Spanner Socket Adaptor

[epanzella]

Trying to bring an old inherited face mill back to life. I needed a spanner to reach into a recess to get it apart so I made an adaptor for an impact socket.

 

[Provincial]

Nice! I cheat an use import impact sockets to make adapters. I either modify the working end socket, if it has enough meat to do the job, or weld something to that end. Either way, the square drive is already there to attach to the wrench.

Here is an example. The tool on the left is an original Pratt & Whitney ignition lead wrench. The two on the right are home-made. One is cut from an impact socket with an abrasive cut-off wheel. The larger one is cut in a similar manner, but also bored out and a square drive from another impact socket welded in place.

 

[GL]

I use impact sockets for modification also. More meat to play with and seem not to be as hard or brittle as standard sockets. Can be cut with carbide end mills if you take it easy. Also don’t feed bad about breaking up sets when using imports.

 

[epanzella]

I've modified sockets one way or another in the past. I've also cut up extensions and welded the square drives onto other stuff. Today I had a 2 inch piece of cold rolled in my junk bin that just begging for this job. The fact that there was almost no extra length to hold onto just made the job more interesting. That divot in the center of the hex was a leftover drilled hole from another job. There wasn't enough stock to face it off so I had to leave it.

 

[epanzella]

My original plan was to make a single point gear cutter out of this thing and let the huge mass soak up the impact from the interrupted cut. Then I saw this big hunk of shafting on my shelf and figured why trash this shell face mill when I can just make another head for it. I started it today and it suddenly occurred to me that although I make lots of stuff I usually make the whole thing so as long as the parts fit together the absolute size is not critical. Today's project required making a head to match an existing arbor within a few tenths. It was tedious but fun. Definitely out of my comfort zone. Came out great. Head slides right on to the arbor but has to be removed with gentle tapping with a brass hammer. I'll machine the slot for the cutter when ever I get some more shop time.