I've seen exactly one ball break off one wrench in my career. No ball wrenches are such a pain to use, sometimes I just don't want to/can't be exactly 90 degrees from what I'm screwing.
Why would you buy the ball ends if you never want to use them? Straight ends are offen cheaper.
[...]
Bondhus bro!
[...] >tfw Ferd had 9mm hex on these caliper slide pins and I had to go buy another set because the half dozen sets I already owned in different variations all went from 8mm to 10mm
I put together a weight machine for my bro and damn thing had 7MM hex sockets.
Picrel is normally what comes in a standard T handle set of name brand quality.
3 months ago
Bepis
See
https://i.imgur.com/vft4Ydy.jpg
7mm hex is pretty rare too. Might have a 7mm in one of the socket sets, but the Craftsman set that includes the 9 is the only one with a 7mm out of all my L-keys, the folders, and the T-handles. Like I think I went to Home Depot looking for a 9mm that day and couldn’t find it, and the Craftsman set at Ace Hardware was the only one that had the 9mm.
It’s odd because with metric sockets, they’re normally more pieces than the SAE sets and include those oddball socket sizes. But when it comes to allen/ internal hex, the SAE sets often have more pieces.
[...]
Most sets go 6-8-10 (if they go up to 10mm). That set anon posted is an add-on set because most basic hex sets go up to 6mm or 8mm (skipping the 7), so you buy it for the sizes you don’t get with every other set. Just like the large wrench sets that go from 20mm-27mm because all the common starter sets go like 6mm or 8mm up to 19mm.
That one is obviously an add-on set because most sets don’t come with those sizes
7mm hex is pretty rare too. Might have a 7mm in one of the socket sets, but the Craftsman set that includes the 9 is the only one with a 7mm out of all my L-keys, the folders, and the T-handles. Like I think I went to Home Depot looking for a 9mm that day and couldn’t find it, and the Craftsman set at Ace Hardware was the only one that had the 9mm.
It’s odd because with metric sockets, they’re normally more pieces than the SAE sets and include those oddball socket sizes. But when it comes to allen/ internal hex, the SAE sets often have more pieces.
hey wait a minute. all the semi-crap sets I looked at had a 10, but that one does not. I guess they just flip a coin to decide what to include.
Most sets go 6-8-10 (if they go up to 10mm). That set anon posted is an add-on set because most basic hex sets go up to 6mm or 8mm (skipping the 7), so you buy it for the sizes you don’t get with every other set. Just like the large wrench sets that go from 20mm-27mm because all the common starter sets go like 6mm or 8mm up to 19mm.
I needed a 5.5 for something a while back, had to search through the big bin of loose mixed sets to find one.
3 months ago
Bepis
Allen? Damn, I probably would’ve hammered a torx or SAE into there. I’ve dealt with a lot of 5.5mm regular hex on the screws holding car interiors together. Not sure why 5mm, 6mm, or 1/4” wasn’t possible in that situation.
3 months ago
Anonymous
I wish I could remember what it was. But when I hit it with the thread checker it was definitely metric.
2 months ago
Anonymous
probably a low head they sometimes have goofy drive sizes
^Wisdom since ancient times though only if no suitable deepwell sockets with extensions or cheater tubing is handy. After scoring stainless tubing I now have that everywhere, and use 3D printed handles for the tiny keys.
3 months ago
Anonymous
>3D printed handles for the tiny keys.
let's get married anon so I can have your babies
3 months ago
Anonymous
prostitutes don't get a ring because pimps don't simp.
This is how I snapped a bondhus 8mm ball end while trying to pick apart some dudes old contraption that had been sitting out in the rain for months. Gave up after that.
Ive a set of PB metric, not coloured ones though. Been using since around 2000 and never snapped one. Mine were pretty expensive back then. Workplace supplied every one on my team of 10 with Bondhus and never snapped one of those either but most of the original machine screws were probably all lost over time and replaced by the soft Chinese shit our stores department ordered in for spares so the screws probably chewed first before a wrench snaps.
>Chinese crap will break, Eklind ... won't under same stress.
