# Allen Wrench Storage



## BROCKWOOD (Jan 13, 2020)

A little time saving upgrade! I had done the SAE version on the right a while ago. Given the poor lighting where they stay handy across from my lathe, I had to brighten the top hole area just to return a wrench home. Later, I did an improved version for the Metric set. It's all held on by packing tape. I have no doubt that you all can improve on this & hope to see what others have done to save time!


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## darkzero (Jan 13, 2020)

I don't have much of a need for imperial sizes, just a couple. I looked for various brand of T-handle hex wrenches to replace my old Craftsman ones that would fit my tool rack. Also did not want ball ends & didn't want long extended shanks. Ended up that a cheap Husky set from HD fit my needs & also included imperial sizes. The 2 red Wiha ones have stubby shanks which I use for my screwless vises. All of these are what I use the most & are easy access at the bench that stands next to the lathe. My other sets are Bondhus L-key sets that I keep in the tool box, ball end, short end stubby, etc.


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## SLK001 (Jan 13, 2020)

I've never see Allen wrenches with the color coded handles.  Where do they come from?


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## Canus (Jan 14, 2020)

SLK001, got mine from horrible freight.  So far so good.


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## ozzie46 (Jan 14, 2020)

Harbor Freight.

Ron


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## Be_Zero_Be (Jan 14, 2020)

The first law of Allen Wrenches :
The first one you select is too large.
The second one you select is too small.
The correct one is missing.


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## SLK001 (Jan 14, 2020)

ozzie46 said:


> Harbor Freight.
> 
> Ron



Color coded?  All they have now are the single colored ones.


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## mmcmdl (Jan 14, 2020)

These are hex key wrenches that are commonly called " Allen" wrenches . " Allen " is a manufacturer of such wrenches only , as is Eklind , Bondhus , Proto , SnapOn , Armstrong etc . To put the term Allen wrench onto a HF set is doing the company quite an injustice , just as saying a SnapOn / Armstrong set is not an Allen set .

But to answer the question as to how to store them , I throw them into a very large , deep Vidmar drawer and then take them to the scrap yard when drawer becomes full .


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## BROCKWOOD (Jan 14, 2020)

Thanks for the input!

I don't remember where I got the Hex Keys from - & no, I won't muddy Allen's good name anymore!


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## benmychree (Jan 14, 2020)

What I hate is the cheesey rack that makes it quite difficult to enter the wrenches in the second hole.


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## ACHiPo (Jan 14, 2020)

benmychree said:


> What I hate is the cheesey rack that makes it quite difficult to enter the wrenches in the second hole.


John,
I'm with you on that.  You'd think as a so-called "machinist" I could fashion something suitable.  Nope.  Rather cuss and leave the wrench dangling.

One of these days...


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## benmychree (Jan 14, 2020)

ACHiPo said:


> John,
> I'm with you on that.  You'd think as a so-called "machinist" I could fashion something suitable.  Nope.  Rather cuss and leave the wrench dangling.
> 
> One of these days...


Agree on all points!  I'm thinking of filling the empty space with hardwood and drilling through ---


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## RobertB (Jan 14, 2020)

You guys seem to have much better luck with Harbor Freight hex wrenches than I do. I don't own any myself but that is all one of my neighbors will buy. Every time I work on something of his the end of the wrench just rounds off and I end up having to go back and get mine. Same thing happens with their star wrenches (won't call them Torx to avoid being chastised mmcmdl  and the generic "hexalobular internal" just draws blank stares  )


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## DavidR8 (Jan 14, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> These are hex key wrenches that are commonly called " Allen" wrenches . " Allen " is a manufacturer of such wrenches only , as is Eklind , Bondhus , Proto , SnapOn , Armstrong etc . To put the term Allen wrench onto a HF set is doing the company quite an injustice , just as saying a SnapOn / Armstrong set is not an Allen set .
> 
> But to answer the question as to how to store them , I throw them into a very large , deep Vidmar drawer and then take them to the scrap yard when drawer becomes full .


Alternatively, you could box them out and send them <ahem> North to charity ;-)


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## darkzero (Jan 14, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> These are hex key wrenches that are commonly called " Allen" wrenches . " Allen " is a manufacturer of such wrenches only , as is Eklind , Bondhus , Proto , SnapOn , Armstrong etc . To put the term Allen wrench onto a HF set is doing the company quite an injustice , just as saying a SnapOn / Armstrong set is not an Allen set



They were.....

People tend to say that cause Allen is one of those brand names that people say instead of the actual generic name, you know like Band-Aid, Kleenex, Q-tip, Post-It, Sharpie, Sawzall, Porta-Band, etc. Allen was the creator of hex fasteners, well the first to patent it anyway.

At one time Danaher (whom you are familiar with ) owned Allen. It was one of the brands that was moved to the Apex Tool Group. Speaking of Armstrong, the Allen brand was killed by Apex at the same time they decided to kill the Armstrong brand. Allen was killed in favor of the Crescent brand.

Stupid Apex for killing iconic brand names!


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## ozzie46 (Jan 14, 2020)

SLK001 said:


> Color coded?  All they have now are the single colored ones.


