Extra-Large Hex Keys, Who Makes Some?

[dr_clyde]

Father's day is creeping up and last weekend at the flea market my old man bought a single 5/8" Unbrako hex key, and commented on how he'd like to find a whole set. Apparently they shop he works at doesn't have many and he wants a set for his box. I'd like to get him a set for father's day.

I'm looking for stuff over 3/8", the sizes you don't get in a standard kit of L wrenches. Not looking for sockets, I know where to get those.

He works at a machine shop, and is the kind of jack of all trades of the shop. So, he regularly has to fix the various machines that are around the shop, as well as customer work. He seems to run into these larger fasteners pretty often.

I was hoping to find an American or European brand of wrench, but some googling only brought up the "Jumbo Import Hex Wrench" from Northern tool or whatever.

My set is Unbrako, and apparently Unbrako doesn't make good wrenches anymore, and all the usual suspects don't make them that large in a set. Even if they did, I don't know if a distributor.

If I could get a set I would prefer that to onesy twosie, but I'll take what I can get, I suppose.

I can piece together a set from McMaster if no one knows of a good set otherwise.

Thanks in advance

 

[Moose-LandTran]

http://www.samstagsales.com would be a good place to ask/look. They supply AMF, a German manufacturer of very good industrial tools, who make them up to 1".

AMF page:

http://www.amf.de/application/amf_a...m,APGxNODENR:190949,USERxEBENE2:No. 2936DZ)=Z

They also make long-pattern in limited sizes:

http://www.amf.de/application/amf_a...,APGxNODENR:190970,USERxEBENE2:No. 2936LDZ)=Z

 

[48548]

Snapon....


I have a bad picture, but they are really big and SAE.

https://store.snapon.com/Hex-mm-zinc-14-pc-L-Shaped-Metric-Hex-Wrench-Set-P643150.aspx


https://store.snapon.com/Hex-inches-zinc-20-pc-L-Shaped-SAE-Hex-Wrench-Set-P643127.aspx

 

[aczr2k]

Bondus?

 

[dutchgray]

I have a Metric Facom set that goes to 19mm, I would expect similar sizes in SAE.
Have seen plenty of big ones as singles on eBay from German brands

 

[fatfillup]

You might try a distributor that sells to machinists. They often have large hex keys for tightening chucks and such.

 

[woody 73]

I was very shocked too learn that unbrako was not that good anymore; just how much of their product is being made in China???

You could contact MSC and ask about a set that might fit your build, I do know they are very helpful over the phone.

http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/.../Hex-Keys-Accessories/Hex-Keys?navid=12103428

 

[mikebaker1129]

Eklind makes some pretty big ones,we ordered some for work at Grainger about 3 years ago. You might try Zoro.

 

[MattVette89]

What size do you need to go up to? Proto are made in USA and have a set up to 5/8.

My dad was a machinist / journeyman toolmaker and used Proto.

https://www.zoro.com/proto-hex-key-...aHXxmd5gYubDW6IVhzXSQaAjG98P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Mr. T]

KC Tool Co has Wiha up to 1" and Gedore up to 32mm. Not exactly cheap or in sets but both very high quality brands.

 

[davethorik]

I pieced my big set of Allen wrenches together from eBay for cheap. Brought on by the need for a 7/16 at work, and no one had that size. I now have big keys and hex bit sockets up to 3/4.

 

[Wes J]

Bonhus makes them.

If he works in a machine shop, 1/2, 5/8, 14mm and 17mm will take care of most things. 7/16 and 9/16 might show up once in a lifetime on a set screw or stripper screw.

That said, 1/2 drive hex sockets are more useful. Wright, Armstrong, and Proto all make good sets.

 

[dr_clyde]

I'm pretty sure he's looking for up to 1". They work on some pretty good size stuff, they have some lathes that swing around 48" so he gets into some larger fasteners.

Thanks for all the feed back, time to do some shopping!

 

[48548]

This is a 3/4 snap on. Gold are metric.

5/8 proto

Up to 17mm

 

[Wes J]

I'm pretty sure he's looking for up to 1". They work on some pretty good size stuff, they have some lathes that swing around 48" so he gets into some larger fasteners.

A 1" hex key would be used on a 1-1/2 thread cap screw. That's pretty serious stuff.

At that, a 1" hex key is only about 15" long. I don't think a 15" tool will get you very far with a 1-1/2 thread.

If he really works with this kind of stuff, a set of 3/4 or 1" drive hex sockets would be the way to go.

 

[four.cycle]

I got an old "Holo-Krome" set from Ebay for about $15 bucks that goes up to 5/8" (in a cool metal box!)

check Ebay: Holo Krome - also " Chesco "

 

[gdocktor3]

I like Bondhus and Eklind for hex keys. I know you said you're good with sockets, but I just want to throw these out there for other purposes and members needs. Bondhus sells 6" long "pro hold" hex bits that you press into sockets. They are impact grade and can be removed if the socket breaks or you need a different drive size. I pressed mine into a cheap set of 3/8" HF impact sockets just incase I do need to use with impact wrench. These are the ones I bought, but they can be purchased already pressed into sockets. They're cheaper on eBay. http://www.carbideprocessors.com/5p...EeBOR3l47HEAISHUd-baNu6afMB-AooqusaApCL8P8HAQ

 

[Warrenator]

Last time I needed a big allen wrench (I think oil drain plug in a Mercedes 190SL) I couldn't find anything so I bent over the appropriate size metric bolt to form an "L" and slipped a piece of fuel line hose over the threads. I forgot all about that (might have been 30 years ago) and just saw it yesterday as I was packing up my tools. Made me smile to see it, I love making a custom tool that works perfectly for one task.

I suppose a nice Unbrako or Snap-On would look nicer though.

 

[aczr2k]

A 1" hex key would be used on a 1-1/2 thread cap screw. That's pretty serious stuff.

At that, a 1" hex key is only about 15" long. I don't think a 15" tool will get you very far with a 1-1/2 thread.

If he really works with this kind of stuff, a set of 3/4 or 1" drive hex sockets would be the way to go.

This is why you use a cheater pipe...

 

[lutter94]

This is why you use a cheater pipe...

Or a 1/2" drive 6 point 1" deep well socket and a couple extensions [emoji6]

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[aczr2k]

Extensions flex.. Cheater pipe all the way


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