My company has a hardon for using MUSA tools, and we break Eklind ones <=3/8" all the time.
That said--the 1" ones are invincible. I've been cranking on the same one for years w/ a 6ft pipe, and I only ever break the bolts.
They're not indestructible, but still should be better than chinese bullshit. 3/8 is one of those sizes that is just big enough to be ridiculously stubborn and the tools arent beefy enough to quite handle it. Same with combination wrenches too.
I was taking apart some welding fixture tables that used a ton of shcs and just used some non impact rated allen sockets in my impact. Nice thing about them is if you break one you can drive the hex shank out of the socket and find an old allen key the right size and cut off a chunk of it to drive back into the socket base. Back in business.
>Nice thing about them is if you break one you can drive the hex shank out of the socket and find an old allen key the right size and cut off a chunk of it to drive back into the socket base. Back in business.
This. It’s real good to have balls for moronic tight spots, and you won’t use the long end until it’s already loosened a little, so the lessened strength isn’t a big deal.
You should have picrel too because sometimes you need to break a fastener.
The nice thing about Sears era Craftsman, I think I paid $29-$39 for the larger set with the ratchet during the holiday sales, and the ball end and extra long set was either $19 or $29.
Also if you’re buying basic b***h L-keys, get frickin Bondhus or Eklind at minimum, they’re like $10 more for good hex keys that aren’t made of unknown Chinese steel.
Hex bit sockets are awesome, but when I reach for them I usually need extended reach, which is why I bought this set from Tekton. It’s the only affordable kit I could find where the bits are the same width the entire shaft.
This is true in a lot of situations. The air box on my mom’s ol’ Jeep wasn’t exactly the same, but as far as moronic auto inconveniences, it was on top of the engine and large and had to come off to access anything in there. It was a couple of T30 screws holding it on, and if you try to use a 3/8” drive short length T30 socket with a 6” extension, it reaches but the base of the 3/8” socket is so fat that the actual T-30 is like 1/2” off the actual screw. So you can try to find a 1/4” drive 1/4” socket and stick a T30 bit in there and hope the bit doesn’t fall off in the back of the engine, or you have to get at least a 6” long bit socket, or a dedicated T30 driver and put some muscle into it if you haven’t removed it in a long time.
As far as the smaller sizes, I hate HF but I had a coupon one day and snagged the Hercules 3” power bit set. Was hard to find a good 3”-6” power bit set with the thin shanks that wasn’t total Chinesium on Amazon, unless I pieced together like 4-5 different 3pc-5pc Wiha sets. Picrel has held up fairly well, they’re machined better than I expected and the 1/8” hex blew through a loctited set screw recently in the impact driver that was about to snap a 1/8” t-handle and the L-keys were even worse. Wish I could find a 6” version, but honestly 3” is long enough to get to most recessed screws I run into.
But my kit has many variations of L keys, t handles, folding sets, sockets, insert bits and so on.
https://i.imgur.com/jCeOn1T.jpg
Hex bit sockets are awesome, but when I reach for them I usually need extended reach, which is why I bought this set from Tekton. It’s the only affordable kit I could find where the bits are the same width the entire shaft.
https://i.imgur.com/bElJh0H.jpg
This is true in a lot of situations. The air box on my mom’s ol’ Jeep wasn’t exactly the same, but as far as moronic auto inconveniences, it was on top of the engine and large and had to come off to access anything in there. It was a couple of T30 screws holding it on, and if you try to use a 3/8” drive short length T30 socket with a 6” extension, it reaches but the base of the 3/8” socket is so fat that the actual T-30 is like 1/2” off the actual screw. So you can try to find a 1/4” drive 1/4” socket and stick a T30 bit in there and hope the bit doesn’t fall off in the back of the engine, or you have to get at least a 6” long bit socket, or a dedicated T30 driver and put some muscle into it if you haven’t removed it in a long time.
