12-point and 6-point sockets

[s219]

I was assembling a chainsaw mill over the weekend and got frustrated with my decades-old collection of sockets and wrenches, where I always seem to be missing the required size or piece. I sometimes go out and buy a single socket or wrench to fill in the gap, but do the math and that's an expensive solution long term. So I looked through the Black Friday sales and found some great 200-250 piece sets on sale, and grabbed a Kobalt set from Lowes for $99 with a decent toolbox. I'll make this my main set in my shop, and throw my oddball collection into various toolboxes for backup use out in the field.

I was surprised to see that all of the big socket sets include sockets of the same sizes in both 6-point and 12-point, including the one I bought. Can anyone explain why you'd want both? I know 12-point is more useful overall, since it fits more types of bolt heads and is easier to slip on in tight spaces. But there must be an advantage of 6-point if they are duplicate parts of the set. About the only thing I know is that I'll either have to ignore the difference and randomly grab one, or know which type of socket is in which part of the toolbox when I go for a needed size....

 

[skylarkguy]

It has been my experience that if the bolt is severely rusty using a 12 point will round it off 9 time out of 10, while a 6 point will likely turn the bolt, at which point the bolt often breaks I tend to use 6 point most of the time, but have both

 

[LD1]

Yep, 6 points are less likely to round off a bolt. They are also (usually) a tad stronger cause there is a little more meat to the socket.

With sockets and ratchets, The only time I like 12-points is for 12-point bolt heads. Sure, 6-point dont go on as easy (half the amount of ways to put it on), but when connected to a ratchet, who cares. Just spin the ratchet.

About the only other time I like 12-point sockets is when one bolt is soo bad that a 6-pointer wants to round it. Then you can usually go down one size (usually means going from SAE to meteric or vice versa), and drive it on with a hammer, and get it loose that way.

 

[crazyal]

I like the 6 point sockets but the newer designs are moving to a new design that doesn't touch the points of the nut/ bolt. Here's a pic of Craftsman sockets.

Even their 6 point sockets have extra material removed to avoid putting force on the points of the nut/ bolt.

If these become the new norm then I don't know if 6 point will be of much use.

 

[Zebrafive]

I like the 6 point sockets but the newer designs are moving to a new design that doesn't touch the points of the nut/ bolt. Here's a pic of Craftsman sockets.
View attachment 290465
Even their 6 point sockets have extra material removed to avoid putting force on the points of the nut/ bolt.
View attachment 290466
If these become the new norm then I don't know if 6 point will be of much use.

SNAP-ON has had this for years. They call it "flank drive". Maybe their patent ran out or they licensed it to other sellers.

 

[Buckgnarly]

SNAP-ON has had this for years. They call it "flank drive". Maybe their patent ran out or they licensed it to other sellers.

SO's patent has been out for a Long time....every brand of socket uses this idea now.

 

[sixdogs]

SO's patent has been out for a Long time....every brand of socket uses this idea now.

I don't understand what these new sockets are? Do they work better?

 

[Buckgnarly]

I don't understand what these new sockets are? Do they work better?

They are not new, Snap On had the original idea and patent in the 1960's.....it has since expired and as far as I know every socket and box end wrench made today uses some variant of it for at least the past 20+ years. Here's apic I found of one of the many names/trademarks that companies use now. Basicallly the idea is to contact the flats of a bolt as opposed ot the corners to avoid rounding out the fasteners. If your socket has rounded corners on the inside, they utilize this idea...

AS if to not confuse people enough, SO also has what's called "Flank Drive Plus" on some of their open ends..ridges cut to provide grip..and it is truely amazing at gripping nuts and bolts. There are some things from SO that are worth the somtimes crazy extra money, and this is one IMHO! Other tool makers have thier own versions, but SO is the best I have tried so far.

 

[sixdogs]

Impressive...and I thought I was up to speed.

 

[EE_Bota]

One of my sets has the 6 and the 12, and I think two drive sizes for each. I appreciate having both. I tend to use the 6 for removing the nut while I sometimes have to use the 12 to hold the bolt. If I could only have one, I'd choose 6 pt since I almost never see a square nut anymore, and I have never seen a 12 pt nut (didn't know they existed until someone mentioned them.)

 

[LD1]

If I could only have one, I'd choose 6 pt since I almost never see a square nut anymore, and I have never seen a 12 pt nut (didn't know they existed until someone mentioned them.)

12-point sockets arent appropriate and dont normally work well on square nuts.

Are you thinking of the 8-point type sockets??

And yes, 12-point bolts/nuts do exist, but not something he "average homeowner/tinkerer" is likely to see.

A few examples are Connecting rod bolts or nuts, Flywheel bolts, and sometimes head bolts/studs; just to think of a few common places:thumbsup:

 

[Robert_in_NY]

As some of the others have said, both serve a purpose but I prefer the 6 point myself. Less chance of damaging a bolt. What is nice with having both is when your bolting something together and need two 1/2" sockets or what ever size for both sides of the bolt. Yeah, you could use a wrench on one side but if there is tension twisting both at the same time sure speeds things up till it cinches down.

When I started expanding my farm operations I soon learned I needed a good set to take to the field for repairs. I ended up buying a set from Home Depot like what you found. Almost 300 pieces of all the sockets you would ever need and an assortment of wrenches, allens and screw drivers. It was a great start. Ended up buying a good metal 3 tray tool box that I could carry it all in. Then I added an 8, 10, 12 and 15" cresent wrench, tape ruler, 1" wide scraper and thread tape to round out that tool box. Then I found I still needed more tools for the "average" field repair so I bought a small black tool box with single tray and have a 3 pound hammer, steel chisels and punches, more thread tape as well as never sieze and tight lock, a small basic socket set (came with the tool box), note pad, pen, pencil, side cutters, linesman pliers, needle nose and pliers. There are a few other items in there as well. I still wasn't happy as I never had the proper wrenches as the original box of tools only had certain sizes. So Home Depot had a couple fo great sets of SAE and Metric wrenches that came in a canvas case that rolls up. They reduced them so I bought 2 of each set. One set stays in the barn just because their handy and the other set stays with my field kits so I have them when ever I need them. Now if I am baling I keep the field tools in the truck at all times. There are very few repairs I can't do with the tools I have on hand. The down side is these kits are set up so nice I find myself going to my field tool boxes I keep stored in the barn before going to the roll chests and using the barn kits :ashamed:

I am always looking for good deals on tools as you can never have enough. Home Depot has Cresent brand adjustable wrenches on sale currently. Have a 6, 8, 10 and 12" all for $20. Just the 12" alone is $20. I try to keep a couple adjustable wrenches on each tractor as well as a 4 in 1 screwdriver and linesman pliers. Can do a lot of field repairs to a tractor with those simple tools. Vineyard tractors have fence pliers instead of linesmans though as well as staples and string in the tool boxes. I bought three of the Cresent kits as I am setting up another roll chest in one of my other barns and I added a couple tractors and needed to put adjustable wrenches in the tool boxes still. I keep looking for another large set of sockets like I originally found as that would be a great jump start on the barn tool box but my Home Depot doesn't stock those kits anymore. Just the small kits.

 

[npalen]

I suspect that another reason for the rounded internal corners in the sockets is economy of manufacture. Sharp corners on forging dies tend to wear much quicker than rounded shapes.