Does anybody truly like Milwaukee's weird looking square sockets?

[dnschmidt]

Maybe I'm too old school but these seem really odd to me. OK so they don't roll, but, isn't catching a rolling socket before it goes off into oblivion one of the small joys in life? Get off my damn lawn (actually, I have rocks) you square socket.

 

[kelpaso1]

Link?

 

[Rabid Badger]

If I'm working with sockets I have a magnetic tray, so rolling away isn't an issue.

To make a socket square they either have to add material, decreasing access in tight spaces, or remove material and weaken the socket.

Pass.

 

[KnurledNut]

The flats are for a wrench. Anti-roll seems to be a secondary benefit, and im not sure how well it works on the larger sizes where the round is larger than the flats. Tradesmen are the target audience here. Plumbers, electricians, HVACR, industrial, etc.

 

[Benito]

To make a socket square they either have to add material, decreasing access in tight spaces, or remove material and weaken the socket.

Pass.

This.
It seems cool, and neat that they are thinking outside of the box when it comes to such a traditional tool to make it their own. But anything you need to turn, in a tight area, hard to improve on a circle.
They are cool until you have them next to you and it's all you're using, then these things very very odd and awkward. The video clips of people turning the sockets from the side with an adjustable wrench are almost cringeworthy.
I don't see many professional using them, just DIY which since it's being sold at the hardware store hard to punish them for that strategy.

 

[Bogie1632]

I don't have any but have used them a few times helping a buddy. I sorta like them. If you just need the socket in hand to spin a fastener it's quite handy having a flat (sorta) surface to grip. Havent used a wrench on them but I can see where in some circumstances that'd be handy as well. Doubt they'll make their way into my socket set but they're nice sockets.

V/R
Bogie

 

[Al Borland]

"Get off my Ratchet!"

 

[Benito]

The flats are for a wrench. Anti-roll seems to be a secondary benefit, and im not sure how well it works on the larger sizes where the round is larger than the flats. Tradesmen are the target audience here. Plumbers, electricians, HVACR, industrial, etc.
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That's just silly. Tradesman surely have more access and space than the average mechanic when working on bolts, any of those situations a square drive ratchet would be 10X more useful.

 

[LXCam]

I used my kids set a couple weeks back. For the type of work he does I can see the flats coming in really handy. For me it seemed odd using them but whatta expect after close like 5 decades of round socket use. Guess we’ll see how long they last the boy child.

 

[larry_g]

Tradesman surely have more access and space than the average mechanic when working on bolts,

Its obvious that you have not worked in the electronics manufacturing maintenance field.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[ike]

i got a set and threw the ratchet away. i just used an adjustable wrench on them. unfortunately, they are all round now and i could really use that ratchet again!

 

[KnurledNut]

...

 

[Al Borland]

Yeah...good luck with that ratchet when your 30' in the air hanging on by your toenails and realize the job requires taking loose a recessed nut buried in unistrut with 12" of all thread protruding...this Milwaukee socket (used as a pass thru) and a swedish nutrounder will have you to lunch on time.

Try using a pass-thru ratchet/socket on those situations. You'll make coffee break - done long before lunch.
And a manlift. Use a manlift. Saves wear and tear on your toenails.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

….

To make a socket square they either have to add material, decreasing access in tight spaces, or remove material and weaken the socket.…..

If you are talking about what the final form looks like, I agree. But, good sockets are forged, so it is not a matter of adding or removing material, but rather, how the right amount of material is shaped. In the process, the microstructure gets “shaped” so there are no sharp geometric discontinuities creating stress risers.

 

[ike]

i think he was trying to say that to make a square socket, it will be a lot larger in diameter than a round socket, while also being weaker, since a circle is stronger than a square. to make a square socket that is not a lot larger, it will be reduced in structure and even more weak.

this guy measured the milwaukee sockets in comparison to some others, showing the increased diameter of the square design

 

[KnurledNut]

...

 

[ChevyEFI]

I just posted "The Milwaukee sets with sockets that have an outer square drive do more than round outer sockets. I have modified some sockets, in a rough manner, to have this feature. Why not have it across the board?"