As far as the smaller sizes, I hate HF but I had a coupon one day and snagged the Hercules 3” power bit set. Was hard to find a good 3”-6” power bit set with the thin shanks that wasn’t total Chinesium on Amazon, unless I pieced together like 4-5 different 3pc-5pc Wiha sets. Picrel has held up fairly well, they’re machined better than I expected and the 1/8” hex blew through a loctited set screw recently in the impact driver that was about to snap a 1/8” t-handle and the L-keys were even worse. Wish I could find a 6” version, but honestly 3” is long enough to get to most recessed screws I run into.
You say that, but those 3” power driver bits live on my workbench because I use them so much.
As far as the specialty long sockets, sure you may not use them a ton as a weekender, but when you need them, you really need them. Otherwise you might spend another hour plus taking apart other assemblies to reach a fastener.
I don’t use bit sockets daily, so I don’t have the completionist kit like
https://i.imgur.com/0qLkQNM.jpg
You should have picrel too because sometimes you need to break a fastener.
The nice thing about Sears era Craftsman, I think I paid $29-$39 for the larger set with the ratchet during the holiday sales, and the ball end and extra long set was either $19 or $29.
Also if you’re buying basic b***h L-keys, get frickin Bondhus or Eklind at minimum, they’re like $10 more for good hex keys that aren’t made of unknown Chinese steel.
T-handles are real nice for smaller stuff, but with automotive, you won’t be working long until you find a T25/5mm/1/4”+ fastener that’s all crusty and a T-handle won’t give you enough torque and/or won’t fit in the spot you need to get.
You can get away with a set of 1/4” hex shank insert bits and a 1/4” socket, but eventually you will run into a stupid spot where it won’t work.
Last set of T-handles I got was Klein J-Man series. Not USA made though, IIRC it’s some Eastern Yuro country or Vietnam or somewhere odd that’s not USA or China-Taiwan, I remember being surprised when I saw them. I was replacing some shitty Pittsburghs that were missing sizes and horrible
Last set of T-handles I got was Klein J-Man series. Not USA made though, IIRC it’s some Eastern Yuro country or Vietnam or somewhere odd that’s not USA or China-Taiwan, I remember being surprised when I saw them. I was replacing some shitty Pittsburghs that were missing sizes and horrible
Slovenia*
Want to replace muh Allen brand hex T-handles with a version that has the moar torks side as well, tempted to go with the Craftsman V-Series but not so cheap. They’re the Mac RBRT and Facom design and look bretty noice.
That’s Wiha? Doesn’t even look like the same design. Good job.
As far as I can tell, pic related are the ones still made in Germany and the ones with the L-key underneath for tork are made somewhere else, might be ‘Nam.
That being said, the couple tools I have made in ‘Nam are def better than the usual Chinesium. I have some Fujiya pliers made in Vietnam and they’re 90% as nice as the Japan made stuff, just missing a little bit of the finish, but they were also like 60% the price of the Japan made version. I think a couple Vessel screwdrivers too, and it’s about the same, machining and tips are real good but soft plastic overmold aesthetic stuff isn’t perfection like the Japan tools
2 months ago
Anonymous
>witnessed
Yeah. It’s Wiha.
2 months ago
Beppu
Interesting. Maybe they are German made still. Wiha’s website still has “Made In Germany” for all of those comfort grips. I specifically passed on the torx and went with Klein because the Amazon page for the torx soft finish said pic related. That’s good to know if/when I give up on the Allen brand.
2 months ago
Sieg
>importing shit from Germany
Dude just buy the snap-on one until nepros comes out with one.
You’re doing too much work to save like $20
2 months ago
Beppu
>until the nepros come out >don’t import
The Wiha stuff isn’t an import where you’re paying the high, it’s cheaper than Klein most of the time, and a lot of that Klein isn’t USA made anyway
2 months ago
Anonymous
Wiha is junk
2 months ago
Bepis
They have been workin real well for me and pretty much everybody else who uses them so sounds like a “you” problem.
How often are you frickers dealing with allen head screws? A couple quality sets of L keys have done all I ever needed them to do. I've never stopped and thought, "You know what I want my allen wrench set to take up 10x the room and get a set of t-handle drivers!"
If I need more leverage on it I slap a small wrench on them as a "breaker bar" If I break one, oh well I have a whole assortment of extras I can pull a replacement from and have a full set again.
