BRITOOL the British Tool and Engineering Company

Britool originally incorporated way back in 1915.

Original factory now under different ownership

Britool expanded rapidly and by 1920 expanded their business into a large factory based on Owen Road in Wolverhampton.

It was Jenks Brothers who set up the company and I dare say that lots of Mechanics have since taken a strong grip of the Britool Tools.



The main production range was Spanners and Wrenches and Britool soon became very well known for their high quality products.

Britool however didn't limit themselves to just Spanners they soon expanding and in a 1920 advert claimed to make all descriptions of small tools.

The original company name was "British Tool and Engineering Co Ltd"  soon to use the well known brand name Britool.

Picture taken back in 2002

In 1937 apparently the company was taken over by John Shaw and Sons, however the word was that Jenks Brothers already had taken control of John Shaw and Sons,  many years later it was written in a handbook that the Company was the manufacturing part of John Shaw and Sons (Wolverhampton).






It was 1969 when the company was taken over by James Neille a toolmaker that now included Britool and Eclipse, if your a mechanic of the older generation like myself then you may well have come across Neille or Eclipse tools.

The later advert gives a good idea on the range of tools available.

An advert from 1967

Advert from 1974

So now how things move on as in 1991 the company was taken over by Facom.

If you type Facom into any search engine you will surely be amazed and the massive range of tools they supply.

So that's just a little snippet about the British Tool and Engineering Co, Britool.

Thanks for reading.

So far whats included on gigoclick Help Fix Your Car

This is an update of the variety of Tools and Garage Equipment now listed on our Website.

Home Page
https://sites.google.com/view/helpfixyourcar/home

Our home page is what we call your Pitstop, incuded here are several different pieces of helpful information, the main heading is "Things on your vehicle do wear out and break but you can help right here" .

Try our 3 step strategy here on “Help Fix Your Car”

1: Prevent breakdowns before they happen, checkout our “Prevent Breakdowns” page.

2: Get advice from a professional Mechanic, Contact Us or Email direct to info@helpfixyourcar.com

3: Find the right tools for the job on our “Find the Right Tools Page”.

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/air-tools/compressors

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/air-tools/hand-tools

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/diagnostics

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/hammers

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/screwdrivers

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/sockets

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/tool-storage

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/trolley-jacks

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/tyre-fitting

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/vehicle-lifts

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/spanners

helpfixyourcar/find-tools/heavy-power-tools

Please visit our Website using any of our links here, also feel free to send a message.

Mechanics must have Tools

Neilsen CT0126 6-32 mm Combination Spanner Set – Red (25-Piece)

Spanners / Wrenches:

Ok all you mechanics out there we must start with the obvious and this has to be Spanners, Starting with combination spanners and Ring Spanners.
Another one is the double open ended, but these days most searches will end up at the Combination Spanners.

Screwdrivers:An absolute must for any Mechanic is of course a decent set of Screwdrivers, if you can buy a good set that has everything including,  Phillips, Flat Blade, Pozi Drive, Cross Head and Torques Screwdrivers, then you just about have it covered.

Sockets:Usually bought as a set to make up a major part of any Mechanics Tool Kit, the varieties available nowadays are extensive to say the least.

They vary from £15 cheapo sets to Socket sets that range into the Hundreds of Pounds, so something for everybody.

The basics of any socket set should include a Ratchet, Sockets, T Bar, Short and Long Extension and more often than not you will also have a couple of Spark Plug Sockets and a Universal Joint.

Allen Keys:More often than not when you buy a Socket set these days they have chucked in a set of Allen Keys, I must say unless you buy a good quality set of Allen Keys or better still Allen Key sockets you may find them to twist or even break very easily.

If you were unsure what these are then a simple explanation is they are a Hex drive L shaped tool, they can also come with a T Piece shaped handle or as a socket type driver.

Pliers & Side Cutters:

Always a standard pair of Pliers and a pair of long nose Pliers, add to this Side Cutting Pliers, I can say without doubt that like all tools its always best to go for good quality, even more so when it comes to Pliers of any type.

Nothing worse than ending up with long BENT Nose Pliers that grip nothing.

