Turning/grinding down a socket, options?

[visionguru]

I need a ultra-thin wall 11/16" socket. 1mm of metal needs to be shaved off the socket wall.
I don't have a lathe. What are the options? What is the going rate for a machine shop to do it?

TIA

 

[cmandp]

You could do this with a drill press or hand held drill turning the socket and angle grinder to remove the material. That's what I would do at home if I needed one.

 

[harley jim]

You could do this with a drill press or hand held drill turning the socket and angle grinder to remove the material. That's what I would do at home if I needed one.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. I have done lots of parts that way

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[PugetDude]

X3. Quick and dirty way to do it.

 

[Corndoggeh]

You're all butchers!

 

[The Cobbler]

how far back do you need it reduced?
just keep the socket cool so you don't screw up the temper.
even a bench grinder would make short work taking off 1mm
if you insist on a lathe turning it down, probably guys on here willing to do it for you.
Mr Pete on you tube is in Chicago somewhere, he might help you

 

[ItsNemo]

Yup, socket in a drill and even a piece of sand paper held taught would eventually do it.

 

[dr_clyde]

Just take it to a machine shop and have them do it right. Would take maybe 20 minutes all in. Modern carbide insert tooling could handle this with no trouble.

If you came to my shop needing this done, I would charge you T&M, you'd be into it maybe 20-30 bucks.

I would recommend using an impact socket or a black oxide socket, the chrome will chip and peel badly otherwise and be somewhat of a hazard.

1mm is a LOT to remove with sandpaper in a drill, holy sheesters. You'd be at that all day.

 

[rlitman]

...I would recommend using an impact socket or a black oxide socket, the chrome will chip and peel badly otherwise and be somewhat of a hazard...

The chrome will be a problem, BUT, impact sockets start off thicker to begin with, and are a softer (weaker) alloy (that's why they're thicker). If this is a marginal application where you need a super thin wall, that impact socket blank will be more likely to fail.

I'd rotate it slowly in a drill press, and use a flap disc in an angle grinder for the cutting.

I've turned sockets on a lathe. It's not fun.

 

[danielbuck]

If you don't have access to a lathe, I'd put a drill in a vise, tape the trigger to keep it running with the socket mounted, and then hold an angle grinder to it. Should make pretty short work.

 

[dr_clyde]

The chrome will be a problem, BUT, impact sockets start off thicker to begin with, and are a softer (weaker) alloy (that's why they're thicker). If this is a marginal application where you need a super thin wall, that impact socket blank will be more likely to fail.

I'd rotate it slowly in a drill press, and use a flap disc in an angle grinder for the cutting.

I've turned sockets on a lathe. It's not fun.

I realize this. It was simply a thought to consider.

I have also turned sockets in the lathe. No big deal. Carbide cuts it like butter.

I try to avoid using a grinder on my machine tools, I hate the grit getting everywhere.

 

[2oolhound]

I need a ultra-thin wall 11/16" socket. 1mm of metal needs to be shaved off the socket wall.
I don't have a lathe. What are the options? What is the going rate for a machine shop to do it?

TIA

I'm assuming that's 1/2 a mm off each side to reduce the width of the socket 1mm.

At any rate chucking the socket in a 3/4 drill press will keep the socket rigid and be an accurate way to reduce the diameter. If you place the socket on an extension and turn it in a hand drill it can flop around a bit and likely won't be as uniform and strong when you're done. I'd use a flap disc instead of a hard disc in a grinder because there is less chance of accidentally grinding one area deeper than the rest. Follow with a flat file and then polish with emery cloth or just use coarse emery and files to wear it down.

The lathe would be fast, easy and accurate so as suggested post your location, many of us would do it as a freebie if you were close by.

 

[PugetDude]

LOL, it's a socket that's being modified for a one time use, not a part for the Space Shuttle.
Buy one for a buck at the local pawn shop, butcher it with a angle grinder in the drill press or a drill chucked in your vise and get the job done. throw it in the back of a drawer or the trash when you're done.
Or, waste half a day running around trying to find a machine shop to turn one down on a lathe at $90/hr.

 

[Slednut]

I had this problem with a 13/16 socket, I just ground it down by hand using my bench grinder.

 

[bullnerd]

I had this problem with a 13/16 socket, I just ground it down by hand using my bench grinder.

 

[dr_clyde]

I guess if its a one time use thing, then yeah, whatever works.

But if you're going to have this in your box and use it occasionally, it seems like it would be worth the extra few minutes of effort to make it nice to use.

 

[racingtadpole]

Just take it to a machine shop and have them do it right. Would take maybe 20 minutes all in. Modern carbide insert tooling could handle this with no trouble.

