I was browsing some coverage of the 2019 National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) show and discovered these Makita impact-ready hollow sockets I had never seen before. After some digging I learned that these sockets have actually been available since 2015, but I thought they were still interesting enough to cover.
At some point, we’ve all had to deal with spinning a nut down a long length of threaded rod and tightening it. If you work on mechanical systems in buildings, it’s probably something you encounter on a regular basis, as much of the infrastructure in commercial spaces hangs from the ceilings on threaded rod.
Makita hollow sockets have a smooth hole bored along the entire shaft, so that threaded rod can safely pass through without damage. The 12-point socket head can handle both 6 and 12 point nuts (yes there are 12-point nuts).
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The corrosion resistant sockets have 1/4″ hex shanks press fit into them and are impact-ready so that you can use them either with a drill or impact driver.
Makita offers these hollow sockets in two different nut sizes, 9/16″ and 3/4″, corresponding to the most common sizes of threaded rod used: 3/8″ and 1/2″. The sockets come in 5 different lengths: 3″, 6″, 12″, 18″, and 24″. Following is a table of all the hollow sockets sizes, part numbers, and their weights.
- B-43290: 9/16″ x 3″ — 0.1 lbs.
- B-43309: 9/16″ x 6″ — 0.2 lbs.
- B-43315: 9/16″ x 12″ — 0.3 lbs.
- B-43321: 9/16″ x 18″ — 0.4 lbs.
- B-43337: 9/16″ x 24″ — 0.55 lbs.
- B-43343: 3/4″ x 3″ — 0.2 lbs.
- B-43359: 3/4″ x 6″ — 0.3 lbs.
- B-43365: 3/4″ x 12″ — 0.45 lbs.
- B-43371: 3/4″ x 18″ — 0.65 lbs.
- B-43387: 3/4″ x 24″ — 0.85 lbs.
I couldn’t find one retailer that had the best pricing for all of the sockets, so here are a few retailers that carry them. Each socket will cost somewhere between $25 and $60 depending on its size and length.
Buy Now (via Amazon)
Buy Now (via Tool Nut)
Buy Now(via Acme Tools)
Discussion
My favorite way of dealing with nuts on threaded rod is to chuck one of those rubber sanding mandrels into a drill and press it against the nut like in the post below.
Of course there are other methods of threading nuts onto threaded rod, such as hollow nut drivers and pass-through ratchets, but I like this hollow socket solution because it’s potentially faster.
The downsides are the length and weight of the sockets. A 24″ long socket could be awkward to wield in many situations, thus Makita offers varying lengths. Also, when you get up to the 24″ long 3/4″ socket it weighs 0.85 lbs. That’s a lot of weight over a long lever arm to be twisting around, I imagine you’ll build some wrist muscles using it.
Noah
Klein and Milwaukee make open end nut drivers, but I’ve never found a nut driver in 3/4” so I’ll have to remember these exist.
Joshua Stewart
Check this out. Google “Thread Daddy”
They have a 3-1 drill attachment 90 degree through socket
fred
Cool Find!
These are available in the 9/16 sizes – in 3, 6 and 12 inch lengths:
https://www.licensedelectrician.com/Store/SB/Big-Willy-Nut-Drivers.htm
but I’ve never seen one for 3/4 nuts
fred
I should have added a link to a socket to drive threaded rod.
MCC Corp. (Japan) makes tools for threaded rod – like thread chasers, rod wrenches and power drive sockets for 3/8 and 1/2 inch rod. Here’s an Amazon link for one:
https://www.amazon.com/Threaded-Rod-Socket-Power-Drill/dp/B076XCRF7F
Wayne R.
Huh, a socket specific to spinning the rod itself. Never thought of that!
