Looking for decent 3/8" drive ball end hex drivers

[Kenwc]

I've been searching around for a quality set of these in either long or short version and the only ones I like are Snap On but I don't want to spend that much on these.

I thought I'd post here and see if anyone had found a set that they liked reasonably priced???

Thank you in advance..

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Have you looked on eBay for Snap-on ones? some real bargains to be had on there.

 

[Merkava_4]

S-K has some. You're looking for the longs, right?

 

[Merkava_4]

Stanley-Proto has some too.

 

[83diesel]

Several guys have had good luck with the SK long and short ball hex drivers, they get used daily.

Craftsman has come out with mid length ones that look like Matco copycats.

Stanley Proto are the same as Mac and if you look around on the internet you can usually find a set at a good price.

Another option if you are in a bind is to take a Eklind l-handle set and cut the short end of the l off and insert the hex into the appropriate socket and you can also adjust the length as needed.

 

[Danglerb]

Stay away from Wiha, the sockets are from Taiwan.

I'm going pick up the set from HF next time I see it on sale, about $7.

 

[eschoendorff]

Stay away from Wiha, the sockets are from Taiwan.

I'm going pick up the set from HF next time I see it on sale, about $7.

I've looked at those every time I am in HF and I am tempted because I wouldn't use them all too often. If you get them, let us know how tehy work out for you....

 

[Uncle Buck]

I've looked at those every time I am in HF and I am tempted because I wouldn't use them all too often. If you get them, let us know how tehy work out for you....

I have seen the HF but I am not really tempted by them, I noticed the mid length set Sears now shows in the new catalog is something like $70.00 for the combined sets of standard and metric. I think that will be my birthday present in April! In reality I probably do not need them but that's all right, they can just set there and gather dust till I do need them!

BTW I would prefer the Proto or S-K but they are far beyond my reach for such a limited use tool, in fact I should probably buy the HF and call it good!

 

[kcleere]

Thanks for all the input. I think I'll look for the SK or the Proto for now and there are a few on Ebay.

83diesel...saw the set you mentioned at Sears yesterday. They looked nice but they only had a metric set at the time.

I can look at the ones from HF but so far out of 5 visits to a HF store I've just not been able to talk myself into a purchase there to date.

 

[Fedwrench]

Stay away from Wiha, the sockets are from Taiwan.

I'm going pick up the set from HF next time I see it on sale, about $7.

Wiha or Willie Hahn tools are made in Germany not Taiwan.
I find it odd that you tell someone to stay away from a particular brand because you think they're made in Taiwan but, then write of buying a Chinese made set from Harbor Freight.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

i think Wiha are reall good quality. got various screwdrivers and bits from them and i think they're really good.

 

[Junkman]

Wiha or Willie Hahn tools are made in Germany not Taiwan.
I find it odd that you tell someone to stay away from a particular brand because you think they're made in Taiwan but, then write of buying a Chinese made set from Harbor Freight.

Don't understand why you find this odd. Everyone here has an opinion, and that doesn't make their opinion any more correct than the next persons. Now, if the Junkman says something, you must take that as gospel and follow his advise........

Buy American

 

[Merkava_4]

I like the idea of SO because you can easily get the bits changed out by the truck man. I'm thinking SK or PROTO would be quite a bit harder to get the bits changed out.

 

[Theo]

JH Williams has 'em as well.

Fractional sizes only, made in USA.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I like the idea of SO because you can easily get the bits changed out by the truck man. I'm thinking SK or PROTO would be quite a bit harder to get the bits changed out.

on pinless bits, are they just pressed in and out, or is there something else they do to change them?

 

[Merkava_4]

on pinless bits, are they just pressed in and out, or is there something else they do to change them?

You got me on that one; I had thought they all had roll pins.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

no, lots now are pinless. all the Snap-on ones are now pinless. all of mine (no idea how many i've got. 40 or so maybe) are pinless.

 

[Danglerb]

Wiha or Willie Hahn tools are made in Germany not Taiwan.
I find it odd that you tell someone to stay away from a particular brand because you think they're made in Taiwan but, then write of buying a Chinese made set from Harbor Freight.

http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/764serie.htm
Bottom of the page, teeny tiny print.

All Bits Made In Germany, Set Rails Made In USA, Sockets Made In Taiwan,
Individual Units Assembled In USA, Packaged In USA

*** I like to get what I pay for, I bought Wiha to get a premium product, paid a premium price, and the socket looks like Kmart.

So far the best ones seem to be Hazet, but I only have a few of them.

 

[Fedwrench]

http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/764serie.htm
Bottom of the page, teeny tiny print.

All Bits Made In Germany, Set Rails Made In USA, Sockets Made In Taiwan,
Individual Units Assembled In USA, Packaged In USA

*** I like to get what I pay for, I bought Wiha to get a premium product, paid a premium price, and the socket looks like Kmart.