I just hardly ever run into socket head stuff other than set screws on bearing lock collars or the very occasional fastener.
The sockets are hella nice to have in addition to the keys when something is super tight and the keys are about to snap. Automotive, overtightened or rusted bicycle parts, had a shitty loctited hex on a pulley on an electric motor from an appliance I was messing with recently.
2 months ago
Anonymous
You dont use tools, and your standards are abysmally low.
Of course they are gonna be "workin real well" for you as a collector
They came out with a bunch of bit sockets too, the extra stubby bits, some of them being TiN coated. They’re not manufactured in the USA like Mayhew’s good pry bars, so I don’t know what to think. They’re expensive for Taiwan made tools too and they must be the same OEM as OTC or VIM or one/many of those automotive tool brands.
I’m sure they don’t suck because Mayhew probably wouldn’t put their name on trash, but like a 7pc long hex bit socket set is ~$70, seems like nearly double what they should be from another good Taiwan brand
Of all the hex key sets I own, this is definitely my most used. I’m constant adjusting little grub nuts on jigs, fixtures, countersinks, stop collars, etc.
Why would you buy the ball ends if you never want to use them? Straight ends are offen cheaper.
https://i.imgur.com/GBy03JM.jpg
Of all the hex key sets I own, this is definitely my most used. I’m constant adjusting little grub nuts on jigs, fixtures, countersinks, stop collars, etc.
Bondhus bro!
The more you wrench, the more hex key variations you’re gonna collect.
>tfw Ferd had 9mm hex on these caliper slide pins and I had to go buy another set because the half dozen sets I already owned in different variations all went from 8mm to 10mm
>Yeah bro, I'm totally convenient. Trust me. >pretends to hold >drops that fricker right in the worst unretrieveable spot requiring complete disassembly for rescue
>for how i use them, long side in, pipe on the short end, if they aren't flat, they will be.
I have done that several times for where you don't have room for the long leg sticking out or need the clearance of the long leg to get up over an obstacle. A small wrench on there is a great cheater, or I've used my gerber tool on them many times. Kinda chews up the allen key some, but you gotta frick with the wiener you got sometimes.
I have SHCS and the prevalence of them in the machining industry.
I hate them so much that I actually make my fixtures for my programs utilize hex bolts that are counterbored with a tight clearance
I do that so cheap harbor freight, Home Depot/apex etc sockets don’t fit and only my tool truck sockets can use my fixtures as a CYA move so operators don’t set up my programs without my permission
Obviously the ball on long end, is for speed threading by rubbing between fingers, and the hex on the bend, is for leveraged griped torque.
Brown is titanium carbon nitrate 3k Vickers
They’re made for home owners who deal with hex heads like 2 times a year on an ikea trip.
I like to use sockets I keep metric, sae , RBRT of both metric and sae
Then for quick stuff I use bits and bit drivers the ratcheting bit t handle driver quick stick style that’s like $80 on most tool trucks had me throwing my bondhus gold plated whatever o keys in the junk drawer
>They’re made for home owners who deal with hex heads like 2 times a year on an ikea trip.
And people who don't work in a garage with a complete tool assortment next to then at all times...
im a tool and die maker and use regular l handles for like 99% of the bolt turning i do balls are nice once and a while if you need to get into a goofy spot but when you are trying to torque a grade 10 bolt that is 5 inches deep inside a pocket balls just aint gonna be long for this world
How often are you frickers dealing with allen head screws? A couple quality sets of L keys have done all I ever needed them to do. I've never stopped and thought, "You know what I want my allen wrench set to take up 10x the room and get a set of t-handle drivers!"
If I need more leverage on it I slap a small wrench on them as a "breaker bar" If I break one, oh well I have a whole assortment of extras I can pull a replacement from and have a full set again.
I just hardly ever run into socket head stuff other than set screws on bearing lock collars or the very occasional fastener.
Every day man. Hex recess is on everything. Motors and machinery are chock full of em. Lighting and plumbing fixtures increasingly so.
