Dumb Hex Wrench Question..

[DiRTyBuNNy]

What would be more important to have in your paintball tool box..a set of standard hex wrenches or metric ones? I'm looking at getting a set of nice t-handle hex wrenches but they only offer them in separate sets and i can't afford both right now.

[a_malfunction]

For now, most paintball stuff is in standard. Very few screws used in paintball are metric. Go for the standard now, and pick up the metric set when you get the money.

[Krazy Ivan]

Get the standard, nothing that I know of is metric, 'cept imports. AKA Angel's and Angel AIR systems.

[OldSchoolMag]

Think about it this way - basically every country other than America uses the metric system, right? So, if your gun was made in ... oh, I don't know, England (Angels) then you should pick up a metric set as well as a standard SAE set (most of your other things will use them - some screws, etc). But, should you be Limey free, then you just need an SAE set. They're like 4 bucks each down at Home Depot for a good set, I like mine. Got both just in case

OSM

[Army]

Go to Home Depot, or any decent hardware store, and pick up a set of ball driver Allen wrenches. They usually come in a set of both Metric and Standard. You don't need the high torque from the T-handle with paintball gear, the long "L" shapes will do fine.

The ball end will let you get into awkward places easily, like inside the trigger guard, or around D/Fs and foregrips.

[Thordic]

If you have like $15, go to Home Depot, and they have a nice ball-ended L-shaped set that has standard and metric, I think 13 wrenches of each size. It comes in a nice plastic rack, and the rack has a torque-handle built into it that you can take and and put the wrench into.

that being said, if you are still set on only gettin one set, get standard. Only Angels and Spyders use metric to my knowledge. Well, probably stuff like the Sovereign too, but who uses that gun except manike?

[Fred]

Originally posted by Krazy Ivan
Get the standard, nothing that I know of is metric, 'cept imports. AKA Angel's and Angel AIR systems.

AKA Angels???

Spyders have some wierd metric threads too.

I bought a 40 piece set for 12 buck at home depot, both metric and standard. the two sections of the holder come apart, so i just throw the metric set in the bottom of my toolbox just in case, and put the standard set in the top tray where I keep all my "usefull" tools.

---Fred

[Krazy Ivan]

Really? Spyders are going wacky too? A buddy of mine has a Spyder and all he uses is standard. Wierd.

and by AKA Angels, I meant Also Known As Angels, just in case you didn't catch it.

[Thordic]

Ivan - as far as I know, Spyders have ALWAYS been metric, but I could be wrong. Every spyder I've seen, though, uses metric allen wrenches and metric threaded fittings.

[Croix71]

One of the "Husky" sets from Home Depot has both metric and English. What's good about this set is that it has all the sizes you'll need including the small 1/16 & 0.05 (English) and the 1.5 (metric). If you ever work on your grip frame, trigger, or safety you'll need these smaller sizes to take out the small screw on your grip frame. If you do buy a "Husky" set check them out carefully make sure the smaller hex wrenches aren't bent.

The set works fine for me. It may not be a big name brand like Craftsman but it's cheaper and serves it's purpose. Also there are 2 "Husky" sets. One with regular head and the other with a ball head. The ball head cost $4-5 more but it's more versatile.

[Fred]

Krazy- now that you put it that way... (duh!)

I wish I had found a set with the ball heads when I bought mine (i've got the Husky set as well), those are much nicer to get at tight spots...

[soilent green]

I got one of those sets they are great and I don't know about angels but england uses English standard a variation of our system

[mykroft]

Spyders are Made In Taiwan, they are all metric. Angels are partially metric (Uses standard bottomline and 1/8" NPT Air source, rest is metric), I'm not sure about Sterlings and Sovereigns (The 2 other UK designed/made guns).

While the Metric system is in many ways far superior to the US or Imperial systems, standardization is nice, and we have effctively standardized on SAE/US system here in paintball.

The UK uses both the Metric system and the Imperial System. The US system is a corrupted version of the older Imperial system.

[bofh]

Originally posted by soilent green
I got one of those sets they are great and I don't know about angels but england uses English standard a variation of our system

I'm sure some paintball marker somewhere made in England still has Whitworth threads on them.

My advise, get the SAE, unless you need metric right now, then get both.

[toymyster]

The most important wrench in my toolbox is the 1/8" hex key that came with my 'mag!!!