Every house or apartment should have, if not a professional, then at least a standard set of tools. After all, with their help you can carry out any minor or medium-sized repairs yourself. The optimal set for each owner should contain: a hammer, a screwdriver, pliers and a set of hex keys, which we will discuss today in our article.
Every man, especially if he owns a car, knows that hexagons have become a necessary thing in everyday life: assembling furniture, performing routine car repairs, repairing household electrical appliances or electrical equipment.
In addition, in our time, to assemble most objects for human life, fastening parts specifically for hex keys are used.
Hex screwdriver "star"
This tool is labeled Torex. The cross section of the tip is presented in the form of a star.
It is most often used in household appliances, cell phones, and radio equipment. The presence of such screwdrivers is mandatory in service centers. The fit between the slot and the tip is ensured as much as possible, and accordingly, the chances of tearing off the notch of the fastener head are minimized.
How to choose
A smart solution would be to buy a set of hex keys. Most likely, each of them will have a use. The keys in the set differ in the distance between opposing edges in millimeters or fractions of an inch.
The standard dimensions of a hexagon in millimeters can be considered as follows:
- 0.7; 0.9; 1.0; 1.25; 1.3 and 1.5;
- from 2 to 6 (increase of 0.5 mm);
- from 7 to 22 (increase of 1 mm);
- 24, 25, 27, 30, 32, 36, 42 and 46 mm.
Depending on how many functions are planned to be performed using such a tool, a set with a larger or smaller number of keys is purchased; the manufacturer is selected and the price accordingly. If a set is purchased for home use only to solve the most common household tasks, then there is no point in buying a large set.
To carry out more specialized work or when purchasing a kit for production, you should opt for professional kits or even several at once. An important factor is the alloy from which the key is made.
The set of hexagon heads comes in two versions:
- with standard hexagonal ends;
- having a ball at the end of the wrench (convenient to work at an angle of up to 30 degrees).
Depending on how you plan to use the hexagon, you should pay attention to the possibility of manual use or in conjunction with a power tool. In addition to the standard L-shaped tool, wrenches also come in hexagon wrenches with a T-shaped handle, and also in the form of attachments for use with a screwdriver.
Key selection features
Any store selling tools will offer you a choice of several hexagonal sets, differing in content, manufacturers, price and quality. In order not to make a mistake in choosing, you need to have the necessary initial information about them.
A set of 12 hexagons or interchangeable hex heads for a screwdriver is suitable for avid motorists and professional furniture assemblers, and for domestic use a set of 5-6 keys will be enough for you.
But when choosing, be sure to check the quality of the tool and ask what material they are made of. The best raw materials for hexagons are considered to be tool steel or chrome vanadium alloy.
When purchasing keys, please note that the section may be different, in the form of a hexagon or a star, so you must know exactly which keys you need. It’s better to purchase two types in advance, otherwise at the most crucial moment the necessary tool may not be at hand.
With the question of manufacturers, everything is probably very clear. Hex sets from well-known brands are much more expensive, but you get an excellent quality tool that will last for many years.
A cheaper option is to buy Chinese analogues. Many will say that now most products are made in China, why not buy keys from this manufacturer. However, often a low price hides low quality, which means your work may be inferior.
In addition, you can damage the fastening parts, as a result of which you will have to purchase a new set of hexagons of different sizes and fasteners.
Types of hexagons
If this is your first time encountering this hexagonal assistant, you should know that they are divided into two types:
- equipped with a standard tip;
- equipped with a ball on one edge of the tool.
The second type of hex keys makes it possible to work with an inclination angle of almost 30 degrees, and after full rotation there is no need to rearrange it, resulting in reduced time for fastening work.
But you won’t be able to get by with just one hex key of the same size, so think carefully about this issue and purchase a full set of different sized internal hex keys. This is the most economical and budget option.