Hammers & Punches:

Hammers are an absolute essential tool for any mechanic to have in their tool kit, its not always just using a Spanner or Screwdriver as sometimes you will need to give something a good clout with a Hammer

It is very normal to see a Mechanic wielding a Hammer, another addition to the Kit has to be a good Punch Set for driving pins and bolts out etc.

Odds & Sodds:

If you buy a tool Set that’s already loaded with Tools then quite often you will end up with a shed load of additional pieces of Kit, some good , and some not so good.

Some additional items could be Scissors, Electrical Pliers, Insulation Tape, Plastic Ties, Cutting Tools, Gloves, Goggles etc etc.

OK enough for this Post

I hope this is of some use, if you would like me to talk about anything specific regarding Tools then please make a comment.

Thanks for taking the time to read this

Cheers, George.

Mechanics Blog What causes the highest number of Vehicle breakdowns and how to avoid them.

Today I am going to talk about a few of the most common causes of vehicle breakdowns, this comes from my own experience as a Mechanic but also includes statistics from a couple of major players in the Roadside Assistance world.

When I say Breakdowns, I am mainly talking about Cars and Vans and a breakdown can be a none starter at home or a cut out on the Motorway and everything in between. 

I am a good Battery, I will work hard and try my best to not let you down, can you please Help by allowing me to sleep while your Car is resting

Batteries: I guess its not hard to believe that Batteries are way up there when it comes to None Starters, and although the highest numbers come from the first start of the day, they can also cause problems at any time.

You would not believe the amount of times I have attended Breakdowns (none starter)  to find a Flat Battery, and the real cause of the problem started the previous night or an hour before when the owner left something switched on or didn’t close a door properly causing a Battery drain from an interior light.

I am a handy little Gadget and you don’t need a degree in Engineering to use me

So the easy solution here is just being a bit more vigilant, the same as making sure your vehicle is ok to drive away you also need to make sure all is ok once its parked up. 

Tyres & Wheels:  Lets face it at sometime in life we are bound to get a puncture or experience a soft or flat tyre, and although in the grand scheme of things it may seem an easy fix, this is not always the case when its pouring down with rain and you are stopped in a dangerous  spot at the roadside.

There are a couple of things that you must do to help prevent Flat tyres, firstly just keep an eye on the condition of your Tyres, a worn or damaged tyre is definitely easier to puncture simply because there is less rubber to protect it.

I may just look flat on the bottom but don’t be fooled, I am totally out of breath.

Secondly check your Tyre pressures on a regular basis,  the fact is if you drive around with a soft tyre it has a massive effect on safe driving and burns more fuel, top this off with additional damage to the tyre itself.

Spare Wheel & Tyre: Well folks what can I say except adding to the above statements, please make sure you have a spare wheel that is fit for purpose, meaning it does have a good tyre and is not already punctured or flat.

I may look ugly but i’m here for you so please look after me.

Many Cars now have space savers, these may look a bit naff but can save you a lot of hassle , other vehicles may not even carry a spare not even from the Factory if this is the case then its either buy a Spare wheel with Tyre if there’s somewhere to put it or rely on your Breakdown service provider.

Fuel, Petrol & Diesel: I guess I better state the obvious here and just say please don’t drive about with a near empty tank, sods law says you will run out in the worst possible place.

The Wrong fuel, in other words putting Petrol in Diesel and vice versa.  Petrol in a Diesel is very common for a couple of reasons, firstly the petrol filler nozzle will easily fit into the Diesel tank filler neck,  and a modern Diesel engine runs almost as quietly as a Petrol engine. If you add on the factor that lots of households run 2 or more cars so there may be Petrol and Diesel Cars parked on the drive. 

The best solution for all of the above is to just be mindful in what you are doing, its better to take a few seconds more at the Pump than end up with a cut out engine and a hefty bill to follow.

Mechanical Problems:   Of course Mechanical components will fail and cause a breakdown, however they are certainly not the main cause of breakdowns as all of the above rank higher.

I am very important because i’m the Engine but smaller parts keep an eye on me and keep me happy.

Modern Cars are more reliable but not immune to breakdowns and new technology can bring its own problems, there are sensors, relays and switches, wired and wireless systems all tied together by magic boxes we all call Computers.

So what can you do to about the Mechanical stuff, well keep an eye on  things, regular servicing and preventative maintenance will certainly help, go with your instincts, if something doesn’t seem right then it probably isn’t and may be about to let you down. 

