Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. MSCdirect.com has a number of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

Normally they are in sets.

But a manufacture site might have one size in quantity from production.

Martin

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/thandle.jpg/

This one came with a little bitty 4 jaw chuck to adjust the jaws. The
whole chuck was $30-40 so the t-handle can't have been very expensive.

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. MSCdirect.com has a number of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...
On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. MSCdirect.com has a number of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. I actually was looking at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with each of
a certain type of part I am making and selling. The L handles are cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much more
convenient for the application.

P.S. I usually don't pitch hex keys. I just grind them off, dip them in
oil, and keep using them. My biggest headache is just plane misplacing
them.

On Jul 14, 11:43*am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message

...





On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. *MSCdirect.com has a number of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. *Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. *I actually was looking at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with each of
a certain type of part I am making and selling. *The L handles are cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much more
convenient for the application.

P.S. *I usually don't pitch hex keys. *I just grind them off, dip them in
oil, and keep using them. *My biggest headache is just plane misplacing
them.

What hex size(s) are you looking for?

"Monkey Butler" wrote in message
...
On Jul 14, 11:43 am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message

...





On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. MSCdirect.com has a number
of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where
I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for
comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. I actually was looking
at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with each
of
a certain type of part I am making and selling. The L handles are cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much more
convenient for the application.

P.S. I usually don't pitch hex keys. I just grind them off, dip them in
oil, and keep using them. My biggest headache is just plane misplacing
them.

What hex size(s) are you looking for?

..125" primarily. Atleast for current products.

On Jul 14, 3:10*pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"Monkey Butler" wrote in message

...





On Jul 14, 11:43 am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message

...

On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture site
or phone number and see what they can do. *MSCdirect.com has a number
of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor where
I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for
comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. *Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. *I actually was looking
at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with each
of
a certain type of part I am making and selling. *The L handles are cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much more
convenient for the application.

P.S. *I usually don't pitch hex keys. *I just grind them off, dip them in
oil, and keep using them. *My biggest headache is just plane misplacing
them.

What hex size(s) are you looking for?

.125" *primarily. *Atleast for current products.

If you want cheep these:

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/produ...023-57322.html

can be had for around $0.99 each


The closest to what you want I think is:

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/produ...116-13307.html

around $2.30 each

rcm AT monkeybutler DOT com

"Monkey Butler" wrote in message
...
On Jul 14, 3:10 pm, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"Monkey Butler" wrote in message

...





On Jul 14, 11:43 am, "Bob La Londe" wrote:
"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message

...

On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

If you need lots of them - in one size - I'd go to a manufacture
site
or phone number and see what they can do. MSCdirect.com has a
number
of
vendor names - and that might give you a start.

[ ... ]

On 7/13/2011 3:00 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped
hex
keys in a single size for a very reasonable per unit price. I was
wondering if one of you guys could point me to a site or vendor
where
I
could order similarly in a small T-handle like this one.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a
little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them,
but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just
keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for
comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long
enough
for the short arm. Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it
in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

When the hex key gets bent, rounded, or otherwise worn, slip
back the sleeve, replace with a new "L-handle" key, and replace the
sleeve.

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. I actually was
looking
at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with
each
of
a certain type of part I am making and selling. The L handles are
cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much
more
convenient for the application.

P.S. I usually don't pitch hex keys. I just grind them off, dip them
in
oil, and keep using them. My biggest headache is just plane
misplacing
them.

What hex size(s) are you looking for?

.125" primarily. Atleast for current products.

If you want cheep these:

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/produ...023-57322.html

can be had for around $0.99 each

99¢ each would be great for that. It is workable. Believe it or not a
length of about 2.5" to 3" would be better for the application. 6" would
preclude the cheaper packaging for some of the smaller variants of the
product. Of course I could always cut them in half and tell them they have
a power driver version and a manual drive version. LOL.


The closest to what you want I think is:

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/produ...116-13307.html

around $2.30 each

The molded plastic handle is over kill. Plasti dipped would be better for
me.




rcm AT monkeybutler DOT com

On 2011-07-14, Bob La Londe wrote:
"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...
On 2011-07-14, Martin Eastburn wrote:
Harbor Freight.

[ ... ]

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Hmm ... take an aluminum or steel bar, cross drill it for the
L-handle Allen key in the center, round the ends on a lathe for comfort,
and then mill a groove ending at the cross-drilled hole and long enough
for the short arm. Perhaps slip on a sleeve (and pin it) to hold it in
place while you apply pressure and torque.

[ ... ]

Sounds very doable, but the cost gets out there. I actually was looking at
something I could buy a couple dozen at a time and include one with each of
a certain type of part I am making and selling.

O.K. I was thinking that you were looking for onesy-twosey
quantities for your own use.

The L handles are cheap
enough, but I have found the little T handle like I pictured is much more
convenient for the application.

Understood.

P.S. I usually don't pitch hex keys. I just grind them off, dip them in
oil, and keep using them. My biggest headache is just plane misplacing
them.

Understood, too.

