Are Nut Drivers a Favorite Tool? For What?

[dustytool]

The reason I ask, is I impulsively bought a small set of metric nut drivers a long while ago and have NEVER put them to use. I'm a home mechanic who works primarily on bicycles, motorcycles, electronics, household stuff and occasionally cars.

I guess I am just in the habit of grabbing a socket, extension and a stubby wrench and fail to consider if a nut driver is more handy for the task. I also generally like the speed and torque delivery of a stubby ratchet over a driver.

Who puts their nut drivers to use and why?

 

[Skin]

low torque applications, brass/plastic fasteners or anything going into that kind of material.

 

[Jeff]

I use my metric nut drivers when working on the bikes and truck, all Japanese. The 10mm and 13mm drivers get the most use. I have a SAE set of drivers but I haven't used them.

 

[losabio]

They seem pretty useful for taking apart household appliance like dryers, ovens, etc. Auto techs seem to like them for hose clamps.

 

[TommyK]

Holley fuel bowl screws, acorn nuts, anything that requires a light touch.

 

[twincam00]

theyre great for hoseclamps and when threads extend far beyond the nut (most nut driver's shafts are hollow

 

[dledinger]

They seem pretty useful for taking apart household appliance like dryers, ovens, etc. Auto techs seem to like them for hose clamps.

Almost exactly what I was going to post.

I don't use mine much.

 

[geologist]

I use my nut driver for driving my nuts. Just sayin'...

 

[balane]

Make them handy and easy to get to and you'll use them a lot I bet. I work on a lot of smaller things like appliances and power tools and having these within arm's reach has been very valuable to me. Great for hose clamps too. Sometimes they're just faster than putting a socket/extension/ratchet together. Plus the sizes are easy to identify so you can grab what you want quickly. Get used to them and they'll be your friend.

 

[dledinger]

Sometimes they're just faster than putting a socket/extension/ratchet together.

When I do use them, I appreciate the solid, slop-free feel.

 

[lennoxlennox]

just assembled a chinoise bbq... glad i had mine

 

[cide1]

I keep both of the Craftsman nut driver sets on pegboard on the wall behind my workbench so that they are within easy reach. Due to this, they get a lot of use. I like the solid factor, without any of the sloppiness of sockets + extensions + ratchets. If anything requires real torque, I get the sockets out.

 

[balane]

I can't speak for others but the Snap On nut drivers have hollow shafts so really long bolts, which would normally require a deep socket, are not an issue. This makes them absolutely fabulous for things like mounting rear speakers in the rear deck of a car.

 

[richfinn]

More or less obsolete nowadays, I use T handles or a ratchet 1/4 driver. Might be useful for electrical studs on cars but thats about it.

 

[djkeev]

I use mine all the time! Keep them handy and you'll find that they quickly become indispensable!

Dave

 

[Robbie UK]

I would like a set of hollow shaft spinners, but I do have this flex shaft spinner and it has been outstanding - a real 'must have' tool for hose clamps:

 

[metaldad]

I have a set of metrics - that I have never used.
SAE............ use 1/4 & 5/16 every day. 3/8 on occasion. 11/32 on small electric motors.
that's about it

 

[LumpyMusic]

Hose clamps, hose clamps, hose clamps.

Sheet metal assemblies with nut and bolt or screw head and nut or sheet metal screw eg BBQs, air conditioners, swamp coolers, automobile heater boxes, washer/dryer panels.

Panel mount devices like potentiometers, switches, jacks.

Guitar tuner machines.

Those long nuts on computer connectors and cables, serial, video, printer etc.

Printed circuit board stand off nuts.

Starting multiple bolts on a flange like differential covers, oil pans, trans pans etc. Snug with nut driver, final torque with appropriate torque wrench.


Lumpy

You were the "OPERATION" game voice?
Yes. Take out wrenched ankle.

www.LumpyMusic.com

 

[dustytool]

The comments regarding use on hose clamps rings true for me. Recently I repeatedly had to deal with a fussy hose clamp in the field and all I had to use was a slotted screwdriver, which continually slipped off. A nut driver would definitely be better.

For small-scale work with electronics, I know nut drivers to be indispensable, but I guess I've just not given the larger ones a fair chance. I think I'll bust these drivers out of the package and keep them handy in the garage for motorcycle wrenching and see if they prove themselves.

 

[BHH]

I find them most useful for home applications. Like removing the small nuts that hold on control panel doors on things like water heaters. Pretty much anything made with sheet metal are held on with small nuts, and it always seems like lots of them.

Lots of computers also use nuts as case fasteners and so do other electronics so I am sure if you keep them handy you will use them lots.

