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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!
Quote from: bonneyman on April 02, 2019, 06:05:53 PMYeah, 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.
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.
Quote from: hickory n Steel on April 07, 2019, 09:35:34 AMWell 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?
OK, here's my spare attachments hickory:Large ball driver to 1/4" square, ball detentLarge ball driver to 1/4" hex adaptor, spring circlip retention12" long wire male hex to female hex extention, ball retention on bit end
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.