homemade shallow sockets?

[guitarbutt]

I bought a 10 pound assortment of sockets from eBay, so I have plenty of cheap spares. I'd like to have some super shallow sockets. Has anyone made some improvised sockets by cutting down a spare one? If so, what did you use? When I have time, I was going to try an angle grinder with a cut off wheel, then a file to touch up any sharp barbs

 

[The Cobbler]

That'll work, just don't get the socket to hot .
a lathe would do a nice job on that ...

might be tough filing it, might use the grinder

 

[Ign]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1310250&postcount=7

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

I haven’t done that. Fortunately I’ve got over 1000 sockets and some are more shallow than others. And the sockets that came with my serpentine belt tool are extra shallow as well. The shallowest sockets I own are the KMC ones which was Kmart brand just a version of their Kmart auto tools. I try to avoid modifying tools if at all possible.


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[BTJHP]

What are you planning to do about the bare metal after you remove the chrome?

 

[guitarbutt]

I haven’t done that. Fortunately I’ve got over 1000 sockets and some are more shallow than others. And the sockets that came with my serpentine belt tool are extra shallow as well. The shallowest sockets I own are the KMC ones which was Kmart brand just a version of their Kmart auto tools. I try to avoid modifying tools if at all possible.


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I'd rather try to make them into something useful than just be tucked away to never be seen

What are you planning to do about the bare metal after you remove the chrome?

Not sure, that's why I was asking for pointers and experience on the subject. I would guess a clear coat spray. They'll be scarcely used anyway

 

[Ign]

What are you planning to do about the bare metal after you remove the chrome?

Give it a 2 part vaccine i guess? Or just use them and not worry about it.

 

[Indexmill]

If you have 10 pounds of ****** sockets, just start cutting them until you find a technique that you like. It can be as simple as a hacksaw and a file or as fancy as a lathe. Just have at it.

 

[billwood437]

Any extra 10mm sockets in there. [emoji848][emoji16]

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[Zebu Fellenz]

I've chucked up & chopped up sockets in the lathe. Works fine. Second choice for me would be an abrasive chop saw, freehand with a grinder & cutoff wheel will also get the job done but quality will be directly related to hand steadiness & skill (making it my last choice!)

I absolutely would not recommend spending time to chop them up, much better idea to toss them in the "spare socket & wrench" drawer and have them there to modify if & when needed.

 

[LNKMK8]

No all sockets are broached the full depth of the socket. You'll want to look at that before cutting.

 

[Garett]

I've cut down many. The last one I needed a very shallow 10mm that also needed to have a very thin wall. I started with a dewalt 1/4" nut driver, spun it in the drill while cutting it down with a flap disc.

 

[LNKMK8]

I think a good horizontal bandsaw would work very well if you are wanting a consistent depth across a set of them.

 

[Al Borland]

I made semi-deep impacts out of Harbor Freight impacts on a lathe.
Worked fine and the price was right. And it was fun.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

I made some thin-wall sockets with a lathe. When you shorten the sockets, it will probably be helpful to make then thinner. I blued them afterwards.

 

[Al Borland]

I soaked the ones I cut in vinegar and polished them. Then I waxed them.
Several years later, the ones I didn't lose still look good.
I needed the socket shorter, thinner wasn't an issue.

 

[dgjaxun]

i have made a few on the lathe but most of the time i use a portaband

 

[KomatsuTech]

Made a few at work the last few months. I used a cut off wheel in a die grinder, and a flap disc to get them straight and the correct length. I also took some material off of the drive end using the flap disk to make it even shorter, and still have full engagement of the drive. I wasn't too concerned about heat, but I made sure it didn't get too warm.

 

[bonneyman]

I haven’t done that. Fortunately I’ve got over 1000 sockets and some are more shallow than others. And the sockets that came with my serpentine belt tool are extra shallow as well. The shallowest sockets I own are the KMC ones which was Kmart brand just a version of their Kmart auto tools. I try to avoid modifying tools if at all possible.


