Help me find a thin walled 1/4" drive 13mm socket

[hammlm]

Hola!

Looking for a thinwall 13mm socket. Would prefer not to get a set. I'm going to have to remover a walnut **** stock from a receiver quite a bit --- getting it off is no problem, but when I reinstall it, I keep pulling the 1/4" extension out of the socket.

Seems the recess in which the fastening bolt is located is almost a friction fit with the OD of the socket.

What's my best bet? Thank!

 

[Oil leak]

Use a locking extension or turn down/grind down OD of socket.

 

[Terra Nova]

Use a locking extension or turn down/grind down OD of socket.

^This. Have access to a lathe or friendly with a machinist? Pick up a cheapy socket and have it turned down.

 

[M6erfan]

Hola!

Looking for a thinwall 13mm socket. Would prefer not to get a set. I'm going to have to remover a walnut **** stock from a receiver quite a bit --- getting it off is no problem, but when I reinstall it, I keep pulling the 1/4" extension out of the socket.

Seems the recess in which the fastening bolt is located is almost a friction fit with the OD of the socket.

What's my best bet? Thank!

Dimensions would help. Many manufacturers give their socket's dimensions on their website.

 

[KnurledNut]

What brand socket are you currently using?

 

[hammlm]

Dimensions would help. Many manufacturers give their socket's dimensions on their website.

Yes, I realize that. I came onto this problem last week and didn't measure it up then, so I thought I'd ask.



Terra Nova / Oil Leak:
I do have a small lathe. I'll try that. I have some junk 13mm and 1/2" stuff that I can "practice" on. Seems harder than just "oh yeah, so and so makes a super thinwalled 1/4" series, and they have quick shipping, etc" -- which is what I was hoping for. But I will give turning down a junk one a go.

Thanks all.

 

[hammlm]

What brand socket are you currently using?

I tried SK, old (like 30+ years old) craftsman, and my gear wrench 1/4" stuff.

I really should have measured.

If I recall correctly it was the SK that wouldn't even go in the recess, and the GW went in and got stuck. The C-Man must have gotten stuck on too, because I don't remember two of them not going in.

Getting old and not having a great memory *****. I should have posted when it happened!

 

[measuredtwice]

Williams USA is very thin. The sockets are very similar to the sockets from Snap-On, their parent company. MM-613 is the part number. Made in USA. $4.14 from Zoro. Coupons would bring the price down even more. Free shipping over $50 if you register (or over $75 if you check out as guest).

https://www.zoro.com/snap-on-industrial-brands-14-drive-13mm-metric-socket-6-mm-613/i/G6531570/

But I agree with others, that the dimensions would be helpful. Without knowing the dimensions, it's just guessing.

 

[Voi]

I sometimes replace parts on the machinery at a cabinet shop and have needed thin sockets. The thinnest I've found has been the Craftsman pass through sockets that are no longer made as far as I know.

I know you said you'd prefer not to get a set and I think Gear Wrench sells individual pass through sockets and extensions. They are said to be pretty thin.

If you get measurements I'll run out to the shop and put some calipers on the 13mm socket in that set.

But if you have a lathe I'd start there.

 

[sparky 1971]

I have a 1/4" drive 13mm Gearwrench and I don't know if they are going to come any thinner than that. Maybe? Since you know the Gearwrench fits, how about getting another and a cheap extension and epoxying them together?

BTW, I have locking extensions and I don't think they work with any of my 1/4" drive sockets, regardless of brand. I haven't cared enough to investigate why, but I do know I can lock two extensions together.

 

[619DioFan]

Grind down a socket or drill the access hole slightly bigger.

 

[G1GRANDEUR]

buy locking extension? buy cheap impact socket and machine it down thin as you like, since it's for low torque application.

 

[bbrins]

Re: Help me find a thin walled 1/4" drive 13mm socket

Can you get away with enlarging the the recess a bit? Doesn't seem like it would take much to cobble together a makeshift sandpaper reamer.

Also, a 1/2 inch is just a tiny bit smaller than 13mm, right? So, will a 1/2 inch socket fit your bolt?

 

[ChevyEFI]

A 1/4" hex nutdriver in 1/2" is the most likely to not be chrome, cost little, and most people have a driver that can magnetically lock on, or mechanically. Spin in a drill and sand it away to fit. Should be a 5 minute project.

 

[charbar]

1/4 inch extension will usually fit in a 1/2 inch drill chuck..... Chuck it up, throw one of your old 13mm sockets in it, spin the drill and hold it against a grinder wheel.

Less than a minute and you're done and it didn't cost a dime.

Unless you're just looking for an excuse to buy a shiny new tool.

 

[hammlm]

I have a 1/4" drive 13mm Gearwrench and I don't know if they are going to come any thinner than that. Maybe? Since you know the Gearwrench fits, how about getting another and a cheap extension and epoxying them together?

BTW, I have locking extensions and I don't think they work with any of my 1/4" drive sockets, regardless of brand. I haven't cared enough to investigate why, but I do know I can lock two extensions together.

I still haven't gotten any measurements, but Sparky, I think you are onto something with the cheap extra and epoxy. It will just be dedicated. Sometimes this horse needs to be led to the water.

Thanks!

 

[ex-x-fire]

Grind down a socket or drill the access hole slightly bigger.

Don't complicate it!

 

[richfinn]

Ko-ken Z series socket might work, slightly smaller dimensions than the competitors

Palmac USA may help with dimensions etc if you can measure

 

[gungatim]

couldn't you just swap out the 13mm bolt with an allen head bolt and be done with it?

 

[HaroRider]

These are pretty thin

https://www.mactools.com/en-us/Sock...13MMDR/3-8-Drive-Extra-Deep-Socket-13mm-6-PT-

 

[M6erfan]

One more thought if you haven't yet settled on a solution. . .

My SK 1/4" impact sockets are pretty darn thinwalled. If the 13mm isn't quite slim enough for your application it would be fairly simple to chuck it in your lathe and give it a kiss.

https://sktools.com/shop/13-mm-1-4-drive-6-point-deep-metric-impact-socket.html#description

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

My Craftsman one is pretty thin. Also some cheap no name sockets are often thin as well, thin enough to crack trying to take a bolt loose. I personally could not grind down a tool or modify it so I don’t recommend that.


Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[mr.lemons]

Outer diameter of 1/4" 13mm sockets. From manufactures specs.

snap on 18.3mm
stahlwille 17.8mm
gearwrench 17.9mm
zeal 17.1mm

 

[macgee]

Just use a spare 13mm, quickly grind off the chrome and then turn it down on your lathe and be done with it. No need to go out and buy a special one.
The torque requirements seem really low so don't worry about going thin on it.
It seems to be super common to do in aerospace, I can't tell you how many tools (wrenches & sockets) I've acquired from McDonal Doug., Pratt & Whitney, North American aviation that had been heavily thinned down (not my preference). It would almost be weird not to come across a pile of tools from them and some not thinned down.