7mm square socket?

[Spurry]

After spending several hours trawling the internet, with not much to show for it, I am still searching for a 7mm square socket to fit a 1/4" drive ratchet. A 5mm square would be handy too.
Is this looking for the impossible? Or does anyone know better?
Thanks in advance.
Pete

[Joules]

Pete can you use a larger hex socket and some nuts, cut the nuts in half and cut/mill each half for a square section.  You need two nuts for each half as you will cut each one over centre.

[Spurry]

Joules, thanks for the suggestion. That is one way round the problem.
I was trying to save on unnecessary work though.
It seems that I may have to make my own socket, (having no wish to try and re-invent the wheel), if such a thing is not available.
Guess there are not many square nuts about!
Pete

[awemawson]

Send me a bit of copper milled 7 mm square a couple of inches long, with one end turned circular so that I can grab it in a collet, and I'll pop a 7 mm square hole (*) in a bit of bar end that you can weld onto a scrap socket.

(* using my Diesinker EDM machine)

Later Edit: Or also send me a 6 mm square copper bar and I'll pop 7 mm in one and and 6 mm in the other thus making a socket. It would help alignment and flushing if both bars had an axial hole of (say) 3 mm or so.

[appletree]

Laser 6058 tap holding sockets? Or an adjustable tapping chuck? I suppose it depends on what you are trying to do.

Phil

[PekkaNF]

intriquing problem...I had similar once and I used "1/4" Square Drive to 1/4" Hex Shaft Adapter " in reverse. IE. 1/4" sguare for as square head bolt and the other hex end to hex ratchet....

This sort of stuf:
http://www.gearwrench.com/screwdrivers-and-nutdrivers/screwdrivers/gearwrench-890002gd-1-4-square-drive-to-1-4-hex-shaft-adapter.html

is this anything like?:
http://apexbitsdistributors.com/1609-d-apex-1-4-square-drive-socket-sae-double-square-nut.aspx

[Spurry]

All the above offers and links are very much appreciated. Thank you!

I should explain that I am in a bit of a Plumbing Phase at the moment. The system that was installed in our house has the drain cocks in some very strange and inaccessible locations. (As it was was installed by professionals, perhaps speed was of the essence. )

The drain fittings have a 7mm square to operate, and the normal sort of key is very difficult to fit. It could be done by the usual adjustable spanner or even slip-joint grips (if a proper plumber was doing it  ), but I felt there must be an easier way, viz a small socket on the 1/4" drive snappy ratchet.

The pics show square-drive keys, (the two smaller (5mm) ones are for radiator bleed valves), a drain-down fitting, with lastly my planned solution.

Pete

[djc]

I should explain that I am in a bit of a Plumbing Phase at the moment.

If all you want to do is fiddle with your cocks, just cut the ends off some spare square keys and JB Weld them into cheap 1/4" drive sockets. For additional bonus points, file a hexagon on the exterior. They are only brass.

[appletree]

Get a hexagon nut, file the required size square in the Nut glue into standard socket.
Or open ended 7mm spanne or old Williams superslim break spanner’s had square holes in them


Phil

[PekkaNF]

Get a hexagon nut, file the required size square in the Nut glue into standard socket.
Or open ended 7mm spanne or old Williams superslim break spanner’s had square holes in them


Phil

Filed nut  and fitting one of "TIGHTSPOT Ratchet Wrench", should do the trick:

[Spurry]

Filed nut  and fitting one of "TIGHTSPOT Ratchet Wrench", should do the trick:

That seemed like very good idea. Just sorting through the ratchet spanners, then noticed they have 12 points..Mmm, penny drops! Tried the 8mm spanner on a couple of of spare valves. One was a nice easy fit, the other a bit tight, so just de-burred the square corners a little more and the spanner fitted that one too.
Thanks to all, for the hints and tips,  but looks like the answer was in the toolbox all along..

Pete

[awemawson]

Glad to hear that you are sorted