Tacking allen keys to chrome plated sockets
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:09:15 GMT
I've got a ton of allen/hex wenches and a bunch of no name sockets. I'm thinking I'll tack them together.What prep do I need to do to the sockets? Is there anything I need to be careful of? (fumes or dust)Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:just grind the chrome off enough to expose bare metal and do it. i have made many useful tools from old sockets.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:Excellent - thanks. Been playing with a bunch of old tools lately. I figured it wouldn't be long before I poison myself in one way or another. Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:If they fit together, I'd just use the JB-weld process. Heat on an allen wrench will mess up it's heat treatment, and probably cause it to spin off right where it's tacked (or make it so brittle it snaps).
Reply:Why "tack them together"?I'm all for DIY and such, but what would this do for you?Just making some hex-driver tools to use with a ratchet wrench? You have to first cut-off the typical "L" from a hex key, not all that easy to do as a (good or at least decent) hex key is (or should be) DangHard. Than if you weld the hardened alloy hex-key 'stub' to a hardened alloy socket, you end up with Who-Knows-What for the metal AND the heat treatment.And also, welding on chrome plating is NotGood. Look up "hexavalent chromium" and the required breathing limits (and regs and lawsuits and MSDS and so on regarding same, which definitely applies to welding and not just welding ON chrome but the fillers and process itself).Don't 'poison' yourself with chromium. The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Well put. Not wanting to spend full price on allen sockets, I bought a $3 L allen key set, and cut the ends off. What a pain. Forget about using a hacksaw. Cutoff wheel was the only way to go.Anyway they don't stay in the sockets well, but suit my purposes well enough. If I needed them more often, I'd glue them.The one time I tried to weld a some pieces onto a socket, I ended up with something so brittle, it snapped under very little force.
Reply:it will definitely be an iffy as to how much torque the allen wrench will take to snap but as far as doing the welding ....do you really think this person will do enough "tacking" on the sockets to ingest even a minute amount of chromium as to be a heath issue. this is why i said grind the chrome off. the jb-weld idea sounds like a viable option if worried about a heath issue. the op has the sockets and allen wrenches so nothing ventured nothing gained.225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:Being one handed it is easier to run a ratchet than an L shaped allen key. Haven't thought about that? Go try it real quick and come back. Don't really have much trouble undoing a good 'n torque allen bolt. Just wanted to make screwin and unscrewing one faster/easier on me.An allen key glued/stuck/welded into a socket will stay at the end of the extension and not fall off. I won't have to chase a key that drops on the floor. Fumble it. Balance it. Try to twist it fast. Or barely turn the stupid little key an eighth of a turn with each swing then need to take it out and reposition. Etc. I've used allen keys enough to know I could use a better way to use them. I have 5lbs of acquired allen keys (aside from my good SAE/metric sets). I have baggies of crap sockets that I acquired (I just wanted the tool box). I'm making the tools I need from the stuff I have. If you have a problem with it, tough.If the JB Weld will work I can do that. I've got the welder and saw out since I'm finishing up my press brake and I'll be cutting sheet metal next week. Another thing to do ain't no big thing. That's why I thought about tacking. Last edited by Monica; 09-16-2011 at 05:14 PM.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:I would just JB weld it. Get everything ready, mix it up and squirt some in the bottom. Then, put a bit on the allen and shove it in there. Once it dries, you should be good to go.
Reply:Hey, if it works for you, great. I just didn't quite understand the 'why'.I'd probably go for the adhesive, with the socket sized to the hex key piece (still have to cut/snap off the "L") instead of welding.And I have used hex keys, one-handed, in tight places. Usually seems to be when the only access is upside down, on your back, with no way to see what you are doing and doing it all just by feel. IIRC, the last time it turned out that it wasn't even a hex socket, but a Torx/star recess (didn't find out till later, grrr). Did I mention the upside down, on the back, no way to see what and doing it just by feel? Small Torx recess felt just like a hex recess to my finger tip, and the hex key fit in (sort of, at first anyway, until it stripped the recess. Grrrr.) The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanWell put. Not wanting to spend full price on allen sockets, I bought a $3 L allen key set, and cut the ends off. What a pain. Forget about using a hacksaw. Cutoff wheel was the only way to go.Anyway they don't stay in the sockets well, but suit my purposes well enough. If I needed them more often, I'd glue them.The one time I tried to weld a some pieces onto a socket, I ended up with something so brittle, it snapped under very little force.
Reply:Another hoard of Allen wrenches exposed. -------I'd say definitely abrasive wheel for the cut.How ‘bout an interference fit for retaining the bit?The hex key could probably be swagged or otherwise distorted to make a drive-together fit.Otherwise, a wrap with shim stock (Or so. Maybe a spot of weld?) would also make a tight fit.Good LuckLast edited by denrep; 09-16-2011 at 06:53 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by jbmprodsjust grind the chrome off enough to expose bare metal and do it. .
