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Ratchet Tech open end ratcheting wrench

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chad99

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Apr 8, 2012
Messages
75
Ratcheting open ends have been around for years,my grandfather had a set,and those didn't have any springs or complicated mechanisms that can break and make the wrench useless.My personal belief is the strength of a wrench is in its simplicity.
 
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Ken81590

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Apr 7, 2012
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392
I've tried to find info on the Ratchet Tech one's, but the only thing that comes up are their video's, judging by the date on the video, they aren't being produced yet probably. And I don't think the gear wrench one's have come out yet either.
 

Fedwrench

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And there is nothing on Gearwrenche's website yet.

Gearwrench's website blows and real outdated. Check you tube for Gearwrench ratcheting flare wrenches and ratcheting crowfeet. The gearwrench ratcheting open end is slightly different but the cooncept is the same.
 
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Ken81590

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Apr 7, 2012
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392
^^ I posted that video up top already lol.

But my question is, who stole who's design? haha
 

smothers33

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Mar 16, 2012
Messages
355
I like this design. I can absolutely see a use for them. I've wasted too much time with regular combos and then got the craftsman ratcheting open end. They ****. Way to much swing needed to engage the next tooth. This seems like it would work much better. Make it quality are charge for it. Don't cheap out and make it crappy just so you can sell it a bit cheaper. Just my opinion
 

Ratchet Tech

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Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
20
I like this design. I can absolutely see a use for them. I've wasted too much time with regular combos and then got the craftsman ratcheting open end. They ****. Way to much swing needed to engage the next tooth. This seems like it would work much better. Make it quality are charge for it. Don't cheap out and make it crappy just so you can sell it a bit cheaper. Just my opinion

The Ratchet Tech wrench only needs 30 degrees to operate, where the gear wrench design and craftsman design need 60. The gear wrench design was patented in 1966 and has come and gone in the past, the biggest problem being the pin that allows the upper jaw to move, you can see how much they beefed that thing up.

We have been working on this design for eight long years.
 
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Ken81590

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Apr 7, 2012
Messages
392
The Ratchet Tech wrench only needs 30 degrees to operate, where the gear wrench design and craftsman design need 60. The gear wrench design was patented in 1966 and has come and gone in the past, the biggest problem being the pin that allows the upper jaw to move, you can see how much they beefed that thing up.

We have been working on this design for eight long years.

Did you find this thread and decide to make an account? lol

You should post pictures of the the wrenches in this thread for us, and explain the details of the design more in depth for us!

Have you guys figured out a release date, or when you are going to start mass production? And have you thought of a price?
 

smothers33

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Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
355
The Ratchet Tech wrench only needs 30 degrees to operate, where the gear wrench design and craftsman design need 60. The gear wrench design was patented in 1966 and has come and gone in the past, the biggest problem being the pin that allows the upper jaw to move, you can see how much they beefed that thing up.

We have been working on this design for eight long years.
i like it. I didn't realize that was 1" wrench. That would explain why its so beefy. How small do you guys plan on making them. I work on forklifts and these would be awesome for hydraulic fittings. That's what i bought the cman for but like i said the swing needed on them was just too large. I need 11/16-15/16 mostly for the fittings i work on regularly but still would want some smaller than that as well. Anyways good work and can't wait to get my hands on one
 

JDS968

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Apr 14, 2012
Messages
247
Location
Miami Beach, FL
The Ratchet Tech wrench only needs 30 degrees to operate, where the gear wrench design and craftsman design need 60. The gear wrench design was patented in 1966 and has come and gone in the past, the biggest problem being the pin that allows the upper jaw to move, you can see how much they beefed that thing up.

We have been working on this design for eight long years.
Glad you're here! I really like the design. When are you going to get that "Kickstarter" thing working? Assuming that anything we put in can be applied as a credit towards a RatchetTech purchase, I want in yesterday.

Two things about the product: First, I love the finish. Very excited that you're not going with the standard "chrome everything and polish it until it looks like a mirror". I'd buy every tool in matte, textured finishes if I could. Second, I'd really like to see more than just a 7 piece metric set. Maybe start with the 7-piece set and a 12-piece 8mm-19mm set? And later add an 18-piece 8mm-25mm set?
 

Ratchet Tech

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Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
20
i like it. I didn't realize that was 1" wrench. That would explain why its so beefy. How small do you guys plan on making them. I work on forklifts and these would be awesome for hydraulic fittings. That's what i bought the cman for but like i said the swing needed on them was just too large. I need 11/16-15/16 mostly for the fittings i work on regularly but still would want some smaller than that as well. Anyways good work and can't wait to get my hands on one

Thanks for the positive response! When you do get your hands on a set in the very near future you will probably be like me and never use a conventional wrench again. I wont even try to break loose a brass, aluminum or mild steel line fitting any more with a conventional wrench because in my mind, turning a nut by the corner is a great way to round it off.

To answer your question, the open end is the same width as the boxed end, but the utility of the mechanism plus the genius of the flex head makes up for it. We were able to take off material around the profile of the head where a standard wrench cannot making it able to fit in much tighter space. Take a look at this video, the conventional wrench relies on big bulky shoulders so its nut handling surfaces don't spread out allowing the wrench to slip or worse, round off the nut. We don't grab the nut by the fragile corner so we don't have to worry about that.

Here are some of the prototypes we have made over the past few years. We have been experimenting with the different finishes, a few have been polished and they only looked okay. Next we tried the black ox and black chrome because that is what everyone else is doing, but those tools became pretty hard to find in a black tool box. Our favorite finish by popular vote has been the super hard phosphate finish that gives it a semi gloss look which is the one in the video and ultimately the one that will be mass produced.

What do you guys think?

