# Allen sets



## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

sparky402 said:


> Where do you get a nice set of long 3/8" drive allens. Mine only seem to last a handful of torques before it starts rounding out.


I just bought 3 of them from the Mac Tool salesman. Very expensive but good quality. You can probably find cheaper ones, but you'll end up replacing them.

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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I haven't had any trouble with Bondhus made in USA. They weren't real expensive. 

http://www.bondhus.com/bondhus_products/tool_categories/l-wrenches/index.html 

I picked a set of Weras out of a box of junk tools someone was going to toss, they might be better. 

Main way I wreck these things is using one that's the wrong size. Sometimes a SAE size will fit sloppy in a metric bolt or vice versa. When you go apply some torque it rounds off the tool. 

Now that I think of it, I guess if the fastener is junky and the socket is not sized exactly right, that's going to tend to mess up the wrenches too.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I have gone back to using the old standard of folding key sets. They honestly seem to last longs and then I don't have ten more tools bouncing around. I don't really use them all that often any more.


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## sparky402 (Oct 15, 2013)

I have a couple nice sets of folding allens. Im just thinking with all the torqueing for gear that is required I need a set for my torque wrench.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Oh true. I have a set of Craftsman I use for that.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

I got mine on protorquetools.com and they were not ridiculous. I bought 1/2" drive because I wanted 1/2" and 9/16" allens but they have 3/8" drive stuff too. I think I paid around $100 US for the set, when the only ones I've been able to find around here are $200+ CAD. Though I've seen 3/8" drive stuff much cheaper at Canadian Tire and similar places. It's just the bigger stuff that's harder to find/more expensive.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

*Just saw on TV*

Craftsman has two sets on sale right now. One big standard and metric set and one extra long set 70% off.


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

70% off is a huge deal, I might look at getting a couple sets of each.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

I second bondhus. They're made of a hardened steel. Eklind are also very good.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Curious where this goes. I want some 6" long hex in 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8 for torquing gear.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

One things for sure, the ones with the ball end don't do you any favors in aluminum lugs. Good for steel fasteners.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Proto


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

Hmmm, why is nobody bragging on the Horrible Freight Allen wrenches??


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

sparky402 said:


> Where do you get a nice set of long 3/8" drive allens. Mine only seem to last a handful of torques before it starts rounding out.


Honestly,
I have a set I bought from Harbor Freight years ago very cheap thinking it would disappear.
Its still all together in its crappy plastic holder.

That Mac set will grow legs.


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## Drsparky14 (Oct 22, 2016)

sparky402 said:


> Where do you get a nice set of long 3/8" drive allens. Mine only seem to last a handful of torques before it starts rounding out.




Lowes sells them in the tool isle 


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## MCasey (Dec 7, 2016)

sparky402 said:


> Where do you get a nice set of long 3/8" drive allens. Mine only seem to last a handful of torques before it starts rounding out.


We order Proto and Blackhawk and don't seem to have premature failures.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)




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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

360max said:


>


Hmm, must be the angle, those are the shortest "long 3/8" drive allens" I've seen.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

http://tekton.com/item/1362?gclid=CjwKEAiAm8nCBRD7xLj-2aWFyz8SJAAQNala738bnRyM6a6qAP5JUxrX9NHDsiWE4RyXUSB8i7L97xoCJ7Hw_wcB


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Whatever brand you buy, do not buy wobbles. They will not bring aluminum lugs to torque without stripping.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

bill39 said:


> Hmmm, why is nobody bragging on the Horrible Freight Allen wrenches??


I will. I loved their socket hex set. They changed style but they used to have sockets that were the actual size of the hex driver and were kept in by set screws. I pulled them out and installed quality long shank hex drivers that I had cut the 90 off of. At the time a quality long shank socket set of hex drivers would have been 60 bucks. I made mine for 20 and over a decade later are still in good shape.

Most brands (inc HF now) have the annoying reduced head shank for the smaller sizes. You can't just pop in a quality replacement and there's some areas where they simply won't work because the shank is to thick.

Note.. if you do HAVE to get hex wenches from harbour freight be sure to get the Pittsburgh brand. Stay away from any thing of the central forge brand. I tried central forge first and I wss able to twist a 1/4 inch with my fingers....on the short end.

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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

Oh yeah, Ill make the third warning about ball end hex wenches. Electricians should not have them.

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## sparky402 (Oct 15, 2013)

Flyingsod said:


> Oh yeah, Ill make the third warning about ball end hex wenches. Electricians should not have them.
> 
> Sent from my C6725 using Tapatalk



I found that out on my first lug. The set was returned to lowes.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

I have ball hex and love them, but don't think I've ever tried them on lugs. But you guys seem to be talking about ratchet Allens you'd have on a torque ratchet.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

TGGT said:


> I have ball hex and love them, but don't think I've ever tried them on lugs. But you guys seem to be talking about ratchet Allens you'd have on a torque ratchet.


