What is the fascination with 12 point sockets???

[mvbighead]

Just a question, but why the hell is there so much fascination with these things? I literally drove to 6 or 7 stores before I found a 6 point 18mm socket to replace the one in my kit.

Granted, I didn't end up needing it for the particular job I was doing (I thought I did), but when I grabbed a 12 point socket, all it did was rounded the edge of the nut worse than it already was. Finally found a 6 point socket, and grabbing onto the nut was not a problem.

So, why is it that all of these tool places are so tied up on 12 point sockets? Each store had hundreds of them, but seldom a 6 point socket, and if they had any 6 point sockets, they didn't have the 18mm that I needed.

</end rant>

 

[LTC8K6]

You can turn/advance them in a shorter arc, often allowing you to turn a nut or bolt when a 6 point won't allow it. It's slower, but you can turn it.

Otherwise, they are not the best choice.

 

[disappoint]

That's nuts. If your nuts are that rounded you need new nuts.

 

[mvbighead]

That's nuts. If your nuts are that rounded you need new nuts.

Oh that much I know. Problem is, you gotta remove the nut first. I suppose one could cut it off, but with a 6 pt socket, you actually can grab the thing.

My problem was my own stupidity and trying to be too quick about the job. Basically, I was trying to turn a welded nut, and not the bolt on the back side of the shock (that obviously isn't welded). Once I went to the bolt, it was stuck pretty good, but eventually came out with a 6 pt socket and a breaker bar.

But, the point still remains, with stuck bolts, god help the man who starts with a 12 pt socket. Ugh.

 

[yottabit]

Yeah, I feel the same way too. So hard to find good 6 pt

 

[Rifter]

I've literally never had a issue finding a 6 point socket, although i only go to a dedicated automotive tool store when looking for individual pieces like a single socket. Now thin wall sockets i have had issues finding before.

 

[JCH13]

12pt are garbage for everything but turning taps and 12pt bolts/nuts. I steer well clear in all situations. I even have 6pt combo wrenches.

When I need shorter throws on a combo wrench I get my ratcheting wrenches. 12pt is irrelevant in terms of throw with a ratchet driver.

 

[Squisher]

Back in the bad old days, before even my time, the teeth in a ratchet weren't very fine and having a 12 point socket was a handy thing to have. For ratchets made in the last 50 years they are really unnecessary. I don't think I own a 12 point.

I've got some antique ratchets, they probably only have 12 teeth.

 

[CupCak3]

You can turn/advance them in a shorter arc, often allowing you to turn a nut or bolt when a 6 point won't allow it. It's slower, but you can turn it.

Otherwise, they are not the best choice.

wrench perhaps but with a socket it's all in the ratchet.

The only need I see for 12pt sockets is to help the companies selling kits pad their numbers

 

[LTC8K6]

wrench perhaps but with a socket it's all in the ratchet.

The only need I see for 12pt sockets is to help the companies selling kits pad their numbers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_wrench#Number_of_Points_.28shape.29

 

[HarryLui]

Never have problem finding a 6 pt in harbor freight or sears.

 

[Howard]

12pt are garbage for everything but turning taps and 12pt bolts/nuts. I steer well clear in all situations. I even have 6pt combo wrenches.

When I need shorter throws on a combo wrench I get my ratcheting wrenches. 12pt is irrelevant in terms of throw with a ratchet driver.

Don't the vast majority of hand taps come in square drive?

 

[Raizinman]

Where you will really get into trouble is trying to use a 12 point with an impact gun.

 

[JCH13]

Don't the vast majority of hand taps come in square drive?

Virtually all taps are square drive in my experience. A 12pt socket can also be viewed as three sets of four point patterns. I've always been able to find a 12pt socket that would fit the tap I want to use.

 

[JCH13]

Back in the bad old days, before even my time, the teeth in a ratchet weren't very fine and having a 12 point socket was a handy thing to have. For ratchets made in the last 50 years they are really unnecessary. I don't think I own a 12 point.

I've got some antique ratchets, they probably only have 12 teeth.

This would allow a 6pt socket to be functionally identical to a 12pt socket, I think they would both have the same number of starting and ending positions.

 

[mvbighead]

Never have problem finding a 6 pt in harbor freight or sears.

Problem when I stopped at HF was that they didn't have individual sockets in the 18mm size that I needed. They had 17, they had 19, but not 18.

Then, I looked at the less expensive impact set at 10.99. It skipped 18, IE - 15,16,17,19 or something like that.

My only option at HF was a $30 set of impacts that included the 18.

Thing that pisses me off the most is the set that I have for most of my wrenching is a cheap set that my FIL gave to my wife prior to me meeting her. But it HAD everything! And every single socket was a 6 point. Then, I help my bro do some maintenance to his vehicle, and his jumbled loose mess of sockets is magically missing his 18, as was my set. I'm not much for confrontation, so I let him take it. Thinking about it now, I might want to trade him the new Kobalt impact socket for MY 18mm socket that fits in the box.

I may eventually upgrade my set with a new box or whatever, but as it is, that set does everything I need it to. And I have a SAE and Metric set of deep impact sockets from HF for the tougher jobs.

So, a few hours worth of head ache in trying to find a matching socket for my set because so many shops are just stocking 12 point. I had to buy a similar sized impact socket just to get the 6 point. Mind boggling really.

 

[bruceb]

12 point sockets, as mentioned are good for area where you need more flexibility to get on the bolt head. But they were originally intended for the aircraft industry, where 12 bolt bolts are common place. They use them as the head diameter can be a little smaller. You also find them in use on headers for clearance issues. The drawback is they can't be as made as tight as 6 point bolts.

 

[Howard]

Virtually all taps are square drive in my experience. A 12pt socket can also be viewed as three sets of four point patterns. I've always been able to find a 12pt socket that would fit the tap I want to use.

Yeah, but the vertices are 120 degrees, not 90 degrees. It usually wouldn't matter, I suppose, especially since taps are extremely hard.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

As stated, 12pts are fine if the bolts are in good shape. I highly prefer 6pt anyway, although a lot of the larger sockets are only 12pt if you're buying local.

 

[SilthDraeth]

Where you will really get into trouble is trying to use a 12 point with an impact gun.

Terrible idea all around. Won't stop someone from doing it though. Since using any non impact socket with an impact gun is a terrible idea.

Also considering how a lot of people don't use the correct size socket, but a "close enough" without properly deciding if it should be SAE or Metric.

 

[CraigRT]

I'm a 6 pt fan too. Any large amount of torque on a fastener and it's gotta be a 6pt.

I also love Robertson screwdriver heads. Fuck all the rest.

 

[jagec]

I'd imagine that 12 point sockets are probably cheaper to make (less metal), hence their popularity.

6 point sockets are superior in every way.

 

[JCH13]

Yeah, but the vertices are 120 degrees, not 90 degrees. It usually wouldn't matter, I suppose, especially since taps are extremely hard.

Yep, they are super hard tool steel, you'll definitely snap a tap in half before stripping it. A tap shouldn't see much torque anyway if it's done properly, so it's no big deal.

 

[Ronstang]

Don't the vast majority of hand taps come in square drive?

Divide 12 by 4, then try to divide 6 by 4. You should come to the proper conclusion.

 

[Howard]

Divide 12 by 4, then try to divide 6 by 4. You should come to the proper conclusion.

I did not know 12-point sockets could be used to turn taps.