IMG_0570.JPG


Notice a few of the initial crows-foot designs are mixed in.

3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4 will be available first closely followed by our 11piece set that will add 13/16, 7/8, 15/16 and 1 1/8".

We also have some large size prototype molds being made right now with sizes between 2 1/4 and 4". Since our design is less prone to damage a nut, we wanted to see how it would do in situations where extreme amounts of torque are required. They are huge, but light weight. 30" long wrench anyone?

Did you find this thread and decide to make an account? lol

You should post pictures of the the wrenches in this thread for us, and explain the details of the design more in depth for us!

Have you guys figured out a release date, or when you are going to start mass production? And have you thought of a price?

I did actually, I googled our website and this conversation came up before it did. We are taking the production project to kickstarter in 2 to 3 weeks where we will be trying to raise funds for the production of our 2 7 piece sets. The website will have all that information in the next few days.

I will post up a design description in the morning for you guys, get ready, its going to be technical!

Man, you are fast....do you have an app to tell you when someones talking about you or something lol

Google!
 

shoturtle

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Jan 15, 2012
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I do not see how it does not grab corner, even in the video it said it does grab corner and then the flat.

Also a 7pc set leaves out a decent amount of metric sizes, most basic metric sets should run 10-19mm, will there be a larger metric set coming out.

Also are then forge in the USA? And when will pricing be available for both 7pc and possible the larger set in metric?
 
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Ken81590

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Apr 7, 2012
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392
I can't get over how awesome the design is! In that picture, all of the dark finished make them look like they were made in the 1940's lol.
 
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JDS968

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Apr 14, 2012
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247
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Miami Beach, FL
Also, will it be available in a locking flex head (at least a ball detent or something) or fixed, rather than just non-locking flex head?
 

djamesm

Member
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
6
What he meant was it is a flank drive, and never smashes directly on the point of the corner like a conventional open end can.
 

djamesm

Member
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
6
I do like the swing arm box ratchet design, but there is no way it will get in the tight spots the Ratchet Tech will. You have to swing open the long arm, apply it to the fastener, close the arm (if you have the room) and ratchet. And it is also a 30 degree throw, so you don't gain in that respect. Also no flex head.
 
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Ken81590

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otis66

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May 28, 2010
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These tools are not new...It's been done before. If you stay around long enough you see it all and then it repeats. This is just a gimmick.
 

smothers33

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Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
355
Your making a 1" right? I assume you are but you forgot it when listing sizes your making. I wanna try it now! Hurry up!
 

otis66

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May 28, 2010
Messages
1,875
On a side note....For all the suckers that bought into the Craftsman Premuim ratchet Made in USA. I found this when looking at the New ratchet wrench link. Gearwrench new 84 tooth ratchet. Up graded from 60 tooth.
 

shoturtle

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Jan 15, 2012
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What he meant was it is a flank drive, and never smashes directly on the point of the corner like a conventional open end can.

If you watch the video, it said every other grip is on the corner. So to me that means it does bite the corner, while only half as much. It still does, and with the right situration. All it takes is 1 bite to round a corner.
 

Sparkfarmer

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Jun 11, 2010
Messages
235
Location
Toronto Canada
Ratchet Tech; You should create a post in "General Tool Discussion" when you have your kick starter submission all set up and ready for pledges (explain kick starter in the post too for people who don't know). Tons of people on this forum will be interested I guarantee it. Especially if its a good price. Also we all need to know: COO?

Good Luck
 
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Ken81590

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Apr 7, 2012
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392
On a side note....For all the suckers that bought into the Craftsman Premuim ratchet Made in USA. I found this when looking at the New ratchet wrench link. Gearwrench new 84 tooth ratchet. Up graded from 60 tooth.

Seriously??? Dude, how many people are going to repost this video like "oh I just found this! Check it out!!" when I already posted it in the 2nd post of the thread? Sweet Jesus people!
 

Ratchet Tech

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Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
20
If you watch the video, it said every other grip is on the corner. So to me that means it does bite the corner, while only half as much. It still does, and with the right situration. All it takes is 1 bite to round a corner.

It appears that way, especially on the point grip. But if you have a close look at the mechanism, you will see it is a flank drive. In all our testing, we eventually ripped the corners off the nut, which is different than the "smash rounding" that occurs with a conventional wrench. What happens with a conventional wrench is that when a large torque is applied, the point of the upper inside corner of the fastener, as well as the point of the lower outside corner of the fastener becomes small-surface-area contact points. Further torquing will cause these points to act a a spreading mechanism, springing the upper and lower jaws away from each other. Because of the great pressure on the small surface area of the points, the metal at the points eventually yields and rounds off. The tool becomes a very efficient "rounding off" tool. The Ratchet Tech wrench never touches the actual points of the corners. You literally have to bite into the metal and rip off the corner, which takes much more torque. We will post a 'wrench wrestling" video, pitting our wrench against a conventional wrench on the same fastener, and show that the conventional wrench will round off the corner well before ours tears off the corner.
 

shoturtle

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Jan 15, 2012
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It will be interesting to see that video.

But seriously where are these wrenches made, I do not mind asian tools in general. But I do like to know where they are made. I like japanese and taiwan made tool personally, think they are very high quality stuff.
 

otis66

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May 28, 2010
Messages
1,875
Seriously??? Dude, how many people are going to repost this video like "oh I just found this! Check it out!!" when I already posted it in the 2nd post of the thread? Sweet Jesus people!

Sorry did not mean to offend you.
 

Ratchet Tech

Member
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
20
Also, will it be available in a locking flex head (at least a ball detent or something) or fixed, rather than just non-locking flex head?

Actually, you will love our friction flex head. It is really stiff. It takes effort to flex it, so it is not floppy and won't move around when you start to apply torque.
 
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