small set 1/4" deep sockets?

[n8n]

good morning everyone

I'm trying to put together a very small toolbox to leave at my office, for when I need to test stuff. I am a fire alarm systems designer so basically think minimalist tool set for a FA tech/electrician.

So far I have a Vessel ratcheting screwdriver, the Harbor Freight bit set, and an old pair of strippers I found somewhere. I would like either a set of 1/4" drive deep sockets or else hollow shaft nut drivers, but I was at Harbor Freight last night to pick up an extension cord (also for this exercise; it's cheaper to buy a HF extension cord and cut the receptacle off than it is to buy an appliance cord to hook up equipment for testing) and I was looking to see what they had. Both the Pittsburgh Pro and color coded 1/4" sockets were fully broached, I couldn't see the Icon ones because of the way they were packaged. For this use I would prefer to have shallow broached sockets like Snap-On in case I need to start a nut on a vertical stud, I can just drop in in the socket and go. Can anyone recommend a set?

The hollow shaft nut drivers that HF had had clownishly big handles, not really fitting the desire for a SMALL toolbox. I'm thinking smaller than a lunchbox size, as I shouldn't need too many tools and I have a small office.

I'd also like to find a good socket rail that is only big enough to hold the 10-11 sockets in a 1/4" drive deep set, no bigger. I did see that HF had a magnetic combo shallow/deep tray, that might be an option but I think I would prefer a rail. Any suggestions? In reality I probably actually need only 1/4", 5/16", 11/32", 3/8", *maybe* 7/16" and corresponding metric sizes, the rest can go in the spares bin, because all I'm really going to be using are the hex sizes for nuts for electrical connections and assembling equipment cabinets.

Another thing I'll need would be a basic set of "precision" screwdrivers. Mostly for a "tweaker" or a small flat blade, smaller than the typical smallest bit in a bit set.

Suggestions/recommendations on any of the above would be appreciated.

I know, most guys get by with a Klein 11-in-1 but just thinking about typical workflow got me thinking about sockets in particular, and if there was a shallow broached set available cheaper than Snap-On. (or should I just try to find a used Snap-On set on the bay and be done with it?)

 

[alinc100]

Buy a set of CAT 1/4" sockets from your local CAT dealer.Made by Snap On perform like SnapON ,don't cost like Snap On. The SAE set of 1/4" drive deep sockets is part number 213-9965.

 

[CS454]

TIATA

1/4 Inch Drive Deep 6-Point Socket Set (5/32 - 9/16 in.) | TEKTON

11-piece set includes 5/32 - 9/16 inch (SAE) deep 6-point sockets. Comes with organization rail. No skipped sizes. SHD90105.

www.tekton.com

 

[jessesandy]

The Icons are shallow broached.

 

[n8n]

Buy a set of CAT 1/4" sockets from your local CAT dealer.Made by Snap On perform like SnapON ,don't cost like Snap On. The SAE set of 1/4" drive deep sockets is part number 213-9965.

Looks like those are about $70, not horrible, but a bit spendy...

TIATA

1/4 Inch Drive Deep 6-Point Socket Set (5/32 - 9/16 in.) | TEKTON

11-piece set includes 5/32 - 9/16 inch (SAE) deep 6-point sockets. Comes with organization rail. No skipped sizes. SHD90105.

www.tekton.com

Tekton was one of my first thoughts, but the only Tekton sockets I own are shallow. Can you confirm that the deeps are shallow broached?

The Icons are shallow broached.

Good to know, those are now an official possibility. Do you have them and do you like them?

I was also thinking of just picking up a used set of S-K, as I've been a fan for years (I still have my grandfather's Sherman-Klove 3/8" set in the green metal box) and on reflection that may be the way to go as I literally will never wear these out or subject them to high torque so warranty isn't a yuge consideration... I am very sad at what happened to them though. I pretty much started buying only S-K sockets and wrenches, with a smattering of what other quality brands I could find used, after Craftsman went to China - upon reflection that was not the best decision I've made.

Keep the ideas coming guys, I appreciate it.

 

[Madc]

Not sure it follows the shallow requirement, but even as a tool snob, I've really come to like the smaller 1/4" offerings from Wera, Their little kits have worked great for me and their Zyklop ratchet can double as a screwdriver. They also have deep sockets and a pretty cool little rail.

Amazon.com

 

[n8n]

Not sure it follows the shallow requirement, but even as a tool snob, I've really come to like the smaller 1/4" offerings from Wera, Their little kits have worked great for me and their Zyklop ratchet can double as a screwdriver. They also have deep sockets and a pretty cool little rail.

Amazon.com

Hmm, the picture almost looks like at least the smaller ones are shallow broach, I can't quite tell.

 

[Hakeem]

Seems like the Tekton have a deep broach:

Icon sockets are 40% off for Black Friday, if you can wait until then that deal will be hard to beat I think.

 

[n8n]

Seems like the Tekton have a deep broach:

Icon sockets are 40% off for Black Friday, if you can wait until then that deal will be hard to beat I think.

Good to know. I can wait, I have a full set at the house I can use at work in the meantime. Probably a mix of SK and Craftsman so not all shallow broach but serviceable.

 

[jessesandy]

The Icon sockets work well for me.
No complaints.