Yeah color coded. Got mine at least 10 years ago.
Ron


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## darkzero (Jan 14, 2020)

SLK001 said:


> Color coded?  All they have now are the single colored ones.



HF stopped selling the color coded ones a long time ago. Tekton used to sell them too. Can still find them under various generic brand names on ebay & Amazon. They don't have very good reviews though.


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## brino (Jan 14, 2020)

Be_Zero_Be said:


> The first law of Allen Wrenches :
> The first one you select is too large.
> The second one you select is too small.
> The correct one is missing.



Hey you've been to my shop have ya?
-brino


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## BROCKWOOD (Jan 14, 2020)

I like John's hardwood idea! I was thinking of brass tube & silver solder. For now, just glad to see the 1st hole!

Also, thought to add a color matching paint daub to rarely used Al*** er Hex Headed bolts on my lathe - but haven't run across a great deal on paint pens.


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## chippermat (Feb 2, 2020)

BROCKWOOD said:


> I...hope to see what others have done...


In case anyone would be interested, here's my setup. Most commonly used SAE and metric.


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## JimDawson (Feb 2, 2020)

I just have a set at each machine and the rest go in the proper drawer in the tool box, loose spares go in the aux storage drawer.  I buy sets in the plastic holders so that's what I keep them in.  I only buy Allen, Bondhus, or Eklind long ball end, and the steel folding sets.  Counted individually, I probably have a few hundred.


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## Cadillac (Feb 2, 2020)

So what’s the proper name for Allen keys then?


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## darkzero (Feb 2, 2020)

Hex key/wrench.


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## Titanium Knurler (Feb 2, 2020)

chippermat said:


> In case anyone would be interested, here's my setup. Most commonly used SAE and metric.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Chippermatt, those are very nice; who makes them?

Mike


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## darkzero (Feb 3, 2020)

They look like Powerbuilts to me. Well that's the brand I have seen that looks like those, not sure if there are other brands.


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## Titanium Knurler (Feb 3, 2020)

darkzero said:


> They look like Powerbuilts to me. Well that's the brand I have seen that looks like those, not sure if there are other brands.



Yes, they are Powerbuilts; I ordered a set of each. They sell for about $100 a set on Powerbuilt’s website.  I found them for $65 with free shipping on Amazon.  If this keeps me from scrounging around every time I want a hex key it will be worth it. They look to be very well made and now I can at least tell the metric from imperial at a glance. Thanks for the info and for helping me spend my $.


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## darkzero (Feb 3, 2020)

Titanium Knurler said:


> Yes, they are Powerbuilts; I ordered a set of each. They sell for about $100 a set on Powerbuilt’s website.  I found them for $65 with free shipping on Amazon.  If this keeps me from scrounging around every time I want a hex key it will be worth it. They look to be very well made and now I can at least tell the metric from imperial at a glance. Thanks for the info and for helping me spend my $.



Awesome & they do look nice! I considered them too at one point. "Always happy to help!" but this one is on chippermat for posting the pic!


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## Cadillac (Feb 3, 2020)

darkzero said:


> Hex key/wrench.



Of course


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## chippermat (Feb 3, 2020)

Yes, those are Powerbuilts.


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## Downunder Bob (Feb 3, 2020)

It appears there is some controversy about the origin of hex keys and hex socket screws. The British would have us believe that they were originally invented, patented and manufactured first in Britain. The original Unbrako brand was and still is my favourite.. I still have some keys left over from my apprentice days, 60 years ago.


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## MrWhoopee (Feb 3, 2020)

I have more hex keys than any other type of wrench. Tee handles, ball drivers, screw-driver handle ball drivers, etc., all in metric and imperial. This is the type that lives on top of my toolbox instead of in the drawer and gets 99% of the duty.



I have 3 imperial and 2 metric (painted yellow). Once in a while I have to get one of the other types out (like tightening the vise on the table), but it's rare. They are Eklind brand. They've lasted 40 years and I always have the one I need.


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## tjb (Feb 3, 2020)

Here's what I made for mine out of scrap:





Regards,
Terry


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## ACHiPo (Feb 3, 2020)

chippermat said:


> Yes, those are Powerbuilts.


D'oh!  add those to the list of things I "need"!


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## BROCKWOOD (Feb 5, 2020)

Chippermat finally found a good purpose for the red plastic wrench organizers! I have to agree that those are some awesome hex keys too.


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## Titanium Knurler (Feb 5, 2020)

chippermat said:


> In case anyone would be interested, here's my setup. Most commonly used SAE and metric.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Chippermat, do you recall where you got the red tool holders?  Thanks, Mike


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## chippermat (Feb 5, 2020)

Titanium Knurler said:


> Chippermat, do you recall where you got the red tool holders?  Thanks, Mike


Random ebay offering, no problem


BROCKWOOD said:


> Chippermat finally found a good purpose for the red plastic wrench organizers! I have to agree that those are some awesome hex keys too.


Been using that type rack for many years actually. The jury's still out on the quality of the powerbuilt allen wrenches, but they sure are handy.


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## bobl (Feb 13, 2020)

Harbour freight don’t use the small ball ends as they break off returned replace under lifetime warranty just crap and same thing happened only get good ones from reputable companies 


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk


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