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Author Topic: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex  (Read 2675 times)

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Offline TwelvebyTwenty

  • Posts: 106
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #30 on: July 08, 2020, 06:22 PM »
It doesn't actually make any difference, they'll both do the job perfectly well - not worth a thread dedicated to the matter.

What would be useful though, is if you could spend your time on following up on this:

"look for a YouTube shortly from TSO showing two simple methods for accurately cutting narrow stock with a track saw using the TSO Parallel Guide.
We'll post on the FOG when this TSO YouTube is available

Hans"
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Offline ScotF

  • Posts: 2861
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #31 on: July 08, 2020, 07:01 PM »
Both do the job so really do not have one strong preference over the other.
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Offline Sparktrician

  • Posts: 4097
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #32 on: July 08, 2020, 07:07 PM »
Ball on the long leg; standard hex on the short leg for times when more torque is needed.   [smile]
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- Willy -

  "Show us a man who never makes a mistake and we will show a man who never makes anything. 
  The capacity for occasional blundering is inseparable from the capacity to bring things to pass."

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Offline Peter_C

  • Posts: 999
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #33 on: July 08, 2020, 08:16 PM »
Quote from: Sparktrician on July 08, 2020, 07:07 PM
Ball on the long leg; standard hex on the short leg for times when more torque is needed.   [smile]
This works! :)
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Offline TSO_Products

  • Retailer
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  • Posts: 350
    • TSO Products LLC
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #34 on: July 08, 2020, 10:32 PM »
Quote from: TwelvebyTwenty on July 08, 2020, 06:22 PM
It doesn't actually make any difference, they'll both do the job perfectly well - not worth a thread dedicated to the matter.

What would be useful though, is if you could spend your time on following up on this:

"look for a YouTube shortly from TSO showing two simple methods for accurately cutting narrow stock with a track saw using the TSO Parallel Guide.
We'll post on the FOG when this TSO YouTube is available

Hans"

@TwelvebyTwenty  - point well taken.
Here's a screenshot of the video on the editing screen!

thanks for encouraging me!

Hans
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Offline RKA

  • Posts: 1983
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #35 on: July 08, 2020, 11:31 PM »
Straight.  Peter C covered it.
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-Raj

Offline hdv

  • Posts: 278
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #36 on: July 09, 2020, 05:26 AM »
Sparktrician's suggestion is exactly what the Tengtools hex keys do. (Probably others as well, but didn't check.)

To you "doesn't matter" folks: did you ever try a straight key on the MFS? I found a ball end works much much better in that type of situation, where you can't insert the key in line with the head of the bolt.
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Offline yetihunter

  • Posts: 755
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #37 on: July 11, 2020, 10:21 PM »
I’ve broken just about every ball hex driver below 3mm on jigs and machinery.  3mm seems pretty borderline.  The better question is what do you prefer: phone calls and emails about stuck screws with screwdriver tips stuck in them? or no phone calls and emails about stuck screws with screwdriver tips stuck in them?  [smile]

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Offline Bob D.

  • Posts: 1918
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #38 on: July 12, 2020, 11:32 AM »
I had problems with the ball end drivers so I found a Torx driver that fits the TSO guide rail connector screws and use that. I think it was a T15.

I have plenty of regular and ball end hex drivers but the Torx seem to work well (as in don't break) and I have a set with screwdriver handles that I rarely use on the smaller Torx fasteners so I stuck the ones I need in the Systainers of my TSC55 and also my DeWalt track saw.
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Offline TSO_Products

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  • Posts: 350
    • TSO Products LLC
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #39 on: July 12, 2020, 07:29 PM »
A BIG Thank you to all who responded to our Question about Hex- or Ball Driver preferences for our particular applications. There was more to the issue as we continue to improve our products.

We are eliminating small standard commercial fasteners which are only available in 2.5mm socket heads and replacing them with custom engineered fasteners of the same thread size but with 3mm socket heads. This will enable our customers to make all TSO small screw adjustments with one 3mm Ball Hex Driver regardless of thread size.


That settles it:
Ball Hex Driver for our current 3mm socket head screw applications it will continue to be.


Hans
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Offline demographic

  • Posts: 670
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #40 on: July 13, 2020, 02:27 AM »
Torx>Straight Hex>Ball when you start getting down to tbe smaller sizes in my opinion.
The ball ones wear the fastener internal hex faster and or snap the ball off.
Admittedly, when the ball has snapped off you still have a straight hex but unless its at an odd angle I'd rather not start off with a ball.
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Offline PaulMarcel

  • Posts: 1541
    • Voilà, my blog
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #41 on: July 13, 2020, 03:15 AM »
I have a Wera tools set that has a ball on the long end and straight on the short end. This has always worked well for me. In fact, today, I needed them for removing an UHDW plastic plate on a jig. The short straight end was perfect for starting to undo the screws set with removable LocTite then used the ball end to quickly remove them.

In this case, I could have used the short straight end all the way, but I've definitely had to use the ball end to even get something started. Seems to be the best of both worlds and gives the end-user the choice.
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Offline AstroKeith

  • Posts: 186
Re: TSO customer preference question: Hex Driver - Ball or straight Hex
« Reply #42 on: July 13, 2020, 04:05 AM »
TSO have now given their verdict, which has the key words "for small screw adjustments". As with the Festool MFS the use of a ball ended hex key is well near essential for effective setting up and adjusting.

I commend the TSO decision.

We all need the right tool for the job. If the screw is loctited in, or otherwise stuck, then clearly a straight key may be called for. But this isn't the case for "adjustment" screws, or indeed most screws properly tightened.

Also there are hex keys and there are hex keys. What I mean is the quality of this seemingly simple tool will vary enormously. Poorly manufactured keys are rife. Old tooling and poor materials and processing mean that you get only what you pay for. There is no substitute for a good quality key. The ball end of a hex key is a fairly precision piece of machining/forming.

Same goes for the screw. We have all had a batch or make of wood screws that couldn't be driven in satisfactorily due to poorly formed heads. For me the move to Torx style heads is very welcome.
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