Turning/grinding down a socket, options?

[4 FN 27]

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.

I found Sockets fairly easy to cut or Weld. Wrenches to me can be a challenge. Some bend and some don't.

Some of the mods I have done over the years.

Spares that can be modded if necessary.

 

[rlitman]

I found Sockets fairly easy to cut or Weld. Wrenches to me can be a challenge. Some bend and some don't.

Some of the mods I have done over the years...

The sockets I've welded that failed looked good, and seemed easy enough. Good toes on the welds, but apparently no penetration as the weld suddenly falls off like a piece of scale.

I've got an adjustable wrench handle welded to a pipe that I turned into a tire mount/dismount bar. It takes a LOT of stress and works great.

 

[DpSyChO]

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.

I have a lathe and I've still ground the wall of a socket before using a 1/2 to 1/4 hex adapter in cordless drill and grinding with a belt sander. The belt sander is on casters so i typically roll over to or out of a bay door when grinding anything to try and keep a little grit out of the shop. It took longer to open garage door and roll the belt sander over than it took to grind down the socket.

 

[joe_padavano]

Wow, three pages on this? It takes less time to grind the socket on a bench grinder than it takes to read this thread.

 

[joe49]

To many. ''you got to do it right'' also known as my way is the only correct way. Now OP what did you choose. Anyway you go your wrong to some, and right to others.

 

[McFarmer]

When I need one I put a dowel through it and hold it up to the belt sander.

Spins and grinds.

 

[4 FN 27]

The sockets I've welded that failed looked good, and seemed easy enough. Good toes on the welds, but apparently no penetration as the weld suddenly falls off like a piece of scale.

I've got an adjustable wrench handle welded to a pipe that I turned into a tire mount/dismount bar. It takes a LOT of stress and works great.

Might be the Filler Rod you are using. I use Stainless when welding Sockets.

These were dedicated tools for the Race Car. All welded so nobody could "barrow" the Extensions causing delays in turning the Clutch changes around.

The (3) 3/8" assemblies were used to pull the Transmission, Bellhousing and Clutch. The 1/2" assembly was used for removing the Wheel Stud Nuts. They were cycled 1000's of times and never broke. The 3/8" assemblies were replaced about every 2 years as the 3/8 Socket on the left would just plain wear out. The Swivels were the weak link on the 9/16 and 3/8. All except the 15/16 were 12 points.

 

[sberry]

No one wants to come over and grind it down on your 8k $ drill press and it wouldn't hurt someone's 89$ one especially if they got enough sense to blow away. Most of the world's work in not sanitary food or aerospace and is done with simple hand tools.

 

[sberry]

This thread is living proof of a couple things, how to do something is different than what should I do, the first seems to bring out a special kind of dumb from really smart people. IF you get tired of cheap,, which should be practical I also get tired of the "best" kind of **** where only a special wrench is the only one that fits the hand in that special way. Fine if a guy says he wants the best and don't care about the cost but when they don't have any it's not practical and they may not need it to last a career in a specialty shop. They may not want to chase a truck down, wait for a week and spend 35$ on a socket they used once.

 

[dr_clyde]

No one wants to come over and grind it down on your 8k $ drill press and it wouldn't hurt someone's 89$ one especially if they got enough sense to blow away. Most of the world's work in not sanitary food or aerospace and is done with simple hand tools.

This thread is living proof of a couple things, how to do something is different than what should I do, the first seems to bring out a special kind of dumb from really smart people. IF you get tired of cheap,, which should be practical I also get tired of the "best" kind of **** where only a special wrench is the only one that fits the hand in that special way. Fine if a guy says he wants the best and don't care about the cost but when they don't have any it's not practical and they may not need it to last a career in a specialty shop. They may not want to chase a truck down, wait for a week and spend 35$ on a socket they used once.

I really don't appreciate being mocked for simply providing my perspective and opinions, especially when they are asked for. OP SPECIFICALLY asked about using a machine shop to do this task, what it would cost, and if there are any other good ideas. I responded with the perspective of a machine shop owner.

It appears the bulk of the population here doesn't view a drill press as a precision tool, or one to be taken care of. Just a spinny go roundy thing that makes holes sometimes. I wouldn't use an angle grinder on a harbor freight drill press. Its just not how I was taught to use machine tools. You do you, but I won't recommend something I wouldn't do.

