Thread: Tools

as hes only just starting out Id suggest he aims for kingcrhome. a nice compromise between quality and price (he will likely abuse loose and damage some of these initial tools)

he should have a feel for what he needs but I suggest he spend his dough on decent socket sets.

a combo 1/4 3/8th inch drive metric/imperial socket set and a 1/2 inch drive combo metric imperial socket set with a good torque wrench should be high on the list.

decent R-O/E, R-R and O/E-O/E spanners should also be on the list.

I theres a few online places that do good deals for appies but IMHO he should be looking at matching his grants dollar for dollar if he wants to tool up with tools that he'll be buying today and still using when he retires.

If you like I'll get you the numbers off of my tool sets and the order in which I purchased them.

most of my tools are sidchrome, or kingchorme and my most commonly used kit is the 1/4-3/8th kingchrome socket set. (now about 6 years old)

I've just recently blown about $800 replacing all of my impact sockets and my 1/2 inch drive kingchrome socket set (now 7 years old and abused with reckless abandon) with a sidchrome set.


PM if you need to.

I'm about 7 months into my appreticeship as a mechanic, i got an $800 tool allowance and another $200 for cloths and boots etc.
I ended up going with SP tools. i got a full kit from Bursons, they have an apprenticeship toolbox special going, you get a full toolbox with 6 draws plus the area on to where the sockets etc are, and if you spend an extra $100 you get a rolla cab thrown in with two extra draws and a shelf down the bottam, with the toolbox plonked onto of the cab it's an awesome kit for the money IMO.
I paid about $820 with the rolla cab included, i think it is around the $900 mark at the moment.

In the kit you get.....

A full 1/2'' multi hex socket set from about 10mm through to 32mm, with 1/2'' ratchet, two extensions and a breaker bar, and about the same amount of socket sizes in imperial aswell.

A full 3/8'' socket set from 8mm through to about 22mm or something, with a 3/8'' ratchet, two extensions and a breaker bar, same amount of sockets in imperial as well.

A full 1/4'' socket set from 5mm through two i'm pretty sure 19mm, with a 1/4'' ratchet, two extension and a breaker bar, same amount of sockets in imperial as well.

A couple of spark plug sockets and some 1/2'' to 3/8" to 1/4'' addapters.

A set of ring/open end spanners, sizes up to 19mm and 3/4''.

6 screw drivers and 1 metric and 1 imperial allan key set.

1 set of side cutters, 1 set of bull nose plyers, a hammer, a shifter and probably a couple of other things i can't remember

So far i havn't been able to fault any of the SP gear, seems to be quality stuff!!
I have also just bought an SP rattle gun, it's great as well, has plenty of balls

CHEERS TIM.

Proberly wouldn't hurt to get some ring/open ended spanners too.
Cost could be a prohibitive while on 1st year wages.
When I was in this boat the service manager arranged a kit for me.
Paid the allowance as a deposit and then paid a bit each week to the company.
This way they new what I had would do the jobs they wanted done.
Don't forget to engrave his name on them too, handy for retreiveing them from others.

G'day Ray,
Up near the Carribean market,off the Ferntreegully rd side there is a Kinchrome factory.They have a little store on the side of the factory where they sell tools at a good price.Ive been there a few times and picked up some good bargains.If you want the exact address let me know and i will find out for you.I cant remember it at the moment
Cheers
Chris

Hi Fellas-when i brought mine brought a large box with basic good quality kit then added to it as i found out or was advised to get - be carefull lending it and make the time to clean it up.
also for goodnes sake use air stuff on big stuff -dont go belting spanners with your hands or else you will certainly pay for it later on!
hope i dont sound like and old fool

My stepson got all his initial kit at trade prices through Repco - well, in truth, I paid for them and he paid me back as money came to hand.

The initial spend was a tool box on castors with ring, open end, sockets and a selection of screw drivers, pliers and cutters. It was a deal Repco had going at the time and cost around $900

Originally Posted by hiline

my 2nd eldest boy has just started a Diesel Mech Apprenticeship
well 4 months now..........

his 1st tool allowance is coming through soon i think around the $600 mark
so what he's after are some good tools

does anyone on here have any contacts in this field or know of anyone that can point him in the right direction.........

no point wasting his money on cheapish tools that wont last

any help would be greatly appreciated

When my son started his Mechanic's apprenticeship we approached a local Auto parts seller who had a comprehensive tool range, Kingchrome, Sidchrome.
We brokered a good deal with a good discount on the promise that we would buy more tools as needed, it has worked well, keeps the money local and my son got a great deal, Regards Frank.

my BIL got his stuff from Blackwoods, the JBS stuff seams quite good value for money. I've had one of there socket sets for 15 years, i belt the ratchet with a hammer, and use a 4 foot pipe on it as a breaker bar, no problems at all with them. All the fitters at some of the big plants i work/worked at use this brand