My local bolt supplier stocks mainly in hex recess for countersunk and button head machine screws. I can get some things in Phillips but they have better length and width options in hex recess.
>Hex recess is on everything.
They are on a few things. 97% of the fasteners I deal with are hex headed bolts. Not socket head screws. What industry are you in?
are you unemployed
Self employed. Maybe I'm just not dealing with the type of stuff where socket head screws are common. But outside of fixtures in machine shops and set screws for shaft collars and bearing retainer collars I really don't see them used much. Hell I run across more countersunk phillips head screws than I do socket head screws by a lot.
Do you need to work at funky angles? If not then a ball-headed allen is just a weak point more prone to snapping off
A high quality ball screwdriver will still beat a chinky regular one though.
I have bondhus ball end hex keys and you can throw a breaker bar on them and they'll bend before you break the ball
>I only buy chinesium hex keys
Always balls.
I've seen exactly one ball break off one wrench in my career. No ball wrenches are such a pain to use, sometimes I just don't want to/can't be exactly 90 degrees from what I'm screwing.
>ball-headed allen is just a weak point more prone to snapping off
if you use shitty ones, never seen a PB swiss snap and its the set every guy has here at work.
I also have a set of gay pride L keys, in Metric of course.
thats cute ;3
we snapped the yellow one and the ball was stuck in a planetary gear train
fun times
How the heck did you do that? Vice grips I bet.
I put together a weight machine for my bro and damn thing had 7MM hex sockets.
You have to buy a really crap set to not get a 7. now a 9 on the other hand still appears in some sets, but kinda rare.
hey wait a minute. all the semi-crap sets I looked at had a 10, but that one does not. I guess they just flip a coin to decide what to include.
>7,9,11
>no 10
What kind of crack head specd that set?
Picrel is normally what comes in a standard T handle set of name brand quality.
See
That one is obviously an add-on set because most sets don’t come with those sizes
Damn it. Thought those were hotdogs.
7mm hex is pretty rare too. Might have a 7mm in one of the socket sets, but the Craftsman set that includes the 9 is the only one with a 7mm out of all my L-keys, the folders, and the T-handles. Like I think I went to Home Depot looking for a 9mm that day and couldn’t find it, and the Craftsman set at Ace Hardware was the only one that had the 9mm.
It’s odd because with metric sockets, they’re normally more pieces than the SAE sets and include those oddball socket sizes. But when it comes to allen/ internal hex, the SAE sets often have more pieces.
Most sets go 6-8-10 (if they go up to 10mm). That set anon posted is an add-on set because most basic hex sets go up to 6mm or 8mm (skipping the 7), so you buy it for the sizes you don’t get with every other set. Just like the large wrench sets that go from 20mm-27mm because all the common starter sets go like 6mm or 8mm up to 19mm.
I needed a 5.5 for something a while back, had to search through the big bin of loose mixed sets to find one.
Allen? Damn, I probably would’ve hammered a torx or SAE into there. I’ve dealt with a lot of 5.5mm regular hex on the screws holding car interiors together. Not sure why 5mm, 6mm, or 1/4” wasn’t possible in that situation.
I wish I could remember what it was. But when I hit it with the thread checker it was definitely metric.
probably a low head they sometimes have goofy drive sizes
>Vice grips I bet.
this is how we cheaterbar an L wrench
^Wisdom since ancient times though only if no suitable deepwell sockets with extensions or cheater tubing is handy. After scoring stainless tubing I now have that everywhere, and use 3D printed handles for the tiny keys.
>3D printed handles for the tiny keys.
let's get married anon so I can have your babies
prostitutes don't get a ring because pimps don't simp.
this dude knows
This is how I snapped a bondhus 8mm ball end while trying to pick apart some dudes old contraption that had been sitting out in the rain for months. Gave up after that.
Ive a set of PB metric, not coloured ones though. Been using since around 2000 and never snapped one. Mine were pretty expensive back then. Workplace supplied every one on my team of 10 with Bondhus and never snapped one of those either but most of the original machine screws were probably all lost over time and replaced by the soft Chinese shit our stores department ordered in for spares so the screws probably chewed first before a wrench snaps.
