The Use of Socket Sets to the New User

In this article I’m going to explain  socket  sets to the new user. There are many fasteners you’re familiar with; staples, flat head and Phillips head screws, and nuts and bolts to name a few. You use specific tools to use these fasteners, staple guns, screwdrivers, hammers, and  sockets  set.  Socket  sets are not hard to understand, they screw nuts on and off. They are easy to use and you will soon understand how helpful they are to have. With a  socket  set on hand you won’t need a huge number of single wrenches for various size nuts cluttering up your tool box.

The most common nuts your run into are hex shaped. These are referred to as hex, six sided and 6 point nuts. They are used for many goods sold as “to be assembled” by the buyer. Some of these items are shelving, bookcase, file cabinets, strollers, cribs, bed frames, and quite a few more. To take the headache out of these assembly project have a  socket  set handy.

The  socket  goes over a nut and screws them on or off. The most common  sockets  you’ll need are found in the standard 40 piece set. They come with a ratcheting handles that you snap the  sockets  onto. The handle has a gear assembly that makes the  sockets  go clockwise or counterclockwise. There is button or a knob on the handle to change the direction from the clockwise for putting things on and counterclockwise for taking things off. They come with 40  sockets : 20 developed by Society of Automotive Engineers called SAE and measured in inches; and 20 MM, measured in millimeters, and referred to as metric  sockets .

When you need to put on or take off a nut, you find the right size  socket  that fits snuggly. Put in on the handle, set the ratchet direction, then place it over the nut and do your work. It’s that simple and easy. You don’t need a lot of strength to use it which is a real advantage if you find a nut that’s really hard to get off. You will find many bolts have hex heads and the assembly can be used on them as well. You can also buy bits, which are attachments for various types of screws, and the assembly can replace your screw drivers.

I hope you find this information helpful when using and buying your first  socket  set. They’re very compact and easy to store. They come in a rack or case that has the proper size storage well for each  socket , and ratchet wrench handle. You’ll l also find adapters in the case that go on the handle to facilitate the attachment of all the various size  sockets .