It's more functional than round except in clearance issues. Worst case scenario, you can reduce the size or just ground one round, if need be. They're better than Father's Day gimmick level.

 

[Al Borland]

Never, ever, seen a tradesman with a pass-thru socket set.
A ratchet is even rarely seen.
I HAVE seen guys with these Milwaukee sockets. And plenty of adjustable wrenches and arc-joint pliers.
My point was...these will work as pass-thru in a pinch.
For the record, I dont even like these sockets.
Manlift only works if there's room. And lets be real, we all know it wont be available until after lunch.
Toenails grow back.

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If the Manlift doesn't get there until after lunch, I can go get a pass-thru set AND have time for coffee.
And donuts.
Mmmm... Donuts...

(Of course, I'd blow all my pedicure money on sockets and donuts. Such is life.)

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Yeah...good luck with that ratchet when your 30' in the air hanging on by your toenails and realize the job requires taking loose a recessed nut buried in unistrut with 12" of all thread protruding...this Milwaukee socket (used as a pass thru) and a swedish nutrounder will have you to lunch on time.

I'm an underground mining electrician.

As a miner, we have to carry a 12 inch "miner's" adjustable wrench as part of our gear.

I welded a spark plug socket to a regular 9/16 socket at a depth that makes it protrude the right amount when buried in a piece of unistrut.

Keep it in my pocket and it's the best tool I own. Slide it down any length of ready rod and turn with my miner's wrench.

 

[Walkers]

You would think a hex end would give you more options.

 

[KnurledNut]

I'm an underground mining electrician.

As a miner, we have to carry a 12 inch "miner's" adjustable wrench as part of our gear.

I welded a spark plug socket to a regular 9/16 socket at a depth that makes it protrude the right amount when buried in a piece of unistrut.

Keep it in my pocket and it's the best tool I own. Slide it down any length of ready rod and turn with my miner's wrench.

Gold belt?

 

[Fedwrench]

You would think a hex end would give you more options.

DING-DING-DING we have a winner here!!!!!

I got the Milwaukee 3/8 drive metric packout set as gift last Christmas. I've yet to use it. I don't care for the design. The ratchet seems nice though. VIM makes sets of chrome sockets and Astro makes the stubby impact sockets both with a hex base that you could use a ratcheting or regular wrench on. The Vim sockets even have nice knurling on them

 

[danski0224]

You would think a hex end would give you more options.

That's gonna be in version 2.

Milwaukee never gets it right on V1.0.

They want to soak all of the early adopters, and then stick 'em with an upgrade.

 

[danski0224]

Never, ever, seen a tradesman with a pass-thru socket set.
A ratchet is even rarely seen.
I HAVE seen guys with these Milwaukee sockets. And plenty of adjustable wrenches and arc-joint pliers.
My point was...these will work as pass-thru in a pinch.
For the record, I dont even like these sockets.
Manlift only works if there's room. And lets be real, we all know it wont be available until after lunch.
Toenails grow back.

View attachment 1513401

I am wondering how big the pass through is?

Looks like 1/4 and 3/8 threaded rod would be fine. Not so sure about 1/2 or 5/8 threaded rod.

And no, I do not have a pass through socket set. If the employer wants me to have one of those, they'll send it out on the next delivery.

A ratcheting wrench works ok, as long as there is clearance to use it.

The only time I see nuts buried in Unistrut is when the employer is too cheap to buy the proper hardware.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I was checking them out today at Rural King. Doesn’t seem like something I’d care for. I don’t like odd stuff like that usually. I much prefer good old regular round sockets. Plus they look odd too and I don’t want odd looking stuff in my box unless it’s useful lol.

 

[dnschmidt]

An adjustable wrench. ******* barbarians. Use a Knipex Plierswrench you unwashed heathens.

 

[finn]

They’re reminiscent of some of the oddball tools Sears had Bob Villa hawking to unsuspecting wifes, parents, and girlfriends maybe twenty years ago.

Most of those tools were heavily advertised novelties, bought in good faith to be given as gifts, used a couple of times, and then shuffled to the back of the drawer, never to be used, or even seen, until the estate sale.

I’m sure a few will love them....the majority not so much, just like my RoboGrip pliers and DualSaw.