>weak point
Chinese crap will break, Eklind, Wiha, won't under same stress.
>Chinese crap will break, Eklind ... won't under same stress.
My company has a hardon for using MUSA tools, and we break Eklind ones <=3/8" all the time.
That said--the 1" ones are invincible. I've been cranking on the same one for years w/ a 6ft pipe, and I only ever break the bolts.
They're not indestructible, but still should be better than chinese bullshit. 3/8 is one of those sizes that is just big enough to be ridiculously stubborn and the tools arent beefy enough to quite handle it. Same with combination wrenches too.
I was taking apart some welding fixture tables that used a ton of shcs and just used some non impact rated allen sockets in my impact. Nice thing about them is if you break one you can drive the hex shank out of the socket and find an old allen key the right size and cut off a chunk of it to drive back into the socket base. Back in business.
>Nice thing about them is if you break one you can drive the hex shank out of the socket and find an old allen key the right size and cut off a chunk of it to drive back into the socket base. Back in business.
^Wisdom.
Come of them use the round retaining part so you can turn an L-key in the lathe and hammer it in
Shut up homosexual no one asked you
>these are screwdrivers
Can you use them to drive screws?
No?
Then they're not screwdrivers.
Okay....
FINE, boltdriver
That's how I will call you from now on.
I hope you have a lovely day boltdriver. Don't slip on the milk boltdriver.
>button head cap screw
Those are screws, you moron.
>screws.jpg
How are those not screws?
Helical threads: yes
Head that lets them be driven: yes
That's a screw.
I just use a hammer inshallah
I prefer hex sockets on SHCS
Ball is for hand tighten only
I also keep a set of RBRT hex sockets on the same aluminum magnetic rail behind the hex sockets
I love mine because the balls are at the base of the shaft. No problem screwing with my tool
For L shape hex keys, I’d get them with a ball on the long end.
This. It’s real good to have balls for moronic tight spots, and you won’t use the long end until it’s already loosened a little, so the lessened strength isn’t a big deal.
I got a nice multi-color ICON set of these from harbor freight because I was tired of losing my cheap ones.
actually pretty nice
You should have picrel too because sometimes you need to break a fastener.
The nice thing about Sears era Craftsman, I think I paid $29-$39 for the larger set with the ratchet during the holiday sales, and the ball end and extra long set was either $19 or $29.
Also if you’re buying basic b***h L-keys, get frickin Bondhus or Eklind at minimum, they’re like $10 more for good hex keys that aren’t made of unknown Chinese steel.
Hex bit sockets are awesome, but when I reach for them I usually need extended reach, which is why I bought this set from Tekton. It’s the only affordable kit I could find where the bits are the same width the entire shaft.
This is true in a lot of situations. The air box on my mom’s ol’ Jeep wasn’t exactly the same, but as far as moronic auto inconveniences, it was on top of the engine and large and had to come off to access anything in there. It was a couple of T30 screws holding it on, and if you try to use a 3/8” drive short length T30 socket with a 6” extension, it reaches but the base of the 3/8” socket is so fat that the actual T-30 is like 1/2” off the actual screw. So you can try to find a 1/4” drive 1/4” socket and stick a T30 bit in there and hope the bit doesn’t fall off in the back of the engine, or you have to get at least a 6” long bit socket, or a dedicated T30 driver and put some muscle into it if you haven’t removed it in a long time.
As far as the smaller sizes, I hate HF but I had a coupon one day and snagged the Hercules 3” power bit set. Was hard to find a good 3”-6” power bit set with the thin shanks that wasn’t total Chinesium on Amazon, unless I pieced together like 4-5 different 3pc-5pc Wiha sets. Picrel has held up fairly well, they’re machined better than I expected and the 1/8” hex blew through a loctited set screw recently in the impact driver that was about to snap a 1/8” t-handle and the L-keys were even worse. Wish I could find a 6” version, but honestly 3” is long enough to get to most recessed screws I run into.
Wasted money on tools you NEVER use
You say that, but those 3” power driver bits live on my workbench because I use them so much.
