Bulk Hex Key / T handle

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.

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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.

Reply to
Bob La Londe
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McMaster carr has a great selection, as always.

I sometimes make them as needed with a grinder and a welder.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus23641

where do you get the L keys. I keep buying another set when I lose one key. Bet i got ten sets with the same two or three keys missing.

I don't know why, but i lose allen keys worse than any other tool.

Karl

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Reply to
Karl Townsend

I have a little wooden box with 30 pounds of allen keys. This is how I replace mine.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus23641

I've got the same problem. Have an old-timey hardware store that has onesies in a box in the specialty hardware section. Usually a quarter or so, depending on size. Had another that had both long and short ones along with ball-ended ones, gone now. I'm told that Fastenal has onesies, haven't checked, myself. Have been able to fill out sets as needed with what's available. I've found that by including the two or three sizes that the gun or tool really needs in each case, I don't lose so many. I buy more, but lose fewer. Sears has had some small zipper tool pouches that work like they were made just for that.

Stan

Reply to
stans4

Allen Brand Here:

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Reply to
Bob La Londe

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.

Mart> I have found a couple places where I can order several 'L' shaped hex

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

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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.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

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.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

I looked. Thanks Iggy. The basic one is not bad either. For this applications the simple one like I pictured is really about perfect for the job. I would like to buy them a couple dozen (or more) at a time to include one with a type part I sell.

The basic all metal T-handle McMaster lists is not a bad price. It is a bit larger than I hoped for though. I suppose I could buy it and make 2 or three hex keys out of it like the one I showed. Cut/weld. Time would eat up the savings that way though.

I thought about that. Time and money again.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

What hex size(s) are you looking for?

Reply to
Monkey Butler

So, maybe you want to (1) massproduce some mild steel tee handles, (2) end-bore the shank and ream it to a taper (3) grind that taper onto a variety of keys, and fit 'em with your choice of superglue, soft solder, hard solder to the handles.

I've done some satisfactory reworking of cheap screwdrivers (Philips tips munged, but the shank and handle is fine) to make long Torx and other drivers, that are hard to buy. Maybe a few Allen-wrench ones should join the collection.

Bent-wire tee handles feel wrong (too springy), I'd prefer the screwdriver style.

Reply to
whit3rd

.125" primarily. Atleast for current products.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

If you want cheep these:

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can be had for around $0.99 each

The closest to what you want I think is:

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around $2.30 each

rcm AT monkeybutler DOT com

Reply to
Monkey Butler

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

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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

Understood.

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.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

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

Reply to
Carl Ijames

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

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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

Reply to
Carl Ijames

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.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

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