wrote:

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

Many inexpensive sets will have both...but personally, w/ just one, I'd
take the standard for the convenience of smaller size. Would depend a
little on what I expected to use it for, perhaps.

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

I have both, so I can speak from experience. I use the deep well
sockets about 5% of the time. There are many situations where deep
well sockets won't clear obstructions or otherwise are just cumbersome
to use. Also, since the depth of the deep well socket puts the handle
further away from the nut, there is a tendency for the socket to come
off the nut when using the very end of the socket. If I had to pick
one style, I'd get 12-point standard depth sockets.

Regards,
John.

wrote in message
...
If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

I agree with the other responders.
Look at the swivel sockets. Snap on has a ball and joint configuration on
them. I find that they are very useful in a lot of places. My set happen to
be for an impact wrench.

Check harbor freight for sets that are inexpensive. I use a lot of harbor
freight tools, if they break no biggie.

On 1/12/2005 2:53 PM US(ET), took fingers to keys, and
typed the following:

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?


If you have anything with a long bolt sticking out of the nut, the deep
ones are better, otherwise you'll be using a wrench on the nut to break
it loose, and then a nut driver to finish screwing it off.
I have a set of both, and in both metric and SAE. Sometimes I wish I had
more deep sockets (and pockets).

--
Bill

wrote in message
...
If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

Buy the standard set. Later, buy the one or two deep sockets you may need.
There will be times that a deep socket does not allow you to get into a
spot, probably more often that you need a deep one. I have maybe two or
three deep sockets and that is all I ever used in my life. If you are
heavily into mechanical repairs you'd probably already have both sets.

Buy a decent set and it will last you for your lifetime. Cheap tools are no
bargain if they break or strip or cause your bolt to strip. Mine are about
40 years old and in that time I've only replace a couple that broke, more
from abuse than wear.

If I had to pick one style, I'd get 12-point standard depth sockets.

Better choice is standard depth 6 point sockets. Most home owners will be
involved in a struggle with reluctant nuts and bolts, and the 12 point sockets
tend to round off cheap consumer fasteners very quickly. HTH

Joe

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 13:53:11 -0600, wrote:

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?
if you're on a real strict budget, buy a standard depth 6 point
good quality set. first. then later buy another set that will
probably contain both. no man can have too many
socket sets. i made up a tool kit for the garage which
is just chock full of everything, a smaller kit for carrying
in the car and an even more select kit for fixing bicycles
away from my house. you can't really have too
many tools. keep an eye out for sales. most socket
sets are half price at one tiome or another.
....thehick

On 1/12/05 1:53 PM, in article ,
" wrote:

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

There is another alternative I haven't seen mentioned yet. It's box end
ratcheting wrenches. The ones I've seen are like the non ratcheting
versions with one size at one end and another size on the opposite end.
Mac, Snap On and Sears have them. Sizes are a bit limited and the wrench
needs a little more space to work.

Dean




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On 1/12/2005 8:38 PM US(ET), Dean Hoffman took fingers to keys, and
typed the following:

On 1/12/05 1:53 PM, in article ,
" wrote:



If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?



There is another alternative I haven't seen mentioned yet. It's box end
ratcheting wrenches. The ones I've seen are like the non ratcheting
versions with one size at one end and another size on the opposite end.
Mac, Snap On and Sears have them. Sizes are a bit limited and the wrench
needs a little more space to work.

Not only space for the wider wrench head, but room to swing around near
the bolt head. I have a number of them and they're probably the last
wrench I would use in most work.

--
Bill

Have ample auto tools here including lots of sockets and two way too heavy
rolling tool boxes - needed a small 1/4 drive type deep wall socket to do
something on a riding mower and my local true value hardware had a whole set
on a spring clip holder for like $10. It has been so handy in the house I
later bought a matching 3/8 set for it seems like about the same bucks.
Great to have inside the house !

