Big Aluminum Socket Wrench

[Toolman]

We got hired to design and produce a socket wrench for a plastic PVC threaded cap. The cap gets torqued to 30 foot pounds. Customer currently uses a rubber strap wrench to tighten the cap. The cap measures approximately 7 inches on the diameter.

Customer supplied his own material which was cut 1/4 of an inch over finished length and 1/2 an inch over the finished diameter. I machined the front and rear faces on the engine lathe parallel and to finished length. Because I don’t have enough material to grab onto when turning the outer diameter, I moved it to the CNC lathe and friction drove it to finished diameter not hitting it too hard causing it to slip. Now I am able to grab it from the outside and rough bore the inside of the socket.

Now I move it to my TRM ( tool room mill) and cut the 12 slots that mate up to the fins on the cap and the 3 threaded holes for the driver plate.

On the driver plate I popped the three holes in the customer supplied blanks. Then I make a quick little fixture and I bolt the blanks to the fixture through the holes and mill the OD and the ID of the blanks.

I went and bought a 1 inch diameter by half inch drive black oxide impact socket and welded it to the driver plate.

 

[NicPaus]

Nice!

 

[DirtyWhiteDog]

Looks super thin. Glad you don't have to put much torque on it. Awesome job.

 

[ltbaney1]

very nice, i always hated having to use face drivers when i was running machines.

 

[SOD]

Never thought of doing the friction drive operation when needed. I learn something new with every one of your projects.