Self clearing socket

[2mJps]

I am going to take apart some grain bins. They have 5/16 bolts in them. I got to thinking about a socket that would let the nuts fall out the side so you wouldnt have to stop and remove them so i got a deep impact socket and cut a slot in it so they could fall out. I havent use it but i wouldnt want it on something high speed.

 

[sandtrax11]

put a cone shaped spring in the socket. that way it will auto eject the nut.

 

[Exceller8]

Let's see a picture.

 

[Jeremiah14]

We use the same idea with race pit sockets although they're 1".

 

[warweapon762]

We use the same idea with race pit sockets although they're 1".

A friend of mine modded some deep HF impact sockets with springs and pinned/welded them in. They work pretty well, was very surprised by the simplicity.

 

[2mJps]

put a cone shaped spring in the socket. that way it will auto eject the nut.

I tryed it out today and it worked great. It didnt throw them as bad as i thought it would.The spring would work on new nuts ok but the ones i am takeing off are 40+ years old. Alot of times they are coated in tar or very rusty.I have taken down several grain bins and had to stop and drive the nuts out of the sockets alot. This bins were government bins so they are worth takeing apart. I need to make a 9/16 next. I left it on the truck up there or i would post a picture.

 

[outdoorsman310]

set the socket on the ground and smack it wth a hammer. the nut should come out.

 

[2mJps]

set the socket on the ground and smack it wth a hammer. the nut should come out.

I dont know if you have ever saw a grain bin up close but they are made up of pannels held together with several bolts so there are 1000s of nuts that need removed. stoping to remove several 100 nuts that stick will add hours on to the job. I thing my socket will speed things up and will take 4 to 8 hours of labor off this job.

 

[boomeradf]

set the socket on the ground and smack it wth a hammer. the nut should come out.

It is more a time issue when you are having a couple hundred or more stick and removing a good deal more during the day it all you would be doing.

 

[Farmall450]

Agreed with the spring, maybe there's a slightly bigger metric equivalent that will let it fall if the spring alone doesn't work?

 

[outdoorsman310]

that spring should work for 5/16 bolts. maybe 9/16 too. you could try a spring in a 14mm too. i guess a slot with a taper to help fling the nuts out of the socket might work. another problem could be having hardware all over to get run over if they fly away. you probably need a decently stiff spring.

 

[neophyte]

You could fasten an L-shaped Hook/Pick into a wood board, and when the nut sticks just stick the socket over the hook tilt it so the hook grabs the nut, and pull the nut off. After X number of nuts you turn the board over and shake the nuts off. Since theres no spring the nuts won't go flying.