Altan
Japanese are a bit cheeky about hex shanked tool accessories, they use plugged hex shanks a lot, even for screwdriver bits. I did buy this ( https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8D%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF%E3%82%B9-ANEX-%E5%85%AD%E8%A7%92%E3%83%AC%E3%83%B3%E3%83%81%E3%82%AB%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%83%83%E3%83%88-%E5%AF%BE%E8%BE%BA12%C3%9765-ACHX-1265/dp/B00ADXLKT4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=anex%E5%85%AD%E8%A7%9212+mm&qid=1568835610&sr=8-1 ) and I thought Japanese made screwdriver bit would be better quality than a Chinese made one, but not always, this hex 12mm screwdriver bit has a hex shank plugged into the screwdriver bit. This one in amazon link looks suspicious to me also, they try to make it double grooved sometimes to fit Japanese and Western 1/4″ collets.
fred
For that size (12mm hex) I have a Bondhus 10880 (ball tip) – but Anex also makes ones in 14mm (ACHX1465) and 17mm (ACHX1765)
Altan
Yea, they do 14mm and 17mm also, but I am not going to buy them, Anex 8mm and 10mm are forged one pieces, but 12mm, 14mm and 17mm are plugged shank, Most of Anex screwdriver bits are forged (some Apex screwdriver bits are also) but German brands are machined, I like machined ones more, they are more straight specially if they are long, I had bad experiences with forged bits a lot.
Altan
These are good, not plugged hex shank, they are forged made of one piece as much as I can see from the photos.
Bolt
That sanding drum method is genius! I’ll have to remember that next time.
Altan
Hi Benjamen,
Would you please mention the E6.3 in the title of anything related to these shanks so I know that I should definitely read it, currently my first priority is tool accessories with these shanks. Many thanks.
Jim
It’s Toolguyd… You should be reading all of them!
Altan
When I get time I do, but I have priorities. I am the type that knows what exactly he wants…
Dave
Those are light duty for sure.
I have a set of 1/2″ dr. impact sockets that are either Cornwell, Snap-On, or Mac I think. Commonly used in this part of the world for agriculture ( think LARGE machinery) and are priceless when needed. I use the 15/16 the most, followed by 3/4. They’re around a foot long or so, and are many decades old, and are used normally against spring pressure (large spring tightener, tightened down by a long threaded rod) and then double-nutted so they’ll stay where you’ve set them.
fred
In the plumbing (more pipeline than house plumbing) world – extra deep sockets are often needed for making up couplings. Ones from Romac Industries come to mind – but we had a set from Reed that I think we used. As I recall these were only about 6 inches long.
https://www.toolup.com/Reed-02640-EDSK5-Extended-Socket-Set?CAWELAID=120204890000514259&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=37806089434&CATCI=pla-551890556586&CATARGETID=120204890000515947&CADevice=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzv30sqTb5AIVhtDeCh2aVALzEAQYASABEgLxCfD_BwE
Evadman
I use an air compressor and a blowgun on the edge of the nut. The good and bad thing is that you can impart some very fast speeds on a nut, especially smaller ones like 10-32 rod, which I use in hvac.
ChrisP
If I was doing a lot of threaded rod I would probably try Izzy Swan’s DPT wrench
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLQnDCRjXhg
Altan
Good tool.
fred
Looks cool – but are they sold anywhere?
Jared McBeth
That makes way more sense! If it’s impact rated, could be a useful tool not just for threaded rod but also regular nuts in limited access situations.
Jared McBeth
Wouldn’t it make more sense for these Makita sockets if they were fluted to cut down on weight? Must add too much to the complexity and cost – but I can’t imagine having to carry one of the long ones around.
Chuck
I seem to remember someone making a tool that used a spinning rubber wheel for running nuts on threaded rod; IIRC there was a bracket to slide along the rod’s threads while the rotating wheel spun the nut.
Bob
Here is another alternative: https://spectools.com/shop/powerbox-combination-set/
(That is actually for sale! unlike Izzy’s cool tool)
Sb224
Klein also has a very similar product in 9/16 and 7/16 for 3/8” and 1/4” threaded rod. The most common sizes of threaded rod used by commercial electricians. They also offer it in 1/2”. When I bought them, the prices were much more reasonable than the Makita brand on Amazon. They definitely come in handy when building racks for conduit runs.
Ct
Nice but it takes like 20 minutes to cut and weld an extension pipe to make a version of this
Rick C
Rack-a-Tiers makes(?) or sells an Extendo ‘kit’ for 7/16″ and 9/16″ nuts using your own supplied lengths of 1/2″ EMT conduit. Smaller sizes but adjustable. EMT is cheap and can be tossed behind if storage/transport is an issue.
https://www.rack-a-tiers.com/request-a-catalog/us-catalog/