Reply:I have a valve grinder and the two adjustments require 1/2" socket and a 1/4 hex key. So I welded the two together, just so I would only have 1 tool to keep track of. Yes cutoff wheel will work great, I didn't grind off chrome. I have used sil bronze tig braze and also 309 and 312 stainless tig to weld chrome end wrenches to sockets and mild steel.PeterEquipment:2 old paws2 eyes (that don't look so good)1 bad back
Reply:See now that's a different idea. If I wanted to mate a 1/2" socket with an allen key, I would make it like a chainsaw scrench. I think in that orientation, brazing the allen to the BACK of the socket could work pretty well, but that would be a pretty specialized tool. Ordinarily I would be reaching for a Tee handle allen, or a 1/2" nutdriver. I believe the OP was asking about putting an allen key in a matching socket. Maybe to save money, maybe just because she has so many extras of things. In that case you just need enough strength to keep the allen from falling out (because I know firsthand how annoying that can be, having done just this, but without permanently attaching them). I don't believe this requires much strength though. Even hot melt glue might do the trick.I'm all for making welding projects just for the sake of adding hours to my machine, but I believe there's a reason that Snap On and Craftsman allen sockets aren't welded together (and some HF ones are just forged as one piece).
Reply:but I believe there's a reason that Snap On and Craftsman allen sockets aren't welded together. more money225NT bobcatAEAD200LEScott 125mm175, mm252 w 30A, PT225mm211, TA 181iHyper Therm 380, cut master 529100X & XX, Digital Elite6 Victor setssmith little torch, meco midget kalamazoo band sawsteel max saw evoulution circular saw
Reply:Just making hex sockets. No need to over analyze.Lincoln AC225 and CartLincoln WeldPak HD and CartOne hand
Reply:As far as I'm concerned, JB Weld is just epoxy glue with some metal particles embedded in it. I would never even consider gluing a tool together. Many years ago when I first started doing engine work on Mercedes, I made almost all my metric socket hex tools just the way Monica first proposed: Cut the hex off fairly short using a cutting wheel, find a socket that's fairly close to the size of the hex and weld it hot and fast. Do the circumference weld in about 2 seconds and it will be plenty strong.Miller Syncrowave 350Millermatic 252/ 30A spoolgunMiller Bobcat 225g w/ 3545 spoolgunLincoln PowerArc4000Lincoln 175 Mig Lincoln 135 Mig Everlast 250EX TigCentury ac/dc 230 amp stickVictor O/AHypertherm 1000 plasma
Reply:I've used regular hex sockets with allen wrench stubs before and broke the sockets.(not welded)The problem is that a bolt with a 3/8" allen head is much larger than a bolt with a3/8" hex head.You wind up putting a lot more torque on the socket than it was meant for.This is why proper allen drive sockets have REALLY thick walls.Welding it together mighteffect the heat treatment but should prevent socket from breaking.Miller a/c-d/c Thunderbolt XLMillermatic 180 Purox O/ASmith Littletorch O/AHobart Champion Elite
Reply:Originally Posted by jbmprodsbut I believe there's a reason that Snap On and Craftsman allen sockets aren't welded together. more money
Reply:Am I missing something here? I have welded up cracked sockets years ago that are still holding up fine, I have welded sockets to flatbar to make a specialty tool. etc., etc. I think people are over analyzing this question. If you have a bunch of extra tools laying around and they could be better used by some custom fabrication and you have the ability to weld cleanly and soundly, go for it!
Reply:I have multiple sets off allen sockets and a few homemade versions where i needed a splecial length or such some are welded some are epoxied and some just taped with black tape.Millermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:I have a few of these homespun hex sockets, After I twisted the first one in half at the weld (full weld around the edge of the socket) I figured out the heat treat etc. issue - - easy fix, most sockets are drilled through albeit undersized. so put your hex in your socket and do a SMALL plug weld through the back side, be careful not to overfill it enough to keep your ratchet from seating.When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you must not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives.
Reply:Originally Posted by SRO1911I have a few of these homespun hex sockets, After I twisted the first one in half at the weld (full weld around the edge of the socket) I figured out the heat treat etc. issue - - easy fix, most sockets are drilled through albeit undersized. so put your hex in your socket and do a SMALL plug weld through the back side, be careful not to overfill it enough to keep your ratchet from seating.
Reply:All you want is just something to hold the piece of hex in the socket. So that the piece of hex doesn't fall out of the socket.A little dap of epoxy is often enough to accomplish that. IIRC, the hex key sockets I use have a cross-drilled set screw to hold the piece of hex key stock in place.(and yup, JB-Weld is pretty much epoxy with some metal dust/filler in it.) The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...I've used chewing gum in the past. I've also put magnets in the bottom of the socket to do the same thing.Some of my "real" hex key sockets are crimped around the hex. The better ones have a retainer ring (much like the ring on the nose of an impact wrench.
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanI've used chewing gum in the past. I've also put magnets in the bottom of the socket to do the same thing.Some of my "real" hex key sockets are crimped around the hex. The better ones have a retainer ring (much like the ring on the nose of an impact wrench.
Reply:BAZOOKA Bubble gumgot luv Bazooka Joe and MortLast edited by prop-doctor; 09-21-2011 at 05:46 PM.idealarc 250/250 ac-dc tigidealarc 250/250 ac-dc tig #2 used for sticklincoln sp100hh125dual arbor grinder polisher30 yrs of hand tools52 pitch blocks 6p-26prake gauge -pitch gaugeG&D prop repair 918-207-6938Hulbert,okla 74441
Reply:Originally Posted by prop-doctorBAZOOKA Bubble gumgot luv Bazooka Joe and Mort
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