diy nut drivers

[Mcgyver]

I'd become very tired of never have a decent socket or nut driver for various model engines - even in the larger sizez, commercial sockers are often to bulky to fit into tight spits. finished yesterday a complete set of model engineering nut drivers, BA set is half done. Interesting project involving heat treating the hexes (imperial i used Allen keys, BA are based on metric but non standard sizes so i used drill rod) case hardening the sockets, forging, pressing, silver soldering all kinds of good stuff.

[wierdscience]

Nice job,you would have spent a bundle if they had been stamped Whia,if they even made them in the sizes you needed.

[Millman]

Very nice. You can never have enough nut-drivers, and yours look like they will last a while.

[pkastagehand]

I wanted a nut driver for some #3-48 hex machine screws on a project. I turned and knurled a handle from some 5/8" diameter AL stock. Then drilled and tapped a hole in the end for a socket head (allen) capscrew. After using loctite and tightning the screw very tightly I turned the screw head down to make the wall thin enough to reach in tight places.

[Evan]

That's a nice looking set. I'm not clear on how you made the sockets. Could you please explain further?

[Mcgyver]

Evan, they are forged around a hex former then turned . i took pics through out and was half thinking I might submit an article so held of posting all the pics .

[Todd Tolhurst]

Cool. More pictures!

[Evan]

On the subject of nut drivers I bought this set many years ago. They are metric and go down to 5mm. The rachet handle is especially nice and they stood up to daily usage for 20 years when I worked with Xerox. I still use them on computers. I have no idea what brand they are as the only marking on them is "chrome vanadium". I found them at a small local tool store that used to sell all sorts of good quality uncommon tools including many shop tools like mics etc at reasonable prices. I was really disappointed when he closed.

[DR]

"forged around a hex former"

This I'm not clear on. How?

I've made a couple similar tools by grinding a slightly oversize male version out of a hardened dowel pin, then broaching that into the end of stock in a hydaulic press.

I've seen this type work done in a rotary swaging machine. Just not sure how you forged them.

Some hints (if you don't want to post the pics), please.

[Evan]

Take a lump of steel and drill a proper hole in it. Heat to red heat and insert allen wrench. Beat the crap out of it until the hole resembles the allen wrench. Cool, machine, reheat and case harden. Polish until satisfied (or you give up).

[BobWarfield]

DR, I would of thought your broaching approach was the way. Hadn't occurred to me forging would produce a clean enough result.

By all means submit an article McGyver, sounds like quite an interesting one. Very nice project as well.

Now I suppose Evan's air powered shaper project would also be a nice way to turn out a set of these, but he's already got some nice hex drivers.

Best,

BW

[Mcgyver]

close, I pressed the hex in first with 5-10thou interference so its held nicely. turn down the area to be forged so that you minimize the amount of hammering - this helps maintain the axail alignment of the hex shaped hole.

the 1x1 HR's my anvil

[IOWOLF]

I was told Snap-on wanted $35 for a 1/8" nut driver, I fixed the guy up with a socket head cap screw for nothing and he has been a good customer ever since.

[PHiers]

Mcgyver,

I sure hope you do the article, that should be a great one. I am always looking for nut drivers in odd sizes, it would be nice to make my own.

[sasquatch]

nut drivers

Very nice job, looks great, but a bit puzzled by your manufacturing method for the socket end? Ray in N. Ont.