Nut drivers vs Sockets

[Jsf721]

Seems to me (A newbie) that a nut driver wojuld be replaced by a socket set and a screwdriver looking tool (Maybe even a ratcheting one) that accepted the sockets?

Does this exist?

When would you use a nut driver over a socket? Must be an acess thing right?

 

[zkling]

I look at nut drivers as more of a convenience tool than a needed tool. I have a 14 (7 metric 7 sae) set of craftsmans that came in my original tool set purchase. Honestly I use them all the dang time. They are just so handy. Would I have bought them separately, yes if I could have found a deal on them especially knowing what I know now.

True they do make 1/4" and some very rare 3/8" spinner handles, but then you have to find and attache the proper socket. The nut drivers allow you to get into places that you can't with a spinner/socket combo. Additionally the cman ones are counter bored so you can get to nuts that are on long bolts. SUPER handy if you do work on small engines.

 

[Jsf721]

Thanks for the explaination. By counter bored, to you mean hollow shaft?

I look at nut drivers as more of a convenience tool than a needed tool. I have a 14 (7 metric 7 sae) set of craftsmans that came in my original tool set purchase. Honestly I use them all the dang time. They are just so handy. Would I have bought them separately, yes if I could have found a deal on them especially knowing what I know now.

True they do make 1/4" and some very rare 3/8" spinner handles, but then you have to find and attache the proper socket. The nut drivers allow you to get into places that you can't with a spinner/socket combo. Additionally the cman ones are counter bored so you can get to nuts that are on long bolts. SUPER handy if you do work on small engines.

 

[Biomed]

There was a pretty good discussion of this recently in this thread:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=193604

 

[toolstools]

Thanks for the explaination. By counter bored, to you mean hollow shaft?

Yes. Nut drivers have hallow shafts for the stud to go in

 

[srmofo]

About the only thing I use nut drivers for are hose clamps (1/4,7mm,8mm) and some electrical stuff again mostly 1/4 or 5/16

 

[Super Sport]

Yes. Nut drivers have hallow shafts for the stud to go in

Not all nut drivers have hollow shafts.

 

[Jim C.]

I use nut drivers frequently because they're handy. They may not be the first tools that I'd buy, but they do earn their keep in my box. I think I use the 1/4" and 10mm sizes the most.

Jim C.

 

[gsmornot]

I used them most in 1/4" with hex head screws. I liked putting those in instead of the philips screws because I rarely ever stripped a hex head screw. The main task was mounting hardware on a 3/4" plywood backboard in telecom rooms. That was mostly before drill batteries are as good as they are now and certainly before 1/4" impacts. Anyhow, I got a full set from work and have used them a few times on the car here and there but mostly prefer to use a ratchet and socket because its easier to turn the handle on the ratchet.

 

[#1SomeGuy]

I never ever use them...I'd rather just use a socket on a flex head ratchet.

 

[Erampu]

I use nut drivers a lot for taking apart appliances, etc. They're easier than hunting around for sockets when you're only taking off a few small bolts. Yes, the access thing is a factor, too.

 

[SteveCh]

Never had any nut drivers til a couple yr. ago when a friend gave me an extra set he had. I use them frequently. If you are using smallish hex-head screws, for example, it is much easier to screw them in with a nut driver and a ratchet and socket. Nut drivers don't give you much torque, of course, but for smaller things they can be nice. I mostly use them on hex-heads up to maybe 8 or 10 mm.

 

[crewchief888]

1/4, 5/16, & 7mm for hose clamps and sheet metal screws
7mm for diesel glow plug wiring harness
3/8 & 11/32 for guage installation
5/16 & 7/16 for starting grease zerks.

 

[CWP1616L]

screwdriver looking tool

That's called a 'spin handle' for your future reference.

Some tool companies might call it a 'handled driver'

 

[jakemac]

That's called a 'spin handle' for your future reference.

Some tool companies might call it a 'handled driver'

Old Cman catalogs call it a "spinner" or a "socket extension".

 

[EOC_Jason]

If you are an A/C contractor (like my father was), you would have several nut drivers in your tool pouch. All the A/C equipment typically uses 2 sizes for all the panels.

 

[crewchief888]

on another note
in my work boxes, nut drivers are in the same drawer with a couple of screwdrivers, 1/4" dr stuff is in a repusposed blow molded box in another compartment in my service truck
std and stubby drive handle, & a long ratcheting T driver handle.

at home all my 1/4" dr stuff is in it's original SK blow molded box, in a drawer with ratchets and extensions.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Yeah, just real handy mainly. Just grab what you know is the right color-coded size and go.

 

[rick carpenter]

A few summers back our a/c compressor switch used to burn out frequently. I removed the compressor covers with a nutdriver many times. There was no reason to carry a ratchet/extension/socket outside to use on beaucoup same size ultra-low-torque screwheads. After the initial "torque" on those screws was broken, I would have had to spin the extension by hand anyhow.

