Thread: 5/16" socket driver to modify

Chuck your socket in a drill press and use a hand angle grinder with a sanding disc while the socket is spinning...Bob

Originally Posted by Pauls321

me again, I just checked my 5/16" long socket. The round bit has a diam of about 8.5mm, maybe around 8.45mm to be exact.
...
Paul

Paul, you may be able to reduce the round part by 0.45mm by putting the socket end in your drill chuck and using coarse emery cloth, followed by progressively finer ones to get to sown to 8.0 to suit your collet. Maybe even a stone to get it nice and parallel.
Filing is likely to be out and making a hexagonal section round is even less likely to succeed.
Cheers
Joe

I'd like to thank you for your spirited replies last night, it gave me something to think about overnight. And after tossing all the ideas around I decided what I would do and co incidently it was exactly what Joe had recommended in his very late post at about 1.30am.

I've just finished modifying my 5/16" (long) socket driver and it works perfectly. The only way I could grind it down was by putting it into my hand drill on a nice slow speed and holding it to my bench grinder and continually checking the diameter. As Joe suggested I only ground back the larger round part of the shaft/shank which was around 8.5mm to start with and got it back to a nice 8mm. Then putting it into my drill press and finishing it with some course emery paper. Then cutting the majority of the hex part off the shaft/shank with an angle grinder.

Very happy, thanks again gentlemen,

Paul

There you go - always more than one way to skin a cat.
Well done - you've created a new tool!
Joe

Good to see you got it sorted in your home shop. Always a good feeling to do it yourself, and it costs a lot less than taking it to a shop to have it done.

Dave

Good result. Had to make a new clutch drum for a Stihl brushcutter once and no lathe do do anything with. Couldn't buy new because they changed the end of drive shaft from square to hex or something like that on the newer models. Solution here was to buy a piece of tube the approx diameter. Cut a short section of this to length, then cut base off old clutch drum. Braze new tube onto drum base then attach to a drill with a bolt and nut. A fair bit of filing and sanding and I had a new drum which actually outlasted the bought ones, because the brazing process had hardened the drum so the clutch pads didn't wear it as quickly. Still have that brushcutter today, with I think that same homemade drum, but it has been retired, because I got a Honda 4 stroke.

Nev

Just a suggestion. Buy a 5/16 nutdriver. These are handheld and have a round shank. Cut off the handle and I think you have what you are looking for.

Having said that I am not sure what the shank diameter is and my set is a few hundred Km away so I can't check.

Regards
Paul

...bit late with your suggestion, Bushmiller, huh?

Originally Posted by jhovel

...bit late with your suggestion, Bushmiller, huh?

Missed that Paul had already completed the task. Thought he was still pondering. Story of my life.

Regards
Paul

Hi gentlemen,

For those interested I finished my project today, with the modified 5/16" socket driver being an important part of it. Here are some photos of the overall project.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f88/ma...6/#post1501691

I hope that works,

Regards,

Paul