On 2007-12-29, jusme wrote:
"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...

[ ... ]

How about buying some standard length Torx bits and
solder/braze/welding them to extensions the length you need?

[ ... ]

Larry, that was the epiphany that I had earlier. I was just trying to save
money instead of buying 50 to 100 bits. I don't need to extend them, I need
to saw them off.

Oh! You're expecting it to have the Torx profile the whole
length. Typically -- the Torx profile only extends 1/4 inch or so for
the larger ones, and less for the smaller ones. It then fairly quickly
fans out to a full 1/4" hex.

The reason for this is that if you kept it at that tiny diameter
for any significant length, the shaft would wind up -- limiting the
torque which can be applied to the screw. You would not like the
results.

This is why there were suggestions to take the pinion wire (if
it turned out to have the right profile) and mount short lengths of it
in larger diameter stock.

Instead -- why not check whether you can get the bits in gross
packaging from someplace like MSC -- the price can drop significantly
with quantity purchasing.

For that matter -- you can get them in the same format as the
Allen wrenchs (L shape) and those may well be the least expensive format
in gross packages.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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