Am looking to get a good set of hex drivers and hex nut drivers. Have a few questions here

1) What is the difference between ball hex and normal hex drivers? Where to ball hex drivers help?

2) Suggest a good set of hex drivers (from what Tower has), for both screw and nut

Ameyam

Where the difference lies between a hex driver and a ball driver is that the section of a ball driver that engages the socket head is ball shaped and can allow you to still turn the screw while the driver is at an angle. A place that Ifrequently use ball drivers where a regular hex wrench would be difficult or impossible to use is on the motormount screws on the exhaust side of the engine where the only way to engage the screw is at an angle. Ihave both the Metric and Standard sets of the Dubro ball drivers and I would recommend them for anyones tool box unless they had a taste for fancier equipment. the part numbers for those are as follows;

Metric Ball Driver set- PN-LXE255 $14.49

Standard Ball Driver set- PN-LXE249 $15.79

When Ibought my Nut Drivers, I simply went to my local Home Depot and bought them for about 15 bucks. Iuse aftermarket bolts and nuts so Ionly need Standard sizes. Idont know what you have for hardware stores in India but thats where Igot mine.

Tower appears to have Duratrax nut drivers in a wide variety of sizes.. they appear to be inexpensive..those may be your best bet as far as what Tower has to offer.

Shouldnt I want replacable tips on the ball driver sets? I already have good hex driver l-angle type in both metric and imperial

Ameyam

Dubro 6-Piece Standard Ball Drivers w/Holder 

Dubro 5-Piece Metric Ball Drivers w/Holder


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Like I said, the Ball Driver will get into areas you cant reach with a standard Allen wrench. If you take care of the tools, they will take care of you.. My dad got 3 years of very hard use out of his Standard sizes before they had to be replaced. Ihave had mine equally as long but have not used them near as much. I expect they will last many more years. RC Ken and Iare of the same mind. Get the Dubro sets, holder or not, they are good tools at a good price.. you wont be sorry.

I have two sets of snap-on "L" shaped ball hex keys. The ball lets the driver "wobble" side to side a little, and gives you access to the bolt head and a slight angle. I personally use the short end (no ball) the break the bolt lose, then then the hex over to the "ball" end and spin the bolt out.


Edit>>>>>

Just realized your not state side, sorry.

I have these and I am very happy with them. I have yet to round one off like I do typical allen wrenches.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...X9121&amp;P=SM

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Just don't buy them from HK. I bought a set and they are JUNK!

I am with Scooter. When you can, use the "full grip" side of the wrench for final tightening, and breaking things loose. The ball hex should only be used for unscrewing, or long driving..fingertightening. Of course, if it's situated in a tight spot....and it's the only option...you're going to use the ball hex for everything.

With time, the ball hex will wear out itself, and what you're working on faster than using the full hex. It's no different than a regular hex bolt. If you can use a 6 point socket, do so. The 12 points will wear themselves, and your work out faster than using the full grip. Think of 12 points and hex balls as "convenience tools"...sometimes they're your only option, but most of the time they just make things easier

I love ball drivers. And the best I have seen are from RTL Fasteners. They have a detent on the ball that keeps the screw on the driver no matter what angle. These are much like the detents used in ratchets that keep the sockets or extensions on the ratchet at any angle. You can put the screw/bolt on the driver and then start it at any angle, vertical, horizontal, whatever, and the screw stays on the driver. You have to actually pull it out of the screw after the screw is tightened.

Just look those up,,,, very cool.

http://rtlfasteners.com/RC/a3.html

Yes. For once an advertisement that delivers what it promises.

I haven't seen those before, very cool!!! I have several sets that I have bought from different places over the years. The ones I use the most are long shanks with a yellow handle but no name on them, very good steel and they have been with me for too many years to even remember where I got them. I have several I have bought at Sears too but I bought them as needed and haven't got a full set. I have bought some on sale at Harbor Freight and they were a waste of money. I think the shanks were made of butter.

I personally think ball drivers sparked a revolution in the types of hardware we use and were a tremendous inovation right up there with CA hinges (love'em or otherwise). Ball drivers actually slowly changed useage from of the old cross-tipped or slotted fasteners to socket heads in much of our hardware and this was a wonderful improvement.

