whateg01
Well-known member
I use on on my 1/2" ratchet, but not the "good" one. It's an old beater that will just never die, but it's like 8 teeth total (exaggeration) so it's a pita to use most of the time.
How to make perfect cheater pipes
- Thread starter qqzj
- Start date
I use on on my 1/2" ratchet, but not the "good" one. It's an old beater that will just never die, but it's like 8 teeth total (exaggeration) so it's a pita to use most of the time.
Most recently I used a 17mm socket on an extension stuck over the handle of my ratchet, worked great. It was not a matter of adding excessive leverage, but the angle of things that required more reach. Clearly the solution is to buy a longer ratchet.
The handle isn't longer than the ratchet mechanism is designed to handle
But if I use a pipe the same length as the same ratchet with a long handle it's suddenly wrong?
MushCreek
Well-known member
I used to use them all the time on hex keys, so much so that I made a nice set of them out of black pipe, including knurling one end in the lathe. Someone finally figured out that an impact wrench worked even better, but I still used the cheaters in low clearance situations.
American Locomotive
Well-known member
I've seen plenty of tool-truck long-handled ratchets twist the drive-end off.The handle isn't longer than the ratchet mechanism is designed to handle
Basically all modern name-brand ratchets have a mechanism that's stronger than what the square drive itself can tolerate. I've broken more breaker bars than I have ratchets with cheater pipes on them. I've had 3 foot pipes on a 3/8" ratchet taking bed bolts out of a Ford Ranger. It took it just fine.
Ign
Well-known member
Now to honest, I did take an air file and smoothed out the "seam" inside. Sometimes you just have to use it for one reason or another. I also own Wright 6425, which I've had to put the bigger of those 2 on for some things.
Three letters:
DOM
Without a cheater pipe?
I'm not saying it's impossible of course, but I think most of the time it boils down to the tool being used in a way it's not designed for (possibly repetitively). I mean, it's a tool, and sometimes you've got to wail on them. The truck guarantee is great (in a pro setting where you have a truck anyway) and it's pretty easy and relatively cheap to have things like a dual-80 rebuild kit (or whatever) or a spare breaker bar handy.
The anvil is the weak point, and I have to think that's intentional - easy to replace that vs. the damage that might happen internally if they "move" the failure point deeper and might require replacing the whole thing.
...but other times you've had (or seen) them break...
I'm not sure what your point is other than "sometimes they don't break." (which is true, but
)I guess my overall point is just about every active DIYer (like me) and probably every pro had been put in a situation where a cheater pipe and something not-really-designed-for-the-task gets used (a ratchet, a breaker bar that's too small, etc.). Most of the time it works. Sometimes it results in a broken tool. Unfortunate, but they're tools - it happens. But if you're routinely breaking the tool you've either got a crappy tool or you should be using a different tool (or both). Championing it as some kind of "real men break tools and that's the way it should be" seems silly.
If I've broken something (especially more than once) and it's a task I'm likely to do again, I'm going looking for the right tool for the job.
ThePostman
Well-known member
American Locomotive
Well-known member
No, what I was saying is the limiting strength factor of basically any modern brand-name ratchet is the anvil, not the mechanism. That is just a simple reality of the material properties of steel, and that the square-drive is one of the weakest geometries.Without a cheater pipe
...but other times you've had (or seen) them break...
I'm not sure what your point is other than "sometimes they don't break." (which is true, but
So it doesn't matter if you have a 24" long-handled ratchet or an 8" ratchet with 16" of cheater hanging off it to bring it up to 24". Because they are both going to shear off at the anvil at roughly ~250 ft-lbs. Most 1/2" ratchets will fail at around 650-800 ft-lbs.
So basically it doesn't matter. The 3/8 8" ratchet is going to have the same ultimate strength as the 3/8 24" super-long-handled ratchet. Modern fine-tooth ratchets have mechanisms that are far stronger than the anvil, so there is no difference between a long handled ratchet vs. a short handled ratchet being cheated out to the same length.
Postman - DOM stands for Drawn Over Mandrel
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HTH... Steve
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ThePostman
Well-known member
Thanks!
whateg01
Well-known member
bwringer
Well-known member
There is such a thing as plastic-lined and teflon (PTFE) lined steel and stainless steel pipe, intended for the conveyance of assorted horrible chemicals.
Where an ordinary mortal might get a few hunks of this stuff, I dunno. Maybe go dumpster diving next time a DeathChemCo plant is under construction nearby.
Where an ordinary mortal might get a few hunks of this stuff, I dunno. Maybe go dumpster diving next time a DeathChemCo plant is under construction nearby.
I think you're agreeing with me. If SO makes a ratchet with a 24" handle and you put a 24" cheater over a shorter model, it should fail in a relatively similar way. But they don't make a 36" - 48" ratchet (or however long my jack handle is
), and the anvil, mechanism and handle are all not made to stand up to the significantly-higher forces a bar that long can apply. It might work once or twice but it probably won't survive for long if you're repeatedly stressing it.
I've got 18" and 25" breaker bars, and I've put a cheater on both over the years. If I eventually kill one, I won't be hurting a working tool.
