Snap-On handle retrograde mod

[dogbucket]

Further to my original question here :

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23459


I finally got the bits together to fit the earlier hard handle to a later soft handle ratchet.




Top - Soft handle was a bit reluctant to come off and had to be cut off with help from my angle grinder

Middle - Got a brand new green SDD6 off ebay to act as the donor handle

Bottom - Lobbed about 15mm off the end off the ratchet as otherwise it was too long


Drilled out the new handle to 11mm and bashed it on





dual 80 hard handle anyone hmmm...

 

[chammyman]

I think I was watching that screwdriver on ebay!

The soft handles are **** they really are

 

[Merkava_4]

Are those ratchets 1/2" drive?

 

[eschoendorff]

Nicely done! And this confirms the tang under the soft handles...

 

[dogbucket]

I think I was watching that screwdriver on ebay!

The soft handles are **** they really are

bought at great expense from US ebay, the fella seems to have a few in stock as it gets relisted each time.

Are those ratchets 1/2" drive?

yes

 

[Brookesy]

Nice mod looks much better can't stand them new handles

 

[Diesel-Mech]

Looks awesome, I would like to see a Dual 80 with the same treatment.

 

[Jononon]

Does anyone know what Snap-on hard handles were made of ?

 

[bchee]

Bottom - Lobbed about 15mm off the end off the ratchet as otherwise it was too long

Drilled out the new handle to 11mm and bashed it on

dual 80 hard handle anyone hmmm...

Looks awesome, I would like to see a Dual 80 with the same treatment.

I would also like to see a dual 80 with a different handle. I wonder who is crazy enough to do that? It will probably be a while until they get a lot cheaper and someone is brave enough to try it.

2 questions for dogbucket:
1) when you cut the 15mm off the handle, what did you use? Were you able to tell a difference in the quality of the snap on steel?? You could sell that 15mm long piece of snap on steel on ebay

2) did you cut new holes in the handle for the tangs, or did you just hammer it on?

 

[Speed-Racer]

Looks great...... Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

[dogbucket]

2 questions for dogbucket:
1) when you cut the 15mm off the handle, what did you use? Were you able to tell a difference in the quality of the snap on steel?? You could sell that 15mm long piece of snap on steel on ebay

I used a 0.8mm thick inox cutting disk (5in) on my angle grinder, took about 10 seconds. Only chromoly I have cut before was a cheapo socket that I modded to fit over a lambda sensor and it seemed about the same really, but then I am not much of a metallurgist. The freshy cut ends seem to form splinters which can end up in your fingers, a product of it being such a hard metal no doubt.

Guess I better rescue the end out the bin then

2) did you cut new holes in the handle for the tangs, or did you just hammer it on?

No just hammered it on, after making sure it was all lined up properly. The plastic is actually quite soft

 

[bchee]

Thanks for the info. Let's have that piece analyzed to see what snap on's secret recipe is!

 

[zuspiel]

Neat! Might try that at some point in time...

 

[Speed-Racer]

keep thinking I really want one of those!!.... What would a dual 80 with that grip bring on ebay? Anyone like to take a guess.

 

[Adam McLaughlin]

Hummm... That is good inspiration. I always did like the old school hard handle over the current softgrip configuration, although the original metal handle is still the best. )

Adam

 

[Merkava_4]

Does anyone know what Snap-on hard handles were made of ?

TENITE

 

[Underdog]

TENITE

That handle is made out of wood
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Trees-Into-Plastic.htm

 

[Jononon]

TENITE

Wow. I did not know that. I've got some Tenite handled screwdrivers that were my father's father's. I can't imagine passing anything with a comfort handle onto my grandchildren

 

[peterbilr98]

that mod is great im also in the process of doing that mod

 

[TNToy]

Looks awesome, I would like to see a Dual 80 with the same treatment.

I've got one of these I'm seriously considering doing this to.
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...group_ID=21365&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

Anyone got a red or black handled screwdriver they'll donate at a reasonable price, with a handle that isn't too beaten? I'm already defacing a $115 ratchet over here. I'm not paying you $25 for a single damn screwdriver, too.

Dogbucket...
Was that screwdriver handle off of an SDD6? I can't read the part number enough to be certain.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Dogbucket...
Was that screwdriver handle off of an SDD6? I can't read the part number enough to be certain.

Go back and re-read the first post in the thread...................

Charles

 

[DynoDale]

I did one yesterday. Took an old SL710 that I bought for $40 and a handle from a 1/2" insulated nutdriver:

Turned the ratchet handle to a little over 1/2". The steel is pretty hard. Drilled the handle to 1/2"

I welded a couple of beads on the handle and ground them to look like the tangs on handled tools. Next, pressed the handle on.

 

[48548]

Nice that looks great.

 

[rsanter]

I did one yesterday. Took an old SL710 that I bought for $40 and a handle from a 1/2" insulated nutdriver:

Turned the ratchet handle to a little over 1/2". The steel is pretty hard. Drilled the handle to 1/2"

I welded a couple of beads on the handle and ground them to look like the tangs on handled tools. Next, pressed the handle on.

just think
when your dead and some snap on collector about 50 years from now gets that ratchet how confused they will be when they look up the part number

bob

 

[arkangel06]

sorry dynodale but I dont agree with that at all

 

[mossyboy6]

Well you cant please everybody with modifications.

I think it looks great. Just dont expect it to be warrantied. lol

 

[superautobacs]

Handles must've been a recent Ebay purchase perhaps?
It's amazing how much handles fetch for there!

 

[caper]

Handles must've been a recent Ebay purchase perhaps?
It's amazing how much handles fetch for there!

The handles cost $14.25 Canadian off the truck.Ordered another 6 last week.

 

[jefferson]

What happened with the screwdriver shank?

 

[gonzoengineer]

That looks fantastic! Makes me want to pickup some Snap-On ratchets to modify. I love the classic Snap On hard handle... it astonishes me that they use anything but for their tools.

 

[caper]

Somebody mentioned a dual 80 version,here's one of mine,also have a 24"flex version I haven't photod yet:

 

[superautobacs]

The handles cost $14.25 Canadian off the truck.Ordered another 6 last week.

I mentioned that because that very same handle (a lot of 4) were on Ebay a couple weeks ago.

Here's something I saved on my hard drive just cuz they look so darn good:

 

[jeepnut24]

It so silly to me to think SO doesn't just start making their own new versions of these.... It clearly looks like that is what people want.

 

[ihredo4]

Stupid is as stupid does. I agree it is rediculous that snap-on doesnt bring them back.

 

[DynoDale]

Handles must've been a recent Ebay purchase perhaps?
It's amazing how much handles fetch for there!

I bought 6 of those handles on eBay for about $26 with this mod in mind. I want put some on 3/8" ratchets and put the 1/2" rebuild kits in.

 

[wolpi]

3 Generations

836, 936, 80's

 

[Monte]

@wolpi:
nice !! Now the trend hits germany too
ps: Mac gloves ??

 

[mrshaun]

I make a handle a week for the newer ratchets. the guys love them. This information gets passed along to snap on. I tried the instinct handle on a ratchet, but it was a little bulky.
I just did one on the fhlf80. looks good with the black handle.
sorry cell phone camera picture.....

 

[fordbroncodave]

i really need to contact my snap on dealer. he has a 30 gallon container full of blank hard handles.

i would love to do this mod on the few hard handled snap on ratchets i already have.

has anyone taken appart a snap on prybar and taken the handle from one of those?

 

[mrshaun]

they are square shank, but you could use the new prybar handle on a 1/2 ratchet maybe, but it would have the strike cap on it. that would look odd...