Christopher Tidy wrote:
Hi all,

You know when you're searching for an uncommon tool and eventually you
buy a decent one, but it doesn't quite do everything you need, so you
keep looking and sometime buy another? Then the whole cycle repeats
itself until you have several similar tools?

Well it keeps happening to me with BA spanners and sockets. I bought a
set of open-ended BA spanners when I was working on a vacuum pump a
couple of years ago. Then a bit later I was working on a scientific
balance which had some delicate brass BA locknuts. So I ended up with
two sets of open-ended BA spanners.

Then I needed to tighten terminals on several motors. The open-ended
spanners don't fit very well, so I ordered some BA box spanners.
Unfortunately the set was incomplete when it arrived, so I called the
old guy at the tool company. He apologised and said that someone
else's set had contained a faulty spanner, so he replaced it with one
from another set, then forgot about it. The replacement didn't turn
up, so I called the guy again and he said the manufacturer was in
difficulty and hadn't supplied him. A few months went by and I called
the company again, but didn't get the knowledgeable old guy. It
turned out that he had passed away. Poor chap.

So I bought some new old stock BA sockets on eBay. Only I screwed up.
They were advertised as "BA sockets, 1/4" hex drive". I assumed it
meant "BA hex sockets, 1/4" square drive", but no, they are actually
hex drive. My fault. They're quite a nice set, though, and they were
cheap. They come with a handle which looks like an Allen key, but I
was hoping to be able to use a screwdriver-type ratchet handle with
them. What do you call a screwdriver-type ratchet handle which fits
1/4" hex drive sockets, I wonder, and where might one find such a
tool?
Ah, the joy of hunting for tools (it is quite fun, actually).

Best wishes,

Chris

It happens that common phillips screwdriver tips are 1/4" hex ... as are
the magnetic holders you put in your drill motor to drive them . You can
also buy adapters (usually in a set with some cheap sockets) to drive them
with a 1/4" ratchet . Female/female , or male/male but you can use a cutoff
screwdriver tip or allen wrench .
Thimk of the possibilities !
--
Snag aka OSG #1
'76 FLH "Bag Lady"
BS132 SENS NEWT
"A hand shift is a manly shift ."
shamelessly stolen
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