Post your CYBER MONDAY Scores here.......

[mixedgas]

I love these sets at work, greatly reduces what I have to stick in the portable kitchen sink/tool kit. I got one for the home kit:
Chapman Tools Master Set:
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http://chapmanmfg.com/products/master-kit-5575
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Be aware, they feature controlled breaking Torque, required in Aerospace , Manufacturing, and Research applications like mine. If you abuse them, the smaller bits curl before they break, protecting the screw head. However replacement bits are cheap!
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All Sets:
http://chapmanmfg.com/collections/all-tools
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code = tday2016
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Steve

[ChapmanMFG]

Thank you so much for recommending our tools! As you probably know we're a small shop, there's less than 15 of us here, and most of our sales come from customer recommendations because our advertising budget is tiny.

If anyone else is interested in the discount on our tools, it ends tonight at midnight!

[hitekvoop]

Just bought mine today! Thanks for the tip, Steve, and welcome Joel!

[sugeek]

Thanks for the link Steve. I was looking at Wiha for my next set of small drivers, but these seem likely to fit the bill for larger bits.

[ChapmanMFG]

Thanks for the orders! What kind of bits do you guys use the most? Is there something you need that we don't currently make?

[mixedgas]

Joel,

If the security Torx have the same outer dimensions as the regular "Star", why not replace the Star with the Security Star in the Master kit? It would save me a lot of effort in replacing the one type of bits. Which I will probably do in the first of the year.
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I frequently need .035 Allen, M0.9, M1.0, M1.25, M1.5, although those may be too small to practically make.
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Since most of us here adjust analog electronics, we need a flat sided, narrow, bit that fits the common ten turn and twenty turn potentiometers:
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http://www.bourns.com/docs/Product-Datasheets/3082.pdf
http://www.bourns.com/docs/Product-Datasheets/3296.pdf
http://www.bitechnologies.com/pdfs/64.pdf
http://www.vishay.com/docs/51026/t93.pdf
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If it fits Bourns, it fits most of the common clones, all of which come from some ancient 1960s Mil Spec.
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Usually these adjustment tools have a guard of sorts that prevent the tool from slipping off the potentiometer adjuster, but just a bit that fits would be very nice. Even if its just a piece of plastic that slides over the bit. This would save buying a 15-20$ Wiha ceramic screwdriver every six months. The military, medical, airplane, model airplane, drone and electronics guys would love to have a potentiometer adjustment set consisting of the afore mentioned flat blade and a tiny Phillips with generous slanted sides for the one turn potentiometers. The new surface mount adjustable potentiometers also have a standard blade size that corresponds to a Japanese Eyeglass Screwdriver with flat sides.
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Nut drivers for M2 nuts, #2-56 nuts, 4-40 nuts and 6-32 nuts would be NICE for us electronics folks. I'm probably forgetting a metric size in there. You could ask at EEVblog forums, but expect to get flooded with requests, of which only a few would be profitable. Sending Dave Jones at EEVBLOG a set for one of his video reviews would not be a bad idea. ;-).
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I started using your products as a medical FSE on CT machines, a few years ago, and now that I run a lab at a university, we're well equipped with your kits. We had both your kit and the "Falls" brand in our master tool kits as FSEs. The 12 degree ratchet angle of your competitor's product was nice... However since they rarely sell replacement bits, I go with your brand.
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The {} marks are because the forum software is not recognized by my browser, sorry. ;-)
Steve

[ChapmanMFG]

Hi Steve,

When we designed the Master Set, we thought about using the security star but after some market research came to the conclusion that it would drive up the cost, most people don't need the security bits, and the hole in the center makes them weaker. That's why we offer the security bit rack that you can pop into your Master Set. The security star's are very expensive to run because the hole on the end has to be spotted and drilled, and the little tiny drills are $30-$40 a piece.

We make 1.5MM hex (old part #40) and the #3 .050" is .127MM. The other ones are tiny and would very hard to stake well, but I'll add those to my list of products to look into. Right now we're focusing on security bits and ball allen bits.

