Ratchet Practice

[hickory n Steel]

Looks well done to me. It functions for the intended purpose and you got to use some tools making it. Win all around.

Plus it costed nothing to turn a free tool I had no use for into something I do.
Not 100% sure yet but im thinking of putting it into my bycicle tool kit.

[Rusty]

This is the type of thread I missed for the past couple of years.

[J.A.F.E.]

This is the type of thread I missed for the past couple of years.

Hopefully we will be seeing more for a while.

These are pieces Strik made and sent they are all 1/4. Some work better than others my favorite to use is the second from the right and iot works quite well.

[hickory n Steel]

This is the type of thread I missed for the past couple of years.

Hopefully we will be seeing more for a while.

These are pieces Strik made and sent they are all 1/4. Some work better than others my favorite to use is the second from the right and iot works quite well.

He did an excellent job on those, if I could weld I'd make something similar just for the ball detent feature.
Now this has me wondering how hard it would be to create a ball detent.
I've got a few tiny ball bearings, a bit lighter spring, and I suppose I could  use a punch to create a lip that would lock it in.

[strik9]

Wow...  I forgot about those already.  Good to see they found a use with you. 

   I do remember making those fine adjustables however.  Tons of work for poor results.

[J.A.F.E.]

Elroy did a how to on setting the check balls some time back. I don't recall the details but I think he made the tool to stake the ball. Snapmom did a repair on an extension that needed a check ball she also posted. All that got lost on the meltdown.

[hickory n Steel]

Well I made it work.

It removed the magnet, and drilled the hole deeper.
Then I inserted the small spring I found and the ball ( a steel birdshot I believe ) , and all I had to do was push it in while taking a center punch to the edge on one side.
It was kind of a finnicky thing to do have to hold the punch and the pin i pressed the ball in with in the same hand, but it worked.

I don't know how well staked the ball is, and how well it will hold long term, but it's working at the moment.

[strik9]

I have to confess I did not set any tiny balls onto tiny springs.  The one is a 1/4" hex bit to 1/4" square drive from a cheap bit driver set. 
     It is pressed into a nut with a fixed washer.  No welding at all just crammed in under pressure.

[J.A.F.E.]

It is tricky to set the check balls needs about three hands and most people seem to stop at 2.

[hickory n Steel]

I have to confess I did not set any tiny balls onto tiny springs.  The one is a 1/4" hex bit to 1/4" square drive from a cheap bit driver set. 
     It is pressed into a nut with a fixed washer.  No welding at all just crammed in under pressure.

Why didn't I think if that ?
Just file the nut down to a tight press fit and file the 1/4 square to a tight fit into the nut and call it done.
I can definitely do that and end up with a much cleaner finished product.
I'll think about doing this if I can find the right nut ( I've already got the perfect 1/4dr from a cheapo little breaker bar that broke )

[ken w.]

My first day on the job at a new car dealer I was told how to replace spark plugs. It was with a universal joint spark plug socket , long extension  , and a bent handled flex head ratchet. It took me a couple of cars to get the handle of it , but I've been hooked ever since. That was back in the mid 80's. Things are a little different now. My ratchet is getting wore out. The flex head flops back and forth and has tons of slop in it. I'd like to turn it in for a new model with fine teeth and a hard handle if available. I bought it new the 2nd day on the job along with a 3' extension and spark plug socket. I think the whole set up cost me around $130.00. I don't think I could buy the ratchet for that now.

[hickory n Steel]

Here's the final iteration of my 12mm box end conversion
I ended up using one of those socket adapter bits of which I have quite a few, luckily I happened to have a black one.




I was going to cut it off flush, but I realized that if I leave it sticking out i can put some kind of spinner handle on it.
I just happened to have this little nut driver laying around and it works perfectly, I think it may be from an Xcelite Torque amplifier set.
I've used this a few times in the past couplevdays and it works very well, the little spinner handle comes in very handy.

A big thanks to J.A.F.E and Strik for giving me the idea to use a bit driver adapter, works better than my first thing and was much easier.

[strik9]

Two ideas on the washer placement.  Near the socket it is a solid stop.  And it permits the spinner.   Opposite the socket it stays with the wrench when a socket is fixed.  I tried both then went and bought L socket wrenches.

   That looks factory made.  Very clean lines.

   Give it a long term use and report back. 

[J.A.F.E.]

Back in the early days Snap-on had a setup very similar.

From the Collecting Snap-on site.

http://collectingsnapon.com/catalogs/catalogs.php?loggedin=0&catalogPage=116

[hickory n Steel]

Two ideas on the washer placement.  Near the socket it is a solid stop.  And it permits the spinner.   Opposite the socket it stays with the wrench when a socket is fixed.  I tried both then went and bought L socket wrenches.

   That looks factory made.  Very clean lines.

   Give it a long term use and report back.

Thanks.
Btw I had to file the nut down on all flats to fit it, so it's a tight press fit and is essentially permanent.
Its not hard to tap it out, but I have no need to.

I'll definitely report back on it after some time, I really like the 72 tooth mechanism and this thing is just a handy size.