True Value lifetime guarantee sockets & they are an amazing quality for so
little money. If you buy just one socket the hardware price socks it to you
but for the price of two individual sockets you can get a whole set !
Amazing.


wrote in message
...
If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?


The answer is yes, no, definitely, and maybe.

Sometimes the bolt is long, and you need a deep well to get over the bolt
and down to the nut.

Sometimes the clearance is so that you can't get anything but a shallow
socket on it.

Sometimes you can use a socket on it, but you can't put the socket all the
way on the handle because then it would be too tall.

Sometimes, when you loosen the nut, you can't get the socket and handle out
of the recess where you have putten it in to get to the thingus.

So, the answer is yes, no, definitely and maybe.

At various times, nothing but a deep well socket, shallow well socket, box
end, open end, or ratchet wrench will work.

IOW - one size does not fit all, and there is no such thing as buying one
set that will do it all. If I were to HAVE to buy one set FIRST, I would
pick a deep well set. You will need more than that, so go buy those cheap
sets at ACE or HD, and then you can afford two sets for less than one good
set will cost. It will last plenty long unless you get into engine
rebuilding.

When buying wrenches, look for the sets of about ten wrenches sold at ACE,
and yes, get a set of metric, too. And a set of metric sockets, too. And a
set of deep well metric sockets. And some metric screwdrivers. And an
adjustable metric wrench.

Just to cover all possibilities.

If you find that you absolutely need one socket or one wrench to do one job,
might as well get the set because rule is, you will need another size within
ten days. And nowadays buying only one will cost you as much as a set.
They make more money that way.

Last rule: you can't have too many tools.

HTH

Steve

wrote:
If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

Small sets usually come with the regular sockets. But look
around before you lay out your money. I've had a really
cheap set to augment my regular tools and they are ok for
some stuff but the sockets or wrenches will strip if used
hard. About 2 years ago, I bought a set to carry in my car
and was so impressed I bought another set for my son. They
are marked Stanley Professional with 1/4 and 3/8 wrenches
and include both SAE and metric sizes with some 6 point and
some 12 point sockets and also some deep sockets in a blow
mold case for $20.

The answer to your question is, NO. Regular sockets are
easier to work with and will do most of what you will want.
Sometime, though, you will definitely need a deep socket.
Individual sockets are very expensive so at that time I
would buy a set of deep sockets that includes the size you
need. For deep sockets, check the 6 point impact sockets at
Harbor Freight if you have one near you. A set of 1/2"
sockets through 1-1/4" will cost about $18 on sale and they
are tough. Most of the time, you will only need deep
sockets for some plumbing aspects, e.g., changing the rubber
in a valve in the wall or changing a heating element in an
electric heater. Of course you need a deep socket for
changing spark plugs but usually one of those is included in
a small set and they have those individually anyway.

wrote:
On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 13:20:14 -0700, "SQLit"
wrote:


wrote in message
. ..

If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

I agree with the other responders.
Look at the swivel sockets. Snap on has a ball and joint configuration on
them. I find that they are very useful in a lot of places. My set happen to
be for an impact wrench.

Check harbor freight for sets that are inexpensive. I use a lot of harbor
freight tools, if they break no biggie.



It's a biggie if the socket splits while you are applying pressure and
you break a few fingers as a result.

BB

You would not break a finger (or more likely smack it) if
you were using the wrench correctly. The points may strip
with cheap stuff, but how often does a socket split? I've
never had a socket split and I go up to 150foot-pounds or so
every once in a while when taking stuck wheel nuts off.
Course I'm only a little guy and don't use more than an 18"
bar (well sometime I use a 18" piece of pipe on the bar to
extend it past 24")

It's a biggie if the socket splits while you are applying pressure and
you break a few fingers as a result.

You will almost NEVER see a real technician with a busted or banged up
anything... with just a little thought and common sense, you can almost
always position yourself to safely deal surprise slippages and/or tool
failures. Having and using the correct tools for the job plays a big
part too.