It's funny though, I just work on our (4) cars and occasionally on my friends vehicles, so I'm not running into much that is truly highly-torqued. Since I got my Milwaukee impacts, I haven't had to use a breaker bar on anything. (*knocks on wood*)
joshmodelskidoo
Well-known member
i stopped using pipes on ratchets after i broke several but if your going to use and abuse your ratchet then whats a few scratches. i do put a cheater on a wrench or breaker bar though.
p00p
Well-known member
if you don't like your teeth & want to rearrange the face, plastic pipe is the wtg.
If a slightly short pipe isn't doing it, the breaker bar comes out. Last time I had to use the 3/8" breaker when near the big tool box.... 5+ years ago?
On the road it is used.
I went to HD. 3/4 conduit is just about perfect for cheater on 3/8 ratchet. But HD only has PVC40 pipes. The wall of 1/2 PVC pipes is too thick to be inserted into 3/4 conduit. Where can we buy thiner PVC pipes?
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67CarGuy
Well-known member
You could look at landscaping/drainage pipe, but I don't think it will have nearly the kind of structural rigidity you're looking for in a cheater.
I actually found the right combination! An 1 inch conduit with a tubing 1 inch OD! Check out the picture.
The tubing is a bit small. But I am thinking about heating it up, put some gorilla adhesive on the outside, and insert something in the middle to make it expand a bit. That's just about perfect. I just need to figure out how to make the tubing expand to stick to the inside of the conduit. Need ideas?
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The tubing is a bit small. But I am thinking about heating it up, put some gorilla adhesive on the outside, and insert something in the middle to make it expand a bit. That's just about perfect. I just need to figure out how to make the tubing expand to stick to the inside of the conduit. Need ideas?
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If your going to heat the hose up anyway, try some air pressure by running the tube all the way thru and plugging the one end.
That would uniformly expand the tubing.
It would be trial and error on how much heat and PSI needed.
That would uniformly expand the tubing.
It would be trial and error on how much heat and PSI needed.
sz0k30
Well-known member
Just what kind of "Delicatanium" are your "good" tools made from? That you're afraid of scratching them?
This! Soak the tubing in boiling water for about 10 minutes first to make it more pliable and then pressurize it.
nadogail
Well-known member
When I worked at a Printed Circuit Board manufacturing plant, I made mine from Schedule 80 PVC or CPVC pipe.
mercifiknow
Well-known member
Agreed.
Here are mine..
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Awesome!
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Attachments
Jazz1
Well-known member
My cheaters bars are made from 40’s vintage steering column shaft. It’s very hard and resistant to bending.
Did you ever make a two piece cheater pipe set?
I would like to make two 18” cheater pipes that positively “lock“ together to make either an 18” or 36” cheater any good ideas?
No. I did some calculation. It would cost me a lot of money to make a half baked tool. It won't be perfect no matter how much I stretch the definition of perfect. I hope some tool maker can step up. It should be a pretty good tool idea.
General Geoff
Well-known member
Cheater pipes are improvisational by nature. What you're looking for is a ratchet handle extender.
Or just pony up $14 for a telescoping/extendable ratchet
Or just pony up $14 for a telescoping/extendable ratchet
VolvoRyan
Well-known member
Just buy the longer handle ratchet or breaker bar... or other form of proper tool. Your body will thank you. This is kinda nifty:
No tool maker is going to make you a cheater bar, because A) they'd rather sell you a ratchet, and B) "Holy liability, Batman!". Our longest 3/8" ratchet is 18", but here's a 24" thing you can put on our 10" offering.
-Ryan
No tool maker is going to make you a cheater bar, because A) they'd rather sell you a ratchet, and B) "Holy liability, Batman!". Our longest 3/8" ratchet is 18", but here's a 24" thing you can put on our 10" offering.
-Ryan
Moose-LandTran
Well-known member
Agreed.
Here are mine..
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My viscous wrenches are similar:
eejack
Well-known member
You could use rigid conduit threaded with a rigid coupling. In theory it could be of infinite size. Not sure if electrical couplings or black iron couplings would be stronger.
Nick Danger
Well-known member
I have a 40" steel tube that was part of a retail clothing rack. It's smooth on the inside (won't damage my tool) and powder coated on the outside. So what you want may already be out there under a different name.
Clutchsmoke
Well-known member
On a 1/2" ratchet the longest I'll use is a 10" extension with a deep well socket on the end of the ratchet. If it takes more than that it gets a breaker bar.
AldeanFan
Well-known member
Snap-On truck refused to warranty a breaker bar because it had a mark on the shaft they claimed was from using a cheater pipe.
I wasn’t using a cheater pipe on it when it broke, I had a craftsman breaker bar for use with the cheater pipe and it hasn’t broken yet. The Snap-On bar broke when my friend Fat Pat was jumping on it.
I’ve wanted one of these for a while
I wasn’t using a cheater pipe on it when it broke, I had a craftsman breaker bar for use with the cheater pipe and it hasn’t broken yet. The Snap-On bar broke when my friend Fat Pat was jumping on it.
I’ve wanted one of these for a while
Zebu Fellenz
Well-known member
Is that EMT conduit or rigid? Looks like EMT from the picture and if so that'll make a pretty worthless cheater.I actually found the right combination! An 1 inch conduit with a tubing 1 inch OD! Check out the picture.
The tubing is a bit small. But I am thinking about heating it up, put some gorilla adhesive on the outside, and insert something in the middle to make it expand a bit. That's just about perfect. I just need to figure out how to make the tubing expand to stick to the inside of the conduit. Need ideas?
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