at good prices. They stock Sidchrome but also have their own brand, Force which looks pretty good and I think, but don't hold me to it, has a life time warranty as well.

X2 Tradetools.Look in yellow pages.

[Debacle]

If you are anywhere near Redcliffe, Tampico Tools at Clontarf are quite good on price sometimes. The stock they have on hand isn't always great, but they can get it ordered in for you. Wouldn't hurt to give them a list of what you want and get a price.

Tradetools at Geebung give excellent service, can also recommend them.

[blue_mini]

Ask the bunnings special orders desk to get you prices and then see if they'll beat competitors prices, they should but some don't.

And yeah im not a fan of sidchrome anymore, sockets and spanners are great, ratchets are made of landy axle steel. And the older style kincrome with the black plastic handles are good, the new all steel ones aren't as nice to use.

[Bigbjorn]

If you don't mind good used tools, call Tyron (Jeckle) Saunders who is a tool dealer, 3348-9859. He usually has a big selection available including Whitworth.

If buying new, my order of preference for industrial quality professional tools is Armstrong Bros of Chicago, Allen (the Allen of Allen head bolts), Britool, Dowidat, Proto, Beta. Armstrong's range are industrial quality built to last and not pretty shiny things made for pyramid selling from vans.

[Hoges]

If you don't mind good used tools, call Tyron (Jeckle) Saunders who is a tool dealer, 3348-9859. He usually has a big selection available including Whitworth.

If buying new, my order of preference for industrial quality professional tools is Armstrong Bros of Chicago, Allen (the Allen of Allen head bolts), Britool, Dowidat, Proto, Beta. Armstrong's range are industrial quality built to last and not pretty shiny things made for pyramid selling from vans.

:Rolling::Rolling::Rolling:

[Jitterbug]

Thanks for the help. I will start at trade tools and see how we go from there. I will be carrying out valve maintenance so not too tool-intensive with minimal chance of seized bolts etc (so nothing like working on land rovers!).
No doubt I will find specific tools and sizes that get used more, if I wear these out I will replace with industrial standard stuff Brian mentions.
Now to wait for them to open again in the new year...

[uninformed]

If you don't mind good used tools, call Tyron (Jeckle) Saunders who is a tool dealer, 3348-9859. He usually has a big selection available including Whitworth.

If buying new, my order of preference for industrial quality professional tools is Armstrong Bros of Chicago, Allen (the Allen of Allen head bolts), Britool, Dowidat, Proto, Beta. Armstrong's range are industrial quality built to last and not pretty shiny things made for pyramid selling from vans.

Brian, do you have any proof that are any of these tools are far superior to Snap-on?

I have Allen, Gedore, Stahlwille, Snap-on and I know which I go for first. Im still to find as nice a finish and use in sockets/ratchets as Snap-on.

BTW, Proto was bought out by Stanley Tool works in 1984 (from Ingersoll Rand), the last time I saw anything new in Proto was just after Stanley bought out Sidcrome, tools being branded Sidcrome Proto. For a minute there, Sidcromes quality actually rose to a good standard. Now its junk and Proto is no longer to be seen....maybe in the good Ol USA where it has brand recognition, but after veiwing their website, doesnt look like its anything flash.

Where is Dowidat made? Funny thing is, the Dowidat brothers were the founders of Gedore.....I wonder if there is any link?

When I first bought some combination spanners back in the early 90's, I certainly could not afford Snap-on or Stahlwille. Someone told me Gedore were ok. I found a local shop and bought their 1b series in Metric, SAE and WW. Today, Gedore is the same price as Stahlwille and while I figure they would be much of a muchness steel wise etc, the fit and finish on the Stahlwille is MUCH better. They are both spec'd as a chrome finish, the Gedore being almost like a gal, Stahlwille like a dull chrome. Both fall short of Snap-on. I only buy Snap-on here when its on sale, evry month they have something going and my dealer is very helpful and friendly. Other than that I troll online and cross price....

If you are going of quality levels from 30 years ago, I can tell you things have changed....alot of companies no longer exsist as their former selves, brand name being the real value to a corperation...

[cewilson]

I'd get a list together in the first place. Then give that list to a few places and see what they come back with.

Secondly I'd look at ebay and second hand tools at garage sales etc. A lot of my own tool collection is from garage sales and quite often most of them are the old Sidchrome stuff. Not fancy by any means, just do the job that I require.

Guess it comes down to what time do you have available. Because chasing stuff through individual places and ebay etc is very time intensive, compared to just getting a quote from one place (which may give you a discount based on quantity required).


Cheers
Chris

[LandyAndy]

Look at Kinchrome gear.Top quality and nice feel.
bunnings only sell their basic stuff.
Bought my boy a kit for Xmas to keep in his car,was on special for $300,nice tools should last him a lifetime if he looks after them.
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

I'd get a list together in the first place. Then give that list to a few places and see what they come back with.

Secondly I'd look at ebay and second hand tools at garage sales etc. A lot of my own tool collection is from garage sales and quite often most of them are the old Sidchrome stuff. Not fancy by any means, just do the job that I require.

Guess it comes down to what time do you have available. Because chasing stuff through individual places and ebay etc is very time intensive, compared to just getting a quote from one place (which may give you a discount based on quantity required).


Cheers
Chris

A lot of my good hand tools have come from swapmeets,garage sales,hock shops etc.Great place to get good tools but the pickings for good stuff cheap are few and far between.
Andrew