 

[boostedgt]

when i was working on my dryer i was thinking a nut driver would have worked better than messing with sockets

 

[Diffident]

I don't have any metric nut drivers but I use the inch ones just about everyday.

The yellow nut driver is the size of a ground screw and is also the size for some bolt in breakers, blue is usually the size for the nut holding a ballast in a florescent light, and the brown one fits a 1/4-20 nut.

 

[LumpyMusic]

Forgot one of the most useful...banjo rim bracket hooks.


Lumpy

You were the "OPERATION" game voice?
Yes. Take out wrenched ankle.

www.LumpyMusic.com

 

[Humble Mechanic]

Just like Lumpy, I use mine for hose clamps!!!!

 

[Eric Nordstrom]

Hose clamps-at home. Work every day-electronics,3/16,1/4,5/16,3/8,1/2, and sometimes 5/8-yes I own 5/8" nut drivers, Proto, and old Craftsman from the 80's
Eric

 

[metaldad]

Hose clamps-at home. Work every day-electronics,3/16,1/4,5/16,3/8,1/2, and sometimes 5/8-yes I own 5/8" nut drivers, Proto, and old Craftsman from the 80's
Eric

Just admired a new Klein set. Included a 9/16, and I'd like to say 5/8.

 

[OEXL16B]

8-32 and 10-32 hex head machine screws. Sheet metal screws too.

 

[5mall5nail5]

I use nut drivers almost exclusively for hose clamps

 

[RedFordTruck]

Mine get the very rare use on sheet metal nuts as well as clamps and other low torqued nuts. But i usually just grab a ratchet.

That being said, I dusted off my 1/4'' Craftsman nutdriver the other day to change the air filter in my truck.

 

[KermitFrog]

Thanks foe reminding me I even have a few sets. Never use them but that's because I don't keep them handy.

 

[Coach James]

I use mine a lot on lawn mower engines, appliances, worm drive clamps, rope/wire clamps light fixtures. Seems 5/16 is the one I use most.

Coach

 

[cgv69]

Depends on the kind of work you do but I find a nut driver type tools to be very useful. That said I would never by a standard "nut driver" or especially a nut driver set. Not when you can buy a Snap On TMR4 and use whatever 1/4 socket you have including deep, shallow, swivel as well as extensions or just about any other 1/4 bit or adapter you have. Much more flexible then any nut driver set, great ratcheting action and cheaper too if you don't pay full, off the truck price for it. I love mine!

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

Like my regular screw drivers I never used my nut drivers so I got rid of all of them except for the blue point locking nut drivers for those rare situations where I can barely reach something..

For me the less I have to get out to do something the better so I mainly either use a 1/4" driver shank or hex to 1/4" adapter on a ratcheting screw driver with a socket
It is either those or if I am already using a 1/4" ratchet I use the trusty 1/4 female hard handle to 1/4" as an extension.

The only situations where I could use a nut driver is for marine exhaust clamps on couplers and bellows but I prefer spinning them on by hand then using a ratcheting wrench depending on the type of clamp

 

[RECox286]

I have both SAE and Metric in the home toolbox, and a set of SAE in the worktruck.

I probably use the nutdrivers more than I use the sockets in the worktruck, but at home

I definitly use the sockets more often. The nutdrivers are handy for stuff like removing

the doghouse off the worktrucks, dash fasteners, appliances, hose clamps and the like.

Uncle Bob

 

[franzdom]

Did a computer build today and used the 1/4" for case screws and the 5mm for brass standoffs. Nut drivers are a pleasure to use for this application.

 

[Original Man]

Another one for hose clamps. Used one today matter of fact.

 

[mscribellito]

I have a full set of standard and metric. I only use a few. Primarily the 5/16" for clamps. I work on computers a lot as well (they come in handy for the mobo stand-offs)

 

[snmfffrogel]

I usually only use 3, a 9/32", a 5/16", and 1/4"
(or 7mm 8mm and 1/4)
For hoseclamps primarily.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I use them for installing hex head tapcons, sheet metal screws, and replacing ballasts.

 

[Mister Moose]

Used a 7/16 nut driver today for an assembly that had a dozen bolts holding on an inspection plate. Loosened with a rachet, but way too much cranking once they were freed up. You can spin a nut driver so much faster.

On days when I know I'm doing a bunch of hose clamps I'll take it one step further. Forget the nut driver, if I plan ahead I bring my cordless drill, chuck in a 5/16 driver bit, and zooooooooooooooooom, the hose clamp is off. Superb for those hose clamps that are 8 sizes too big and take forever to unwind (If you need to fully remove it).