Understanding snap on part numbers, eg FAM10B

[julianf]

Id like to get a set of 3/8 metric Allen sockets.

I don't understand what the last letter on the part numbers means, eg -

FAM (is always the first bit) 10 (which is the size) B (this letter seems to change for no apparent reason?)

So it's the last letter that I'm unsure of.

Does anyone know?

It seems as if, if I buy the parts individually, off eBay, second hand, they work out cheaper than just buying a set. But then the letters at the end probably won't all match, and id like to know what this will mean!

Thank you.

 

[bourbon]

If they are anything like our place. The last letter seems to change at random intervals

 

[Brad93]

generation, as said above it changes over time.

 

[Kram]

Had a quick search for that on ebay, many appear to be pre rounded. Great if you want them on display but tells me they are not the highest quality of metal. I would not be spending a premium on them..

 

[julianf]

Had a quick search for that on ebay, many appear to be pre rounded. Great if you want them on display but tells me they are not the highest quality of metal. I would not be spending a premium on them..

The advantage of snap on is that you can maintain a "set" way easier than any other brand.

Say I loose one of them down a drain, I just go back on eBay and replace it dead easily.


That's my main draw to the brand.

 

[Kram]

I can buy a complete new set of acceptable quality bits for less than the one you may have lost. Buy several sets and keep them in convienient places.

 

[m_c]

Had a quick search for that on ebay, many appear to be pre rounded. Great if you want them on display but tells me they are not the highest quality of metal. I would not be spending a premium on them..

That's because people sell their old ones once they're worn.
Snap-on warranty only covers breakages, not wear and tear, and as hex bits are probably the bits that are the most likely to get worn out, they're probably one of the more common bits to be sold secondhand.

I've got some Snap-On stuff, but I couldn't justify spending that money on something that only gets used occasionally.
I do have a set of Snap-On Torx bits, that have outlasted numerous other sets of Torx bits, so some stuff is worth spending the premium on, and some of their promotions can be pretty good.

 

[Brad93]

I can buy a complete new set of acceptable quality bits for less than the one you may have lost. Buy several sets and keep them in convienient places.

Your idea of quality is very different to someone who uses a tool every day to earn a living.

 

[winchman]

Whilst I do like some of the Snap on stuff, we rarely have a dealer to change it. I feel the Halfords is a good compromise, cheaper and easier to change

 

[hotponyshoes]

I expect there are some fan groups about that will tell you the exact significance of the last letter. And how to decode the date from the little symbol..

To the average user buying second-hand tools they don't seem too mean anything.

When I started collecting (for use, not like a collector) all the spanner sets 20+ years ago...
ABC10 was a 10mm spanner in a plain finish.
ABC10B was a shiny finish.

I have a ratchet spanner set, this has had several spanners replaced over the years and, annoyingly, the replacements are all slightly different but have the same part number.

I have also tried selling the brand-new replacements and buying used versions just to satisfy my ocd keeping the set matching.

This works fine if someone has a single for sale on ebay with detailed photos. But there are also plenty of dealers on ebay that use a generic photo and just send you a spanner with the correct part number.

If you just want tools to use then snap-on represent very good value for money as they work well and you only buy them once.
However, the warranty service does depend on your relationship with your local dealer.
If you buy everything used off the Internet then you'll have a tedious time trying to get warranty replacements.
Spend £1k a month on the van and you'll have no issues at all.

If you don't have access to a snap-on van or don't want to buy anything new from one then something like Halfords professional might be just as good in terms of warranty. Although they keep changing the design as well.
Basically, don't spend hours customing cutting precision foam drawer inserts and dont be ocd about them!

Regarding the hex keys, I don't think the hex part itself is actually under warranty unless it snaps (as mentioned above) only the socket part.
Again, if you spend £1k a month the dealer will just swap a worn one.
The vans normally have the hex parts as stock and they are not expensive. A cheap way to get a new set would be just to buy all the hex bits and use then with a bit of masking tape and a normal socket.
Or, buy a cheap set of the same design the replace just the hexes with decent ones as they wear/break.

I like to have full matching sets of everything, I've probably got 60+ quality branded hex bits in short, normal, long, extra long, ball end, etc. Plus probably another 60+ in cheap sets. And that's just metric.

It's taken years to acquire them so i haven't really noticed the cost.
I've paid well over the odds for some individual sizes as I've needed them urgently and just bought them as required.
In hindsight, I think the best option would have been to spend £100 at the start on cheap stuff and get every size going at once. Then sit down after a year, go through the lot and see which ones looked the most used/worn and make a list of them and start shopping for decent replacements when they became available at a sensible price.

 

[JOEPRO]

There are no tool trucks near me and even if there were I am a hobbyist automotive and general tinkerer so they wouldn't call with me!

