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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:02:11 PM EDT
[#1]
I don't like them for anything except finger tight and finger loosen.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:04:26 PM EDT
[#2]
They are easy to break the ball off if you are not careful, then the ball becomes lodged in the screw and is a real bitch to get out. I have a lot of them and I only buy the square end ones now. They are good for somethings when you are dealing with an angle, but not much else, that groove going around them to make the ball is weak and it does not matter who makes it.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:04:48 PM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I don't like them for anything except finger tight and finger loosen. |
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:05:27 PM EDT
[#4]
All my ball ends are now flat. They snap off.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:05:27 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are easy to break the ball off if you are not careful, then the ball becomes lodged in the screw and is a real bitch to get out. I have a lot of them and I only buy the square end ones now. |
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:11:10 PM EDT
[#6]
If your looking at t handle wrenches don't buy the harbor freight brand they twist in the handles .
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:12:35 PM EDT
[#7]
I like them. I only use Bhondus though.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:15:00 PM EDT
[#8]
I love ball end hex wrenches, at least good quality ones used within reasonable limits. IE, don't use them to attempt to break loose rounded, rusted or crazily torqued fasteners. The ability to get into fasteners at odd angles makes life a lot easier (and faster)
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:16:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Just scored these Wiha’s on sale. Thanks for the input
$34.98 plus $6.99 shipping |
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:25:12 PM EDT
[#10]
If you have a 10/22 you will want to get a 5/32 ball end hex wrench.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 9:39:32 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are easy to break the ball off if you are not careful, then the ball becomes lodged in the screw and is a real bitch to get out. I have a lot of them and I only buy the square end ones now. They are good for somethings when you are dealing with an angle, but not much else, that groove going around them to make the ball is weak and it does not matter who makes it. 
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Posted: 10/22/2018 10:08:16 PM EDT
[#12]
I like them. I use them. I have a couple ball sets of US and a couple ball sets of metric. They are Bondhus. I also have a metric set that isn't ball and goes to 12mm and a couple US sets that are not ball that go to 1/2". If I lost all that stuff tomorrow, I would go to Amazon and replace it with a Bondhus 2 pack that contained both metric and US ball sets for $18.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 10:13:06 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I don't like them for anything except finger tight and finger loosen. |
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Posted: 10/22/2018 10:48:00 PM EDT
[#14]
Ball ends have their place, but personally have not found that place in AR building. Stick with the flat ends for gunsmithing.
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Posted: 10/22/2018 11:22:43 PM EDT
[#15]
They aren’t for breaking tight fasteners loose or for putting final torque on a fastener.
Especially on smaller sizes I prefer Torx fasteners over hex which greatly reduce the chances of stripping the head out. |
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Posted: 10/23/2018 12:02:24 AM EDT
[#16]
Quoted:
Looking to get a set of hex wrenches and I noticed most offered are ball end. Have you had any issues with the ball end or are they GTG? |
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Posted: 10/23/2018 7:16:44 AM EDT
[#17]
The ball end has a specific purpose. If you don't need the ball end, use the other side of the wrench.
Myself, I have allen wenches in regular, metric, ball end and t-handle. Part of my job. |
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Posted: 10/23/2018 7:26:15 AM EDT
[#18]
lol @ all the hammer mechanics that broke their balls off. They're only meant for turning the fastener, use the other end to tighten it or break it free. I've never broken one. lol
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Posted: 10/23/2018 7:26:31 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They are easy to break the ball off if you are not careful, then the ball becomes lodged in the screw and is a real bitch to get out. I have a lot of them and I only buy the square end ones now. They are good for somethings when you are dealing with an angle, but not much else, that groove going around them to make the ball is weak and it does not matter who makes it. I have used them for years and never broke a tip off. |
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Posted: 10/23/2018 9:32:13 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I think you are using them wrong... I have used them for years and never broke a tip off. 
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Posted: 10/23/2018 12:28:15 PM EDT
[#21]
They're convenient for running screws which are already loose but either the ball will break off or the soft metal will round off if you put much poo on them. I use traditional hardened allen keys when I need much torque.
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Posted: 10/23/2018 1:54:41 PM EDT
[#22]
They're great for my Dillon reloaders and bicycle. Other than that, the standard ones are what I use for the reason(s) stated above.