I've bought really nice T-handle hex keys in a single size --
but it was from a surplus place, and they had only two sizes (I actually
got both). One of them is a nice fit for the sockets in an Aloris BXA
sized holder.

I just checked, and it appears to actually be "Allen" branded.

You might call up MSC and ask whether they can supply them
individually instead of in sets. They often can do things like that. I
once needed a particular metric size of chasers for a Geometric 5/16" D
die head, and while the did not have them, they called around, and
called back with TRW on the line, and after a few questions, TRW made up
a set for me -- with the rake angles proper for the metal I expected to
thread. (Yes, it was somewhat expensive -- but not killer so. It was
bout the price of the regular in-stock chasers for the 3/4" D heads,
about 40% more than the price for the in-stock 5/16" D chaser sets. Not
bad for a special, really.

Obviously, buy more than one if you anticipate the need for
them.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Buy the L keys in bulk, make some molds, and cast the handles out of
polyurethane. Or build the little Gingery injection molding machine, make a
mold, and mold them out of polyethylene. Snap an L key into the handle, and
ship :-). Or go to protomold.com or quickparts.com or some other quick
injection molding shop and get between 100 pieces and a lifetime supply
injection molded.

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames

"Carl Ijames" wrote in message
...
Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Buy the L keys in bulk, make some molds, and cast the handles out of
polyurethane. Or build the little Gingery injection molding machine, make
a mold, and mold them out of polyethylene. Snap an L key into the handle,
and ship :-). Or go to protomold.com or quickparts.com or some other
quick injection molding shop and get between 100 pieces and a lifetime
supply injection molded.

Now that looks interesting. The Gingerly injection molding machine that is.
I may have to buy his book.

"Bob La Londe" wrote in message ...

"Carl Ijames" wrote in message
...
Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Buy the L keys in bulk, make some molds, and cast the handles out of
polyurethane. Or build the little Gingery injection molding machine,
make a mold, and mold them out of polyethylene. Snap an L key into the
handle, and ship :-). Or go to protomold.com or quickparts.com or some
other quick injection molding shop and get between 100 pieces and a
lifetime supply injection molded.

Now that looks interesting. The Gingerly injection molding machine that
is. I may have to buy his book.

Casting polyurethane would be the easiest way to get 5 or 10 but it is
definitely going to be pricier than injection molding your own polyethylene.
If you have a small arbor press you can actually skip that part of Gingery's
design and just make the heated block with piston and clamp it to your
press. I envision the handle as a cylinder about 5/16" diameter with a
cross hole sized to the L key and perpendicular to that hole running
parallel to the long axis of the handle, a slot about 1/3 of the depth of
the handle and long enough to capture the short side of the L key. That
means the mold can be a cylinder split along the long axis (so just machine
a slot with a ball end mill), with a removable piece to form the slot and
hole. Shoot the plastic from one end. Hmm, you could actually put the L
key in place and shoot the plastic, just hold it in place with a pin that
would leave a little hole in the handle. Anyway, it all comes down to
volume vs. price vs. fun :-).

-----
Regards,
Carl Ijames

"Carl Ijames" wrote in message
...
"Bob La Londe" wrote in message ...

"Carl Ijames" wrote in message
...
Bulk L shape are pennies each in modest quantities. I'ld pay a little
more for the T handle, but not a lot. I considered making them, but
that
seems a waste of my time. If I can't find a good price I'll just keep
ordering the L keys.

Buy the L keys in bulk, make some molds, and cast the handles out of
polyurethane. Or build the little Gingery injection molding machine,
make a mold, and mold them out of polyethylene. Snap an L key into the
handle, and ship :-). Or go to protomold.com or quickparts.com or some
other quick injection molding shop and get between 100 pieces and a
lifetime supply injection molded.

Now that looks interesting. The Gingerly injection molding machine that
is. I may have to buy his book.

Casting polyurethane would be the easiest way to get 5 or 10 but it is
definitely going to be pricier than injection molding your own
polyethylene. If you have a small arbor press you can actually skip that
part of Gingery's design and just make the heated block with piston and
clamp it to your press. I envision the handle as a cylinder about 5/16"
diameter with a cross hole sized to the L key and perpendicular to that
hole running parallel to the long axis of the handle, a slot about 1/3 of
the depth of the handle and long enough to capture the short side of the L
key. That means the mold can be a cylinder split along the long axis (so
just machine a slot with a ball end mill), with a removable piece to form
the slot and hole. Shoot the plastic from one end. Hmm, you could
actually put the L key in place and shoot the plastic, just hold it in
place with a pin that would leave a little hole in the handle. Anyway, it
all comes down to volume vs. price vs. fun :-).

I could make the mold to just hold the hex key firmly if I went that way.
Mold making isn't "easy" persay, but I've been teaching myself to make molds
for over 2 years now. As molds go, one to make a plastic handle and hold
the hex key in place would be pretty straight forward to make. I've
actually got some heat bands and heat controllers that I've accumulated to
make a different type of injection machine for "plastisol" soft plastics. I
wonder if the heat bands will get hot enough for that machine.