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1/2" to 1/4" Square Adapter Socket

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teagueo

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Does anybody know a high quality version of this socket? We need a 1/2" Female drive that drops down to a 1/4" Male square, but stronger than the Amazon stuff shown below.

There are some tool genius's on here so maybe someone knows an obscure industrial manufacturer that makes these...

1762272422456.png


McMaster has one 1/2" to 3/8" but not down to 1/4".

1762272449876.png

Thanks in advance!
 
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Nobody-named-Olli

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teagueo

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Nobody-named-Olli said:
High quality? No. (At least I haven’t seen it from the usual suspects.)

Commercially usable/ industry quality? Yes.

Not sure if available in the US, but BGS has what you need:

Good for up to 74Nm/ 54.5 ft lb. (Approx.) BGS part# 9778



Kind regards,
Olli
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Thanks for sending that one - anything impact (Cr-Mo) would be a bit too weak. A decent Chrome socket (Cr-V) may do okay.

I was hoping Hazet made a crazy strong version...

vga said:
I use Proto
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Checked their site and didn't see anything. A vintage one would be fine too if they used to make one.

They don't list their socket set sizes on their site but here they are:

1762286905821.png


Wombat Ranger said:
There's a reason they don't exist, but you probably already know that.

Can you not use a 1/2-3/8 + 3/8-1/4?


Mind if I ask why you need this piece?
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Of course - it's a warranty disaster waiting to happen lol.

We are testing some extremely strong alloy tools and need the adapter to hold up. I want to avoid making something custom if I don't have to...
 
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four.cycle

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^ It's not going to hold up. None of them do.
The #492 Indestro 1/2" to 3/8" adapter was the most commonly returned item in the entire product line for "warranty".
It was the same with Wilmar.
It was the same with Thorsen.

There's a reason I have never owned one, and only used one once to remove the bed bolts on the Ranger - we had to step up to a 3/4" drive ratchet.
 
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KnurledNut

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@teagueo
I made one a couple years ago.
I used a Snap-on 1/2 drive 3/8” hex bit socket and a good quality ball retention 3/8 hex to 1/4” drive adaptor, possibly an industrial-grade USA-made Apex, but don’t remember for sure.
Similar adaptors are available for ratcheting wrenches.
It's a wild looking thing for sure.
:beer:
 
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teagueo

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KnurledNut said:
@teagueo
I made one a couple years ago.
I used a Snap-on 1/2 drive 3/8” hex bit socket and a good quality ball retention 3/8 hex to 1/4” drive adaptor, possibly an industrial-grade USA-made Apex, but don’t remember for sure.
Similar adaptors are available for ratcheting wrenches.
It's a wild looking thing for sure.
:beer:

View attachment 2430940
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Epic. That's a hall of fame level homemade tool lol. 🍻 Probably strong AF too!
 
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teagueo

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mike93lx said:
I bet there isn't one on the market that couldn't be easily broken with any 1/2" ratchet on the market.

Why is this something you would need to test for?
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Proof testing some very strong alloy 1/4" drive tools - we need the adapters not to fail first.

Just checking to see if something is readily available before doing something expensive for no reason.
 
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four.cycle

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^ the only one I was able to find was that BI techic model cited above by Olli.
I shot a note to KC Tool in Kansas City - they carry a lot of German stuff - but that was a dead end.

There's a reason nobody makes that item: it's just an invitation for a lot of warranty returns.
 
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terrific

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Others have offered some sources, I do not know of any. I do have a related question about these adapters, though.

I have never broken an extension, but we have broken multiples of these types of adapters. In my case, I was using a 1/2 -> 3/8 adapter and I do not think I was exceeding 100 ft lbs at the time, because it was one-handed and I wasn't close to straining.
These seem essentially equivalent to a very short extension, but why on Earth do they twist off so easily?
 
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YesIHaveAHammer

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Stahlwille don't make a 1/2" to 1/4", but they do publish torque figures on their adapters (also marked on the adapters themselves), which you could take as a reference for what is actually feasible.