 

[four.cycle]

^ smallest 1/4" drive ratchet / bit ratchet you're likely to find is 11332 Titan

 

[shoggoth80]

The ICON set is shallow broached, and pretty nice for the price. No complaints from me on it. I own a Titan micro ratchet. Fixed head rather than the roto (but if I find one locally, I'm snagging it). It's been a great little worker. Can sneak the little guys into all kinds of places.

 

[mikey03]

What’s the benefit of fully broached deep sockets over partial broach?

 

[n8n]

What’s the benefit of fully broached deep sockets over partial broach?

We could argue about that all day

Thing is, of all the sockets I have, which are mostly Craftsman, Kobalt, S-K, or Snap-On, some are and some aren't and for the use case for which I want these sockets, shallow broach would be an advantage.

I'm sure there's a reason to have deep but I can't remember the last time I really needed it.

 

[n8n]

The ICON set is shallow broached, and pretty nice for the price. No complaints from me on it. I own a Titan micro ratchet. Fixed head rather than the roto (but if I find one locally, I'm snagging it). It's been a great little worker. Can sneak the little guys into all kinds of places.

I think I have an S-K thumbwheel ratchet, although I'm not sure I want to take it out of my home box. I was just going to find a spinner handle, I don't think I really even need a ratchet, although maybe I'll pick one up - and also make sure I get a spinner with a square drive recess like Wright.

 

[mikey03]

We could argue about that all day

Thing is, of all the sockets I have, which are mostly Craftsman, Kobalt, S-K, or Snap-On, some are and some aren't and for the use case for which I want these sockets, shallow broach would be an advantage.

I'm sure there's a reason to have deep but I can't remember the last time I really needed it.

Yea I found a long thread with people arguing about deep sockets and broach came up for a couple pages.

I never really thought about it before never came up for me. I’m actually thinking a full broach makes most sense because the positives around the partial broach all seemed to be starting the nut. And you could use a shallow socket to start it and switch to a full broach deep socket to finish.

seems like if you need a deep broach socket which honestly I never have, but if you did then you can’t use anything else. But if you need a shallow broach deep socket you could always use a deep broach deep socket + shallow socket to handle it.

 

[Jeeper99]

I started carrying 1/4" semi deeps at work in my tool bag. Originally I bought a set of gearwrench till I used them as pusher bolt extensions and killed them, I've got some e-bay snapons on order. I also have some 3/8" shallows on the rail, 1 rail works for 99% of the things I'm doing out of my tool bag. I've got a mid length 1/4" snappy flex head in my tool bag along with a 1/4 to 3/8" adapter. They are all on a short Tekton rail which has been very durable and holds sockets well. It's been a great combo for what I see at work, light and simple, if it's too tight for a 1/4" ratchet I have something stronger to break it loose in my tool bag.

It sounds like you have a pretty good idea on the common sizes you see, it may or may not be worth nickle and diming just the sizes you want/ need.

 

[mrvm]

 

[DarryT]

I have Tekton sockets & like them, but actually perfer Carlyle 1/4.
The knurling is nice.

 

[Pig_Pen]

Gearwrench are shallow broached. There’s also Williams USA. Single 1/4 deep sockets are between $7-8 at pro torque tools. You could economically build a set of just what you need.

 

[KnurledNut]

@n8n
How about something like the Xcelite PS120 (SAE) and PS121MM (metric) sets?

 

[alinc100]

Looks like those are about $70, not horrible, but a bit spendy...

I guess they vary regionally here they are only $49.44

 

[Dave455]

Many deep sockets, although not ”shallow broached” like Snap On, are not broached to full depth either. These KoKen are typical.


KoKen of course, make exactly the tool you need, which are the deep nut grip sockets. As can be seen from the diagram, they have a shallow broach, together with the nut grip sprung ball bearings, to retain a nut rigidly.

 

[n8n]

Well after thinking about this I pulled the trigger on a used set of SK USA sockets from that auction site. There was a 7 piece set in a little metal holder for a reasonable price.

If I hadn't done that, I would have waited until Black Friday for the Icons as a poster suggested above.

 

[n8n]

My purchases arrived yesterday... I now have a good assortment of SAE deeps and a set of metric but missing I want to say 7mm and 11mm (someone posted both SAE and metric on a rail for less than my first purchase so I bought them too)

Got another Wright spinner handle on the way

I don't think I really need a ratchet or extensions for this exercise but I'll keep an eye out for more SK extensions because I like them with the knurling. What is the collective's pick for a good 1/4" ratchet if I decide I need one? New or used doesn't matter. I'm not a huge fan of SK other than the rotos. If I do see a 1/4" roto I'm buying it but I don't even know did they make one?

 

[n8n]

I had occasion to think of this thread on Tuesday. I was installing fog lights on my Jeep and the way the aftermarket front bumper is configured, my SK sockets came in clutch. I was using a 3/8" set not the 1/4" set I bought for work. I was installing some Diode Dynamics SS3s on an aftermarket bumper and my grubby paws are too large to comfortably fit behind the bumper, so I was using a socket on a swivel with an extension, and the hex thing for the tamper proof hardware was held in the socket by blu-tack, with the tamper proof nut and a flat washer likewise stuck together. The shallow broach of the S-K deep socket made it all work, it wouldn't have been pretty otherwise...

No, I wasn't going install those fog lights without the tamper proof hardware kit, they are a significant fraction of the value of the vehicle. They are awesome though...