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Good deal on Britool 3/4" ratchet and T-bar (2023 Update)

Hi folks,

I just bought a new Britool 3/4" drive ratchet and T-bar on eBay for what I thought was a very good price, so I thought I'd pass this on:

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Even with postage that's less than a third of the normal retail price, and it looks like the seller has more left. I know a few people here have mentioned problems with Britool plating, and I myself have had a problem with flaky plating on their open-ended spanners, but the plating on this set looks fine and altogether they seem to be of a good quality. Delivery was quick too.

I have no connection with the seller apart from being a satisfied customer.

As the ratchet can be opened by removing a couple of screws, I'm tempted to put some grease inside before I use it. Is there any reason why I shouldn't do this?

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy
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I've had a Britool 1/2" ratchet for a few decades and opened it recently. The only wear was on the spindle where it rotated within the housing. I would certainly grease it. If it clogs or doesn't work, it's easy to clean it out again. ISTR that mine had grease in it from new.

On the subject of tools, I heard some years ago that aerospace sockets weren't the usual 1/4" square drive but an odd size. This irtem seems to support that:

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anyone confirm this? If it's true, it could easily catch someone out at boot sales etc.

John

Reply to
John

that:

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Can anyone confirm this? If it's true, it could easily catch someone

it's the early type before they standardised the drives ...they are actually hex drive in my set ...

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all the best..mark

Reply to
mark

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Can anyone confirm this? If it's true, it could easily catch someone

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3/8" drive, common size ,readily available and not peculiar to aerospace industry Mike.H.
Reply to
Mike.H.

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Can anyone confirm this? If it's true, it could easily catch someone

9/32" square drive. Britool listed sets in either 1/4" or 9/32" without any discrimination so possibly it gave assemblers the chance to purchase tools that were not the norm outside industry and therefore cutdown on the tranfer of same to suburbia?

Tom

Reply to
Tom

Well, I discovered tonight that it is actually possible to put too much grease inside a ratchet! Obviously if there's no air space the grease finds it difficult to flow quickly enough, and so the pawl jams. But with a modest amount of grease inside the ratchet feels and sounds very different. It's almost silent now, whereas before (with some minimal lubrication, probably from an aerosol) it was pretty loud. I wonder if this is why Britool don't pack them with grease. Perhaps they just don't feel manly enough when greased? Nevertheless, I'm sure the mechanism will be happier.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

I forged from ordinary steel a 3/4inch bar

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useful at least for what I needed it for - lot of torque on

16mm dia. bolts, easily done.
Reply to
Richard Smith

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