Nut Runner

Aug 23, 2024 Last reply: 1 year ago 18 Replies

I have just managed to snap what I think is called a "nut runner" that came taped to the front of a computer or perhaps amateur radio magazine probably 60 years ago.



A search for a replacement has produced all sorts of fancy stuff, much of it battery powered.



The original was just a plastic tube with open ends you could stuff a nut or screw in to screw it into awkward places.



Is there still such a thing? Does it have a modern fancy name



Many thanks.


Google nut spinners or nut drivers and loads come up

Short length of rubber fuel pipe with the correct internal diameter ?.

Also a socket (as in socket set) - those tend to be larger, but there are screwdriver sets which use a 4mm hex drive and interchangeable nut driver sockets:

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- handy if you need a range of sizes.

Theo

Practical Wireless gave one away in the mid-70s. Was yours orange plastic?

That's the sort of thing. With all the cheap plastic good from China I'm surprised there's nothing available.

Thank you :-)

That's the sort of thing!

It was!

Still going strong until I used the thin end to poke a wire into a computer case when it snapped off.

IIRC it was 4BA at one end and 6BA at the other. I was gutted when I lost mine.

I am living and learning, see also : Screw Holding Mechanics Screwdriver.

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Bought one of those nearly 60 years ago. I have broken a couple, but replaced them and still have one.

Yes, nut runner is the name I use.

One of the radio magazines gave one away years ago - red, I still have and use mine.

Not sure it was quite 60 years but it was a long time.

70s sounds more like it. At least for the one I have.

Red my case.

I suspect other magazines gave them away.

I once had a wonderful self-fitting nut runner, it started out at fully open, and closed as you pushed it down onto the nut. Absolutely brilliant. So brilliant, somebody else liked it enough to steal it one night.

Heads up - first one arrived yesterday with spring mechanism broken, replacement arrived today with same fault. Will look for a better make.

Can't you use one of the sockets from a socket set as a nut runner?

Less handy if you need a long handle for situations where there is limited access, but workable.

A magnet stick is useful, as is some blutac on a kebab skewer. There are many ways to skin this particular cat.

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