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Posted: 10/23/2018 2:12:36 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You guys that have never broke the ball end off, must be special I was a production assembler for several years. I broke the ball off once or twice, but it was necessary to get the job done (tight space, no other options). As much as I have wrenched, that would make breakage extremely rare. I have abused the wrenches without breaking them, so I would say that some of you need to buy name brand shit for ball end hex wrenches. A machinist that says he has never broken a tap is like an Irishman saying he doesn't drink. 
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Posted: 10/23/2018 4:04:37 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I was a production assembler for several years. I broke the ball off once or twice, but it was necessary to get the job done (tight space, no other options). As much as I have wrenched, that would make breakage extremely rare. I have abused the wrenches without breaking them, so I would say that some of you need to buy name brand shit for ball end hex wrenches. A machinist that says he has never broken a tap is like an Irishman saying he doesn't drink. One of the problems with the smaller ones, even the hardened ones, is the same as bolts, many applications call for grade 5 bolts and guys think that upgrading to a grade 8 will make it stronger, but for the particular application the grade 8 bolts will snap and the grade 5 bolts won't. Harder is stronger applied correctly for the task at hand, but it is also more brittle and prone to snapping if used incorrectly. The machining of the ball end makes a concentration point for torque and they snap, the small ones can be really easy to snap because there is just not much material there. When I worked in the armories when I first went in the service, we had ball head wrenches and they were .mil spec material and they still broke because of that concentration point. On the AR there is really nothing that requires a ball head for the most part to get screws in and out. |
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Posted: 10/23/2018 4:26:46 PM EDT
[#25]
Yes. I find them good for getting things finger tight while allowing some wiggle room/non-perfect alignment. Switch to the non-ball end for final torquing.
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Posted: 10/23/2018 5:06:30 PM EDT
[#26]
They’re great for their INTENDED PURPOSE. They are not a substitute for breaking loose and torquing with regular hex.
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Posted: 10/23/2018 11:42:16 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I like them. I only use Bhondus though. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 12:09:15 AM EDT
[#28]
Love me some ball ends, especially T-handles. Used bondhus exclusively for years and never broke one. Ive cranked on the 5mm/8mm/12mm T handles pretty damn hard, too.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 12:18:17 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I like them. I only use Bhondus though.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 12:41:37 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
if your not a knuckle dragging cave man you can manage to not destroy your tools.... |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 12:48:59 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ball ends have their place, but personally have not found that place in AR building. Stick with the flat ends for gunsmithing. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 9:30:56 AM EDT
[#32]
They are very handy for running a screw in or out fast, or where you have to work at an angle.
I do not use them for serious torqueing or breaking screws loose. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 3:08:22 PM EDT
[#33]
I’ve been using ball ended Allen wrenches for over 20 years, both at work and at home. I’ve worn out many sets of Allen wrenches, flat and ball, over my 35 years as an electrician and gun tinkerer, but I’ve never broken one. IMO if you break off the ball, that’s on you for being a bubba headed hammer knocker. Use tools as intended and buy decent tools and the ball won’t break. In fact, I won’t buy a set that does not have a balled end.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 3:38:31 PM EDT
[#34]
I use them with my Dillon, I wouldn’t use them for much else than “firm finger tight”.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 4:01:35 PM EDT
[#35]
People need to knock it off with the if you break a tool you are a such and such, shit breaks, even good overpriced shit breaks. If you have made it through the years without breaking one, great, relate that experience, if you have broke a few along the way, great relate your experience, but knock it off with you are a such and such crap.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 4:25:30 PM EDT
[#36]
I deal with a lot of stainless screws at work and the ball tip drivers will hollow out the head over time. Stainless is soft stuff. I’ve seen them where you can’t turn them with a ball tip but a straight hex will grab the top and bottom where it hasn’t been chewed out. I try to only use them for difficult access situations.
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Posted: 10/24/2018 5:30:23 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They’re great for their INTENDED PURPOSE. They are not a substitute for breaking loose and torquing with regular hex. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 5:33:28 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:. I try to only use them for difficult access situations. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 6:00:36 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I like them. I only use Bhondus though. |
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Posted: 10/24/2018 6:45:29 PM EDT
[#40]
I have one ball end set and five straight hex key sets. The ball end have their place, but I do not use them often, and I won't apply significant torque to that end.
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