Are there metric ratchets?

[Delray]

Do or did any countries that have been completely metric produce a fully metric socket system, that is instead of a 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2" drive something like a .5cm, 1cm, or 1.5cm drive? Extensions measured in cm's? It would seem to be reasonable, yet I have never seen any.

 

[Richard Givan]

I'm glad somebody besides myself has wondered about this. I'm confident some of these tool mavens on the board can give us an answer. I will now bate my breath and await.

 

[dxdexter]

I have never heard of such a thing, although they may exist. Canada has been a metric country for some time, but use a mix of both systems on a daily bases. A company producing such an odd sized drive would eliminate the portion of the population that already owns sockets and accessories, and to what end? If no other manufacturer followed them, then they would be left out in the cold.

 

[Joe B.]

It seems like someone must have at some time.

 

[Paladin]

Excellent question. I could definately see some European country having tried it...

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

What does that equate too?

6 mm
9 mm
12 mm

for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 respectively?

Adam

 

[dxdexter]

What does that equate too?

6 mm
9 mm
12 mm

for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 respectively?

Adam

A "soft metric conversion" would be 6.3 mm, 9.5mm , 12.7mm, and 19mm

If they were in fact made; I think a true "hard" metric classification would be 5mm, 10mm, 15mm, 20mm and 25mm

 

[Fedwrench]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no. I think the drive tool and socket set up was a US invention based on what I remember reading on alloy artifacts. I think the Europeans copied our drive tools for use with metric fasteners. The only unique european drive system I can think of is the Facom CDX system where instead of a square drive, it's like an x or cross. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, yankee ingenuity.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Things like the Hazet catalogue list them in dual sizes. 1/4" = 6.3mm, 3/8" = 10mm and 1/2" = 12.5mm square drive.

 

[snapmom]

Drives I know of.
1/4, 5/16,9/32,7/16,1/2,5/8,3/4,7/8,1,1-1/2

 

[Moose-LandTran]

There's also 2-1/2" in heavy industry. And Snap-on makes 1/8" drive.

 

[CAT_serviceman927]

There's also 2-1/2" in heavy industry. And Snap-on makes 1/8" drive.

Sorry to hijack but actually there is up to 3-1/2" drive. I was watching Modern Marvels one day and they were talking about big impacts in construction. One of which is the IR 599, which is so called because it weighs 599lbs. I can't imagine the bolts that thing tightens down but here it is:

http://www.irtools.com/IS/product.aspx-en-2916

Recommended torque range is 26,000-42,000 ft. lb. and an 1-1/2" air hose.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Oh yeah, remember seeing that a while back. I believe they have pics of it in action on the IR site.

 

[Delray]

Things like the Hazet catalogue list them in dual sizes. 1/4" = 6.3mm, 3/8" = 10mm and 1/2" = 12.5mm square drive.

So English was converted directly to metric and the result is the same size drive. Do they measure the length of extensions with both systems too?

 

[Joe B.]

You would think that the Soviets would have tried metric at one point considering they had a lot fewer interchangeability issues with a closed econoy. The also like to make copies US stuff in metric.

Yahoo / Google searches revealed nothing.

 

[jerk_chicken]

What does that equate too?

6 mm
9 mm
12 mm

for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 respectively?

Adam

Not really. 1"=25.4mm, so you're left with decimals.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

the metric hoax continues

 

[dxdexter]

Things like the Hazet catalogue list them in dual sizes. 1/4" = 6.3mm, 3/8" = 10mm and 1/2" = 12.5mm square drive.

The 3/8" and 1/2" aren't true metric sizes, but merely a loose estimate of the standard size. It can't be both and not be the actual conversion. The 1/4" is just an actual metric conversion, but still truly not metric.

We had the same thing happen here in Canadawith the introduction of the metric system. At first the old size of say 1 lb. would be "soft converted" to 454 grams and then after many years the portions started to become actual metric sizes and were "hard converted" to, for instance, 500 grams which makes much more sense. We still have both happening when products originate in the USA.

In the engineering and construction industry, we switch between units and systems with ease. Strangely when I I work in metric, I am thinking in terms of standard and converting in my head. It can lead to problems if you mix'em up.

 

[wrenchr]

What about whitworth..................................................................... hahahahaha

 

[tatra]

maybe the same thing with wheel sizes?...........i do remember the 390 michelin metric debacle with tires and rims..............now i believe rims and tires are standard the world over?..........anybody have additional info on this?...........

