Show off your "Custom Handled Ratchet"

mrkstrk · Mar 18, 2014

Ok, great ideas and workmanship. The one I've not been able to figure out, how to put a handle on a ratchet with a flat handle. If you turned it on a lathe, HOW did you chuck it up and center it, if you did not turn it how did you get it in the handle?

jim1987 · Mar 18, 2014

Jamie.91 said:
Quick pic of the shorter one aswell seen as the glue has dried

Poor pics but you get the idea

HOLY ****! How long is that breaker bar? 48"? 1/2 or 3/4? What do you use that thing on? 1:24 scale models? Lol

shocksandstrutz · Mar 18, 2014

Nine4gmc......awesome idea, I have a new set of cman screwdrivers I dont use and I want a set of rotoheads bad..............done and done, ill post a set when I get back from my work trip

Cap'n · Mar 18, 2014

This count?

Broke a flex head pro point 3/8 (princess auto brand), so I cut the head off and ground down a short stanley 1/2" I had and drilled it to become a long flex head. Works perfect, I use it all the time now.

Outlawmws · Mar 18, 2014

mrkstrk said:
Ok, great ideas and workmanship. The one I've not been able to figure out, how to put a handle on a ratchet with a flat handle. If you turned it on a lathe, HOW did you chuck it up and center it, if you did not turn it how did you get it in the handle?

4 jaw chuck in a lathe and a live center, and it's not a problem...

bodyguy16 · Mar 19, 2014

Cap'n said:
This count?

Broke a flex head pro point 3/8 (princess auto brand), so I cut the head off and ground down a short stanley 1/2" I had and drilled it to become a long flex head. Works perfect, I use it all the time now.

Very nice, I like the idea

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

shocksandstrutz · Mar 25, 2014

switched it up a bit, had a black CMAN handled bit driver, drilled it out just shy of the thickness, put a HF 3/8 rotohead on it, stuck it in the press and whoala.....really like the round handle compared to the oval HF one.....might have to make a stubby version of this also, just cause i have another handle around

Zeroek · Mar 25, 2014

Cap'n said:
This count?

Broke a flex head pro point 3/8 (princess auto brand), so I cut the head off and ground down a short stanley 1/2" I had and drilled it to become a long flex head. Works perfect, I use it all the time now.

Someone could save some serious money by doing this.

Cap'n · Mar 25, 2014

Zeroek said:
Someone could save some serious money by doing this.

To update, it's been working great. I use it every day. I've got 3 or 4 1/2" drive ratchets of different makes, and this is always the one I go for.

Sent from somewhere between here and there

chipper · Mar 29, 2014

My first custom....Kobalt long 1/4 flex which I switched guts with HF composite making it 72t and craftsman handle

SpeedHoles · Mar 29, 2014

chipper said:
My first custom....Kobalt long 1/4 flex which I switched guts with HF composite making it 72t and craftsman handle

Nice, I really like the idea of pirating the HF composites guts into another housing to get more engagement points!

WilltheEngineer · Mar 30, 2014

chipper said:
My first custom....Kobalt long 1/4 flex which I switched guts with HF composite making it 72t and craftsman handle

Chipper,did u have to drill out the handle, or could it just be press fitted on?

Thanks.

stonesfan68 · Mar 31, 2014

My newest addition required some machining, so I had gj67stang (Garth) make this one up for me. It is a SK 45170 3/8" ratchet that I picked up at an estate sale for $5 with a 1/4" Cushion Grip screwdriver handle. It looks and feels fantastic- I highly recommend Garth's services. I can't wait to put it to use!

chipper · Mar 31, 2014

WilltheEngineer said:
Chipper,did u have to drill out the handle, or could it just be press fitted on?

Thanks.

I had to drill out just a bit wider and a bit deeper to fit and I don't have a press but I used a mallet and a mini sledge to fit ....and its not moving I tried to get it off right after I started because I didn't line up the cman logo right but it wouldn't budge..lesson learned for the next one

ugotd8 · Apr 8, 2014

My SO flex ratchets had the comfort grips on them and they were scratched/cut so I used some JH Williams hard handles. Came out pretty good. I would have never thought to do this, thanks GJ!!!

unashamedlaborer · Apr 16, 2014

Here is mine. Started out a tx72. Now complete with a hard handle. Love this ratchet. It's my go to 1/4" drive.

bodyguy16 · Apr 17, 2014

unashamedlaborer said:
Here is mine. Started out a tx72. Now complete with a hard handle. Love this ratchet. It's my go to 1/4" drive.

Whats the part# for that handle ? Or whats it from.

bodyguy16 · Apr 17, 2014

bodyguy16 said:
Whats the part# for that handle ? Or whats it from.

I thought of using an old sdd204 but I highly doubt it will work. I might just give it a try anyways

Hpozzuoli · Apr 17, 2014

stonesfan68 said:
My newest addition required some machining, so I had gj67stang (Garth) make this one up for me. It is a SK 45170 3/8" ratchet that I picked up at an estate sale for $5 with a 1/4" Cushion Grip screwdriver handle. It looks and feels fantastic- I highly recommend Garth's services. I can't wait to put it to use!

