Help on the Ultimate Ball Driver set for jets
 

Hey All,

I am looking for an ultimate ball driver set for jet modelers that takes into consideration the typical bolts and screws we buy and use in our jets. From servo screws to the most common bolts bought and sold at premium sites like Dreamworks.

Can you recommend the "ultimate set"?

I have tried many types of Allen wrenches, from Bondhus to Integy, to L-shaped wrenches, folding ones, etc. And usually it is necessary to carry both SAE and Metric, which I do, no problems there.

My feel is that Ball Drivers are just a better allen wrench than regular allen wrenches as they tend to strip socket head screws and bolts less.

Here are important requirements:

1. Has LONG ball drivers. Often the smaller the head size, the shorter the wrench companies make that wrench. Where ironically sometimes the smaller 1/16" and 3/32" screws are the ones that need to be reached with 10-12" driver and the driver most commercial sources offer at that head size is a 6-8" long wrench at most.

2. Is available in BOTH Metric AND SAE

3. Is a BALL-driver, not just flat allen wrenches.

4. Is precision. I have no need for 1/4" Allen wrenches in a jet build/maintenance. They just add weight to tool kit and frankly we never use wrenches that big in jets.

Can somebody please point me to a comprehensive precision ball driver set with RC Turbine Jets and RC planes in mind?

Thanks for your time and thoughts gents.
:)
Shaz

Wiha has some nice stuff. I don't know how long these are though.

http://www.all-spec.com/products/629...LUehoCYqrw_wcB

A set of Thorps for the really hard to work bolts is really nice (they have metric too):

http://www.amain.com/rc-cars/mip-thorp-standard-hex-driver-wrench-set-4-.050-1-16-5-64-3-32-mip9501/p261253?utm_source=Google-Base&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Product-Feeds&gclid=CjwKEAjwvPepBRCoqo37teOD1XsSJAC7v6WQJs JEobDSnGfKoUryCcKmHulgmLl-HBrkbXoskpBFcBoC6RPw_wcB


I've heard that the Hudy are great too, but they are big $'s...

Bob

Try these:http://www.microfasteners.com/home.php?cat=674

I have a set in Metric and SAE, and I am very pleased with them. Order just the sizes you want.
I also have a set of their Pro Hold ball drivers. They capture the socket so you can install them easily.

I use these
http://www.horizonhobby.com/product/...t--red-dyn2904

http://www.horizonhobby.com/product/...t--red-dyn2909

I use those too, having a set in my field tool kit and another set in the shop, but they are much shorter than the long lengths from Microfasteners.

Hey Harley, would the Microfastener Pro hold would work well for those BVM Bandit wing bolts?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#ball-point-...rivers/=wxrn95

A bunch of choices:)

I would also recommend any of the whia products. Available in sae, metric, ball wrenches, L wrenches etc.

Paul S

I have the Thorpe drivers myself in both SAE and Metric and I love them but I have never seen ball end versions.. Still, unless you need to access the bolt from an angle, the Thrope drivers seem
to be ground to have less clearance in the socket head screw and they don't strip bolt heads unless you REALLY over tighten them. I've been able to remove loctited set screws with them, even after other allen wrenches have stripped them out a coupe of times.

Wayne

I bought my first Wiha set from MA in florida (heli tool set) 26 years ago, I have only changed the 1.5mm allen driver...
I started dealing with Wiha when I started Motors & Rotors 20 years ago, sold a lot of their stuff over the years...really pis*sdI chose there range, repeat business is tiny :-)

I have around 100 tools in my workshop (multiples of most so I can always find them!) 1/16th allen driver 2631/16 is great for dealing with rounded M3 set screws!
Favourite set is tool roll in my flight boxes...269T11
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2092607

Bondhus will pretty much cover everything in metric and imperial!

I've got:

Wiha
MIP
Bondus
Great Planes
Thorpe
Dynamite
No-name L wrench's
Great Planes

and a couple others

Unfortunately, no one tool works great in all situations.

Absolutely!
They have a locking feature built into one segment of the ball which allows up to a 25° "off angle" of the screw.
http://www.bondhus.com/features/prohold/body-0.htm

The smaller sizes seem to wear out easier than the larger ones, and they are a shorter length.

Here are some photos of the 9/64 size, which fits Bandit wing bolts. The small pellet embedded in the end is very hard to see, but it is there.http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2092781http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2092782http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2092783

cool. been using a rare earth magnet on the end of a regular ball end and it kind of works but you got to set it just right.