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Hi Radu,
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? This is a very good question.? I see a lot of recommendations for Wiha tools, but only one for Wera.? ?I will second the recommendation for Wera.? I've never tried the Wiha tools. ? ? I will qualify my suggestion.? ?I am referring in particular to the Wera Hex Plus line of drivers.? These:? ? ?They have a unique shape that digs into the head and ensures that there is engagement.? They are hardened steel, with the pattern ground at the tip, not rolled or formed or extruded like many other hex wrenches.? These are the best I've seen. ? ?I needed these because I was tasked at work with figuring out how to clamp waveguide blocks to reduce leakage and frequency shifts from warpage.? ?I needed to determine the breaking torque of various types of stainless and black oxide finished steel screws.? I found that in 0-80 screws, the failure point was the hex of the screw first, then after a? few uses, the hex of the wrench, and usually not the body (thread) of the screw.? ?This was true even of the relatively soft 318 stainless steel screws.? ? Then I switched to the Wera drivers (insertable bits in a torque wrench with 1/4" socket drive) and I was finally able to snap the heads off the screws.? The driver digs into the head and rips it right off!? ? ?(The screws typically fail at the weak point just under the hear, or up to a few turns into the thread).? This is the only way I was able to reach the stress limits of the screw itself. ? You don't want to be ripping screws apart, but if you are undoing a set screw, you really don't want to strip the hex out before you loosen the screw.? I think the Wera tools are your best chance at getting tough screws out. ? Hope this helps. Dan On Sunday, June 30, 2024 at 11:51:29 AM EDT, Radu Bogdan Dicher <vondicher@...> wrote:
Hi all, I'm often running into the situation where, trying to remove to replace knobs on HP (and any number of brands) units, I need to use very small hex or other types of bits which get ruined very easily, sometimes on first use. These bits are from sources such as Amazon, where very good assortments and sets are easily available. The steel they use may not be of top notch quality.? Is anyone aware of a source of hardened, extra-strength bits? Or maybe sets of drivers? I am specifically asking for small bits typically needed for this kind of job. Impact-grade bits need not apply... At least I don't see an overlap in that Venn diagram.? For instance, for the HP 6236B knobs, I apparently need H1.3 bits. All of my tougher sets (Harbor Freight, etc.) go as low as 1.5, but not smaller. I ruined my Amazon set's H1.3, then tried a couple other types (which I also ruined), and I'm afraid I'm at this point ruining the knob's set screw.? Thank you, Radu. |
