Expand pliers multitool to fasten Truarc retaining/snap rings?

[parnass]

These pages show Truarc retaining rings and some tools to open and close them:

 http://www.thread-rite.com/truarc  and   http://www.truarc.com

Notice the similarity between a retaining ring tool and our familiar pliers multitool?

Wonder how difficult it would be for a manufacturer to add Truarc retaining/snap ring capability to a pliers multitool?   Perhaps just adding a small hole on the side of each jaw and supplying two plug in pins would work. 

The gear driven SOG PowerLock multitool would be a good candidate for upgrade because you can force the plier jaws open or closed under controlled pressure without the handles folding.

[J-sews]

Truarc page

[J-sews]

.....Wonder how difficult it would be for a manufacturer to add Truarc retaining/snap ring capability to a pliers multitool?   Perhaps just adding a small hole on the side of each jaw and supplying two plug in pins would work. 

The gear driven SOG PowerLock multitool would be a good candidate for upgrade because you can force the plier jaws open or closed under controlled pressure without the handles folding.

Wow. That's a good idea Parnass. I don't run into very many snap rings myself (we call them snap rings where I work) but the maintenance guys at the shop have to deal with them every day. The machines where I work have a lot of shaft-and-bearing mechanisms. Snap rings are commonly used in a groove to retain the bearing in place. Some of the snap rings are quite large, going from 8 inches or so in diameter on down to the very tiny sizes. 

The favorite snap ring pliers that the maint. guys use have exchangeable little tips, so they can be used on a wide range of sizes, on both internal and external snap rings.

Like you say, seems like it would be simply enough to adapt these little tip inserts to a set of multitool plier jaws.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Interesting idea, but wouldn't it be more of a specialty model like the PowerPlay series?  Designed for specific applications rather than general use?  I see those little rings from time to time but not often enough to have a dedicated tool for them.

Def

[J-sews]

I think what Parnass has in mind would not be a dedicated tool, but another capability for regular multitools.

Those little snap-ring tips are interchangable. (see red circle) If they could somehow be slid and locked into little holes in the plier jaws of a regular tool, they could be removed and not be in the way for regular plier-ing jobs.

[parnass]

I think what Parnass has in mind would not be a dedicated tool, but another capability for regular multitools.

Those little snap-ring tips are interchangable. (see red circle) If they could somehow be slid and locked into little holes in the plier jaws of a regular tool, they could be removed and not be in the way for regular plier-ing jobs.

Yes, that's what I had in mind.   Thanks.

[J-sews]

Oh, and good thinking in regards to the SOG PowerLock. I guess it never occured to me before that SOG is the only butterfly-opening multitool that doesn't "fold" at the pivot joints.

I'm thinking the only other multitool style that would work would be a Gerber with sliding jaws.

[joebw]

Hi All,

Snap rings are a great invention.  Remember that there are two types of pliers (plus the Convertible one).  On internal snap rings, the pins need to cloe as the handles close.  On the external ring, the pins need to open as the handles close.. 

Joe

[J-sews]

Hey Parnass, I just noticed your new avatar pertains to this thread. You must have to deal with snap rings a lot?

[parnass]

... You must have to deal with snap rings a lot?

No, not that much.  I sometimes had remove and reinstall snap rings when servicing the small muffin type fans used in cooling electronics equipment.

When I dealing with snap rings, having the proper tool made the job so much easier.