All of the rest include Electrical Failure, Locked out of Vehicle, Cooling Systems, Clutches and the list goes on.

For now I think that is enough from me, please checkout our “Prevent-breakdowns” page for more tips and advise.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it Helps in some way,  George.

Review of ANCEL OBD II Enhanced Universal Car Fault Code Reader

Taking a look at this Ancel Fault code reader, what’s it capable of and how good is it based on reviews and testing.

First lets just begin with a brief explanation on what exactly we are looking at here, specifically we are talking about the Ancel AD310 classic Enhanced OBDll  Car fault code reader.

The unit sells for around £35 so for sure it looks to be very good value for money, specially if you think what it could cost if you had to book into a Car dealer for a diagnostic check it would probably cost more than £35 for a single check.

The features are Reading Fault Codes, Erasing Codes, Live Data, Freeze Frame, Show vehicle info.

16 Pin OBD socket

If you are unsure where a fault code reader can be plugged in, your car will have a 16pin OBD (On Board Diagnostics) plug situated inside somewhere under the dash or in a fuse board etc, it may be hidden under a cover but usually can be found fairly easily.

The OBD2 port is often under the dash, or under a panel below the handbrake in the centre console.
Simply plug into the OBD II port on your car and turn ignition on and you ready to go

Reading fault codes is one thing but the additional feature on this one is showing on screen what the fault code actually means, I think this is a great feature normally only available on more expensive machines.

Another brilliant thing is the ability to read most protocols including ISO9141, KWP2000, J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW and CAN, as far as I know this covers most vehicles after the year 2000 but also includes vehicles back to 1996.

Ancel sell several different units and this one is not the top of the range but certainly is a useful piece of kit to have in your toolbox, it is listed as just for Engine faults so don’t expect anything more, if you get it then that’s a bonus.

Display: Backlit, 128 x 64 pixel display wit contrast adjustment
Operating temperature:0 to 60 °C (32 to 140 °F)
Storage temperature: -20 to 70 °C (-4 to 158 °F)
External power: 8.0 to 18.0 V power provided via vehicle battery
Product weight: 300g
One year warranty

The good bits are, quick response times and a great information on the screen and easy to use, basically plug it in and away you go. Also its priced very reasonable considering what it does.

The bad bits, well to be honest the only thing I could think of was it would not re set a service light, but of course it will clear an Engine warning light and read codes then display the fault information on the screen.

So as a Mechanic, would I buy the Ancel AD310, well yes I would, the price is right and it does what’s expected.

OK that’s enough for now, thanks for reading and I hope you find this of some use, if you are wanting to buy then here is my link ANCEL AD 310

Cheers, George.

Find the Right Screwdrivers for the Job

Let us Help you Find the Right Screwdriver for the Job

Nowadays there are so many different Screwdrivers and Screwdriver sets to chose from how do you decide.

Well here we will look at what’s available and in general what they are used for.

Flat Blade Screwdriver

Wera 018270 Kraftform 932 Slotted Tip Chisel Driver 10 x 175mm

So how about the basic Flat Blade Screwdriver, if you are unsure what is meant by Flat blade then think about a screw with a slot in the head, that screw needs a Flat Blade Screwdriver.

This standard type Screwdriver has slightly gone out of fashion, specifically in the Motor Industry as most vehicles are now fitted with a more specific style Screw.

They now use Pozi drive or Torque, however don’t rule them out as they are still used and also come in handy in all sorts of ways.

The Philips Screwdrivers (crosshead)

A little bit of History here, my research found that they started as the Crosshead Screwdriver with the famous cross shape point that slotted into a Crosshead screw giving a much better tightening ability.

Stanley Fat Max Screwdriver Phillips Ph2X125Mm

Way back in the 1930’s a John P Thompson invented the Crosshead Screw and so the Crosshead Screwdriver was born.

Apparently Mr Thompson then sold the Patent to Henry F Phillips, so that is where the Phillips Screwdriver came from.

Also the Crosshead style Screws and Drivers were easier for Manufacturers to use with automated machinery.

This is easy to understand really, can you imaging trying to get a machine to line up a Flat Blade Screwdriver with a slotted screw, not easy.

