I’m servicing equipment that requires fine adjustments to be made to a mechanical part using a #21 hex key driver.
How do I find one of those, exactly?
I want one that comes with, or can be attached to, a handle of some kind.
#21? By hex key driver, do you mean an allen wrench? Allen wrenches (usually “L” shaped, with 6 sides) normally come in ‘standard’ and ‘metric’ sizes.
Question… Approximately how big is the hole that this ‘hex key driver’ needs to fit into?
(It does need to fit into a hole, doesn’t it?) A picture would simplify matters immensely, as far as determining exactly what kind of tool you are trying to find.
If it’s a 21mm, that’s a pretty large allen wrench/hex key.
This does, in fact, go into a 6-sided hole.
A 1/16th inch key seems to fit, but I see some wear on the key after use that suggests to me that it’s ever so slightly the wrong size.
Also, I’ll need something that fits into a driver of some kind, as these things have a ton of tension on them from the factory. When I was using a short 1/16th inch key and trying to twist sideways, I barely have the hand strength to loosen it, and it hurts my fingers.
It does go into a hole. If I showed a picture, it would disclose my employer, which isn’t something I’m comfy doing on here.
Of course, it certainly isn’t 21mm. It’s close to 1/16th.
As far as variety is concerned, Grainger probably has the widest selection of hand tools. (The link will take you to the first of the ‘allen wrench’ pages.) Hope that helps.
Allen wrenches do come in both SAE and metric sizes. (As against Torx and a few others that are solely metric)
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Annoying as hell when you don’t know what you are dealing with. You can have an almost fit that will strip out the Allen screw and then you are screwed.
It wouldn’t be a Torx T-20 would it?
Google turned up this:
http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-1978-hex-key-21.aspx
The #21 is the illustration part number.
Eklind Long shaft T handle. About half way down the page. Sounds like you need a 3/32 or a 1mm. The long shaft gives you lots of torque and the plastic dipped handle is comfortable on the fingers. I have seen Socket adapters in various hex key sizes if you need even more torque. Or you could try a shot of penetrating oil.
Sorry, but I’m not familiar with tools that small, or the ‘numbering/sizing’ system that you’ve described. If the size is smaller than 1/16", (or it’s metric equivalent) then that would explain the number ‘21’, indicating the size.
FWIW, I’m a carpenter and General Contractor by trade. (And a fairly decent ‘shade tree’ mechanic, when I have to be. ;))
If you’re unable to find it at the site I provided a link to, then perhaps one of the other Dopers will be more familiar with what you’re looking for.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Good luck!
(At least you’ve come to the right place to ask for help, the ‘Dope’ has people from just about every ‘walk of life’, you could imagine! )
Looks like you already knew that, though!
I throw those away on a regular basis and I still have at least a dozen in the bottom of my bag. They come with every door hinge, pivot, closer or lock set as well as dozen of other products I use regularly. I keep a bunch of the set screws in my parts box. Quicker than searching the floor for the tiny bastards. The larger 10-22 set screws too.
Probably not, unless the item being illustrated is under extreme zoom… the ends are way too fat.
A T Handle looks like exactly what I’m wanting, thanks for that.
Stick it into a screwdriver that takes bits or get an extension and use it with your drill.
By the way, here’s the verbatim text from the training manual that I’m reading:
“Adjust if necessary using a #21 hex key driver in hole . . .”
This site says a #21 is 0.1590 inches if that helps at all.
Allen wrenches have 6 flat sides. Torx have 6 points and curved sides. Look at this picture for the difference. A very small Allen wrench would fit in a T20 screw but if you try to tighten you will strip the screw.
https://www.google.com/search?q=allen+or+torx&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-5ciUvzzNIKOigLm0ICoAg&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAA&biw=320&bih=416#biv=i|13%3Bd|w0kZiX_5AFykZM%3A
Rick,
Pretty sure we’re on hex here rather than torx, based on the docs.
Pretty sure torx would have been a better choice, too, given how big of a pain this application is.
Little tiny adjustment, would be good to be able to torque the crap out of it.
If this guy works his way out of adjustment somehow, I get a phone call at 3 in the morning telling me to drive an hour each way and put it back in adjustment.
There are, however, two of the screw in question holding a shaft in place, and in theory both have to work their way loose before I get that phone call.
Then you should be thinking about using a thread lock product. Loctite blue is for parts you want to fiddle with and Loctite Red is a high strength product that may require heat to loosen.
And there is also nylon screws where a small button of nylon will interfere with the threads thereby holding position well in many applications.
And when I use any socket or bit that feels loose but is the correct tool I will when able use a shop rag or something similar to tighten the connection.
The shaft these screws tighten holds in yet another shaft that has a PM interval of 90 days.
I’m new in this position, though, so I’ll play it by ear with your suggestion.
This is a good try as it has #21 as a size, but unfortunately it only applies to nomenclature for drill sizes. You can see that the #21 is over twice the size of the 1/16" that is said to fit.
I’ve been working with Allen wrenches for over 40 years. I can see one being called a “hex key driver,” but I have never heard of any sizing nomenclature for them other than the actual size in millimeters or inches. “#21” just doesn’t compute for this. I wonder if it’s a reference an “official factory tool” with a number used only by your company.
I’m confused by the use of the word “adjust” here. You adjust something that has a range of settings, like a volume knob. It sounds to me like this is a matter of getting something tight enough. If so, I’d use the word “tighten.”
You can improvise a handle of some sort or use pliers to turn the thing with some oomph.
I’d be careful about using a threadlocker product. It conceivably could hold the screw so well that you’d strip out its hex in a removal attempt.