As far as the specialty long sockets, sure you may not use them a ton as a weekender, but when you need them, you really need them. Otherwise you might spend another hour plus taking apart other assemblies to reach a fastener.
Hey friend-o!
I’m with ya, those Pride(tm) hex keys are pretty.
I use T handles daily, but believe what you want.
I don’t use bit sockets daily, so I don’t have the completionist kit like
T-handles are real nice for smaller stuff, but with automotive, you won’t be working long until you find a T25/5mm/1/4”+ fastener that’s all crusty and a T-handle won’t give you enough torque and/or won’t fit in the spot you need to get.
You can get away with a set of 1/4” hex shank insert bits and a 1/4” socket, but eventually you will run into a stupid spot where it won’t work.
I really love t handles the most.
But my kit has many variations of L keys, t handles, folding sets, sockets, insert bits and so on.
Why waste 2 useful ends on a plastic handle?
I prefer the Wiha
Too bad this line isn’t made in Germany. And the ones made in Germany don’t have the higher torque end on the handle.
Guess you have to buy chink shit ya nazi.
Last set of T-handles I got was Klein J-Man series. Not USA made though, IIRC it’s some Eastern Yuro country or Vietnam or somewhere odd that’s not USA or China-Taiwan, I remember being surprised when I saw them. I was replacing some shitty Pittsburghs that were missing sizes and horrible
Slovenia*
Want to replace muh Allen brand hex T-handles with a version that has the moar torks side as well, tempted to go with the Craftsman V-Series but not so cheap. They’re the Mac RBRT and Facom design and look bretty noice.
Mine was. Guess McMaster had old stock.
That’s Wiha? Doesn’t even look like the same design. Good job.
As far as I can tell, pic related are the ones still made in Germany and the ones with the L-key underneath for tork are made somewhere else, might be ‘Nam.
That being said, the couple tools I have made in ‘Nam are def better than the usual Chinesium. I have some Fujiya pliers made in Vietnam and they’re 90% as nice as the Japan made stuff, just missing a little bit of the finish, but they were also like 60% the price of the Japan made version. I think a couple Vessel screwdrivers too, and it’s about the same, machining and tips are real good but soft plastic overmold aesthetic stuff isn’t perfection like the Japan tools
>witnessed
Yeah. It’s Wiha.
Interesting. Maybe they are German made still. Wiha’s website still has “Made In Germany” for all of those comfort grips. I specifically passed on the torx and went with Klein because the Amazon page for the torx soft finish said pic related. That’s good to know if/when I give up on the Allen brand.
>importing shit from Germany
Dude just buy the snap-on one until nepros comes out with one.
You’re doing too much work to save like $20
>until the nepros come out
>don’t import
The Wiha stuff isn’t an import where you’re paying the high, it’s cheaper than Klein most of the time, and a lot of that Klein isn’t USA made anyway
Wiha is junk
They have been workin real well for me and pretty much everybody else who uses them so sounds like a “you” problem.
The sockets are hella nice to have in addition to the keys when something is super tight and the keys are about to snap. Automotive, overtightened or rusted bicycle parts, had a shitty loctited hex on a pulley on an electric motor from an appliance I was messing with recently.
You dont use tools, and your standards are abysmally low.
Of course they are gonna be "workin real well" for you as a collector
>Daily Reminder
Ball ends are a must if you're putting together patio furniture.
If you know, you know.
I build my own thank you
Anybody try these nerds yet?
They came out with a bunch of bit sockets too, the extra stubby bits, some of them being TiN coated. They’re not manufactured in the USA like Mayhew’s good pry bars, so I don’t know what to think. They’re expensive for Taiwan made tools too and they must be the same OEM as OTC or VIM or one/many of those automotive tool brands.
I’m sure they don’t suck because Mayhew probably wouldn’t put their name on trash, but like a 7pc long hex bit socket set is ~$70, seems like nearly double what they should be from another good Taiwan brand
Both and more styles.
Of all the hex key sets I own, this is definitely my most used. I’m constant adjusting little grub nuts on jigs, fixtures, countersinks, stop collars, etc.
ball will strip out stainless bolts
i always grind it off
Why would you buy the ball ends if you never want to use them? Straight ends are offen cheaper.