Next we have the Pozi Drive

Sealey AK5032 Screwdriver Pozi #1 x 75mm PowerMAX®

This one again is an upgrade from the Phillips or Crosshead,  the main difference is the Pozi Drive has a more defined deeper Cross blade where as the Phillips is very similar but not quite as defined a blade.

The Pozi Drive can slot into the Cross head slots in a Screw or Bolt head and gives a more Positive drive, hence the name Pozi Drive.

Torques Screwdrivers

Yet another upgrade and I must say a great idea, these ones have a Spline type blade that can slot much deeper into a Bolt or Screw Head, also these Torques / Spline drivers are used on much larger Bolts, this is because once they are inserted they get one hell of a good hold of the Bolt or Screw head.

TORX® 70563 Angle screwdriver Set 2K with T-grip, 8-pcs T9-T40 | Made in Germany | Wrench Torx wrench | T9 | T10 | T15 | T20 | T25 | T27 | T30 | T40 | TX | for torx screws

Lots of Screws and Bolts now have more of a hole in the head with 6 slots, sometimes even more that the Torques Drivers slot into, so you can buy Torques Screwdrivers and a set of Torques bits or drivers to fit.

Add to this the capability of much larger Screws and Bolts the possibilities went through the roof, one good example would be Cylinder Head Bolts with so many now having Torques heads instead of a normal Bolt Head.

OK so enough for now on this one, I have covered the usual suspects here.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it helps.

Cheers, George

Comparison of Makita, Dewalt and CP Impact wrench’s

Here we will take a look at these 3 different 1/2 inch drive Impact wrenches

I have selected 3 top sellers that have a good feedback on Amazon.

Makita DTW285Z 18V Cordless,  this one has a 4.5 star rating from 45 customer reviews, with the following specifications. Priced at around £150

This one is obviously Electric and so has an Electric brake, with Variable speed control by trigger and a Forward/reverse rotation, it also has a LED job light. And with a Brushless motor for less maintenance. The overall length is 147mm.

It has a soft grip handle and has circuitry that’s designed to protect the Battery, there is a Battery level gauge, reverse rotation auto stop mode.

This one is fairly heavy and weighs in at 4KG, with a specified Torque of 280NM.

DeWalt DCF899N-XJ DCF899N High Torque Impact Wrench 18V with a 5 star rating from over 90 reviews Priced at around £150

This one is classed as an Electric again Brushless so less maintenance needed, with 3 speed and torque settings. It is like the others with 1/2in (13mm) square drive. It is fitted with a comfortable rubber XR grip and switch for greater application comfort and maximum control.

The powerful fan cooled motor can deliver up to 950Nm of torque and 2400 impacts per minute, it also provides up to 1625Nm of breakaway torque, that ensures removal of the tightest bolts.  Also with a bright white LED.

Chicago Pneumatic CP7748 1/2-Inch Impact Wrench with a 5 star rating but with less than 20 reviews, however I do know the CP Air wrenches are good. Priced at around the £180 mark.

This little Air Gun is specified as delivering 922 ft.lbs – that’s 1250 Nm of maximum real torque, also classes as one of the Quickest impact wrenches in its class. It’s designed to be easy to handle with a contoured comfort grip. The CP7748 also features 3 positions in forward: Low – 180 ft-lbs. / 245 Nm – Medium – 480 ft-lbs. / 650 Nm – High – 730 ft-lbs. / 990 Nm, Aluminum clutch and back housing, Friction ring socket retainer.

Conclusion

I decided to compare these 3 Impact wrenches as they are in similar price ranges and they are listed in the same categories.

So even if the Makita looks good, unfortunately the torque appears to be a bit low, however reading some of the reviews they do say after the Batteries (not incuded) have had a few charges the power does seem to get better.

So now it is between the CP Air gun or the Electric DeWalt, I must say I have owned and used a CP for many years and it has taken a hell of a hammering but still works. But looking at the DeWalt I think it would be very handy to have in my Tool Box simply because its Electric so a little more versatile.

The CP is specified at delivering upto 1250 Nm and the DeWalt around 1600NM,  those Torques are very high and I can tell you if your not careful could easily sprain a wrist or 2.

The winner today in my humble opinion is the DeWalt.

I hope this is of some use to someone looking to buy an Impact Wrench

Cheers and thanks for taking the time to read this post.