Regarding the links you sent, do I understand your correctly that you're looking for a bit with a sleeve over it to turn the small brass colored screw on top if the Potentiometer? Do you have the info of the Wiha screwdriver for me to look at? We will be coming out with mm slotted bits, I'd like to cross reference the size.

I am dying to make nutdrivers, unfortunately we don't have that capability currently All nutdrivers I've seen are formed which requires a machine the size of a small room. Phillips #0 and #00 are also on the list.

Thank you for Dave Jone's contact info, do you think I should send him a 5575 or would another set be better suited?

I've heard others grumbling about Wadsworth Falls customer service. Their system does provide a finer ratchet angle, but customers have complained that once you mess up the spline on the bit it's doesn't work. However, they do make nice tools, I think we're the Ford and Chevy of the mini ratchet industry.

We provide bulk discounts to companies/universities that want a bunch of sets, so if you want to place a large order for your department let me know and I'll save you some money.

Thanks again for your suggestions!

[mixedgas]

For Mr. Jones, a Master Set... He's an important celebrity in the Electrical Engineering tech world.
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There are two main stratagems for the ten turn potentiometer tool...
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Oversized retaining ring around the blade, usually non-conductive in case you slip, or a blade about 1.5x the width of the slot. See, as you turn the ten-turn knob, the blade wants to walk out of the slot as your forefingers twist. Most tools are cut to be no wider then the brass knob, which is sad. You can't go ultra-ultra wide on the blade, as many potentiometers are behind holes in panels. Ie, the little hole only the tech knows about. Usually that hole is sized at 2.75 to 3.25 times the diameter of the brass knob.

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The third way would be to make a wide straight blade with retaining "wings" "tabs" or "Angles" on the edges of the blade, something I've never seen done.
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Most times when I'm using a tweeking tool, I , as many others can attest, will be working in the dark, on my back or hanging off something like a scaffold. Which is why a potentiometer adjuster should have a retaining ball to keep it in the driver.
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I'll drop you some trimmer potentiometers and trimmer capacitors in the mail. The informal name is the "Tweeker" tool...
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http://www.newark.com/bourns/h-90/ad...pot/dp/12F9866
http://www.techni-tool.com/758IE8608
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1078086
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/plastic-...adjusting.html
http://www.skycraftsurplus.com/acctr...jFwaAi4z8P8HAQ
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The torque used is miniscule, so this could be your first molded plastic bit ever. But I'd prefer metal. Classic Tweeker tools die when the little foil blade breaks, bends, or falls out.
On Wiha's web search for "ceramic"
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Ball Allens = Yes Please,... Most common fault is those stick in the hardened black oxide screws when fully angled.

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Steve

[SaltyRobot]

Got one of the smaller metric allen key sets to try out. Thanks for the referral Steve.

American Made tools who knew that was still a thing. LOL

[ChapmanMFG]

Thanks for the order SaltyRobot! Let us know how the set works for you!

I agree, it's sad that so many companies have outsourced. Recently some of the larger companies in our industry are now re-shoring due to supply/quality problems in Asia, which I have mixed feelings about, but I suppose it's good that they're bring jobs home. However, it seems that everyone is jumping on the "Made In USA" bandwagon, I've seen many products labeled "designed in USA" or "assembled in USA." It's a little frustrating because when we say "Made in USA" it means that we use USA raw materials and the entire production process from milling to shipping is in the USA.

I looked up Mr. Jones's blog and read all of his info about product reviews. He seems like a great resource, but after reading all of his disclaimers I'm a little nervous! I believe in our tools, but one of the things I know he'll point out is that not all of our parts are marked with the actual size. We've had the same part #'s since 1936 and are in the process of changing over our complete inventory to mark parts with the actual size now. Maybe I'd better wait until we've completely switched over.

Thank you for the sending me some potentiometers and trimmer capacitors! That would be great! I'll look at the size and see if we can machine it. It we make it it'll be metal probably with a plastic sleeve. It sounds like the perfect tool to add to our new ESD safe sets: http://chapmanmfg.com/blogs/news/new...in-development

Thanks again for your suggestion, links, and for sending me samples, I really appreciate it!