Metric square drive sizes?

[Cole2534]

A cursory search suggests that ratchets, torque wrenches in Europe use standard American sq sizes. Can anyone confirm this?

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[howieranger]

The ratchets that I have from Stahlwillie and Facom are inch sizes and when I was working I do not remember there being a Metric drive option. That may of changed in the last 20 years though.

 

[Cole2534]

All the stuff on KCTool uses normal sizes.

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[trochoidalpath]

A cursory search suggests that ratchets, torque wrenches in Europe use standard American sq sizes. Can anyone confirm this?

All my Hazet and Stahlwille stuff is standard American drive. I don't remember seeing a metric drive standard.

 

[Bill D]

Ratchets and such are less then 100 years old so they have stayed 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2" drive worldwide. Bigger sizes I assume are also USA sized.
lathe chuck keys can be metric square.
Bill D

 

[EPAIII]

The metric drive sizes are:

6.35 mm
9.525 mm
12.7 mm
and
19.05 mm

I according to Wikipedia, there also are 25.4, 38.1, 63.5 and 88.9 mm.

Socket wrench - Wikipedia

And before you yell and scream, those ARE metric sizes. Real, actual metric sizes! You can find them on any metric scale, caliper, or micrometer.

 

[52 Ford]

The metric drive sizes are:

6.35 mm
9.525 mm
12.7 mm
and
19.05 mm

I according to Wikipedia, there also are 25.4, 38.1, 63.5 and 88.9 mm.

Socket wrench - Wikipedia

And before you yell and scream, those ARE metric sizes. Real, actual metric sizes! You can find them on any metric scale, caliper, or micrometer.

Yup.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. No need to complicate things adding more drive sizes.

In all seriousness - it goes 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1-1/2", 2-1/2" drive then you've got funny stuff like spline drives.

Been that way for a long time and it's whats already in everyone's toolboxes

The only time I've seen 1/8" square drive was in a Snap-On catalog.

Never seen a 3-1/2" drive. I know that 2-1/2" impact wrenches are MASSIVE! They're usually suspended from an overhead crane. I just Google'd the weight of the big IR 2-1/2" and they're 215 pounds. I bet those 3-1/2" units go through a helluva lot of air.

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[L Vanice]

Yup.

If it ain't broke don't fix it. No need to complicate things adding more drive sizes.

In all seriousness - it goes 1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1-1/2", 2-1/2" drive then you've got funny stuff like spline drives.

Been that way for a long time and it's whats already in everyone's toolboxes

The only time I've seen 1/8" square drive was in a Snap-On catalog.

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I bought a couple of the Snap-On 1/8 drive sets just for fun. One set came with one duplicate socket that the dealer had to replace with the correct size, though they do not sell individual 1/8 drive sockets.

Long ago, Snap-On also made 9/32, 7/16 and 5/8 drive sets. The 5/8 drive actually caught on for industrial impact wrenches and other companies made them, along with adapters to use 5/8 sockets on 1/2 and 3/4 tools. Supposedly, the 9/32 was only sold to the US Government agencies to discourage theft. A guy at work had a full set of chrome plated 7/16 tools that must have been bought in the late 1940's or 1950's. He said they were supposed to replace both 3/8 and 1/2 sets to save money and tool box space. He also pointed out that he never got asked to loan out a socket. I have never run across any other 7/16 tools.

Larry

 

[52 Ford]

I bought a couple of the Snap-On 1/8 drive sets just for fun. One set came with one duplicate socket that the dealer had to replace with the correct size, though they do not sell individual 1/8 drive sockets.

Long ago, Snap-On also made 9/32, 7/16 and 5/8 drive sets. The 5/8 drive actually caught on for industrial impact wrenches and other companies made them, along with adapters to use 5/8 sockets on 1/2 and 3/4 tools. Supposedly, the 9/32 was only sold to the US Government agencies to discourage theft. A guy at work had a full set of chrome plated 7/16 tools that must have been bought in the late 1940's or 1950's. He said they were supposed to replace both 3/8 and 1/2 sets to save money and tool box space. He also pointed out that he never got asked to loan out a socket. I have never run across any other 7/16 tools.

Larry

I can't think of a single real world application where I'd want an 1/8" drive socket on a driver handle. You can a set of small nut drivers and be better off.

That said - I came VERY close to buying a set from Snap-On just 'cause they're sort of cool.



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[52 Ford]

I found a 3-1/2" rattle gun. Ingersoll Rand 599A1

The listing says it weighs 600 pounds and puts out 80,000Ft-Lb of torque.

Says it takes a 375CFM compressor and a 1-1/2" air hose.

Ingersoll Rand IR-599A1 REBUILT 3.5 IMPACT, TWO MAN [IR-599A1_REBUILT] - $45,120.00 : E-Airtool, The Art of E-commerce

Edit: typo



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[MichaelP]

I use tools with 4mm square drive.

 

[technocrat]

I use tools with 4mm square drive.

there are also 4mm and 6mm hex euro screwdriver standards, but socket drives follow DIN 3124:1980 which is not metric

 

[john.k]

Big stuff is generally spline drive ,I think most makers have 1 1/2 square as max,then spline drive.....Ive heard the 9/32 story many times,and just as many times Ive bought US military surplus that was 1/4,3/8,1/2,3/4 and 1" square drive......never seen a 9/32 ......but I have seen a lot of 5/8 ,and as mentioned its for industrial power drives,and so sockets are common,hand drives and accessories are never seen.

 

[steve-l]

There are metric square drives, but not on wenches. You see them on lathe chucks, door handles and locks and other things like that.

 

[MichaelP]

There are metric square drives, but not on wenches. You see them on lathe chucks, door handles and locks and other things like that.

My 4mm square drives are on torque wrenches.

 

[kenton]

My 4mm square drives are on torque wrenches.

I choose to believe they are 5/32.

I do wonder if that is why most furniture I have assembled seems to use mostly 5/32 / 4mm hex drive screws.

 

[Limy Sami]

Don't forget the .448'' hex drive.

 

[Homeshopblob]

I've seen 5 sided drives used by the local utility company. How are they measured in practice? Are there several sizes of them? I think fire hydrants also have 5 sided connections.

 

[DDoug]

I've seen 5 sided drives used by the local utility company. How are they measured in practice? Are there several sizes of them? I think fire hydrants also have 5 sided connections.

Easy Peezy:
Object moved

 

[52 Ford]

Easy Peezy:
Object moved

You beat me to it. I was about to post the exact same link.

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