Key Ring Hex Bit

Hy everybody, this instructable describe the construction of a fantastic tool : the KEY RING HEX BIT

Step 1: First operation : the sacrifice

to realise this useful tool you have to make a sacrifice in Your socket wrench tools set : you take your Drive Sliding Tee Breaker Bar 1/4in and separate (with a hammer or anything else you want to use ...) the bar from the rest of the tool.

Comments

[Akoi Meexx]

Haha, nice! I'll have to make one when I get home from work. :D I have that bit set on the end, in the red case. Harbor Freight FTW.

[votecoffee]

If you want one without destroying a t-socket harbor freight sells a ring driver that ratchets for under 5 bucks. I think the t driver costs more than that. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95895 Another option would be to drill a hole in a 3/8 to 1/4 inch adapter, which are normally cheap and people can have extras lying around that they don't mind destroying, but drilling thm is pretty hard to do without messing up a good bit.

[lesrebnav]

hello votecoffee, your link is broken but i found on the site of harborfreight the item that you're speaking : http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/95800-95899/95895.gif

thank you

[zzoe]

Votecoffee's link worked fine for me, but i still like your version better. Didn't have the bar in my (rather limited) set, so i'm looking for a substitute...i may have to get far clever, as i don't think my drill press is up to putting a big hole in a hardened socket. I like the design so much, i may buy a T/spanner/breaker bar just to pirate the parts. Thanks, again for the clever design.

[eltotoX]

This is awesome!

[james.mcglashan]

small and handy

[LarryB]

Very nice, another easy way is to add an "ACE" type key to your keyring. Sometimes it takes a tap with a hammer on the small blade outside the round part of these keys, but a 1/4" hex bit fits inside the hollow part of the key pretty nicely.

[Marrock]

So long as you don't mind, I'm passing this one around to a few cycling blogs I frequent, brilliant idea.

[trgz]

So simple, and I think I have all the bits I need...

[elliedad]

Dude idea too cool I'm totally going to use it

[leadpencil]

brilliant!

[iPodGuy]

As a school custodian, I bet this would come in handy for me.

[zzoe]

Clever, cool, elegant. I often find that i need something opposite the leatherman, as, for example, when i need to hold the nut AND the bolt i'm turning. The swiss army knife was often too delicate in these situations, and now i find i believe that one should 'let a knife be a knife' at least mostly. I am unquestionably going to make one. Bravo.

[Phil B]

This is very clever and very helpful for the person who needs a drive like this off and on during his daily routine, and who has a way of carrying the most frequently needed bits on his person. I would not worry too much about sacrificing the "T" handle breaker bar. Those are replaceable at stores like Sears or in many auto parts stores.

[ryukyu]

You could also just use a 3/8" to 1/4" adapter.

[chaosrob]

Most definitely. But then you need to drill it. This is way easier! :-)

[lesrebnav]

helloe chaosrop, when you take off the bar of the T handle breaker the hole is here, no drill to make

[chaosrob]

Les, my comment was to the one I was a step under. "You could also just use a 3/8" to 1/4" adapter." That one would need to be drilled. I know that the "T" leaves a hole. Sorry for any confusion.

[lesrebnav]

sorry Chaosrob, i don't read that your comment is a reply to Ryukyu. have a nice day

[ewfw]

Great instructable.

[kenbob]

clean, simple, cheap, brilliant, and useful. I love it.

[janet_aj27]

Nice! Very Very Nice. i must say, this is one of those utterly simple but Amazingly imressive innovations that will definitely come in handy to all techies and yet so simple that no one would have given it a thought. A+ from me

[buteomont]

Nice, simple, elegant. Does the wooden bead have any significance?

[lesrebnav]

hello buteomont, any significance it's not a wooden bead on the carabiner , it's a piece of brass from the axis of an electric motor and i have it since many year on this carabiner

[jomaro]

Brilliant. That's one of my most cheered engineering principles put into practice. The KISS principle. "Keep It Simple, Stupid!" And now I will give you an hint: Show around a Marina with a few of those to sell to boatowners... you will make a few easy bucks! Good luck and have fun!

[sammyBoy]

love it - brilliant

[Karel Jansens]

Brilliant!

[gmjhowe]

I love simple ideas like this, and it obviously works well for you! Keep up the good work.

[Phil B]

In addition to my previous comment, I have a Leatherman Crunch. It has a bit socket for hex bits, but you must remove the adjusting screw to use it and then hope not to lose the adjusting screw. (The Crunch features a Vise-Grip plier and the adjusting screw is for the plier.)