Dammit. I swear I will buy a lathe just to make an sk ratchet. That is awsome.

unashamedlaborer · Apr 17, 2014

bodyguy16 said:
Whats the part# for that handle ? Or whats it from.

I'll look when I get to my next job. I know it was from a Allen driver. Got a set of them cheap off eBay just for the handles.

unashamedlaborer · Apr 17, 2014

It is a SDA6B hex tip screwdriver handle.

Duct Tape Man · Apr 17, 2014

Subscribing to this thread, very cool stuff here! Have to take a few so-so ratchets of mine and start the creative juices flowing!

bodyguy16 · Apr 17, 2014

unashamedlaborer said:
It is a SDA6B hex tip screwdriver handle.

Thanks !

unashamedlaborer · Apr 23, 2014

With minor modification I present the THLX72G that Snap-On has never made.

mechanicalmoron · Jun 2, 2014

I can see it being nice to have one, but at the risk of being a killjoy.... looks clunky as hell, and in the way. If I need high torque and comfort in an open area, I have a 18in cheater pipe I wrapped a leather handle on.

John316 · Jun 2, 2014

shocksandstrutz said:
switched it up a bit, had a black CMAN handled bit driver, drilled it out just shy of the thickness, put a HF 3/8 rotohead on it, stuck it in the press and whoala.....really like the round handle compared to the oval HF one.....might have to make a stubby version of this also, just cause i have another handle around

and here is mine from earlier in the thread on a 1/2" HF
(still holding up great)

John316 said:
Here is my HF 1/2 Roto with my Craftsman bit driver handle. I drilled it to a tight fit and used an epoxy to seal the deal.

I have had the bit driver since the mid 90's and used it a LOT as for some reason the handle just feels good to my hand. The aluminum shank was pretty worn, so it made a perfect donor for the project.

The 1/2 Roto is actually pretty nice, but I could not stand the MAC copy soft handle it came with.

espyking83 · Jun 2, 2014

mrholeshot said:
i was taking the ugly handle off and it cracked. This is what is actually underneath that thin layer of plastic.

lol.

John316 · Jun 4, 2014

Just did my Gearwrench 3/8 Roto which had a crooked handle from the factory. Sort of annoying, but it was too well used to return, so I made use of a Williams screwdriver handle.

espyking83 · Jun 4, 2014

These are fantastic! How do you get the handles off of the screwdrivers?

John316 · Jun 4, 2014

espyking83 said:
These are fantastic! How do you get the handles off of the screwdrivers?

For my most recent one, I slid a washer over the blade to protect the top of the handle and clamped the blade in a vise. Then used a prybar against the surface of the washer to pry the handle off without damage.

I needed to increase the handle hole size from 1/4 to 13/32. I used a step drill bit to get it close without going off center and finished the hole by eye with the handle (wrapped in a rag) clamped in the vise. I used a HF Dead blow to whack the handle on, being careful that it did not twist in relation to the ratchet body. For the last 2 inches I was having a hard time moving it, so I used my vise to press it in the rest of the way. (I have a 5" Wilton bullet with a large opening. I still had to remove the jaws for it to fit the long way).

Total time about 20-25 mins.

espyking83 · Jun 4, 2014

John316 said:
For my most recent one, I slid a washer over the blade to protect the top of the handle and clamped the blade in a vise. Then used a prybar against the surface of the washer to pry the handle off without damage.

I needed to increase the handle hole size from 1/4 to 13/32. I used a step drill bit to get it close without going off center and finished the hole by eye with the handle (wrapped in a rag) clamped in the vise. I used a HF Dead blow to whack the handle on, being careful that it did not twist in relation to the ratchet body. For the last 2 inches I was having a hard time moving it, so I used my vise to press it in the rest of the way. (I have a 5" Wilton bullet with a large opening. I still had to remove the jaws for it to fit the long way).

Total time about 20-25 mins.

Awesome thanks! Any adhesive used to keep the handle in place?

John316 · Jun 4, 2014

espyking83 said:
Awesome thanks! Any adhesive used to keep the handle in place?

On this last one I had to use a vise to press the handle on... it's ON there! so...no. On my previous ones I used epoxy.

ADSR · Jun 4, 2014

Anyone have a pic with a bahco dual 80 with the comfort handle off? I'm debating the SO HH swap.

DanCo · Jul 6, 2014

I'll leave this here.

Dan

metaldad · Jul 6, 2014

interesting, danco

rick carpenter · Jul 7, 2014

I took a standard Craftsman 1/2" drive q/r ratchet and filled the shanks voids and the handle "steps" with JB Weld and ground them down smooth. Never did like the sharp edges but love the weight, size, and q/r function of this ratchet. Handle is about four dips into plasti-dip.

superautobacs · Jul 9, 2014

I dig that. :thumbup:

6brzina · Jul 15, 2014

I put a new green handle on my snap on 3/8" and took the old one and put it on a Husky 3/8" roto head.

Now my ratchets match

ADSR · Jul 15, 2014

^^^ Looks awesome!

low_dakota94 · Jul 18, 2014

Before and after. Now a proto professional lol and much more comfortable.

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