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Gawd.. Metric wheels.. i think the ones i dealt with ran 225/55R390s. On an old Jag. Ugh.. TD Metrics..

 

[tatra]

yep, those would be the ones i remember............lasted only a few years, but did help usher in the big wheel, low profile radials we see today...........

 

[nightrain00]

Reminds me of an old joke." If God had wanted there to be a metric system there would have only been 10 apostiles."

 

[-B-]

Reminds me of an old joke." If God had wanted there to be a metric system there would have only been 10 apostiles."

Actually think about how brilliant the French engineers were that came up with the system.
You have 10 fingers and 10 toes it is just natural to have a base 10 system.
2 feet and two hands make one meter. ( crude way of measuring a meter, just like pacing off for a yard)

 

[tatra]

2 feet and two hands make one meter

now what position was that frenchman in when he had that brainstorm.?

 

[davestlouis]

I have several metric wheels with worn out Michelin TRX tires in my garage...they make decent boat anchors, that's about it.

 

[lbgradwell]

the metric hoax continues

What does this mean?

 

[DetroitDIESEL444]

Hows this for a first post?

I am attaching a picture of an old soviet military tool kit that was captured during desert storm.
The drive measures to almost an exact 10 MM.

Enjoy

Matt

 

[DetroitDIESEL444]

Here it is.

Matt

 

[DetroitDIESEL444]

And some more.

 

[tatra]

that is so cool..........what is your overall impression of the quality, finish, etc..........compared to other types of similar kits............more pics too please..............

 

[Bolster]

Actually think about how brilliant the French engineers were that came up with the system. You have 10 fingers and 10 toes it is just natural to have a base 10 system.

I think either a base 5 or base 20 system would be more natural, if based on human digits. But I'm happy with the metric system, no complaints. I'm bi-metrical, I can swing with either SAE or metric.

 

[Plombob]

A chap from England sent me a King **** breaker. I love that name! Reminds me of a supervisor I once had... Anyway the breaker isn't 1/4 nor 9/32. It's 7MM. Nothing I have fits it.

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[Paladin]

Hows this for a first post?

I am attaching a picture of an old soviet military tool kit that was captured during desert storm.
The drive measures to almost an exact 10 MM.

Enjoy

Matt

SWEET! Ya know, I searched thru a couple old BMP's that were in the boneyard at Camp Cooke (Taji, Iraq) looking for cool stuff (we weren't supposed to because of depleted uranium rounds used to destroy them). All I ever found was an Iraqi boot with part of a shin bone sticking out that had been there probably since the first Gulf War...

 

[-B-]

I think either a base 5 or base 20 system would be more natural, if based on human digits. But I'm happy with the metric system, no complaints. I'm bi-metrical, I can swing with either SAE or metric.

I am mostly fractional devoid oh i know the big ones 1/16, 1/8, 1/4,3/8( I only know where it goes because of ratchets) 1/2, 3/4. So many years of fetching wrenches and i picked up on fixing more than fractional designations for size runs.

I understand the number system of standard screws , the number and letter systems for drills it must be that they are so analytical that that actually make natural sense.

 

[rhandwor]

I've noticed spline drive ratchets and sockets. This is what some people use.

 

[Monte]

ko-ken 5 point drive system for titanium tools

 

[mkdive]

Sorry to hijack but actually there is up to 3-1/2" drive. I was watching Modern Marvels one day and they were talking about big impacts in construction. One of which is the IR 599, which is so called because it weighs 599lbs. I can't imagine the bolts that thing tightens down but here it is:

http://www.irtools.com/IS/product.aspx-en-2916

Recommended torque range is 26,000-42,000 ft. lb. and an 1-1/2" air hose.

I love it! the spec sheet says 375CFM OMG

 

[Elroy]

As you can see by the above examples. There are many different drive configurations. If a wrench is going to meet ANSI specifications then NO it's not going have some weird nine point, purple tinted, involute female drive with the kung fu ninja grip.

The wrench is also going to be required to meet certain strength requirements.

 

[ilya]

I have a small 1/4" drive Soviet tool set made sometime in 1970s. My 1/4"-drive Craftsman sockets fit fine on the drive tools from the set.

The tools have satin finish. Sockets have much thicker walls compared to Craftsman sockets of the same dimension. The machining marks are evident on every tool in the set.