So far the best ones seem to be Hazet, but I only have a few of them.

http://www.wihatools.com/700seri/713mmsock.htm
Ok, I understand now that their "trusted supplier" (more small print at the bottom of the hex bit page) is in Taiwan. I have lots of Wiha stuff but, it was always made in Germany. Who would have thought that German made tools would use Taiwanese socket bit holders.

 

[Merkava_4]

I just went out to look at my SO set:

Roll Pin
3/8
5/16
1/4
7/32
3/16
5/32

Set Screw
9/64
1/8
7/64
3/32
5/64
1/16

 

[krusty the clown]

i would stay away from the pinless. mine are matco's and the bits constantly fall out.

 

[Merkava_4]

i would stay away from the pinless. mine are matco's and the bits constantly fall out.

You go to pull the bit out of the fastener and instead, the bit pulls out of the socket. That's one of those things that would get me flaming mad if it happened to me.

 

[eschoendorff]

I think I might be the guy to try out the HF ones and see how tehy work. for the price, i can always throw them away....



I cannot believe that I just said that, but I have a hard time believing that the "American made" ones are all strictly American made. And besides, they have their drawbacks too. We'll see what happens....

 

[Merkava_4]

I have a hard time believing that the "American made" ones are all strictly American made. And besides, they have their drawbacks too. We'll see what happens....

I'm wondering why you believe that American made socket drivers are not all made in America; and I'm also wondering what drawbacks they would have.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I'm wondering why you believe that American made socket drivers are not all made in America; and I'm also wondering what drawbacks they would have.

First and foremost price if it is a seldom used tool!

 

[Moose-LandTran]

So far the best ones seem to be Hazet, but I only have a few of them.

Hazet are very good tools. as are Stahlwille. the downside being that they're expensive and not so easy to find.

however, there is a supplier in the US for those who are interested:

http://www.zdmak.com/

very good site, just about every tool for every german car ever made. and Hazet, too.

 

[eschoendorff]

I'm wondering why you believe that American made socket drivers are not all made in America; and I'm also wondering what drawbacks they would have.

I believe that parts of them are made in America, but there is so much global ******** that even this board cannot even keep up with it all. Just the other day we were wondering if all the parts in the F80 were made in USA.

That being said, I have a lot of Taiwan tools that perform just as well as their American counterparts. I was going to mention that the longer ball-end hex drivers at Sears are on sale through the Craftsman Club... but then i saw the price. I am not sure taht I am willing to spend that much on a tool that I won't use very often. For me, it may make more sense to go with the HF versions... or just go without for a while until I really need them.

 

[mikester]

I just got the Craftsman Club flyer for 3/29 to 4/5 and the Craftsman sets are 29.99 for members. SAE and MM are the same price. They usually go for 49.99 a set. Not a bad deal. The Craftsman 7 piece flex gear wrench sets are 89.99. Not a bad price but I just bought the 7 piece Gear Wrench flex sets for 44.99 there on Friday. I just might get the hex bit sets for that prce.

 

[Uncle Buck]

I just got the Craftsman Club flyer for 3/29 to 4/5 and the Craftsman sets are 29.99 for members. SAE and MM are the same price. They usually go for 49.99 a set. Not a bad deal. The Craftsman 7 piece flex gear wrench sets are 89.99. Not a bad price but I just bought the 7 piece Gear Wrench flex sets for 44.99 there on Friday. I just might get the hex bit sets for that prce.

Not bad at all for the Craftys, considering my birthday is only a few days after that sale ends I think I will pull the trigger and get sets of both standard and Metric at those prices! Great stuff indeed!

 

[kcleere]

I just got the Craftsman Club flyer for 3/29 to 4/5 and the Craftsman sets are 29.99 for members. SAE and MM are the same price. They usually go for 49.99 a set. Not a bad deal. The Craftsman 7 piece flex gear wrench sets are 89.99. Not a bad price but I just bought the 7 piece Gear Wrench flex sets for 44.99 there on Friday. I just might get the hex bit sets for that prce.

I might have overlooked it but I went to the Sears website and could not find "Craftsman" socket drive long ball end hex bits. I saw Armstrong, SK and Gearwrench....could you possibly post the part number for the CM SAE and MM sets?

 

[Fedwrench]

I might have overlooked it but I went to the Sears website and could not find "Craftsman" socket drive long ball end hex bits. I saw Armstrong, SK and Gearwrench....could you possibly post the part number for the CM SAE and MM sets?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942606000P?keyword=942606&sLevel=0

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942607000P?keyword=942607&sLevel=0

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00942608000P?keyword=942608&sLevel=0

I type slow so, someone probably beat me.

 

[kcleere]

Nah...perfect timing...thank you..!!

Strange pricing....really cheap of you buy the SAE and MM bundle.