I like Sealey premier for lost things. But in the past year I've bought some Blue Point (which is from snap on line) stuff.

That includes a tool storage trolley, LED worklight and 3/8 socket set. And some other items like plier sets. I am very impressed with the quality of all items and I hope to buy more of the Snap on / Blue point stuff in the coming years. It's worth the money IMO if purchased at sensible prices even for a serious hobbyist who likes good tools and looks after them.

 

[julianf]

I've got some Halfords advanced Allen keys.
They are so bad that it's not even worth driving over to Halfords to replace them.

I've got some advanced screwdrivers. The only issue has been that one of the handles started spinning. Trouble free replacement.

I've got snap on sockets and spanners. Their cost, used, was the same as Halfords advanced, new.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Snap-on hex bits are, I believe, considered pretty average..

Hex bits/keys are also somewhat of a consumable, something I'd be dubious about buying second hand unless mint or dirt cheap.

Unless you feel like spending money or want a drawer full of everything marked snap-on I suspect you can find equivalent or better for the same price or cheaper.

A lot of guys rave about the Mac tools RBRT hex keys taking off heavily stripped out fasteners.

Stahlwille, Hazet, Koken all make good ones. Bondus are supposed to be excellent. Their hex keys are nice for certain.

The wera hex plus are also great hex keys, so I assume their bit sockets should be good too if they use the same profile.

Personally I use Bondus, Wera and HaFu for keys and KoKen and Toptul for bits. I do use cheaper Laser and Kennedy for impact hex bits, and actually often find they will shock out something really stuck far better than rounding it out with a breaker bar.

Just some food for thought to give you some other options.

 

[zzr1200]

Id like to get a set of 3/8 metric Allen sockets.

I don't understand what the last letter on the part numbers means, eg -

FAM (is always the first bit) 10 (which is the size) B (this letter seems to change for no apparent reason?)

So it's the last letter that I'm unsure of.

Does anyone know?

It seems as if, if I buy the parts individually, off eBay, second hand, they work out cheaper than just buying a set. But then the letters at the end probably won't all match, and id like to know what this will mean!

Thank you.

It's possibly a manufacturing plant or tool batch number.

Here's their year number codes:-

 

[8ob]

The last letter could be the series, as in stubby,short or long. Also noticed on some of mine that the bits were originally pin retained. They get glued into place these days.

Bob

 

[tom2207]

Some things are better bought with other brand names , but for sockets a set of yfsmsxx takes a lot of beating ,, its the newer design semi deep , they do most things and have the better fit sixing ans very slightly thicker walls but still in chrome , I keep a set of them and a few extensions and a couple of ratchets on my tool cart , I seldom need to get other stuff out of the box ,, the new design has a better grip on the socket too , great for oily hands and the numbers are a lot bigger too ,,,, handy.

 

[zzr1200]

I still have some Snap-on tools that I purchased when I was an apprentice and that was 53 years ago, I've lost more Snap-on tools than I've had replaced under warranty, apart from flat screwdriver blades.....

My mate still has and uses my very first Snap-on top box, that's now 52 years old.

Snap-on screwdrivers are re-branded, Williams :-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Williams-100P-6Sd-6-Piece-Premium-Screwdriver/dp/B002NHI24E?th=1

 

[tom2207]

I still have some Snap-on tools that I purchased when I was an apprentice and that was 53 years ago, I've lost more Snap-on tools than I've had replaced under warranty apart from screw drive blades.

My mate still has and uses my first Snap-on top box.

Im still using my 40 year old first snap on box ,,, its nearly the same as the day I bought it ,,, for 123 quid , ... a weeks wages back then.

 

[zzr1200]

Im still using my 40 year old first snap on box ,,, its nearly the same as the day I bought it ,,, for 123 quid , ... a weeks wages back then.

I've purchased 6 Snap-on tool boxes over 52 years, my original top box (which my mate has), a top box and roll cab which I destroyed by overloading it and using it the back of my service van crammed with way to many tools, and another top box, middle draw section and roll cab which I still have, but again is showing the signs of overloading and van life.

I now use 2 sets of 42 inch Kirkland top box/roll cab sets, which are now my main tool storage and will outlast me...

45 years ago, Snap-on were one of the best around, over the last 30 years other cheaper tool companies have caught them up in quality and Snap-on have changed some of their guarantee criteria, so this has to be taken in to consideration, but for the person making their sole living on the tools, it's probably is still worthwhile investing........depending on their age......

 

[500e]

I have sent Worn sockets back to SO used on titanium, replaced ok.
A dead blow hammer that the handle turned into Mature Cheddar No, was told I abused it.
Only bought the heavy use tools from them