Junk or Odd Tools

Yeah, I had one or more of those. They definitely filled a gap.

Yesterday, when I was watching Cool Tools on the DIY tv channel, Chris Grundy talked about a new kind of nut drivers.They have a little lever on them.Press the lever down and the nut driver locks onto the nut. cuhulin

Vic Smith wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Still around, my man!

I think the one Vic was talking about had actual hex sleeves in it. Each one was as thick as the difference between each size. As you pushed it down all the smaller sizes slid inside.

That's looks real good for rounding nuts. Different. The tool I had was made with nested hex cylinders that actually fit the nut on all flats and corners. And not a socket, but regular screwdriver type handle. Cylinder casing was round, about 4" long, and about as thick walled as a typical 1/2' drive socket. That was the 9/16". When you pushed it on a 9/16" nut the nested smaller cylinders would slide inside. If you pushed on a 1/2" nut that cylinder would stay put and the smaller cylinders slide in. The moving cylinders were thin walled but strong, and had a tight tolerance inside each other. If you got it dirty they would start sticking. Usually just tapping it against something would pop out all the cylinders, but I cleaned it up a couple times. As I recall there was a pin though the top that could be driven out to take it apart, but I never did. Just put it in kerosene and moved all the cylinders in and out, then oiled it up. Pretty robust. You sometimes had to jiggle it a bit to get a cylinder on a nut, but it always went on and stayed on. I'll see if I can find one.

--Vic

Better description than I gave.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

You did say "hex cylinders". I missed that distinction.

Vic Smith wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Probably why it's "as seen on TV" and no professional mechanic (or even any home grease monkey with pride in his work) uses that junk.

Using "nesting hex nut driver powr-kraft" gets a 1967 Pop Science review of a Stanley hex grabber. Wasn't that. But they mention a prior review of a Montgomery Ward Powr-Kraft line tool that sound like what I had. Probably that one or something close is what I had. Doubt you can find one now, and I would probably go for a set of nut drivers instead. More precision, and they don't need an occasional kerosene dunking. Still have some lasting affection for that old thing anyway. It helped me turn a lot of nuts.

--Vic

I have one of those nested hex cylinders nut drivers.It is about thirty five years old.I think I only used it once.

A lot of people would buy tools at five and dime stores, inexpensive tools made in America.Look around in some people's old kitchen cabinet drawers and you will probally find some of those tools in there.Hammers, screwdrivers, hacksaws, files,,, cuhulin

I have one of those. Almost useless. For many nuts/bolts it's just too darn big and you can't get it into the available space. Plus it slips too easy when it's reverse loaded (the back swing) and doesn't reengage properly on the next upswing. Definitely looks good on paper though.