I am not stupid, I realize the world doesn't do what I do most of the time. Nor do I think my way is the only way. Never have I said this, nor will I ever say this.

I really do not appreciate being told I am a "special kind of dumb" because my way isn't cheap, down and dirty or "home shop".

When I ask a question, I appreciate responses from a large variety of people. I would like to hear from the NASA scientist just as much as Bubba the redneck because they all have valuable perspectives and points. Sometimes get'r'done is just as important as precision and care. What I don't appreciate is when one response is ridiculed, called stupid, overkill, too much, not enough, expensive, cheap, whatever simply because it is not how YOU would do it.

Contribute your point of view, please. It is valuable. But please stop with the ridicule of anyone who wants to go above the bare minimum.

 

[sberry]

Being economical is part of the skill. Most anyone can get it done if they throw enough time and money at it. Easy to answer any question that way. Yes, if I had to get a comp out of the back of a pickup I would take my fel or my crane truck and unload it but for someone here asking I can almost assume for sure they don't have that and if they don't own a hf cherry picker it might be something to consider before they head off to rent a Skytrack or call Detrout rigging who likely doesn't want to deal with a phone call of this nature.
I figure a guy with a crane or a lathe isn't asking.

 

[greg13]

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.

That's what I was thinking. But it COULD be a government job, so spending $100 on a $10 socket would make sense.

 

[sberry]

So,, what is the perspective from a machine shop owner? So far I know it would upset them if a guy did this on his own 85$ drill press but does the machinist want this job, want this guy walking thru the door during a work day,,, when might it be done and how much might it cost?

 

[sberry]

Doesn't really sound like a shop owner but the way a shop owner would do it. My tone might not be appreciated but neither is one that implies we are incompetent hacks for doing a job we actually done before in an effecient practical way for a 5 minute chore.

 

[sberry]

I might chuck it in a lathe if I was standing next to one but I ain't sending a guy on a chase calling every shop in town about turning a little off a socket.

 

[dr_clyde]

The guy literally asked what it would cost to have a machine shop do it. In the very first post.

It’s a five minute job. I might charge a walk in $20. If I’m in a good mood I’d probably do it for free. It would actually take longer to do it with a grinder.

If you don’t have a lathe use a bench grinder. Or an angle grinder. Or whatever.

If it was a tool I wanted to use somewhat often, I’d prefer a lathe turned socket vs a freehand ground one. Just a one time use deal, use whatever works.

I really don’t see what’s so hard about this or why it merits personal insults.

 

[pi_guy]

I really don't appreciate being mocked for simply providing my perspective and opinions, especially when they are asked for. OP SPECIFICALLY asked about using a machine shop to do this task, what it would cost, and if there are any other good ideas. I responded with the perspective of a machine shop owner.

It appears the bulk of the population here doesn't view a drill press as a precision tool, or one to be taken care of. Just a spinny go roundy thing that makes holes sometimes. I wouldn't use an angle grinder on a harbor freight drill press. Its just not how I was taught to use machine tools. You do you, but I won't recommend something I wouldn't do.

I am not stupid, I realize the world doesn't do what I do most of the time. Nor do I think my way is the only way. Never have I said this, nor will I ever say this.

I really do not appreciate being told I am a "special kind of dumb" because my way isn't cheap, down and dirty or "home shop".

When I ask a question, I appreciate responses from a large variety of people. I would like to hear from the NASA scientist just as much as Bubba the redneck because they all have valuable perspectives and points. Sometimes get'r'done is just as important as precision and care. What I don't appreciate is when one response is ridiculed, called stupid, overkill, too much, not enough, expensive, cheap, whatever simply because it is not how YOU would do it.

Contribute your point of view, please. It is valuable. But please stop with the ridicule of anyone who wants to go above the bare minimum.

I find it makes you want to read more than post.
The barest minimum is often the go to here. I have found that going above and beyond pays more dividends in the long run.
It is often like hockey practice the good players do the whole drill where the struggling to keep up ones look to short cut every chance.

 

[sberry]

Sorry Jake. It was kind of a poke at the whole more than any one person. You are one of my favorite people on this forum, both gift and talented. I admire what you do.

