What was I thinking

[hickory n Steel]

I got an email alert for and eBay listing.
12 of the mini black and yellow Pratt Reed easy driver balls for $14 shipped.
It's just the ball driver itself and I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but I could not pass them up at this price.
My original full sized easy driver has a broken tab, these are a solid plastic socket it appears and should be more durable.

closest gas station to my current location

There were other sellers with 1 for $3 and 5 for $12, so I guess $10 for 12 is a great deal.

[bonneyman]

Yeah, those are the Pratt/Read "back by popular demand" version of the EASYDRIVER. They had made some improvements, and they're better than the original.
I've got a great condition full-sized EASYDRIVER ball you can have. Lets do some swappin!

[hickory n Steel]

Yeah, those are the Pratt/Read "back by popular demand" version of the EASYDRIVER. They had made some improvements, and they're better than the original.
I've got a great condition full-sized EASYDRIVER ball you can have. Lets do some swappin!

My original has a broken tab, so I'd love another like it.
I just ordered them and that was the sellers picture, but yeah I'll definitely be up to trade.

I figured I'd only keep a couple giving one to my dad and offer the others up for trade or shipping cost...ect.
Maybe I can trade the ones I don't need for things to make shafts for the ones I keep 

[bonneyman]

Yeah, those are the Pratt/Read "back by popular demand" version of the EASYDRIVER. They had made some improvements, and they're better than the original.
I've got a great condition full-sized EASYDRIVER ball you can have. Lets do some swappin!

My original has a broken tab, so I'd love another like it.
My grandfather had it, and it's the later version with that black blow moulded case and I always liked the idea of the early version in the tube.

I just ordered them ( that's the sellers picture ) but I know I only really need to keep one for myself and one for my dad, so I'll definitely be up for a trade.

OK, 10-4. I should probably take a "current" ball driver picture (done, in EASYDRIVER thread) as I've added some and lost some over the past year. But I'll dig out my best full-sized EASYDRIVER for you.

P.S. Here it is. Slightly bubbered tabs on the black inlet. Otherwise, perfect.

And I have duplicates of most of the attachments. If you need a shaft I'll probably be able to help you out.

[hickory n Steel]

Sounds good.

Mine just came with the 1/4 square drive for sockets, I wouldn't mind having a 1/4 bit shaft if you've got one.

[hickory n Steel]

Well I should have them tomorrow, then the fun begins in coming up with some kind of shaft for them.
I'm wondering if maybe a standard 1/4 hex bit extension might fit.

[bonneyman]

Well I should have them tomorrow, then the fun begins in coming up with some kind of shaft for them.
I'm wondering if maybe a standard 1/4 hex bit extension might fit.

Both the EASYDRIVER and Pratt-Read made the square holes not perfectly sized for standard drive attachments. (They want you to buy their stuff!). But I've Macgyvered shafts to work, finding some square stock around the shop and making sleeves or what not to increase the size till it fits snug. Or you could take an old extension, cut off the female end, and grind the remaining shaft down square till it fits. Then you can put sockets on the other end.

P.S. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe one of those faucet seat tools could work. You know, some are square tapered, and others are square stepped. Maybe an old worn out tool like that could be modded to hold a socket or bit holder on one end?

[hickory n Steel]

Well I should have them tomorrow, then the fun begins in coming up with some kind of shaft for them.
I'm wondering if maybe a standard 1/4 hex bit extension might fit.

Both the EASYDRIVER and Pratt-Read made the square holes not perfectly sized for standard drive attachments. (They want you to buy their stuff!). But I've Macgyvered shafts to work, finding some square stock around the shop and making sleeves or what not to increase the size till it fits snug. Or you could take an old extension, cut off the female end, and grind the remaining shaft down square till it fits. Then you can put sockets on the other end.

P.S. Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe one of those faucet seat tools could work. You know, some are square tapered, and others are square stepped. Maybe an old worn out tool like that could be modded to hold a socket or bit holder on one end?

Have one but it's not worn out and I may need it in the future.

[bonneyman]

OK, here's my spare attachments hickory:
Large ball driver to 1/4" square, ball detent
Large ball driver to 1/4" hex adaptor, spring circlip retention
12" long wire male hex to female hex extention, ball retention on bit end

[hickory n Steel]

OK, here's my spare attachments hickory:
Large ball driver to 1/4" square, ball detent
Large ball driver to 1/4" hex adaptor, spring circlip retention
12" long wire male hex to female hex extention, ball retention on bit end

Attachment #2 would be great.
I've already got attachment #1.

[hickory n Steel]

They just arrived.
They are a 1/4" which is great, it means all you have to do is grind two apposing corners of a 1/4 hex bit adapter and you're good to go.

[hickory n Steel]

Most of these were pretty stiff, but I've figured out all they need is to be broken in.

Running the mechanism with a drill for 20 seconds really made a huge difference, not completely broken in but a good quick initial break in.

[hickory n Steel]

They're still kind of stiff and squeaky, so for mine and the one going to my dad I drilled a 1/16 hole introduced some oil and spun it in the drill to let the centrifugal force disperse it.

These two are really smooth now and are what I expect from an easy driver.

[hickory n Steel]

Scratch the 1/4 hex bit extension, under minimal torque they'll turn sideways and get stuck.
Were these a metal female drive it would be fine, but not for plastic.

A 1/4 square is a must for sure, and it turns out a Craftsman square screwdriver shank is a must, i had just a 4" section left from the old one i had made a few things left so I could only make two.

[bonneyman]

I find the smaller, 1" driver balls to be perfect for stubborn thermostat screws. Over time the nickel (or whatever) coating on the screws corrodes off, due to poor contact and electrolysis due to poor t-stat construction. (They manufacturers don't clean up the flux after soldering and the residue causes corrosion. I started cleaning contacts and wiring on new stats with 99% ethanol spray just to eliminate this problem)
So many t-stat screwdrivers are so small diameter a normal mans hand's just can't get enough grip. The small EASYDRIVER's give me the grip I need to pop those stuck screws off! And if I break one, I have a pill bottle full of extras I've confiscated off of old stats for just such a use.