3/8" to 1/4": 62 Nm

Adaptor parts

stahlwille.com stahlwille.com
 
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teagueo

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terrific said:
These seem essentially equivalent to a very short extension, but why on Earth do they twist off so easily?
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Stress intensifies anywhere there's a large transition in diameter - it's likely a 3/8" to 3/8" socket (quick spinner, etc) would be stronger than the big reduction on the 1/2" to 3/8"

Plus, a lot of these adapters are not the best steel and a longer handle = snap!

YesIHaveAHammer said:
3/8" to 1/4": 62 Nm

Adaptor parts

stahlwille.com stahlwille.com
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I just picked up 2 Stahlwille and 2 Hazet adapters.

That 62 Nm torque is probably the recommended or proof torque. I'd be willing to bet it can get closer to 80+ Nm.
 
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lund

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You can look up strengths of alloys and maybe choose something exotic to gain a little more margin for what you are doing. But something like that is going to break if you are just using steel -- regardless of the alloy and treatment/fab steps. A 1/4 drive anvil does not have a lot of cross-sectional area. Maybe special fab it out of something like titanium?
 
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teagueo

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merkyworks said:
So your saying we need to get a group buy setup :ROFLMAO:
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Lol. I don't think many guys would need one of those...

308guru said:
Apex:
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Where were you yesterday!

The holy grail of adapter sockets:

apexbits.com

EX-260-B Apex 1/2'' Square Drive Adapter

EX-260-B Apex® 1/2'' Square Drive Adapter. Male Square: 1/4'' Female Square: 1/2'' Type Of Lock: Ball Overall Length: 1-1/2'' / 38mm
apexbits.com

Looks like it would be a group buy anyway since they only sell them in 12 at a time?
They probably know you'll need spares :LOL:

1762452802787.png

They look VERY husky and well made. I thought we were the only ones using black Ball detents....
 

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Beerhippie

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It seems to me that a major flaw of all of those is the abrupt/square corner where the 1/4" lug meets the adapter. Just off the top of my head, wouldn't having a nice radius there make them stronger?
 
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mike93lx

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Beerhippie said:
It seems to me that a major flaw of all of those is the abrupt/square corner where the 1/4" lug meets the adapter. Just off the top of my head, wouldn't having a nice radius there make them stronger?
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But longer, making them less useful. I feel like 60 ft lb is plenty strong for fasteners that you would use 1/4" sockets on, no?
 
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teagueo

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Beerhippie said:
It seems to me that a major flaw of all of those is the abrupt/square corner where the 1/4" lug meets the adapter. Just off the top of my head, wouldn't having a nice radius there make them stronger?
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It would - but most tools follow the standard (ISO/DIN) which for 1/4" drive tools is a 0.5 mm corner radius...

mike93lx said:
But longer, making them less useful. I feel like 60 ft lb is plenty strong for fasteners that you would use 1/4" sockets on, no?
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The Stahlwille was strong enough to destructively test a few normal Cr-V tools. But the stronger alloy tools were a no-go.

For normal use they're actually pretty strong!
 
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whateg01

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teagueo said:
For historical sake, here's the results from torque testing with 3/8" to 1/4" square adapters.

On the lower end, they break at 60-65 ft-lbs and the Hazet was a beast at 77.3 ft-lbs (104.8 Nm).

The boneyard of adapters:

Adapters.png

German_Adapters.png
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I'd be very curious what one made from your exotic materials breaks at. I don't know your application but it must be very special to not just move up to 3/8" drive.
 
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teagueo

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KnurledNut said:
@teagueo
Try the Snap-on with replaceable square.
Its the only one I keep with me now.
https://shop.snapon.com/product/Adaptors---Square-Drive-(1/4")/1-4"-Drive-Square-Drive-Adaptor/GFAT1E
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I went to buy this a few days ago actually - the $25 shipping made me skip it. If I can get one ordered on a truck, I think the square (no steps or transitions) will be the best design for strength.

whateg01 said:
I'd be very curious what one made from your exotic materials breaks at.
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Let's just say it's quite a bit more than any of the adapters lol. Work arounds were found, but I still need some strong adapters for non-destructive work.
 
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KnurledNut

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