What types of shank can a tank cutter have?
What types of shank can a tank cutter have? |
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Tank cutters can have a number of different types of shank which are operated by different tools.
The shanks of most tank cutters are around 6mm in diameter. A drill chuck with a capacity of the same size is needed to operate the tool. |
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Straight shanks |
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Some tank cutters have a straight shank, which enables them to be used with a variety of different tools since a specific kind of chuck is not needed to accommodate it. | |||
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A tank cutter with a straight shank is able to fit into the 3 jaw chuck of any standard hand-held drill, electrical drill or carpenters’ brace.
However, as there is a possibility of the shank slipping in the chuck, the torque transmission of a tank cutter with a straight shank is lower than that of other types of shank. This means that tank cutters and other tools with straight shanks are not as efficient at cutting through hard materials. |
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Brace shanks |
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A tank cutter can sometimes have a brace shank, which is square (with four flats) and gradually tapered. Brace shanks are designed to be used in a traditional carpenters’ brace with either a 2-jaw or 4 jaw-chuck. | |||
Hexagonal shanks |
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Some tank cutters have a hexagonal shank, which has 6 flats. The diameter is measured across the flats.This shape of shank can be gripped more firmly, which means that it provides the user with higher torque transmission than they would get with a straight shank.
Tank cutters with a hexagonal shank can be fitted in a screwdriver chuck and then used with a hand-held drill or electric screwdriver. |
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