# SAE HEX BALL END 'L WRENCH' SET



## Dusty (Sep 11, 2019)

Looking for an SAE ball end 'L' wrench set 3/32" through 3/8".  More specifically the long arm must be short like 2 1/2" to 3" max and yes I really need the ball end. At one time Canadian tire sold such a set.

Any suggestions on this type of stubby hex key ball end set?

Bill


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## PeterT (Sep 11, 2019)

You'd have to eyeball length based on the pic, or look up on manufacturer website.
https://www.kbctools.ca/products/search/?Keyword=hex wrench ball

I've had to custom make (deface) some wrenches before for tight quarters by cutting off the ball end short. The issue becomes how to drive it. If you have one of those mini ratchet wrenches with appropriate sockets or can torque on it with another mini open wrench that can get you out of a bind.

I may have seen sets like what you mean by other vendors, maybe Allen or Eklind brand? but I think those were straight hex wrenches (non-ball) or metric wrenches by some offshore supplier. Hope this helps


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## Janger (Sep 11, 2019)

Yah maybe Elkind on Amazon. I bought an imperial set by them with ball ends it was inexpensive. You could cut them shorter and then use a torch and rebend.


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## Janger (Sep 11, 2019)

You could also get those hex sets for a socket wrench driver


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## kylemp (Sep 11, 2019)

I'm not sure what you're needing it for, my experience with ball end ones is they don't take much abuse. I've got the typical ratchet style ones and they break often. Look at some good quality bondhus or wera ones, they probably make more or less what you're looking for and they're made well... Unfortunately the pricing is in that realm as well. The Germans don't work cheap, but they do good work. The US (bondhus I think is US) is about the same price, not the same quality in my experience.


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## PeterT (Sep 11, 2019)

Kyle, good suggestion.  I think that might be where I saw the shorties. Metric only though?
https://www.wihatools.ca/ball-end-hex-short-arm-l-key-black-metric-9pc-set
https://www.wihatools.ca/hex-tools/ball-end-hex

GucciBag ratchet set with hex drivers
https://www.wihatools.ca/bestsellers/1-4-inch-ratchet-and-bits-35-piece-set


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## kylemp (Sep 11, 2019)

Those are wiha, I was talking about wera.. I know kms carries wera, I think quest Industrial as well as Calgary fasteners carries them too. If I remember right I ended up with something like that as part of a Mastercraft set too. Kms has cheaper pricing than I could find anywhere, even online for wera, and when they're on sale it's about half of what the regular price is. Shouldn't be an issue to find it in imperial as well.
I've had a really good experience at Blackfoot Industrial and id recommend going there and talking to the guys there about what you need. They're small but if you buy $5 or $50 or $500 they treat you really well.


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## PeterT (Sep 11, 2019)

Always get them mixed up


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## Dusty (Sep 12, 2019)

Hi list, in the process of tearing down some vintage aircraft components at the museum so we'll simply modify 3 or 4 hex keys from an older set that should have the job done.  

Thanks for your input. Bill


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