themiller
Well-known member
I prefer mid over deep. Rare that I actually need a deep, pretty common to need more than normal. Doing it over again I’d get rid of my 3/8 and 1/4 deep and shallow and just have a set of mid for each.
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Why Mid-Length Sockets? Are they needed?
- Thread starter oldschoolcraft
- Start date
I'd say probably zero use for that one (8mm) on an air impact. Limited use on a Milwaukee impact driver, plenty of use on a cordless ratchet and of course hand ratchets. The 13 and 15 that did the same saw more impact driver use. I have impact mid lengths as well so air impact use on chromes is a rarity.
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I use gearwrench mid chromies on an air impact daily, though mainly just tearing transmissions down and have had the same 3/8" set for 2 or 3 years.
The other builder uses Snap on mids with a cordless impact and splits one every week or so.
Maybe chrome sockets don't like cordless impacts very much.
RAS61
Well-known member
So why do Mid-length's exist?...The best comments I've seen on some other threads I found were that if you were to only have one socket set, for some reason (space, money) then get midlengths. Might be some jobs you can't do, but on a whole, will be better than picking only shallow or only deep, IF only one set was possible.
If I were to only have one type socket it would be deep - they cover my needs 95% of the time. Even when not needed a deep is the equivalent of a short plus an extension, which is more comfortable and prevents skinned knuckles. In the 5% of cases where a deep won't fit a combo wrench would work just fine, just a little more time without the speed of a ratchet.
This would be my choice for a travel bag for a boat or car where you don't want to spend a lot of money or carry a lot of tools that will only be needed in an emergency.
dbm52
Member
i have snap on in 1/4" & 3/8" standard & metric in regular,semi, deep. usually my go to sockets are the semi deep i love them
spock91
Member
Same here I have all three snap on in 1/4 and 3/8. My favorite is the semi deep.
shawndp
Well-known member
My first Snap-On's were mid-depth impacts in 3/8 and to this day are my favourite - versatility makes so many jobs a lot faster.