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Harry Goodwin
02-27-2006, 6:17 PM
I just upgraded to a 1/2" Milwaukee Electric impact wrench for shop stuff and deck stuff. Must I use impact sockets or can I cheat with regular sets for small occcasional jobs. Harry

Bernie Weishapl
02-27-2006, 6:37 PM
The last two regular sockets I used were from Sears and cracked them with the Milwaukee impact wrench. The impact ones I can get around here are thicker and heavier.

Harry Goodwin
02-27-2006, 6:54 PM
Thanks Bernie. Maybe I'll find some impact sckets. The tool must be more powerful than I thought. Harry

Don Baer
02-27-2006, 8:07 PM
I've used the cheap impact sockets from HF with my air impact gun and haven't broken one yet.

Joe Pelonio
03-01-2006, 6:36 PM
It really depends on the torque applied to the socket. The usual chrome ones in your toolbox are probably OK when used on wood projects, but if you do anything on the car where the nut is likely have been torqued to a high level such as lugnuts, engine parts etc. it's likely to break. The ones I bought for the car work are black not chrome and made for the impact wrench.

Harry Goodwin
03-01-2006, 7:12 PM
I picked up a moderate priced set at Grangers with lifetime warrenty. They will do all I ask and save my regular sets. Thanks again/ Harry

Chris Padilla
03-01-2006, 8:14 PM
Bit late here but Sears-eBay often has multiple auctions going on for such items. If you're patient, you can get some excellent prices.

Brian Parker
03-10-2006, 9:05 AM
you can get away with using a standard socket on it but the chances are you are going to crack it. If you use Craftsman or any other warranted sockets you might get lucky and have them take it back but the Sears near me questions cracked sockets and they dont like to take them back, they call it abuse and don't have to replace abused tools.

Get a set of impact sockets...even the cheapo HF would do I guess. The impact sockets have a heavier wall and are able to withstand that extra torque.

I'm in the same boat, I only got 5 impact sockets for my CP gun and need to get a set here soon, but like anything I'm waiting for a deal as full price is overrated.

Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan
03-10-2006, 9:53 AM
Get the impact sockets, they are built for it. Yes they are thicker, and yes they are black, there is a reason for the "No Chrome".

In use, the chrome will split and crack, then it will be razor thin, and if your nice soft fleshy hand or fingers come into contract with that nice sharp piece of chrome half off the socket, well, let me put it this way, them shavings are not what you want to be sweeping up off the floor :eek:

The black ones do not have a coating or chrome to come off, and slice your hands up.

How do you like the electric impact?

I looked at them here, but they were 2 to 3 times more expensive than the air ones, and as I have a good large compressor.....

Cheers!

Anthony Anderson
03-10-2006, 10:14 AM
I would recommend impact sockets. Regular sockets will split, or come apart, some of the time, when used with a impact gun. I have have an Ingersol-Rand air impact gun, and have cracked a few non-impact sockets trying to cheat. I went out and bought two good set of MAC tools impact sockets, deep and shallow well. The 19mm deep well actually split, but they replaced it no problem. Now I have impact sets for all of my impact guns 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2". Go to Sears and get a set of each deep and shallow well metric impact socket sets 6 point, I believe they sell Chicago Pneumatic which is also a very good brand. A mid depth set is available, and may be a good compromise if you don't want to buy two sets. You should not only be concerned about breaking sockets, it is also a matter of personal safety as well.

Don't get Chicago Pneumatic (CP) confused with Central Pneumatic (sold by Harbor Freight). These are two totally different birds. BTW if you use regular sockets on an impact gun, the square drive opening on the socket will show abuse on the corners of the opening, which may cause problems when you go to get it warrantied, if it would happen to break. HTH, Bill

Brian Parker
03-10-2006, 10:42 AM
Stu,

thats interesting, I was always curious why they didn't paint them or chrome the impact sockets.

Everyone:

I have the CP734HK (Chicago Pneumatic) kit, it came with 5 impact sockets. I like the idea of a mid depth set from Sears. My only question is what is the warranty. I don't belive that impact sockets fall under hand tools which carry the lifetime warranty. I would really like to get a set of 1/2" with a nice variety of sizes. Oh well I guess I'll have to wait for the fathers day sales to find em.

Roger Everett
03-10-2006, 5:33 PM
In the first half of my working life, I had a auto repair shop. The Snap-on-Tool salesman was there every week. I recall him telling me one time that impact sockets aside from being thicker were also not heat treated as hard, making them softer, than regular sockets. So that they wouldn't damage the impact gun shaft as well as not prone to crack from the impacts.
Roger

Harry Goodwin
03-10-2006, 6:43 PM
I have used the new Milwakee 1/2 electric and it is powerful and has great switch. Top back out lower trigger clockwise so I am enjoying it. Bought the black impact sockets. Thanks for the help. Harry