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I need to get a set of spanners. I don't want to spend much - what would you recommend?
Halfords do some reasonable kit at various price points - often have bargains online too.
Halfords is usually my stock answer for decent tools that don't cost a bomb, their Advanced range have lifetime guarantees and as wwaswas says there's usually an offer on.
What sort of application? As in what soze are your nuts ,)
That's a bite personal parksie! 8-20mm should do the job
Yes, I use Halfords mostly in the shop - still on the same set of Professional spanners after 15 years.
As a slight hijack, any recommendations for a torque wrench (3/8" drive) with a low torque range that's not going to break the bank?
Halfords Advanced are almost always a good answer. I like my Teng ones more than my Halfords ones, they were a little more expensive but I really like the grippy, unsmooth surface... Polished tools clean up easily but they're much easier to drop especially when covered in goop or your fingers are frozen
Draper do a 3/8" Square Drive that covers 10-80Nm and comes with a calibration certificate. I bought mine from the local motor factors for ~£26 but I've seen them online from ~£22.
Open ended or combination?
Halfords advanced and maybe splash out on the ratchet spanner set when its on offer.
Open ended or combination?
Combo, definitely - you want to use ring spanners as much as possible, only using the open-ended when you have to.
Halfords expert/advanced,
Teng,
Facom
or Snap on. Listed in cost order ish.
I treated myself to a set of the Halfords Advanced ratchet ring set the other day - on "special" at £40 IIRC.
Lovely bits of kit, but they have quite fat profiles - even on the open jaw ends. But I also have another lower grade set with lower profile for tight spaces.