When purchasing handled types definately get the ball drivers. For engine usage I also keep on hand the L shaped types with the ball on the long end and the conventional hex on the short end. These are the ones I use mostly for engine work.

I have never seen the replacable tips before so cannot comment. I to do love the linked ones from RTL having never tryed them but just may soon. You will also find that even standard ball drivers will hold socket head servo screws for example on the long handled drivers pretty well when inserting screws deep down into a fuselage.


Yup I got the balls

Wiha tools makes some blades that are normal hex on one end and hex-ball on the other. http://www.wihatools.com/200seri/269hexin.htm

Bondhus is the only brand to buy. Nothing on this planet tougher or longer lasting. You may lose them or have them permanently "borrowed", but never wear them out or break one.

And as my hands start shaking more and more hex head servo screws from the after market are the only ones I have used in years.

Most of the drivers sold by RC airplane places are soft and round off. Try using #2 button head screws with a .050" driver and you'll see what I mean.

Search for hex drivers on Tower or the web. The really good drivers are usually found around RC car guys. They have aluminum handles, replaceable blades and are hardened. Normally, the blade is made from drill bit stock, the tip is ground on, then it is hardened. I have some red handled Dynamite brand and a few blue handled ones.

These guys aren't cheap. Most run from $5-$10 per driver or $30-$50 per set. They are quality. And I use lots of button head screws now. I haven't rounded off a .050" one in 5 years.

[link=http://www.duratrax.com/caraccys/dtxr0176.html]Duratrax[/link]
[link=http://www.integy.com/st_main.html?p_catid=161]Integy[/link]
[link=http://www.amazon.com/Machined-Hex-Driver-US-Set/dp/B0006O503M]Dynamite[/link]

The Dynamite set has solid aluminum handles. The Duratrax drivers have hollow handles.

I really liked the ball-drivers that I found at Harbor Freight..........they were T-handle and really nice to use.......problem is that they were soft and rounded off easily. Of course with their life-time warranty on hand tools that was not a problem.....just get a replacement set...........well Harbor Freight no longer handles T-handled ball drivers so does anyone know where I can get a quality set? The sets I was getting were 10-piece sets and both in metric and sae.

Oldtyme,
 Harbor freight is still showing the T-handle wrenches on their website.

Set with both standard and metric - $14.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/18-piec...set-96645.html

Standard set, 10 piece - $6.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...set-37861.html

Metric set, 10 piece - $6.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...set-37862.html

Ken

The last two sets don't have ball ends (I have both).

I have some of the old yellow handled long shanked ball drivers that GrayBeard mentioned. They also came with red handles, one being fractional and the other metric. I keep those hanging on the side of my flight box. But the ones I use at home to build with are the RTL ones I mentioned earlier. I believe they are Bondhus. The weird looking yellow handled and red handled puppies were purchased at a local hobby shop and I have no idea what the brand is, but I have had them since the early '90s, so I guess they are decent quality. I've never had one slip or fail.

http://bondhus.com/products/body-0.htm

Only Bondhus offers an unconditional lifetime warranty, while other manufacturers limit their warranties.

Warranty Instructions

All Bondhus® products are guaranteed for life. If you are not happy with a Bondhus® tool - for any reason - simply return it. A replacement will be shipped right out at no cost - no hassles, no questions asked!


I've had mine two L ball end wrench sets (Metric and Inch) for over 20 years of use with no failures or apparent wear.

If you plan on building a plane with a carved wood cowl (or any cowl that you cannot remove) you might consider getting a long shaft ball driver for those recessed hex bolts that hold the mount to the firewall.

HighPlains..........right you are!!! I just got off the phone with Fastenal and they carry Bondhus both on-line and in their stores. The 10 piece T-handle set of SAE ball drivers is only $38 and the 8 piece T-handle of Metric is $30......not bad for good tools. The Harbor Freight were OK because you could keep getting new ones but now that they don't carry the T-handled ball drivers in their stores anymore I'm going to get the Bondhus sets. I have both complete L-shaped Bondhus sets of ball drivers so now I'll just add their T-handles and be done with it. Thanks for the help guys.