Provincial
Well-known member
There has been much discussion about the way the handle of the Williams M-110 spinner/extension prevents using a ratchet or other drive handle when it is in the free-wheeling position. I was of a like mind until I found one and started using it. I have found that it is a well-designed and fully thought-out tool.
Let's start by establishing some terms. When I say the handle is "in" it means that it is located toward the male drive end and away from the female drive end.
When I say the handle is "out" it means that it is located away from the male drive end and toward the female drive end.
When I say the handle is "locked" it moves the shaft when it turns. This is the "in" position.
When I say the handle is "free" it means that the handle spins without engaging the shaft. This is the "out" position.
The complaint is that the handle won't allow a drive handle to be used when it is in the "free" position. This is true, but in using the tool I found that it is not likely that having the handle spin while a drive handle is attached is going to make the tool less useful. Here is why.
When you are using, say a ratchet with the tool, you are applying the force with the ratchet. If the handle spins freely, it would give you a place to put your off hand to stabilize the ratchet head in line with the extension, but normally you put that hand on the ratchet head to accomplish this, so it is not much of an issue. To the contrary, the handle being locked allows you us use the spinner function of the tool to spin down the fastener until it needs the ratchet to make it turn. This is handy if the fastener has intermittent drag due to damaged or dirty threads, because it allows you to use the handle when possible, while the ratchet is there if necessary to get past the difficult part. If you start the fastener without the ratchet inserted in the female drive, you can spin the fastener down and just plug the ratchet in when needed.
When you are using the tool with an extension inserted in the female drive, the handle can be used in either the "locked" or the "free" position. This allows you to choose to use the spinner function to run the fastener down and then move it to the "free" position to stabilize the extension while using a ratchet to bring the fastener up to torque. This is particularly useful when using long extensions to avoid obstructions. All the Williams extensions will work this way, since they do not have a flange extending beyond the diameter of the square drive end of the extension. I believe that most other brands of extension will also work this way.
When using the tool as an extension engaged directly to the socket, you can put it in "free" and plug another extension into it for the ratchet to engage, thereby keeping the ratchet in an unobstructed area while you stabilize the extensions near the socket. In such a situation, you can also use it in the "locked" position to spin the fastener or to rotate the socket until it engages the flats of the fastener. Once engaged, you can then move the handle to the "free" position and support the extensions.
All in all, I think the tool is very useful as is, and making it able to be "free" while engaged to a drive tool is unnecessary.
Let's start by establishing some terms. When I say the handle is "in" it means that it is located toward the male drive end and away from the female drive end.
When I say the handle is "out" it means that it is located away from the male drive end and toward the female drive end.
When I say the handle is "locked" it moves the shaft when it turns. This is the "in" position.
When I say the handle is "free" it means that the handle spins without engaging the shaft. This is the "out" position.
The complaint is that the handle won't allow a drive handle to be used when it is in the "free" position. This is true, but in using the tool I found that it is not likely that having the handle spin while a drive handle is attached is going to make the tool less useful. Here is why.
When you are using, say a ratchet with the tool, you are applying the force with the ratchet. If the handle spins freely, it would give you a place to put your off hand to stabilize the ratchet head in line with the extension, but normally you put that hand on the ratchet head to accomplish this, so it is not much of an issue. To the contrary, the handle being locked allows you us use the spinner function of the tool to spin down the fastener until it needs the ratchet to make it turn. This is handy if the fastener has intermittent drag due to damaged or dirty threads, because it allows you to use the handle when possible, while the ratchet is there if necessary to get past the difficult part. If you start the fastener without the ratchet inserted in the female drive, you can spin the fastener down and just plug the ratchet in when needed.
When you are using the tool with an extension inserted in the female drive, the handle can be used in either the "locked" or the "free" position. This allows you to choose to use the spinner function to run the fastener down and then move it to the "free" position to stabilize the extension while using a ratchet to bring the fastener up to torque. This is particularly useful when using long extensions to avoid obstructions. All the Williams extensions will work this way, since they do not have a flange extending beyond the diameter of the square drive end of the extension. I believe that most other brands of extension will also work this way.
When using the tool as an extension engaged directly to the socket, you can put it in "free" and plug another extension into it for the ratchet to engage, thereby keeping the ratchet in an unobstructed area while you stabilize the extensions near the socket. In such a situation, you can also use it in the "locked" position to spin the fastener or to rotate the socket until it engages the flats of the fastener. Once engaged, you can then move the handle to the "free" position and support the extensions.
All in all, I think the tool is very useful as is, and making it able to be "free" while engaged to a drive tool is unnecessary.
