Thread: KC Tools

Hi all,
after many years of *permanantly* borrowing my fathers toolbox, i have decided to get my own brand spanking new toolkit. So when i picked up mt TIG/STICK the other day, i picked up a brochure, branded KC Tools. I had a look at all the big toolkits and at the back they had a cantilever box with 135 peices. This is called the 110TK. The link is here: KC Tools - PRO-AM - TOOLKITS - CANTILEVER

So has anyone used these tools before and are they any good, in particluar the 110TK?

thanks in advance

Was going to ask how much they wanted but got off my #### and googled it instead. $880 rrp, $620 'on sale'.

It is a very basic tool kit and depending on what you are doing I would think you would probably grow out of it pretty quick. Personally If I had 600 smackers to spend when I was starting out I would spend $220 on a good 1/2" drive socket set, $250 on a good set of spanners, $80 on a good 250mm shifter and last $70 on reasonable/crappy screwdrivers, plier set, hammer and punch set from bunnings. I have found the sockets and spanners have formed the most important part of my tools but I started out mostly working on my car.

The sockets come in a case and the spanners in a roll so if you can rustle up some sort of bag you don't really need a toolbox, I keep meaning to get rid of my toolbox and get a big electricians toolbag made out of that plasiticised canvas stuff instead. My toolbox has ended up full of 'spare' parts and I end up carrying my sockets and spanners around everywhere separately.

From my experience KC tools is a bit a of a mixed bag quality wise, some stuff seems quite good but some of there stuff like crowsfeet spanners which I was looking at recently were awful. I would have a look at conventrys branded CGL tools. I have found there gear to be equivalent quality to todays kincrome/sidchrome but generally a bit cheaper.

My local guy (Mckinnon Tool Centre) told us that KC tools used to be Kingchrome. The company split into two, KC doing the quality thing and Kingchrome going elcheapo - hence their existence at Bunnings.

From what I have seen of Kingchrome, it does not look like el cheapo.

There seems to be three quality ratings with spanners..The top stuff like Stahlwille or Geodore amongst others..Then the middle of the range like Sidchrome, kingchrome etc etc and the cheap chinese stuff..

I got a KC tools tool box for my 21st. 17 years later, it is still perfect. No broken or damaged tools. All still in great condition. I use these at home a lot, including working on an old car. I wouldn't hesitate to recomend them to anyone.

To some extent I agree with Gallegos. You may well be better off buying good tools that you know you will need and use and then adding as you go

When I was one the farm my rings and ring/ oe were Sidchrome, Dowidat and the odd Stahwhille. My Sockets were nearly all Dowidat. My oe were a mixed bag too. I also had a set of 3/8 drive A.S.H sockets. That was a really good investment.

Other stuf I picked up at auctions included Gedore and ETC. The ETC gear was very good.

extensions of various lengths are a must. Vise grips, pliers- square and log nose and circlip, and shifters are also essential. I had a pair of Maum parallel jaw fencing pliers and they are more useful than you could imagine.

Have you thought of Allen keys? Really good quality screwdrivers are a must. If you get good quality electricians' ones you can't go wrong.borrow from the brother

A Stilson wrench is hady as are brass or copper drifts and some sort of soft faced hammer.

Once off the farm I gave my larger stuff to my brother, as some one had helped themselves to his toolbox at work.

I'm now down to a kit of stuff that does everything I need to do with the machinery I have. If I don't have something for a one off I borrow from the brother.

Not Knowing exactly what you might be paying for this Kit if its a lot of Dollars you might be better off taking your time and purchasing Good quality 2nd hand items off Ebay or similar type sites.
Good quality tooling doesnt get effected by age,they may have lost there shine or even be a bit scratched or marked ,but there are some good bargains to be had.

i could get the 110tk for $495, is that still good?

so what about kinchrome?
or are they a cheap knock off of sidchrome

If you intend only useing what you buy for handy man type stuff around the home it probably doesnt matter greatly on the quality.
I would steer clear of anything coming out of china,unless it was for a 1 off job.
Why dont you look for second hand quality tools on ebay,you will get a lot more for your money.
Theres a wide variety of 2nd hand stuff from a wide range of quality manufacturers,there are also some good new bargains to be had,although some of the new sidchrome stuff that comes out of (not sure if its Spain or Mexico) is a thinner wall section to the older australian made stuff and just seems a bit light weight but still seems to do the job.

Ithink you will find that K.C. tools have a very good rep in the states, not so much in oz.

Something I've noticed over the years, particularly with Sidchrome spanners, is as the steel quality has got better, the spanner has got thinner. This is ok up to a point but I've found that a thin spanner is not as comfortably in the hand as a thicker one. Especially now that Arther has come to stay.

I have a set of Kingchrome tools at work. The spanners are ok though the 3/8 drive ratchet died early on. The screw drivers are a bit marginal.
Blackwoods own brand appear to be ok though I only have a couple of spanners.
A couple of years ago I bought a cheap set of AF ring open enders from Supercheap autos, to have as a 2nd set for occasional use. They don't have any brand on them but surprisingly they have turned out to be quite good. Very good chrome finish and sizing is also very good. I only use them for home use though so don't know how they would stand up to fulltime, earn a living with them, use.

regards
bollie7

Blackwoods have a 145 pc set Blackwoods: Industrial Supply, Tools, Safety Equipment, Abrasives, Clothing and more

RRP $1364, on special at the moment for $1157.

Big difference in price to the KC set. Does the difference in quality justify the price? I have no idea.

bollie7

I've had to buy a few tools here in Brasil. One brand - Brazilian of course- is Robust and that is what they are. If you could find these at a good price I can recommend them.