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Heck, I try and come up with excuses for modifying tools!

 

[GirchyGirchy]

When I was in college, a machinist cut one down for me to use on my mountain bike fork. It worked very well and has never rusted.

 

[Mr_B]

easily done, lathe makes a real nice job of it
but average guy with a grinder cutoff disc, bench grinder can achieve decent result, you can even mount socket in a drill via bolt and nut-washer through drive square centre and spin socket while chamfering edges .
I done a 12point deep cut down for perfect length for subaru head bolts, done few others over the years and gets the job done and saves time and money, snapon price on 14mm subaru 12pt head bolt socket is ridiculous, I used a slender chromed socket and all been good, it done couple hundred head bolts by now lol .
If you want a specific length set it can work out great and cheap and with a lathe retail finish .
don't bother with paints or anything just light bit of oil on cut/machined edge and put them to work .

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Heck, I try and come up with excuses for modifying tools!

LOL. I would prefer to just buy the special tools that I need. Something not being perfect bothers me lol.


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[whateg01]

I've shortened some and thinned others. One nice thing about shorter sockets is when using them to start a nut, they can be made so the nut bottoms out without being 5 inches deep in the socket. I have equipment I work on that uses 3/16" nutdrivers, but the engineers didn't make the recess big enough for the nutdriver to fit, so I turned them down so they do. I also have turned the end off of 3/4" and 9/16" sockets so they don't have the chamfer on the end. When working with very thin nuts, it's easy to have the socket slip off with that chamfer there.

 

[guitarbutt]

Sounds like a lathe is the way to go. Too bad I don't have one..

 

[whateg01]

Sounds like a lathe is the way to go. Too bad I don't have one..

Once you havea lathe (or 4) in the shop, it's amazing the things you find that need to be turned on a lathe.

Dave

 

[The Cobbler]

Sounds like a lathe is the way to go. Too bad I don't have one..

so, now instead of (wanting a lathe) , you (need a lathe)

 

[Michael_in_DE]

Heck, I try and come up with excuses for modifying tools!

Me too! Anything to make the job easier or cheaper.
Made the below 7/16 to more easily work with coax cables. Other two are bonus socket pics.

 

[harley jim]

Chuck it in a drill, place the drill in a vise and cut it with a cut off wheel. It works great.

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[ChevyEFI]

What are you planning to do about the bare metal after you remove the chrome?

If the job warrants foreign object damage control, don't use a kustom socket. Outside of that, be creative and get work done.

I have a slightly shortened chrome deep socket a friend cut at work with a water jet or something that left a clean, semi-sharp edge. I think he wanted it for spark plugs on something.

I made a spark plug socket for that friend's car with a 12pt standard chrome HF 5/8" by just grinding ~19mm square flats about the square end. I can't remember if I bored the square at all.

Nothing fancy; just enough to get work done.

 

[ridervfr]

I bought a used 36 mm impact socket that the previous owner ground down around the edges to either fit into a hole or use as a seal driver. I could not pass it up just to have kicking around and have used it from time to time.

I have ground a craftsman socket or two, one has a place in my A drawer, its used for buzzing wing nuts on and off for my hurricane shutters. Very handy.

 

[toolmutt]

LOL. I would prefer to just buy the special tools that I need. Something not being perfect bothers me lol.


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Agreed, though sometimes you have to get the job done with what you got right now. But then I have actually continued to attempt to improve the esthetics/function of a modified tool even after the job was done. LOL

 

[bonneyman]

Me too! Anything to make the job easier or cheaper.
Made the below 7/16 to more easily work with coax cables. Other two are bonus socket pics.

Loving it!

I made this out of an old 1/2" drive socket to more easily turn the main water valve by the curb. With a 1/2" extension it works like a dream!

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Agreed, though sometimes you have to get the job done with what you got right now. But then I have actually continued to attempt to improve the esthetics/function of a modified tool even after the job was done. LOL

That’s true. Luckily most of my coworkers have modified tools if I need them lol so that is a plus.


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