BTW, yours truly busted a brand new 1/2" drive 32mm socket Tuesday...
went at maybe 125 foot pounds using a 24" breaker bar, and surprised
hell out of me. Doesn't happen often, but once in a while...

Erik

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 08:04:45 GMT, Erik wrote:


It's a biggie if the socket splits while you are applying pressure and
you break a few fingers as a result.

You will almost NEVER see a real technician with a busted or banged up
anything... with just a little thought and common sense, you can almost
always position yourself to safely deal surprise slippages and/or tool
failures. Having and using the correct tools for the job plays a big
part too.
you should always try to pull towards yourself, not push away.
this'll reduce the chances of injuring your hand if something
slips.
....thehick

I was always taught You minimize or eliminate risks of knuckle busters
and cut hands and other body parts by always pulling on a wrench/ratchet,
plus you're a better judge of tite - go pushing on ratchets and people are
not only going to chastise you, they're going to laugh at you. You're going
to not only tend to round the bolt head and bust those nuts, bolts & threads
yore going to damage your body too.



"Erik" wrote in message
...

It's a biggie if the socket splits while you are applying pressure and
you break a few fingers as a result.

You will almost NEVER see a real technician with a busted or banged up
anything... with just a little thought and common sense, you can almost
always position yourself to safely deal surprise slippages and/or tool
failures. Having and using the correct tools for the job plays a big
part too.

BTW, yours truly busted a brand new 1/2" drive 32mm socket Tuesday...
went at maybe 125 foot pounds using a 24" breaker bar, and surprised
hell out of me. Doesn't happen often, but once in a while...

Erik

"Erik" wrote in message
...

BTW, yours truly busted a brand new 1/2" drive 32mm socket Tuesday...
went at maybe 125 foot pounds using a 24" breaker bar, and surprised
hell out of me. Doesn't happen often, but once in a while...

Erik

I used to have a Karmann Ghia. It had lug bolts, not lug nuts. Good fit so
even if you tightened them just snug, they held in place. I used to put a
piece of pipe over the handle and jump on it to get the bolt to move. One
you loosened it 1/4 turn, it came out by hand. Broke a lot of sockets but
Craftsman replaced them every time.

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 11:58:39 GMT, wrote:

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 05:40:55 -0500, frank-in-toronto
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 08:04:45 GMT, Erik wrote:


It's a biggie if the socket splits while you are applying pressure and
you break a few fingers as a result.

You will almost NEVER see a real technician with a busted or banged up
anything... with just a little thought and common sense, you can almost
always position yourself to safely deal surprise slippages and/or tool
failures. Having and using the correct tools for the job plays a big
part too.
you should always try to pull towards yourself, not push away.
this'll reduce the chances of injuring your hand if something
slips.
...thehick

Yeah, you might save your hand, but when it lets loose, you may beak your nose
or lose a few teeth instead.
that'd be funny. if one of my buddies did that, i'd fall down
laughing.
....thehick

In article ,
wrote:
If a person was gonna buy a small socket set for home
use.... would it be wise to get only deep well sockets
instead of standard depth as deep well might be more
useful?

Advice?

IMHO it would be a tossup. Sometimes a deep socket can't be used
because of space constraints; sometimes a deep socket is necessary.
You have a 50-50 chance of having the wrong socket at some time or the
other unless you own both. Then there's times only a box or open end
wrench will do, or...


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

IMHO it would be a tossup.

I see

Well i sure appreciate everyone opinion on this subject

It sounds like I should bite the bullet and just get
BOTh types of tools. That this is not an "either/or"
decision

be a tossup.

I see

Well i sure appreciate everyone opinion on this subject

It sounds like I should bite the bullet and just get
BOTh types of tools. That this is not an "either/or"
decision

it is a simple choice for me
3/8 ratchet = deep wall sockets for light duty if I was choosing an initial
set to start with.
If you're gonna really lean on it you'll want 1/2 drive and use deepwall
only when needed

\