Tool Talk

What's-It Forum => What's-It Forum => Topic started by: Papaw on July 31, 2017, 02:40:22 PM

Title: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: Papaw on July 31, 2017, 02:40:22 PM

I have an Indestro/Duro hex socket set with a 1/4' drive set included. One of the sockets appears to be a 5/16 size socket with a spiral or spline rather than 6 or 12 point. What is the odd socket for?

The question came up in a Facebook discussion today.https://www.facebook.com/groups/709531912547503/permalink/819120544921972/?comment_id=820207501479943&notif_t=group_comment_follow&notif_id=1501528677330249 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/709531912547503/permalink/819120544921972/?comment_id=820207501479943&notif_t=group_comment_follow&notif_id=1501528677330249)
  It is an Indestro 1452 socket set. Alloy Artifacts doesn't  mention it.

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: bill300d on July 31, 2017, 03:16:35 PM

I've heard it called a radio nut socket. Back in the day radios, tv, and other appliances I think had these decorative type nuts on them, particularly their faces. Some people also think that they were to remove rounded over nuts.

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: Papaw on July 31, 2017, 03:23:19 PM

Yep. Mark Mathus replied on Facebook that it was for radio. After checking AA on New Britain, I found a Husky socket set that confirmed that. It was called "Special Knurl" and this type of socket was needed to remove the knurled nuts used on some radios of the time.

http://alloy-artifacts.org/newbritain-nonebetter-p2.html (http://alloy-artifacts.org/newbritain-nonebetter-p2.html)

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: Plyerman on July 31, 2017, 07:57:26 PM

Hah! That reminds me of the knurled screws used on early Leatherman multitools, and the special sockets needed to disassemble them.

Now I know where he got the idea from.

(http://i34.tinypic.com/2qcku0z.jpg)

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: mvwcnews on July 31, 2017, 10:31:41 PM

The taper splined socket will also turn the brass terminal nuts associated with radio batteries of that era.  A PEXTO RADIO SOCKET SET with 1/4" hex drive shown on pg. 17 of the March 2006 MVWC Newsletter included one of that style socket.
As for the LEATHERMAN tool - that's another place where a small Vise-Grip comes in handy.

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: Lewill2 on August 01, 2017, 05:25:33 AM

Or another Leatherman tool.

Title: Re: Spiral or Spline socket
Post by: Twertsy on August 01, 2017, 08:07:03 AM

I have a set of Walden Nut drivers of that style.  Walden sold an entire nut driver kit for radios.