1/4" drive allen head sockets, metric

[Tucker99]

Anyone know who makes a set like this? I've seen SAE but not metric. I'm phasing out my 3/8" stuff; broken too many bolts with my ****-*******. Not a pro just wrench on the KTM, Harley, etc.

 

[e30bradley]

snap on probably does. Maybe VIM? I have some of their xzn bits and they are great, especially for the price. Even based on just the quality, price aside they are very good tools. I'll search and see what I find.

 

[e30bradley]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LQEUJK/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[thetreshon]

you talking about something like this:

http://www.skhandtool.com/products/bit-sockets/product.aspx?ID=4163&view=view

Made in USA - I've got some and like most all SK Tools, they're really nice.

 

[akhappy]

Williams has reasonably priced 1/4"dr hex sockets.

Williams tools with a 5 digit part number (30904) are imported, while the US made sets have a Snap On style part number (WSM-11TRC).

 

[lowbucktruck]

I was looking for allen-head sockets myself. Picked up a set of metric Allen-heads from O'Reilly Auto recently to finish a project. For the price, not bad quality... and if I break them, I am not out a lot of bucks. The Lisle set I got was 3/8-inch drive, don't know if they make it in 1/4-inch drive,.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/LIS0/33850/N0994.oap?ck=Search_N0994_-1_-1&pt=N0994&ppt=C0195

 

[thetreshon]

UPDATE for SK Tools:

$50.26 on sale - pretty good deal for USA made:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYC4U/?tag=atomicindus08-20


Snap on equivalent is $113:
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=674789&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

 

[E.Marquez]

I made mine, as I was too cheap to spend on a SO set at the time.

I also had a lot of redundant hex keys and 1/4 sockets. (good pawn shop stuff, goes for very cheap)

Cut a long section of a hex key and a short section.
Take the same size socket and use some JB weld or other epoxy to hold it in place... When the hex key gets damaged at the working end, you can grind off 5~10 mm or so, or pull out the section and install another one.

This works really well for motorcycle common sizes 5, 5.5, 6, 8, 10. And for me it was using scrap and lay around stuff, so no out of pocket costs.

 

[TheGrooveking]

SK, Matco, Proto, Snap On, Armstrong all do, I have SK's that I bought in 1981 which they change the design. The early versions the hex bit is basically a length of Allen wrench that is held in with a set screw. My 3/8" drive Wright's/Matco's from 1983 have standard 1/4" or 5/16" hex shanks that fit into the socket. My 1/2" & 3/4" Proto's and Armstrong's are straight bit design. All have seen very heavy use since I've in industrial maintenance for over 30 years. Within the last three years I've bought Armstrong and Wright impact hex bit sockets since migrating to cordless impact wrenches.

Even though the Craftsman socket bodies are/were made by Armstrong when they were US made the bits were extremely prone to fracturing very easily.

TheGrooveking

 

[E.Marquez]

Do you have part numbers for 1/4 drive metric Armstrong hex bit sockets?

Looking at the online site, I see no 1/4 drive hex bit sockets..

As others have said in this thread, Armstrong sells them,, I must just be missing them in the catalog.

SK, Matco, Proto, Snap On, Armstrong all do, I have SK's that I bought in 1981 which they change the design. The early versions the hex bit is basically a length of Allen wrench that is held in with a set screw. My 3/8" drive Wright's/Matco's from 1983 have standard 1/4" or 5/16" hex shanks that fit into the socket. My 1/2" & 3/4" Proto's and Armstrong's are straight bit design. All have seen very heavy use since I've in industrial maintenance for over 30 years. Within the last three years I've bought Armstrong and Wright impact hex bit sockets since migrating to cordless impact wrenches.

Even though the Craftsman socket bodies are/were made by Armstrong when they were US made the bits were extremely prone to fracturing very easily.

TheGrooveking

 

[thetreshon]

Here's PROTO - made in USA, ranging from $42-57 when clicking on the "BUY NOW" button:

http://www.protoindustrial.com/en/i...roto®-1|4"-Drive-6-Piece-Metric-Hex-Bit-Set-/

 

[marlinspike]

Hazet, Gedore, Stahlwille, and Beta all do. I imagine many more as well.

 

[sberry]

The 50$ price doesn't sound bad. I bought a set from Walmart in a hurry for a job and figured the same as above, was out 14$ if they didn't work and would get the SK or Cman etc but they worked so good there has been no reason to replace them. Bought them for a big old rusted truck job.

I had a torx set like that I got at an ACE in the middle of a deal figuring wtf, I will confess I haven't used every truck brand there is but they were super, I think I finally lost them. I have a couple sets of Cman in sae and yes they have the set screw.

I can live with any one that works here but if I was a routine use or maybe since you could get them without a fortune is a set of T handles. The colored ones would be ideal.

 

[vssjim]

Sk Tools hex bits work good and hold up and VIM Tools 1/4 hex sockets are very good also

 

[Applesauce]

I made mine, as I was too cheap to spend on a SO set at the time.

I made mine as well. (Pictures to follow tonight!) I needed an extra long 5mm to reach a few unique bolts on bicycles, and discovered that I used this one so much I ought to have a complete set... So I just epoxied some sawn-off metric wrenches into metric sockets.

The best thing about this approach, I find, is that you can control the quality of your bit. Most (i.e., Bondhus) Allen wrenches are far, far harder than most socket bits. If you're using them very frequently (all day on bicycles!) on mixed steel, titanium, and aluminum fasteners, crappy ones round off pretty quickly (especially smaller 3- and 4-mm bits), resulting in much frustration and destroyed proprietary hardware. Make your own bits, and you can remake them as needed with new Allen bits (the epoxy will break when you need it to) or sharpen them as you go along (i.e., rather than being 1/4"-shank bits pressed into sockets, they're the same "shank" size from tip to tail).

I just bought another several sets of older 1/4" sockets off a GJ board member to make an actual uniform set. My set at present is all different lengths and wrenches based on what I had or could find when I needed to make the tool...

 

[Tarheelgarage]

Go with the VIM tools.
I use them everyday and they have held up to some brutal use without failure.

 

[Applesauce]

As promised, here's mine.

 

[aluminum13]

Go with the VIM tools.
I use them everyday and they have held up to some brutal use without failure.

As promised, here's mine.

Looks good, if I had a set of decent 1/4's laying around I'd make my own but I think I'm going to get the VIM's, also for mostly bike work.

 

[jmm]

Stahlwille. Use mine daily -- especially a long 6 mm. They're great.

 

[rick carpenter]

I made mine, as I was too cheap to spend on a SO set at the time.

I also had a lot of redundant hex keys and 1/4 sockets. (good pawn shop stuff, goes for very cheap)

...

Bronco, I'm doing nearly the same with cut down torx keys except I'm trying to use deep 1/4 sockets. I'll do the same with hex bits when I'm done.