The pocketability or pouchability of a one-piece nutdriver when you're out and about is a factor that comes into play too in situations similar to above. You can't do that easily with a socket setup. And if you separate the socket setup and drop them, they generally are much harder to find in the grass or under a table than a dropped nutdriver.

Nutdrivers are one of those things that when the few times they're best to use, they're best to use. Other than those few times though, I don't use mine.

 

[thinmac]

I have a set of nut drivers, but most of the time I end up using a socket on a ratcheting screwdriver with a 1/4" square drive shaft. Pretty much just as convenient, minus the hollow shaft, and ratcheting. Using deep sockets I rarely miss the hollow shaft.

It also allows me to use any socket I have, odd sizes or larger sizes, and specialty sockets, like one I use for tamper-resistant screws.

 

[Farmall450]

I have nut drivers...but never use them.

I guess it's just inconvenient to me?

 

[byoungblood]

I held off on buying nut drivers for years until I found a complete set of SAE Klein's at a yard sale last year for $6. I like using them for hose clamps (I used to knock sockets off the driver handle and into the abyss all the time!) and for other low torque around the house stuff where the drill is overkill and I have a couple of sizes of nuts to deal with and don't want to keep switching sockets back and forth.

Plus, they are slightly shorter than a driver handle and deep socket, so they get into some spots easier.

 

[Exceller8]

I have nut drivers...but never use them.

I guess it's just inconvenient to me?

I have to agree. There are very few times when I actually use a nut driver.

 

[SlowPoke-Canada]

In my old garage I had pegboard over the workbench. The pegboard stored much of my "clean tools" for woodworking, electrical, household repairs etc. It would also be a home for my soft handle screwdrivers and nut drivers. I tended to use them a lot more then than I do now since they are sitting in my box.
They will reside above the bench once I finish off with the slatwall and probably see more use in the future. I do miss my clean/dirty work tool setup. I need to get off my *** and finish the garage!

 

[bob from indiana]

I have a set of long (6 inch) Vaco drivers. They are very handy. Klein makes a long set with the rubber handles. We use them a lot at work.

 

[CWP1616L]

Whenever something involves small hex-head machine screws or sheet metal screws, I reach a nut drivers.

 

[Old Donn]

Got a set of Craftsman nut drivers, standard & metric, as a gift 20+ years ago. Put them in the tool chest and that's where they've been ever since. Use a 1/4" drive spinner & socket instead.

 

[cgv69]

I do not own any nut drivers but I do have a Snap On TMR4 which has proven to be all I've ever needed...

 

[CWP1616L]

I do not own any nut drivers but I do have a Snap On TMR4

Holy smokes, I just now looked at the price of that thing.

 

[scarney1988]

I keep the nut drivers at home since they seem to be of more use there. I also use the TMR4 with my sockets (hex, allen, torx, etc...) at work because it saves space in the tool box.

 

[Danglerb]

For some jobs I like the no wiggle feel of the nut driver over a socket even on a spinner. With a nut driver, at least for me, its much easier to feel the threads engage, and I am one of the always turn the nut backwards until I feel the click types. Nut driver is usually the most compact and best clearance tool.

 

[wellpoison]

For electrical I use them all the time. It's better to have a one piece tool then multiple. Like someone else said sockets can fall off and into a hard to reach place like down conduit. And when your working with electrical you have to find it and get it out no exceptions. Plus I find the screw driver motion more natural then a ratchet.

 

[Ray Kelly]

I did bench work for 6 years. Nut drivers are a lot faster than a ratchet. Ratchets are nice for breaking a nut loose. But nutdrivers are a lot faster at loosening and tightening a nut down. And you can easily over tighten a nut with a ratchet than with a nutdriver.

 

[Ray Kelly]

I do not own any nut drivers but I do have a Snap On TMR4 which has proven to be all I've ever needed...

These are nice but you have to keep changing the socket with each different nut. You need a nut driver for each sized nut. Stick them on the wall on the back of your workbench and change with each sized nut. Plus these Snap Ons are hard to use when you hands get greasy. You need the type of nut driver that has the grooves in the handles. They'll work a lot better. These Snap Ons will slide around in your hand when you work on a greasy object.

 

[Holt]

If you do any telco work these would be used all the time and you need hollow shaft.

 

[greasemonkey44]

hehe i must be the wierdo
i keep long, normal and short 1/4 and 5/16 nut drivers
a handful of 7mm nut drivers
its convenient and pretty damn hard to misplace

 

[ATC]

I use mine a lot. Very handy for my motorcycles, ATV's, interior of vehicles, hose clamps, and machine screws.

 

[DWise]

They are a must have for living in a mobile home in Florida. The exterior walls and roof are infested with 1/4" and 5/16" hex heads.

 

[sberry]

Got a hundred of them, probably a dozen or more of 5/16 and 7/16 each. In most cases if a hose clamp isnt 5/16 it goes in the trash if its on our equipment.

 

[TJay]

If you do any telco work these would be used all the time and you need hollow shaft.

This^^

I couldn't go without my Klein nut drivers at work