Flexible Allen Wrench?
 

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]




+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.

I've never seen flex, but the do have them with a ball end so you can go in
at an angle.

Can you drill a hole in the slide to allow access?

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 05:32:55 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:


"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
.. .

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.

I've never seen flex, but the do have them with a ball end so you can go in
at an angle.

Can you drill a hole in the slide to allow access?


Good suggestion, I don't think a hole will work because the slide is too
high for a wrench to reach through to the leveler but too low to allow a
wrench underneath. However, maybe a slot cut in the slide might work --
I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the idea.




+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

Do you need to get totally flexible, or just off on a little angle? They
make "ball tip" hex wrenches which allow you about a 15-20deg. angle from
straight in. Just a thought.

--
Nahmie
Those on the cutting edge bleed a lot.

On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 00:38:48 -0500, "Norman D. Crow"
wrote:





"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
.. .

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

Do you need to get totally flexible, or just off on a little angle? They
make "ball tip" hex wrenches which allow you about a 15-20deg. angle from
straight in. Just a thought.

My problem is getting the wrench into hole; I just need enough to
provide me the ability to get under a metal slide that is about 2 to 3
inches above the adjustment hole. Another thought that [finally] struck
me: since the holes are covered by the drawers anyway, why not make the
holes in the bottom of the cabinet bigger? I'm going to look at that
tomorrow also -- maybe more brain cells will be engaged then.

Thanks for the suggestion; I might be able to minimize the size of the
hole by using a ball-tip wrench.





+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

In article ,
Mark & Juanita wrote:

Can you use a 1/4" drive socket set with a flex joint or universal joint
and an Allen head end? I believe I can assemble that combination in my
shop.

Dick


The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]




+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---+

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 22:06:10 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

Yes, but probably not in the size you need. They made some for
adjusting the distributor points in some ignition systems.

I've seen Allen wrenches a foot long. Shouldn't be a problem.
"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 05:32:55 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:


"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
.. .

The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for
the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.

I've never seen flex, but the do have them with a ball end so you can go
in
at an angle.

Can you drill a hole in the slide to allow access?


Good suggestion, I don't think a hole will work because the slide is too
high for a wrench to reach through to the leveler but too low to allow a
wrench underneath. However, maybe a slot cut in the slide might work --
I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the idea.





+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----+

How about grinding off some of the short leg as to gain clearance?

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Mark & Juanita
wrote:

Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

Get a 1/4" hex bit set to fit - then there's all sorts of driver for
those. I've got ratchet wrenches to fit them that are no longer
overall thatn the bit insert, yet they give you a few inches of
leverage.

If you buy a set of ball-ended Allens, then get good ones - they fit
much better.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

You can buy flexible shaft extensions for 1/4" and 3/8" drive socket sets.

I needed to get at some obscured socket head screws and solved the problem by
cutting a short piece of hex shaft from an old wrench. This was secured to a
1/4" drive socket on a flex shaft driver.

Bruce wrote:
I needed to get at some obscured socket head screws and solved the problem by
cutting a short piece of hex shaft from an old wrench.

You risked attracting the wrath of the tool gods by cutting up a perfectly
good hex wrench??? :-)

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 22:06:10 -0700, the inscrutable Mark & Juanita
spake:


The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Shift the slides up to the top of the drawer to get clearance.
If they're offset, glue in clearance blocks. (Just make sure
you leave clearance for the allens this time, eh? ;)


Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?

Not that I've ever seen. How about a ball-end allen wrench?
Grainger has a flexible spinner handle and 1/4" drive allen
sockets which might be the combo you need.


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]

Got premonitions, do ya? ;)

Hit 'em with this:
http://www.vannattabros.com/pics02/kidtool.jpg

--
Life's a Frisbee: When you die, your soul goes up on the roof.
----
http://diversify.com Comprehensive Website Development

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Roy Smith wrote:

You risked attracting the wrath of the tool gods by cutting up a perfectly
good hex wrench??? :-)

Well in that case I'm straight to Heck.

There are any number of occasions when I've needed some magic
punch/chisel, and taken an Allen key either out of my toolbox or
bought a cheap set from the nearest market stall/ / garage, then
ground and heat-treated it to suit.

It's like locking yourself out of the car, then using a windscreen
wiper to get back in.

Andy Dingley wrote:

It was somewhere outside Barstow when Roy Smith wrote:

You risked attracting the wrath of the tool gods by cutting up a perfectly
good hex wrench??? :-)

Well in that case I'm straight to Heck.

There are any number of occasions when I've needed some magic
punch/chisel, and taken an Allen key either out of my toolbox or
bought a cheap set from the nearest market stall/ / garage, then
ground and heat-treated it to suit.

It's like locking yourself out of the car, then using a windscreen
wiper to get back in.

If I'm ever in your neck of the woods, I'll buy you a pint if you'll show me
that one. Coathanger I've done a number of times, but I can't imagine how
one would do it with a windscreen wiper. At least not with any car I've
ever owned.


--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"J. Clarke" wrote in message

It's like locking yourself out of the car, then using a windscreen
wiper to get back in.

If I'm ever in your neck of the woods, I'll buy you a pint if you'll show
me
that one. Coathanger I've done a number of times, but I can't imagine how
one would do it with a windscreen wiper. At least not with any car I've
ever owned.

It is really very simple. I did it when I locked my keys in the convertible
with the top down. Took a few minutes to figure it out though, but once I
did, I was able to unlock both the driver's and passenger doors.

Richard has the right idea. Exactly what I was thinking.
Good job, Richard.
Joe





Richard Cline wrote:
In article ,
Mark & Juanita wrote:

Can you use a 1/4" drive socket set with a flex joint or universal joint
and an Allen head end? I believe I can assemble that combination in my
shop.

Dick



The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]




+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---+

years ago to many o say my dad built his old mercery lead slead very
very nice and loud car he choped and {chaneled not sure on the spelling}
anyway he put baffles in the headers to keep from geting
tickets but had an are box that made geting the allen wrench in to turn
the baffles almost inposible so he got a long handled allen wrench from
mac heat and bent it to his needs than heat tempered it work great for a
while till I borrowed the car to show off pulled over opened the baffles
and started the baffleing mistory of what in hades I did with the wrench
still got to use the car every so often but not his tools

jim

A MAN WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS CAN SURE SCREW THINGS UP

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 22:06:10 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:


The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]




+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
hmm... hard to picture that, but would a flex shaft on a drill driver with an
allen tip work?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 09:48:47 -0800, mac davis
wrote:

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 22:06:10 -0700, Mark & Juanita wrote:


The Problem:
I added drawers to the entertainment center plan after constructing
the casework. In so doing, the bottom rail of the drawer slides now
interferes with being able to put an allen wrench into the holes for the
leg levelers.

Yeah, some foresight would have been brilliant; I wasn't.

The Question:
Does a flexible shaft with an allen wrench tip exist?


Any suggestions would be welcome.


[kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!, kick -- ouch!]

.... snip
hmm... hard to picture that, but would a flex shaft on a drill driver with an
allen tip work?


All, thanks for the suggestions. I solved the problem yesterday by
drilling the holes out larger. Since the adjustment holes are under the
drawers, they won't show in use and critters could have gotten in the 3/8"
holes as easily as the 5/8 holes I made.




+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
The absence of accidents does not mean the presence of safety
Army General Richard Cody
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+