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Gallery: 1/8 inch drive ratchets

John Timmins

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Flagler Beach, FL
The photos below show 3 different 1/8 inch drive ratchets with a Craftsman 1/4 inch ratchet included for size comparison.

From Top to Bottom:

Craftsman 3/8
Husky 1/8
Craftsman Professional 1/8
Craftsman 1/8

The regular Craftsman is OK. The Husky and Craftsman Pro are better, and I'd put their smoothness about the same. I would buy either one.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about 1/8 inch drive and have since learned that Snap-On never made one. I think they are handy.

Who else makes a 1/8 inch drive socket? Any MAC, MATCO, or other pro tools companies selling one? There might be a Williams.....???

Hey you guys in Europe and Down Under....do you guys have a 1/8 available besides the chinese stuff ? Put your beer down and speak up !

Then you can drink up ! :beer:
 

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gj67stang

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Really?!?! :confused:

Last time I checked a Craftsman 43785 (top one in photo) was a 3/8" ratchet and the Craftsman 44807 (bottom one in photo) was a 1/4" drive.

As far as I know, no company has ever produced a 1/8" drive ratchet, and if they did, they certainly are not pictured above.
 
OP
J

John Timmins

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Ooooops! My mistake ! SORRY !

I got a little bit mixed up...of course you're right. I'm going to keep this unedited so I won't make this blog even MORE confusing ! :eyecrazy:

top to bottom:
3/8
1/4
1/4
1/4
 
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earlthegoat2

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Jun 11, 2011
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SE GA
Snap-on do make/have made a 1/8"-drive set, a driver handle and a couple sockets. No idea what for.

Ive seen them for sale a couple of times in the classifieds here. Both times the folks selling them said they would be great for a deisel technician.

Im not a deisel tech and i dont know much about their work so I cannot verify anything.
 

PaulsGarage

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PNW
Ive seen them for sale a couple of times in the classifieds here. Both times the folks selling them said they would be great for a deisel technician.

Im not a deisel tech and i dont know much about their work so I cannot verify anything.

I assumed this was a joke since the heavy-diesel guys are the ones using the 3/4" impact stuff... My guess is that the 1/8" drive would be used for precision work, electronics assembly and such, somewhere that uses very tiny fasteners.

I'm curious what others can add to this thread, has anyone here actually used 1/8" drive?
 

greybeard

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Now that we know that we are talking about 1/4" and NOT 1/8" ratchets, I saw a 1/4" SO socket set with ratchet at the flea market the other day for $190.00. I didn't look real close so it might have been Saap-on or Spot-on or something like that being it was at the flea market. LOL
 

shoggoth80

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Seattle
Wait. Are we actually talking 1/8" drive? I have never heard of this. Seriously. This is either really cool, or really cruel. I could just imagine the usefulness of something that compact when cramming my hands into doors, under dashboards, seats etc. My hands are large, tight working spaces not my friends. IF this is indeed the situation... do tell.

If we are actually talking 1/4" drive, then there are a number of excellent options. All major manufacturers offer this drive size. My personal favorites being MAC, both for function and aesthetics. Want a set of Gear Wrench intermediate 1/4" sockets to top off the standard and deep sets I've got pieced together. Craftsman, Mac, and Stanley sockets (basher/car kit, standard, deeps).

As far as 1/4" ratchets... same... they run the gamut of manufacturers. My own go to is a Snap On 72T roto. Though one of these paydays I'm gonna grab a Cornwell TR4H. Long handled, non-flex. Because leverage is my friend. My experience with 1/4 drives is not as extensive as with 3/8 drives. I went from Stanley cheapo, to Kobalt USA (coarse toothed, so very coarse), to Cman (car kit), to Snappy, with a Titan micro 1/4" drive for tight tight spots. Recently grabbed a Pittsburgh Pro for junkyard box.
 

Alchymist

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Wait. Are we actually talking 1/8" drive? I have never heard of this. Seriously. This is either really cool, or really cruel. I could just imagine the usefulness of something that compact when cramming my hands into doors, under dashboards, seats etc. My hands are large, tight working spaces not my friends. IF this is indeed the situation... do tell.

I have one of the 1/4" round ratchets that works well in cramped spots. (File pic, not mine). Have in the past contemplated cutting most of the handle off a 1/4" drive one. :dunno:
 

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Marv's Shop

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I personally don't have a set but worked with a guy who had the Snap On set. They work great for tiny fasteners such as the nuts holding relays in on Boeing aircraft. Very low torque. Great little set. Sockets were a smaller diameter compared to the same in 1/4" drive.
 
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skruft

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May 9, 2011
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I have never seen a 1/8, but I know dentists use a tiny ratchet wrench to screw in the posts on which implants are mounted.
 

notlob

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I prefer 3/32 ratchets, 1/8 is just too bulky and cumbersome, and 1/16 won't hold up to heavy use.
 

popparoach

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Bolt%20and%20Wrench.jpg
 

Alchymist

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I prefer 3/32 ratchets, 1/8 is just too bulky and cumbersome, and 1/16 won't hold up to heavy use.

I did have use of a magnetic flux socket driver, but no access any more, and they are way to expensive for me to buy my own. Worked really slick though - each socket was only about 1/4 to 3/8 inch high, depending on size, including the flux receiver. The flux driver was hand held, and worked well within an 18" distance of the socket. With built in feedback, torque could be set anywhere withing the range of the handheld. Flux receiver was washer shaped, so the socket could go over an extended thread. Never did figure out how the unit distinguished between the socket and any magnetic nut it might be driving, or how it knew which socket out of the set to drive. (Think it read the socket ID when removed from the case). Set I had contained sockets from 4-40 thru 1/4-20, though smaller ones were available special order.
 

Jbullfrog

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Avoca, Iowa
Ive seen them for sale a couple of times in the classifieds here. Both times the folks selling them said they would be great for a deisel technician.

Im not a deisel tech and i dont know much about their work so I cannot verify anything.

Diesel injection pump techs and gun smiths use them for really little nuts and bolts.
 

pi_guy

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My use for the 1/8 sockets is electronic work. Used them a few times.
I believe that was the original purpose of them. Where Snap On in the past was a little more serving of the electronics industry.
Often they get brought out when I meet somebody who claims to have seen all tools.
Then we play what is this tool game.
I have not seen the existence of an 1/8 ratchet, but it is on my to be fabricated list.
 
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