If you came to my shop needing this done, I would charge you T&M, you'd be into it maybe 20-30 bucks.

I would recommend using an impact socket or a black oxide socket, the chrome will chip and peel badly otherwise and be somewhat of a hazard.

1mm is a LOT to remove with sandpaper in a drill, holy sheesters. You'd be at that all day.

What would your turnaround be on that? With the work you do I can’t see you interrupting a production welding job to chuck up a socket in the lathe.

 

[Zeke]

Grinding is the best way even if using a lathe and a tool post grinder. Sockets are hard. Carbide tip for a lathe tool at least. BTDT.

 

[4 FN 27]

I have few turned down sockets. Even a couple that I shortened and welded back together.

Drill press and a grinder as suggested sounds like a reasonable process.

Or seek out somebody with a Lathe as suggested.

 

[gearhead1]

I turned down an impact socket to work on my VW Jetta diesel for the injectors. I used a carbide, insert no problem.

Spin it in a drill press and hit with a grinder is a great idea. Putting it in a drill and using a bench grinder is another good idea.

You could send it to one of us on GJ with $20-$30 like dr_clyde mentioned. There’s got to be a GJ’er in Chicago with a lathe.

 

[DTE]

Grind it down

 

[dr_clyde]

What would your turnaround be on that? With the work you do I can’t see you interrupting a production welding job to chuck up a socket in the lathe.

I typically do these little jobs while the customer waits. Otherwise a day or two usually.

 

[Jazz1]

Bench grinder if you want it done today. Sanding it while turning on a drill press is painfully slow, been there.

 

[harley jim]

Sounds like some have lots of expendable cash to pay a minimum charge at a shop, mine was 45 dollars. I didn't have a lot of people dropping off little things at that rate but I was about the last shop that took walk ins. Dunno?

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[BillK]

What does the OD need to be ?

 

[rlitman]

...I try to avoid using a grinder on my machine tools, I hate the grit getting everywhere.

That's why I suggested the drill press. Nothing critical for grit to land on.

I have few turned down sockets. Even a couple that I shortened and welded back together.

Drill press and a grinder as suggested sounds like a reasonable process.

Or seek out somebody with a Lathe as suggested.

I've welded a few sockets with varying degrees of success. The few chrome sockets I've turned with carbide tooling were truly evil to work with. They're a very tough steel left at a very hard heat treat. If you've got a lathe, then turn down the impact socket. You'll have a much easier time.

But I wouldn't suggest grinding on the lathe. I don't need abrasive grit messing up my ways.

Bench grinder if you want it done today. Sanding it while turning on a drill press is painfully slow, been there.

If you're using the drill press and sandpaper, yeah, that'll take days. I only suggested the drill press to rotate the socket, so the angle grinder can do the work evenly around the circumference.

 

[dr_clyde]

That's why I suggested the drill press. Nothing critical for grit to land on.



I've welded a few sockets with varying degrees of success. The few chrome sockets I've turned with carbide tooling were truly evil to work with. They're a very tough steel left at a very hard heat treat. If you've got a lathe, then turn down the impact socket. You'll have a much easier time.

But I wouldn't suggest grinding on the lathe. I don't need abrasive grit messing up my ways.



If you're using the drill press and sandpaper, yeah, that'll take days. I only suggested the drill press to rotate the socket, so the angle grinder can do the work evenly around the circumference.

My drill presses are machine tools. Chucks, spindle bearings, column slides, and lots of other things don’t like abrasive grit.

Maybe on a cheap Jet or something, but not on a nice precision drill.

 

[sberry]

Does this sound like a guy with a machine shop and precision drill press?

 

[dr_clyde]

Does this sound like a guy with a machine shop and precision drill press?

Not the point. It’s bad practice to run angle grinders in machine tools if you can avoid it.

I don’t give a flip what you do in your shop, but in my shop an angle grinder doesn’t go near the machine tools.

If you want to do it right, do it with a lathe. If you don’t have a lathe use whatever tools you have at your disposal. If you’re fine with using an angle grinder on your drill press, cheerio, but my Solberga costs more than a lot of used Bridgeports so no. I’m not covering it in grit.

If you don’t care, fine. I do care.

 

[sberry]

We are talking to a guy who likely doesn't have a drill press. No one blames you if you keep your tools clean b8ut get some grip as to the original question. You are in a different world than most of these guys, the ones in the same arenot asking an easy way to do it, they know.
Like you said,,, no walk in wants to pay 40$ shop time if it can be done for that for 5 minutes work can be done on a 29$ bench grinder.

