Socket wrenches for a
Crosby Clip? How labor intensive, get a
nut driver.
1/8" is 5/16", 11/32", or 3/8" and make sure the
flat side of the
wire rope clip nyt is towards the center or you might not be able to adjust the second
nut. -the normal problem Otherwise, 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2" are normal. Having a good 9/16"
nut driver plus 5/8" around is also useful. Plus the 1/4" ones.
Also "Never Saddle A Dead Horse." If you don't know what this means you should not be using
wire rope clips. No offense, just
safety.
Anyway when I played rigger, I quickly learned that a
nut driver was the best method for tightening
Crosby Clips. Just like a screw
driver only it won't need as much downward pressure to ensure it's not stripping. Started with some Stanley
nut drivers, they gave me blisters. Instead I invested in the Klien
nut drivers - much better though many companies even Craftsman offer a version of it’s cushion
grip that would be fine. Never a problem since, though Klien just introduced magnetic versions of this to hold the
nut.
If at very least you might invest in a 3/8" drive and 1/4" drive ratchet set which would be useful for the little screws. Craftsman usually sells something like a 50pc combination set cheap and it’s quality gear. Speed wrenches/ratcheting box wrenches are not going to fit even if useful elsewhere. Open End/Box Wrenches are useful but labor intensive. Get a mini wrench set plus the normal and metric ones. Never enough wrenches. But for rigging with cable clamps, limited value.
Note also that if a
Crosby Clip, your clamp will be
drop forged which is the rigging norm - as opposed to Ace Hardware - what’s called malleable. The
drop forged clips are rated at 80% of the
wire rope load verses malleable ones are for if rated for load 60% of the load.
Crosby if the brand used will be 80%. A Nicropress type oval sleeve is 100% efficient but you can’t adjust it.
As for using metric wrenches on Imperial bolts -
Crosby uses Imperial, strip your nuts out how you want but I go for the proper tool for the proper job. This includes not using powertools for
hand tightening operations - even on a
plug unless either that tool has a blade lock I can manually tighten the screw with or I grab a
hand tool to verify tension. On any
power tool, the torque when properly set is very dependant upon charge in the battery and proper angle to the fastener. If either is off either in
juice or angle, your clutch will
snap before the pre-set tension is achieved. You can use
power tools to install screws but on any
terminal you are best verifying the 1/4 turn past
hand tight tension is there and always there no matter the drill’s battery charge remaining.
When starting to do rigging, it might be very advisable to follow the torque setting on the
crosby clip with an actual torque wrench. New
Crosby clips come with a chart for what the proper torque is - thats’ why you pay for such a specification grade
cable clip. McMaster Carr has a lot of torque wrenches including
nut driver types that take a
socket. Otherwise 1/4 turn past
hand tight is the norm.
Hand tight being the operable term - have someone with respect and experience verify that your
hand tight is the same as theirs.
Above that, I like the both magnetic and locking
bit holders. Just replaced my DeWalt version tonight, since the one before was missing it’s magnet. Home Depot had this #DW2050 which is very similar to other brands of it. Othewise normal magnetic
bit holders tend to get stuck into them any 2" or normal screw
driver bit inserted. That locking quick
release in addition to magnetic
system does both the retaining and magnetic part. Still verify the tension by
hand - people’s lives depend upon you doing your job not just efficiently but safely. Don’t trust cordless screw drivers or drills to ensure the tension. Or should I say never trust such a things on electrical connections, much less and especially rigging points. Not good practice at all. Sorry - my soap box on
safety and I hope it is useful to you in taking those extra moments in verifying your tension. Very important.