12pt sockets

What say ye?

  • I like 'em because I use them with my great-great-great grandpappy's 6 tooth ratchet

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Trash

    Votes: 4 30.8%

  • Trash, but I put them in the spare socket box to loan to folks I can barely tolerate

    Votes: 8 61.5%
  • Total voters
    13
yard mongrel

yard mongrel

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Was assembling something today when I noticed the socket was slipping a little. I knew I was using the right size, but when I looked at the socket, sure enough, some semi rounded 12pt garbage socket that had snuck into the rest of my 6pts. Why are these still being made in the world of 90 tooth ratchets?

Now, the joy of prowling pawn shops for an individual socket.
 
QUALITY 12 point sockets used on bolts/nuts that weren't rounded off by some dumbarse with pliers, work well. Tool truck quality stuff...not the finest made in China that Harbor Freight sells.

That said, 99% of my sockets are 6 point. Some auto manufacturers think 12 point fasteners are a great idea, so I needed a few of them as well.
 
Ironic….I trashed one this week (first I had used it) all it did was rd the head off before I realized wtf it was doing it…..18mm half inch drive, trashed it so that mistake dont happen again.
 
premise said:
Was assembling something today when I noticed the socket was slipping a little. I knew I was using the right size, but when I looked at the socket, sure enough, some semi rounded 12pt garbage socket that had snuck into the rest of my 6pts. Why are these still being made in the world of 90 tooth ratchets?

Now, the joy of prowling pawn shops for an individual socket.
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Check the pawn shop behind cookout in Conover. I've scored 40 to 50 snap-on sockets and 3 snap-on ratchets there in the last couple months
 
I use them often on sensors…6-points often don’t have a deep enough throat to fit over the plug. As soon as you trash’um you'll need’um.
 
They both have their place. I grew up with my dad's Williams stuff. His general purpose box had 6 and 12 point of every size sitting in the organizer right next to each other. They had different purposes and I understood that. My first tools as a kid were 1970s Craftsman. When I started using tools for a living, it was SK Wayne and Mac for the most part. The stuff sold at the big box stores is for giving to your kids to break and lose.
 
Prefer 6, but have some 12s
 
12 point sockets are actually meant for 12 point nuts and bolts,, at least in the world of aerospace and proper race cars..
I have never use them for anything else.
 
Have some of both, and for home use I’m rarely disappointed by a quality 12pt socket on a fastner that’s in good shape. Rounded and rusty, I grab a 6.
 
Get Off My Lawn said:
The rock! for 12pt bolts. Other than that I don't use them.
View attachment 372292
What specific socket are you chasing? I have a few spares.
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Specific? A -G- series Craftsman 3/8" 10mm 6pt, of course. You're kind to offer.

Just being anal about this one because it is part of the set my pop gave me.


LeeMajors said:
Check the pawn shop behind cookout in Conover. I've scored 40 to 50 snap-on sockets and 3 snap-on ratchets there in the last couple months
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Nice tip. I hit up West End in Gastonia because they a 14"x14"x14" sized bin filled to the brim. The big national pawn shops essentially give them away since nobody wants to rifle through the loose tool bin.

Johnny said:
12 point sockets are actually meant for 12 point nuts and bolts,, at least in the world of aerospace and proper race cars..
I have never use them for anything else.
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Lots of aerospace between my ears. Have my pop's old 12pt Westlines that still have the sharp ass points from when he did racing stuff.

Pogue said:
I use them often on sensors…6-points often don’t have a deep enough throat to fit over the plug. As soon as you trash’um you'll need’um.
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I come from farm folk, we don't throw nothing away. But I do put them in the "I don't like these tools but may use them for an unintended use or bend them with a torch one day" bin.
 
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What's the A-G series? I'm working in the distribution warehouse today that carries Craftsman, there's a company store.
 
I use them quite often...and unlike the advice given if you have a rounded off or worn off head of a bolt nothing works better than a 12 point impact socket pounded on with a hammer.
 
12pt aka thin wall socket. I've had a few places where a 6pt would not fit because of clearance. 12pt thin wall saved the day. I mostly run across this situation on older equipment.
 
cold1 said:
12pt aka thin wall socket. I've had a few places where a 6pt would not fit because of clearance. 12pt thin wall saved the day. I mostly run across this situation on older equipment.
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I found a couple sockets in my dad’s toolbox that had been ground away on one side. Could not figure out why. thanks! I can only imagine the cursing to be heard that day…
 
premise said:
Specific? A -G- series Craftsman 3/8" 10mm 6pt, of course. You're kind to offer.

Just being anal about this one because it is part of the set my pop gave me.



Nice tip. I hit up West End in Gastonia because they a 14"x14"x14" sized bin filled to the brim. The big national pawn shops essentially give them away since nobody wants to rifle through the loose tool bin.


Lots of aerospace between my ears. Have my pop's old 12pt Westlines that still have the sharp ass points from when he did racing stuff.



I come from farm folk, we don't throw nothing away. But I do put them in the "I don't like these tools but may use them for an unintended use or bend them with a torch one day" bin.
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If it is a G code 10mm 3/8" drive 6 point, I have one for you if you PM me an address.

I bought every 10mm that I could find from my local pawn shop several months back.




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Grits said:
If it is a G code 10mm 3/8" drive 6 point, I have one for you if you PM me an address.

I bought every 10mm that I could find from my local pawn shop several months back.




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Dude, someone giving away 10mm sockets! This is madness and what I love about this place.

Happen to have a 12mm or 13mm Snapon 6 point 3/8" or a 12mm Matco 3/8" 6 point? All shallow. I'll pay for them plus shipping or take you to lunch when I'm in the area. Was just organizing this weekend and cannot find these sockets. Problem with having a teenager in the house that works on vehicles also. I found a 10mm snapon in his cupholder last time I drove it.
 
I’ve got a set of Craftsman 12 points I bought in 1979. Still have the receipt. I’ve changed shocks on some small trucks with a 15” breaker bar and haven’t broken the sockets yet.

Also had a set of “company issued” 12 points when I “wrenched” at Sears in high school and college in the mid 70’s. Occasionally used them with pneaumatic wrenches, too. Don’t recall breaking any.
 
Whatever you do, DON'T throw it away unless you're replacing it.

If you do, we'll have to come over and confiscate your man card for throwing away a tool, no matter how useless it may be.
 
No Snapon sockets in my collection. I hit the local pawn shop to replace the Craftsman sockets that have been lost or misplaced. I understand now why my father was so anal about us kids being in his tools and leaving them lay all over the place.

I can understand why people are looking for the old made in USA sockets and wrenches. The new stuff is crap compared to the old.

As for giving one away, most of the long timers here are salt of the earth people. We look out for each other and help when we can. This is just my small part of belonging to this great community. Of all the time I spend surfing the web, this is home. Home.

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