 

[Ton ton]

To be fair, I have not used Milwaukee sockets. But I like the OP's lawn of rocks. Rock on.

 

[Qualitytools]

My Sears spark plug socket has a Hex base, the ability to put a wrench on it is not a new idea.

 

[RAS61]

These sockets seem like a solution in search of a problem. If there's not enough room for a ratchet head why not just use a combo wrench instead of putting an adjustable on these? If folks have to come up with scenarios like working 30' in the air on a recessed nut on a unistrut (whatever that is) or an underground mining technician to justify them, 99.999% of consumers will never need or miss them.

 

[American Locomotive]

The thing about the unistrut example, is I feel that anyone who encounters such a situation regularly already would have the proper pass-through socket with ratchet. Which will be much, much faster than using a wrench on a socket.

I can only think of a very small handful of times I actually needed to drive a socket by its "surface" rather than its actual drive square. Usually a pair of channel locks or a pipe wrench got the job done.

 

[speed bump]

I thought they were dumb when I saw them but everyone I have met who has them likes because they don't roll away. I don't really see myself buying them unless they were stupid cheap but I wouldn't not buy them either.

 

[CJM8515]

its a niche product really. in the off chance you need it im sure it works quite well. but most of the other 99% of the time its just a waste.

how many of you have all kinds of niche sockets, wrenches, pliers, ratchets, etc? im guilty of it myself as well

 

[RAS61]

I thought they were dumb when I saw them but everyone I have met who has them likes because they don't roll away. I don't really see myself buying them unless they were stupid cheap but I wouldn't not buy them either.

The anti roll feature seems to be their only real benefit to the masses

 

[Kscardsfan]

They’re reminiscent of some of the oddball tools Sears had Bob Villa hawking to unsuspecting wifes, parents, and girlfriends maybe twenty years ago.

Most of those tools were heavily advertised novelties, bought in good faith to be given as gifts, used a couple of times, and then shuffled to the back of the drawer, never to be used, or even seen, until the estate sale.

I’m sure a few will love them....the majority not so much, just like my RoboGrip pliers and DualSaw.

I actually like my robo grip pliers. But I use them for plumbing and plated/delicate fasteners. Not as vise grips.

 

[Badgerstate]

Maybe I'm too old school but these seem really odd to me. OK so they don't roll, but, isn't catching a rolling socket before it goes off into oblivion one of the small joys in life? Get off my damn lawn (actually, I have rocks) you square socket.

Apparently you never had a socket roll into an engine bay and then had to spend 20 minutes trying to find it. I think its a cool idea, I just wont spend the money for what Milwaukee wants for their mechanic's tools.

 

[speed bump]

The anti roll feature seems to be their only real benefit to the masses

Considering to 99.9% of users consider all sockets interchangable you have to come up with something to differentiate yourself. What is the number one common way to piss you off? A socket rolling away into oblivion.

 

[Ton ton]

Yeah...good luck with that ratchet when your 30' in the air hanging on by your toenails and realize the job requires taking loose a recessed nut buried in unistrut with 12" of all thread protruding...this Milwaukee socket (used as a pass thru) and a swedish nutrounder will have you to lunch on time.

I didn't know construction dudes went barefoot. I learn new things everyday.

 

[Al Borland]

I am wondering how big the pass through is?

Looks like 1/4 and 3/8 threaded rod would be fine. Not so sure about 1/2 or 5/8 threaded rod.

And no, I do not have a pass through socket set. If the employer wants me to have one of those, they'll send it out on the next delivery.

A ratcheting wrench works ok, as long as there is clearance to use it.

The only time I see nuts buried in Unistrut is when the employer is too cheap to buy the proper hardware.

I don't think you could get the nut inside with 5/8 rod", or even 1/2". If the unistrut was installed correctly, it would have the support saddle/washer on it with the nut outside/below the body. This spreads the load on the rails as opposed to a small spot inside the channel.

 

[zcbauer89]

I’ve got a 1/4 set that I like pretty well. I’ve never used a wrench on the square end, but I have used my fingers on the flats for manual use without a ratchet. I think it’s really nice for that.