It’s used mostly for
loosening and tightening fasteners
such as nuts and bolts. The socket is placed on the square extension or driver of the ratchet. Once it’s secured to the ratchet the user can loosen or tighten a bolt or nut while the socket remains in place by just turning the handle of the ratchet.
Is a ratchet a wrench?
A ratchet is
a common wrench device with a fastener component
. A ratchet wrench is an essential tool that is used to fasten or loosen nuts and bolts.
Is a socket wrench the same as ratchet?
A socket wrench (or
socket spanner
) is a type of wrench (spanner in British English) that inserts into a socket to turn a fastener, typically in the form of a nut or bolt. The most prevalent form is the ratcheting socket wrench, often informally called a ratchet.
What is a socket wrench used for?
A socket wrench or ratchet
allows you to turn nuts and bolts with more ease
than using a regular wrench. The ratcheting feature allows you to keep the wrench on the bolt eliminating the need to refit the wrench every time you need to make a turn.
What are the 3 types of socket wrenches?
- #1) Ratcheting. Ratching is the most common type of socket wrench. …
- #2) Flex Head. There are flex-head socket wrenches that have a swiveling head. …
- #3) T-Handle. …
- #4) Nut Driver. …
- #5) Gearless.
What can I use instead of a socket wrench?
- Duck tape. Duct tape is useful in almost any situation but you may be surprised to learn that you can use it to loosen bolts. …
- Two coins. Who would think that money can be used as a makeshift tool? …
- Zip-tie. …
- Another nut and bolt.
What is a 6 sided wrench called?
WRENCH TYPE: Hex-Key Wrench
Also called
Allen wrenches
(although “Allen” actually refers to specific brand known for making hex-key wrenches), these short six-sided bars of steel are characteristically L-shaped, with one side shorter than the other.
What is a ratchet girl?
Ratchet is a slang term that can mean
“exciting” or “excellent
,” often used as a term of empowerment among women. … The term has been previously used, however, as an insult characterizing a woman as being “overdramatic” or “promiscuous.”
Are 6 or 12 point sockets better?
If your fastener is 12-point, which is somewhat uncommon, then you must use a 12-point tool. For 6-point fasteners,
a 6-point tool is
your best choice. Matching up the points between the tool and fastener means that you will maximize the surface area of steel in contact, making the tool less likely to slip or fail.
Can you use a wrench instead of a socket wrench?
Wrenches perform the same function as ratchets and sockets — tightening and loosening fasteners — but there are differences and situations that call for one over the other. … A wrench with an open end fits around a
fastener
instead of over it, so you can slip it into an area where there isn’t room for a socket.
What are the wrench sizes in order?
Wrenches:
Standard Combination Wrenches (1/4, 5/16, 11/32, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 13/16, 7/8, 15/16, 1)
Metric Combination Wrenches (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) Standard Flare Nut Wrenches (3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 7/8) Note: Each wrench may combine two sizes.
What size socket set should I buy?
If your socket set is limited to one drive size, choose
3/8-inch drive
to cover the majority of sockets you will use. The smallest and largest drive sizes are very useful too, though. Small, 1⁄4-inch drive sockets can sometimes reach small nuts or bolts in tight spots more easily.
How do I know my socket size?
- Turn on the digital caliper and set it to read in inches, not millimeters. …
- Close the caliper jaws until each jaw rests on one flat side of the nut on opposite sides.
- Check the caliper display. …
- Turn on the digital caliper and set it to read in millimeters, not inches.
What does a hex socket look like?
A “hex” socket—short for “hexagonal”—is a socket that fits
around a hexagonal (six sided) nut or bolt head
. … The six-point hex socket has six points (angles) inside the bolt end, making a perfectly even hexagon. The twelve-point socket—also sometimes called a “double hex” or “bi-hex”—has twelve angles in the bolt end.
