A bit of Recycling or is it Upcycling? To make a useful tool

[Rob Pulham]

While modelling this morning I found myself in need of an Allen 'Screwdriver' Now I know that you can buy them, in fact I have had a set on watch on eBay, for several years. But I haven't actually got around to buying them.

I have an old tobacco tin that I inherited when my neighbour passed away in which I keep my Slaters wheel Allen keys and a slightly bigger size that fits the grub screw on the former SanCheng/Finescale brass motor gearboxes. In the tin where a couple of my neighbour's 'worn out/bent ones that he had kept.

I also had a short length of brass bar which has a slight bend in it. The bend isn't visible but it doesn't run true if I pop it in the lathe.

Making use of one of the old Allen keys and the length of bar I made an Allen Screwdriver.
I used a slitting disk to chop off the L leg of the Allen key and to square up the other end again. Then I made a handle from the length of brass bar not worrying too much that the turning wasn't quite concentric.

The Allen Key end has a slight bend in it too but it works fine and I hope to be using it for years to come.

 

[Richard Gawler]

What a good idea! Muggins ordered his first Slater's wheels without realising he needed an Allen key so he had to order one through eBay. This had a 72 mm handle, surely more leverage than a wheel nut needs?

So this evening I ground off the end of the handle and crimped this into a bit of brass tube. Glued on some offcuts of ally tube of no obvious use to make it look like a tool and finally a bit of heatshrink to hide the ugly crimps.

All I need now is a tin or box painted dayglo yellow to keep them in.

 

[Rob Pulham]

A couple of nights ago I made a second one from another 'worn' hex key using a length of nickel rod. I did have some more bent brass rod but it was only 4mm in diameter which I felt was a bit on the thin side to be able to hold comfortably.

This time I had a go at a knurled handle. Although I have had a knurling tool for a couple of years or so, the last time I did any knurling was in the late 1970's at school.

 

[Richard Gawler]

The next time I ruin one of those budget "jeweller's" screwdrivers I will see if I can extract the mild steel shaft and upcycle the handle.

 

[OzzyO]

Rob,

for a good knurl you want a good slow speed and a medium feed (under power) . Some knurls will tell you the depth of cut and feed per rev.

ATB

OzzyO.