 

[sberry]

Despite my tendancy to be more practical as I age and have more experience no one comes in my place and thinks its second rate. Had a comment a while back,,, you are so good with the grinder,,, another,,, didnt know one pair of pliers could do so many things.
I try to be practical on this forum for so many asking basic questions,,, real simple stuff has a simple solution. Its why I am not on a machine tool forum where a bunch of fussy types build a die to do 5 minutes work can be done with a nail hammer.
Saw one the other day, bolt was a little long on some junk,,, gonna take it to a lathe, be back in the after noon, says it should only take an hour, took 20 seconds with a hacksaw.
But its got nothing to do with YOUR shop and machine tools.

 

[Cleave]

Once I needed a deep socket 11 mm thin wall to rebuild a bicycle pedal.
Chuck socket in corded drill
Ran it on file and/or sandpaper (don't recall which worked better but the chrome probably didn't file very nicely).
Took a little while but got the job done.

Now I'm better equipped with an old metal lathe, drill press, bench grinder, and angle grinder. With all that, I'd still chuck it in a hand drill and counter spin it on the bench grinder. Should be close enough for all but the tightest clearance applications.

 

[Robert Haas]

Mail it to me and I will turn it for free.

 

[sberry]

I got a guy works for me. One of the best hands on mechanics I ever met and on occasion I beat up on him about simple, its pretty rare but he can put his finger on the problem, its near priceless.

 

[dr_clyde]

Get a grip? Really? Do you really think I am so out of touch I don't know what's going on?

I answered the OP in the way he asked. He asked about a machine shop option, I answered as a machine shop.

I also pointed out that as a one time thing, literally just about anything would work. Use whatever you have. Bench grinder and a cordless drill would be the fast and dirty way.

I also said that if this is a tool he uses a lot and wants it nice it would be worth doing right and spending a few bucks.

A drill press is "usually" a nicer piece of equipment, and using an angle grinder on it is a fast way to turn even a cheap drill press into something you don't want to use.

I grow weary of people always seeking the cheap, the shortcut, the hack way to do things.

 

[PugetDude]

Mail it to me and I will turn it for free.

PM me your address and I'll send you an old 11/16" socket for free. I'll even grind it down for you. And, I'll include a dollar bill, two green army men and a cats eye marble.

 

[dr_clyde]

How's that go? Mail us your answer on the back of a $20 bill?

 

[sberry]

He has his issues but have really come to appreciate simple. We got a simple area and I tend to train or tell others the relevant feature so they can optimize, that we aint got to blow grinding dust in every direction and the is some method to do it where I aint blowing it all over fuk. Its one of the grinding skills, can keep the mess to a minimum, I aint got to blow it in the tool box, since this is second nature and I done it thousands of times, would blow dross to a safe area.
Its almost like instinct I guess, I could understand the difference in an 89$ drill press and an 8900$ one or working in a fine marble bathroom or the bar pisser.
There is a difference in the question. Ask me for examples of cranes is different than how to. There is a trade off, money or know how and time. It doesn't apply directly to hobby but to maintenance it does and the object is to make it easier to buy tools than provide labor. Get rid of 5 workers with a and a 250K machine or even 500k and make more easier money.
I do pick on an issue and sometimes people but usually jealous probably as they have a gift. I assume that people got a problem or want something are looking for the easiest way. Very few are disciplined to have a couple full time men and run real contracting.
Today am more focused on getting it done than aqusion of tools and long term investments I think I might need. Today more likely to go to HF and buy a tool if I thought I would recover vs rental etc and most of it lasts longer than is should. It might even be disposable part of the cost, a couple 12 ton import jacks cost 75, 3 large pizza or dinner out and got a tool I might or might not need again vs starting to look for the perfect one at a sale. I bought at sales usually with something in mind I needed vs needing to get something done.
In Jakes case some metal bending and could see him sourcing a spec part from 4FN etc. But the solution for a DIY is fukkin different than it is for someone in that business.

 

[sberry]

I would have chucked it in a battery drill, adapted to it and leaned on it over a welding bench and used a 4 1/2 with a common 1/4 wheel that lives on that grinder. Would simply be another of hundreds of custom jobs we do with a 30$ Walmart grinder. Aint a day goes by its not used. The one I am using now has years on it. Dozens of wheels. Sharpens brush hog blades as good as any I ever used in its size. Got to go over hundred bucks to get much better unit.
If a guy is asking about a 1st its easy, couple thoe babys will outlast any retired types that ever lived.

 

[Riggerson]

It's a 5 minute job with a lathe. If you're going to use it more than once it's worthwhile to have it properly machined. If you're in a pinch then an angle grinder will do the job.