Pete.
Member
- Messages
- 14,346
- Location
- Kent, UK
So, the impacts are great but I failed to specify the type of retainer. Seems the pointed retainer comes as standard but the firm retainer (the one with a flat end that you have to manually press in to release the socket) is an option you have to specify. Who knew?
Anyway we got the pointy retainer but the 30mm deep socket is so heavy that it comes off quite readily.
![retainer (1).jpg retainer (1).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357257-1a5edf4838a3711064fc50324e143994.jpg)
So I asked them to enquire if you could buy spare retainers, and you can, but only the pointy ones right now. So I had a go to see if I could get one out. Seems you can.
![retainer (2).jpg retainer (2).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357258-6cf79118cda58d49f0310fbbf11d88d4.jpg)
So this evening I've been making square ended retainers. 4mm diameter turned from silver steel. A 1mm wide groove 0.75mm deep 0.7mm from the end. Heated to cherry red and quenched then tempered to blue (I went for straw but over-shot). They are just about file-able but should not break.
![retainer (3).jpg retainer (3).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357259-ea80e65af98bedda3e09eadc052859bd.jpg)
Anyway we got the pointy retainer but the 30mm deep socket is so heavy that it comes off quite readily.
![retainer (1).jpg retainer (1).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357257-1a5edf4838a3711064fc50324e143994.jpg)
So I asked them to enquire if you could buy spare retainers, and you can, but only the pointy ones right now. So I had a go to see if I could get one out. Seems you can.
![retainer (2).jpg retainer (2).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357258-6cf79118cda58d49f0310fbbf11d88d4.jpg)
So this evening I've been making square ended retainers. 4mm diameter turned from silver steel. A 1mm wide groove 0.75mm deep 0.7mm from the end. Heated to cherry red and quenched then tempered to blue (I went for straw but over-shot). They are just about file-able but should not break.
![retainer (3).jpg retainer (3).jpg](https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/data/attachments/357/357259-ea80e65af98bedda3e09eadc052859bd.jpg)