Bubba Fett
Well-known member
I think a lot of screwdriver brands did this as well.
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Allen Key Tortue Test Project Farm
- Thread starter zktk01
- Start date
Some people get really worked up over videos others make on YouTube for entertainment. I like project farm's videos. I watch them every week, but certainly don't expect them all to be perfect tests. Most of his videos are essentially a torture test on tools and the results would never be achievable using my hands, but it's still fun to see which tools are the most durable.
To be fair as others suggested, the tests should include the measured Allen key dimensions, and a group of fasteners with a known tolerance range. If you wanted to get crazy....heck maybe even a Rockwell hardness test of the Allen keys.
If you've ever tried to troubleshoot fastener issues in an assembly environment, you start with the fastener and tool measurements to ensure they are within tolerance, then build upon that.
But it's a rabbit hole, and the results are about as valid as Harbor Freight catalog tool comparisons.
If you've ever tried to troubleshoot fastener issues in an assembly environment, you start with the fastener and tool measurements to ensure they are within tolerance, then build upon that.
But it's a rabbit hole, and the results are about as valid as Harbor Freight catalog tool comparisons.
That's pretty absurd. They are hex keys, not precision tools. And I'm sure everyone would be barking mad if he didn't do each end and every size and every fastener in that range, yeah, absurd. It sounds like what you are expecting is not what he does. He chops off screwdriver shafts and runs them in hammer drills and makes lawnmower heads out of JB Weld. His testing methods are a guy in his garage coming up with creative ways to test products. A set of calipers and Rockwell hardness testing isn't what his testing is about. He puts **** under a press and sees when it snaps.
Yeah, I've always read that PB Swiss hex keys held up incredibly well, Bohdhus was great for the price and preferred over Elkind for USA made, but Wera and Wiha were better than both. I think his testing, while not perfect, showed that those opinions were pretty accurate.
Handyandy23
Well-known member
In the case of most of his tests, where he "torture tests" tools until the tool itself breaks, I would agree with this. Maybe the test doesn't give you the whole story, but it gives you some useful information.The tests are not perfect. But it is a lot better than the 'feelings' circulated online. Before anyone comes up with a better test, this is the best evidence out there.
In this particular test, without knowing that the fasteners he's using are within specification, then when the fastener rounds out (which it did for basically every brand) you have no idea if it was because the Allen key was off-size, or if the fastener was off-size, or some combination of the two.
Without knowing this key information, the "max torque" part of his testing is 100% useless IMO. For all we know he could have tested one brand in a fastener that was +0.1mm and another that was -0.1mm, which would give extremely skewed results.
That just means the tests are not perfect. Randomness always exist. As long as he didn't rig the test to use loose fitting fasteners for some and tight ones for other wrenches, it is fair. Just a bit random. But given consistent patterns other noticed, see post 86, this randomness has limited impact.In the case of most of his tests, where he "torture tests" tools until the tool itself breaks, I would agree with this. Maybe the test doesn't give you the whole story, but it gives you some useful information.
In this particular test, without knowing that the fasteners he's using are within specification, then when the fastener rounds out (which it did for basically every brand) you have no idea if it was because the Allen key was off-size, or if the fastener was off-size, or some combination of the two.
Without knowing this key information, the "max torque" part of his testing is 100% useless IMO. For all we know he could have tested one brand in a fastener that was +0.1mm and another that was -0.1mm, which would give extremely skewed results.
Handyandy23
Well-known member
With Allen keys, the main difference between "good ones" and "bad ones" is the sizing and tolerancing. A cheap set might have one that's right on size, and then another one that's 0.07mm small. That one that's 0.07mm small will be much more likely to strip out a fastener.That just means the tests are not perfect. Randomness always exist. As long as he didn't rig the test to use loose fitting fasteners for some and tight ones for other wrenches, it is fair. Just a bit random. But given consistent patterns other noticed, see post 86, this randomness has limited impact.
Just testing each Allen key on a single fastener, one time, without measuring either, the results literally tell me nothing. You could have an undersized Allen "randomly" matched up with an undersized fastener, and have a snug fit, but a poor Allen key nonetheless. You could have a perfectly sized Allen key in a grossly oversized fastener. At least test it 3-5 times and take the median or something. But a single fastener chosen at random means the results don't give me much info.
I'm not a ProjectFarm hater or anything, I've watched most of his other videos, and usually I agree there is some interesting results. But in this case I think the test process was totally botched.