Over at Reddit, 2rideascooter showed off a Delrin-core socket that they made today, presumably a custom drive tool as part of a special contract.
Have you ever used a plastic-cored socket before?
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My first thought was about non-marring sockets, also called anti-mutilation tools, but those types of tools are often used when there is risk of damage to surrounding parts. Non-marring accessories often protect other things from the tool, and not the part that’s being worked on.
What might these be used on?
Maybe it’s used to install plastic or other delicate fasteners? Maybe something like a specialty cable cap that threads on, something like an acorn nut?
They say the socket fits 9/16″ hex fasteners, and so it’s a fairly small size.
I find it interesting, and also frustrating that I’m drawing a blank here.
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Maybe it’s for installing plastic pipe fittings? Such as Loc-Line or similar? 9/16″ seems in the ballpark of 1/4″ NPT hex nut sizes.
Looking at McMaster Carr, they have plastic pipe fittings for oil, as well as food and beverage applications, with the 1/4″ NPT pipe size parts with external hex drives requiring a 9/16″ drive size.
That’s what I’d bet on – plastic pipe fittings. If that’s the case, I guess a Delrin hex socket would be be used to help prevent damage to fasteners, or maybe to avoid leaving any contamination behind.
Is this definitely Delrin, or maybe it could urethane?
Have you used something like this before? Or, do you have any guesses as to what it might be used for or on?
Josh
I work in a bottling plant and im not aware of anything like that
Chris
I would love to have some for motorcycle work. I have despirately tried to find hex sockets. My first wheel change on one of my bikes and my caliper bolts were never the same.
Rock Hound
It is tipped in orange plastic, so that the police will know that it is not a real socket and not a real threat.
Jared
Ha
Chris
😂😂😂🤣
Joe
😀
George
Pure guess: explosive bolt installation?
Jeff L Moore
They are for painted lug nuts. The cheaper way is just to buy the inserts but most custom shops use those for painted or chrome lug nuts on nice cars.
Stuart
A 9/16″ lug nut??
Peter Rudy
I think what Jeff is talking about are large 17 and 19 mm lug nut sockets with Delrin inserts. I have a beautiful 19mm socket made by Wright that has a Delrin insert for use on Porsche aluminum anodized lug nuts. I bought it 40 years ago. A metal socket destroys the aluminum nut edges.
Joe
Maybe for automotive? Painted bolts?
A W
Or decorative chrome plated bolts.
Jeremiah Ducate
These- painted or chromed were my thoughts. Since its a scooter store thinking decorative chromed or painted nuts, probably for holding wheels on.
Jeff L Moore
Snap On sells a six piece set of inserts for $29
https://shop.snapon.com/categories/Non-marring-Metric-Socket-Inserts/754106
Mike (the other one)
Maybe those crumby plastic bolts that hold the seat/lid hinges on a toilet.
Nathan
so not exactly looking like that but I’ve seen something similar. in aerospace there are some AL bolt/nuts. They are hard anodized and milled of hardened aluminum. I think commonly it’s something like a 75__-T51.
Anyway – strength for tensile but light weight. Anyway for installation you use a coated socket. now as far as I know it’s a metal socket with a nylon interior and exterior coat. but it might be delrin.
Kicker- they are color coded too. so red for red nuts, yellow for yellow, etc. and if I recall correctly they are in the 1/8 – 5/8 range. typically using a 1/4 drive torque wrench listed with in-lbs.
Another thought as stated I’ve seen coated sockets for Lug nuts – usually only coated on the outside but I could see coating interior with Delrin to protect the nut finish.
And +1 to putting on painted nuts or something.
eitherway – interesting. I wonder why Delrin vs say Kydex. Curious the proof strength on it. note it had a hole for a detent pin like on a power tool. So I bet its an assembly line tool.
fred
I’ve seen these:
https://www.amazon.com/Grey-Pneumatic-1511TP-Wheel-Protector/dp/B000FBBNPK
JMG
I have a similar socket that was purchased many years ago for installing lug nuts on Porsche rims. Non marring surface is critical requirement for that application. For use primarily with torque wrench.
Peter Rudy
I still have mine from a 1974 911E. Wish I still had the car. Just have the fancy delrin insert lug nut socket. The aluminum nuts would be destroyed instantly with a full metal socket.
Sam S.
The nylon hex head screws and nuts used to attach evaporator coils to the ceiling panels of walk-in coolers and freezers are 9/16″ . I’ve always used regular sockets and wrenches.
Sean
In my experience 9/16 would normally be used on 3/8” hardware….7/16” on 1/4”. Unless it’s some form of heavyweight fastener.
Sal Colon
They are used to fasten Dilithium Crystals to Radioactive Glow Rods with Segmented Channels.
notinuse
Maybe to tighten self-sealing stem bolts?
Gallen
Bought a set from Mac Tools to use on Chrome nuts and bolts on motorcycles. They work fine and don’t mar the plating or any other type of finish on bolts.
Andrew Drozd
Could be for non-spark applications.
Sam
My guess is high voltage usually Up to 10,000v Stuff is fiberglass or plastic And orange. Could be for some kind of electrical lug.
m
I bet a 3d printer and some metal conduit could do the same.
Robert
Could it be for working on gas lines or protection from electrical shock like other insulated hand tools?
Marcelo
Shimano has used a plastic liner for their bicycle bottom bracket socket tool. When I first looked at it, I thought it would be weak, but hey no! They are great! I even turned down the lip so that it could fit a hand bike, making the socket shallower. The tightening torque is 400 in-lbs (@40Nm). But sometimes in disassembling, it reaches over 100Nm.
I would buy plastic lined sockets without worries
Farid
For my FTC robotics team, we made 3D printed nut inserts as well as standalone nut starters. The typical nut drivers used by the team either did not hold on to the nut or were too deep to properly start nuts. The stand alone nut starters are great to use in tight places., and are surprisingly strong with 1mm walls.