 

[2oolhound]

I seems we're arguing over 2 different things. There are 2 basic reasons to reduce the diameter of a socket for clearance.

1 - to get a job that is in front of you in the moment, done
and
2 - to make a thin wall socket for specific applications that you will always have

Here are 2 Hazet sockets, one ground down and the other stock. Hazet sockets are among the thinnest around and since these ones are from 1972 they were especially thinner than most in their day although snap-on were almost identical.

Back in the day even these thin walled sockets had to be turned down to fit in the holes cast in my motorcycle’s cylinder head so the head could be properly torqued down to 30 ft lbs. To have a socket that would last job after job you had to start with a quality socket and then only turn it down until it would just clear so you got maximum strength at it’s thinnest profile required to clear. This meant that after turning on centre you then polished every minute line or machining mark off the surface to eliminate stress risers caused by these imperfections. To do this fine emery cloth followed by crocus cloth (600 grit) was used. 600 was the finest available so you never threw out used crocus cloth, you reused it until it became 2000 grit through wear. This produced a mirror finish in steel. When good engine builders polish crank journals they always finish with old belts because they are finer than anything you can buy and produce a fine mirror polish. (today there are 2000 grit sandpapers available but crocus and emery cloths are cloth not paper and are designed for steel not paint. I have 50 year old crocus cloth that I still reuse.)

I’m happy to say this Hazet 1/4” whitworth socket is 48 years old and has torqued many cylinder heads to 30 ft lbs over those years. (I still have a number of these engines I work on and it has been used on many others back in the day) So guys, when someone asks about reducing the diameter of a socket don’t assume you can just crudely file or grind it, that may work for a quick solution to a problem at hand but the proper way to reduce the diameter and obtain optimum strength to meet specific torque limits you need to be as precise as you can. This requires a lathe and extremely fine emery cloth to finish.

Apologies for the poor photos but it was dark and I didn’t want to fuss too much so the depth of field is really shallow but just look how thin these already thin walled sockets are. 1/4” whitworth is close to 1/2” sae.

 

[VillageHandyman]

I appreciate all of the advice (above) on turning down a socket. I was able to accomplish reducing an extra thin wall CR-MO 17MM socket .050" without incident. I bought a $62 bench grinder and chucked up the socket in a cordless hand drill turning it at low speed and cooling it occasionally by dipping it in water. As advised, there was no need to clamp down the grinder. The motor spins smoothly at 3450 RPM and doesn't move around. I used minimum pressure and went slowly. Glad I had the B&D work bench outside because it does make a small, fine mess which was easily blown away with leaf blower. I did manage to inadvertently grind a 1/4" shallow slit in a knuckle while sharpening a lawnmower blade a few days beforehand on my first ever bench grind effort. You have to watch out for that "other" spinning rock. I was lucky. Seems like the grinder should have a spring loaded cover (similar to circular saw) when not in use, maybe? Anyway, I was not able to envision taping a drill switch in a vice and using my angle grinder on the socket. So, yes, got 'er done. Cost was one bench grinder. So glad I used the CR-MO (impact) socket and not a chrome one. Thanks. B careful out there.

 

[Hal]

I have lathe turned a couple of sockets, and ground down a few before I got my lathe.
Usually bought the victims specially for the project.

I seem to recall Snap On listing special thin high strength sockets for aviation use. Do they still have them?

 

[RoninB4]

To those of you with a similar situation that the OP had/has, an option might be as close as your keyboard. While I'm all in favor of using what you have on hand and/or purchasing more tooling to further equip your garage shop, it's not always a practical solution. Budgets get stretched when a new problem arises. I've got a small machine shop, am right up the road from several of you, and really wouldn't mind doing some things for minimal/no cost. I can still recall my earlier days when I didn't have any machinery but needed it. Sometimes I'd take it to work if possible, often I couldn't and that would often force me to a less desirable solution or be dead in the water for what to do.

I'm not seeking more projects, got enough of my own right now, but if something as simple as turning down a socket gets you to the finish line then I can probably do same day (depending) turn around. If you're in a jam, do include your location when posting.

I try to help others because I've been helped.

 

[PelicanPines]

This is GJ

Forge a new one.