Bondhus bro!
>tfw Ferd had 9mm hex on these caliper slide pins and I had to go buy another set because the half dozen sets I already owned in different variations all went from 8mm to 10mm
The more you wrench, the more hex key variations you’re gonna collect.
>Yeah bro, I'm totally convenient. Trust me.
>pretends to hold
>drops that fricker right in the worst unretrieveable spot requiring complete disassembly for rescue
Break these frickers every time I try to use the ball end, totally worthless if it's even slightly tightened.
for how i use them, long side in, pipe on the short end, if they aren't flat, they will be.
>for how i use them, long side in, pipe on the short end, if they aren't flat, they will be.
I have done that several times for where you don't have room for the long leg sticking out or need the clearance of the long leg to get up over an obstacle. A small wrench on there is a great cheater, or I've used my gerber tool on them many times. Kinda chews up the allen key some, but you gotta frick with the wiener you got sometimes.
Oops, all balls
That's just horrifying.
I have SHCS and the prevalence of them in the machining industry.
I hate them so much that I actually make my fixtures for my programs utilize hex bolts that are counterbored with a tight clearance
I do that so cheap harbor freight, Home Depot/apex etc sockets don’t fit and only my tool truck sockets can use my fixtures as a CYA move so operators don’t set up my programs without my permission
Obviously the ball on long end, is for speed threading by rubbing between fingers, and the hex on the bend, is for leveraged griped torque.
Brown is titanium carbon nitrate 3k Vickers
Ball on the long end always.
If you need more torque use the short end with no ball.
You won't be able to make enough torque to shear the ball end if you're doing it by hand.
L-keys are trash
They’re made for home owners who deal with hex heads like 2 times a year on an ikea trip.
I like to use sockets I keep metric, sae , RBRT of both metric and sae
Then for quick stuff I use bits and bit drivers the ratcheting bit t handle driver quick stick style that’s like $80 on most tool trucks had me throwing my bondhus gold plated whatever o keys in the junk drawer
I have a set of ball end L keys and I use them all the time working on my 2 old mercs. they leak so bad things rarely are seized so werks
>They’re made for home owners who deal with hex heads like 2 times a year on an ikea trip.
And people who don't work in a garage with a complete tool assortment next to then at all times...
ok.
L keys are a necessary evil. Sockets and t handles don’t always fit places.
im a tool and die maker and use regular l handles for like 99% of the bolt turning i do balls are nice once and a while if you need to get into a goofy spot but when you are trying to torque a grade 10 bolt that is 5 inches deep inside a pocket balls just aint gonna be long for this world
How do you turn an I handle?
union says i dont have to use the shift key for L's
Always with balls, just like my women
I like old Vaco t handles too.
How often are you frickers dealing with allen head screws? A couple quality sets of L keys have done all I ever needed them to do. I've never stopped and thought, "You know what I want my allen wrench set to take up 10x the room and get a set of t-handle drivers!"
If I need more leverage on it I slap a small wrench on them as a "breaker bar" If I break one, oh well I have a whole assortment of extras I can pull a replacement from and have a full set again.
I just hardly ever run into socket head stuff other than set screws on bearing lock collars or the very occasional fastener.
Every day man. Hex recess is on everything. Motors and machinery are chock full of em. Lighting and plumbing fixtures increasingly so.
My local bolt supplier stocks mainly in hex recess for countersunk and button head machine screws. I can get some things in Phillips but they have better length and width options in hex recess.
>Hex recess is on everything.
They are on a few things. 97% of the fasteners I deal with are hex headed bolts. Not socket head screws. What industry are you in?
Self employed. Maybe I'm just not dealing with the type of stuff where socket head screws are common. But outside of fixtures in machine shops and set screws for shaft collars and bearing retainer collars I really don't see them used much. Hell I run across more countersunk phillips head screws than I do socket head screws by a lot.
are you unemployed
Everyday all the time, I deal with more hex sockets than any other fastner
Everything on a haas is a schs
Everything on a 3d printer
full package always