I have ball end hex drivers in 'L' keys and screwdriver style and find them efficient, just no good for torque applications.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

I think my hand wrenches are regular Eklind. My driver bits are Craftsman. Maybe I'm lucky, but I don't recall ever twisting one up.

I'm a cheapskate so made extra-long driver bits by buying individual wrenches from McMaster and just cutting the leg off the L. We'll see how those hold up.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Big John said:


> I think my hand wrenches are regular Eklind. My driver bits are Craftsman. Maybe I'm lucky, but I don't recall ever twisting one up.
> 
> I'm a cheapskate so made extra-long driver bits by buying individual wrenches from McMaster and just cutting the leg off the L. We'll see how those hold up.





Flyingsod said:


> I will. I loved their socket hex set. They changed style but they used to have sockets that were the actual size of the hex driver and were kept in by set screws. I pulled them out and installed quality long shank hex drivers that I had cut the 90 off of. At the time a quality long shank socket set of hex drivers would have been 60 bucks. I made mine for 20 and over a decade later are still in good shape.


I like this idea. You could cut a set of long ball-end L wrenches and flip them around, use either the ball end or the straight end with a regular socket. The ball end is necessary once in a while. 

What did you use to cut them?


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

splatz said:


> I like this idea. You could cut a set of long ball-end L wrenches and flip them around, use either the ball end or the straight end with a regular socket. The ball end is necessary once in a while.
> 
> What did you use to cut them?


Switching back and forth is a great idea, I wish I had thought of it.

I cut it with the shop bandsaw. The machinist was mad though. He had to change the blade...

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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Flyingsod said:


> Switching back and forth is a great idea, I wish I had thought of it.
> 
> I cut it with the shop bandsaw. The machinist was mad though. He had to change the blade...
> 
> Sent from my C6725 using Tapatalk


Same here.

Five sizes 3/8 through 5/8 ran $20 bucks, and I epoxied them into some old sockets I found.

Not bad considering the sets that size sell for $90.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I've had good luck with Armstrong. MSC has a warehouse here in Fernley and they used to carry then but not anymore so I guess a web search would be in order. 

The ones I have are not reduced shank and I've used them with impact tools and haven't had any trouble. 

Not cheap though.........

If I remember, either Mac or Matco come out of the same factory as Armstrong as do some Craftsman tools.


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

splatz said:


> I like this idea. You could cut a set of long ball-end L wrenches and flip them around, use either the ball end or the straight end with a regular socket. The ball end is necessary once in a while.
> 
> What did you use to cut them?


Must've been a cutting wheel. I tried a bandsaw on an allen wrench a few months back trying to get to an bolt on my external wastegate on my car and burned through 2 blades. I didn't realize they were made of hardened steel.

Ended up using a bit ratchet and a teeny tiny wrench.


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## lightman (Oct 14, 2015)

I've cut them with a die grinder and a cut-off wheel. The set that I have are Blackhawk. A brand thats hard to find now.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I like this idea. You could cut a set of long ball-end L wrenches and flip them around, use either the ball end or the straight end with a regular socket. The ball end is necessary once in a while.
> 
> What did you use to cut them?


No need to cut them, they sell them as straight shafts:

https://www.mcmaster.com/#alloy-steel-hex-keys/=15jbs4l

Go down page to Ball-End Driver Shafts


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

lightman said:


> I've cut them with a die grinder and a cut-off wheel. The set that I have are Blackhawk. A brand thats hard to find now.


Blackhawk was the industrial label from Stanley-Proto, they are now owned by Black & Decker, most of their line is still made and available from places like Grainger and McMaster-Carr, you can also find some items on Amazon.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

*Cut off piece in box wrench*

I have found some hard to reach spots on machines. I have made a set of short cuttoff ends and use the same size fine tooth ratcheting box wrench, works great.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Blackhawk was the industrial label from Stanley-Proto, they are now owned by Black & Decker, most of their line is still made and available from places like Grainger and McMaster-Carr, you can also find some items on Amazon.


I've got Blackhawk ratchets and they're awesome, with the added benefit of being American made.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Big John said:


> I've got Blackhawk ratchets and they're awesome, with the added benefit of being American made.


Oh 100%, if you notice some of their tools have the same exact appearance as Craftsman Pro Series for good reason.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

MechanicalDVR said:


> No need to cut them, they sell them as straight shafts:
> 
> https://www.mcmaster.com/#alloy-steel-hex-keys/=15jbs4l
> 
> Go down page to Ball-End Driver Shafts


Much easier! I went back and checked the Bondhus site, they make them, they're under "bits and blades" - they make them with a 1/4" hex shaft too...


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