Pipe wrenches

[Turfbassett]

I often find myself borrowing pipe wrenches. Maybe I should purchase my own. Any one have opinions on brands and sizes. Most are sold in threes but are they good combos when doing stuff at home.

 

[allinon72]

Ridgid

 

[bassbone52]

Ridgid

^^^^^ this. A 10, 14 and an 18

 

[metaldad]

Residential DIY?
Ridgid 14 and 18'' should be enough

 

[Pumpman1968]

When you look and see how much those Ridgid wrenches cost.....don't freak. Check out ebay. You can get PLENTY of good used Ridgid pipe wrenches for VERY cheap.....just watch your shipping costs.

 

[Armstrong1720]

At least one 36" boys !!!

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I often find myself borrowing pipe wrenches. Maybe I should purchase my own. Any one have opinions on brands and sizes. Most are sold in threes but are they good combos when doing stuff at home.

Everything you can acquire. I have some my father and grandfather had, I have a number of them I picked up at the flea market. Most are in quite good shape, and I have cleaned them up. They are quite useful and I prefer the older Stilson design.

Charles

 

[CNGsaves]

Rigid for sure you won't go wrong.

Watch like a dog on CL and you'll come up with something. Absolutely no reason to buy a new pipe wrench.

I got a deal last year on Rigid pipe threader and everything that went with it - - - included pipe wrench, pipe vise, cutting oil, plastic toolbox, pipe cutter, Rigid threader with several dies, and a reamer. Best part was $110 shipped!! Retired guy was getting rid of stuff in his shop and wanted it gone.

 

[cmandp]

You may also want to research other brands Ridgid has made wrenches for. Might be able to get a better deal on a more obscure brand and get the same thing for less.

At least one 36" boys !!!

That's a toy, you need a 60".

 

[jeffmoss26]

Ridgid. The end.

 

[ddo]

Ridgid if you want the premium or even a Swedish style pipe wrench...but really as far as pipe wrenches go, any old thing will do. You can find em all over at antique stores and pawn shops and garage sales for $10 or less. Wouldn't buy over internet due to weight and shipping. I've used top dollar pipe wrenches and the cheapos. If you do it for a living go with Ridgid or Reed Aluminum. But for in the garage and once a year use don't break the bank. Sure if you find side by side Ridgid and cheapo options at the same price in a used joint, get the Ridgid, but this is a tool where cheap will work.

 

[allinon72]

I will note that Craftsman pipe wrenches are rebadged Ridgids.

 

[bonneyman]

I have a pair of WF (Westerm Forge?) Craftsman pipers from the early 90's. Just cleaned them and repainted them. Still work great, are tight, look sharp!

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have a 6" 10" and 14" the 10" and 14" are aluminum all ridgid.

 

[jpickar]

I have every size from 6" to 48". I only use the 10" and 14" though. The rest were from my FIL's train set!

John

 

[Exceller8]

This is one tool you can find at yard sales and Swap Meets pretty often. You can usually get a nice Rigid for a few bucks.

 

[glenmore]

Yes, readily available at estate/garage sales for very little.

25 years in this house and I've never had the need for a pipe wrench. But I'm ready!

 

[jackfork]

Reed or Rigid. I have both and they are equally good. I also have a 18" aluminum Lenox that works well. For the price difference I have found between new and used I have always gone with new from Amazon.

 

[jeffmoss26]

glenmore, I am the same way...but I have an excuse, since my uncle was a plumber!

 

[sberry]

A pipe wrench is not a super technical tool, close cousin to a hammer. Especially so for a home brew situation, just doesn't matter. Have used flea mkt ones that work great. In a home situation they are not used often,,, as we see from a pic here a whole drawer full and not used once, I would say thats close to typical.

I have alums in the smaller sizes but this pair of 48's I carrry in my back pocket for light work.

 

[unslow1]

I picked mine up at pawn shops. I definitely wouldn't pay new prices. They are too easy to find used.

 

[2oolhound]

I've been dyeing to post these so I guess this thread is as good as any. I picked up these tools at a local 2nd hand shop. Total cost out the door was $30.
From the top"
Ridgid 24" $7., Ridgid 18" $5., Craftsman 14" $5 and the 4th just says Made in Germany also $5. That's a Blue Point tubing bender by the way. I bought the wide base screw jack to mount on my platform motorcycle lift so I can raise the wheels off when it's on the stand.



I went back the next week and found this little TECO 10" for $4.99. I know TECO stands for Timothy Eaton Company which was the largest department store in Canada until it went bankrupt about 10 years ago. The wrench was made in Germany.

 

[A_Pmech]

I have alums in the smaller sizes but this pair of 48's I carrry in my back pocket for light work.

Now that's a neat way to solve an age-old problem!

I like it!

 

[Haveblue]

I agree! That pipe wrench "bipod" should be posted in the tips and tricks tread!!

 

[sberry]

I made a keeper, it was a short version of a pipe vise and for handling long or complicated sections. I used it on a hydraulic cyl job a while back.

 

[Twigga]

I like that pipe wrench vise you made sberry. I may have to steal your idea and make one up.

 

[sberry]

AsI recall I generaly copied it from somewhere but simplified it a little and made the improvement with the clamp.

 

[Outlawmws]

This is one tool you can find at yard sales and Swap Meets pretty often. You can usually get a nice Rigid for a few bucks.

Yes, readily available at estate/garage sales for very little.

25 years in this house and I've never had the need for a pipe wrench. But I'm ready!

on the used route. I've NEVER bought one new, and I have at least 27 of them

Definitely can't go wrong with a Rigid or a re-branded Rigid; Reed also make good ones and if you get into really old wrenches Walworth and Stilson are good ones.

Inspect the teeth as if used on hardened steels they do go dull. Rusty is generally not an issue, as you can wire brush/wheel the into near new condition easily.

Most common size a homeowner needs is a 14, once in a blue moon you may need an 18 or larger.

 

[plumbstupid]

Rigid pipe wrenchs are hard to beat. I have a couple of Lenox 24" aluminum pipe wrenches and they have operated and handled great and I use mine everyday.

 

[Outlawmws]

Also, look around your house; Unless it's an older one, most these days are copper pipe, drains are plastic, and even main supply lines are a plastic hose. about the only place pipe is still used is gas, or compressed air...

 

[RECox286]

I have from 4" to 24", and sometimes I have to use a cheater pipe on the big one.

Uncle Bob

 

[dfreeman616]

what do you plan to use it for? home or work? if work, what kind?

 

[spotco2]

I've got several brands in several sizes up to 36" or so.

My most often go to is a pair of 14" Rigids. You can fix most supply line issues in a house with that size and they are not to heavy to work with comfortably over an extended period of time.

 

[KEH]

Rigid.

If you have to go under a house to work on pipe in close places a couple of 14s are handy, maybe even a smaller one.

KEH

 

[anthony666]

i dunno if anyone has already said this, but if you need to carry your pipe wrenches around at all do yourself a favor and get aluminum .. nothing is worse than lugging around a bunch of heavy cast iron pipe wrenches

ok .. maybe there are a ton of worse things, but it still ***** hauling heavy stuff unnecessarily

and rigid + 1

 

[R6 Racer]

Too bad you aren't closer. I have a few for sale.
http://london.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-tools-hand-tools-Pipe-wrenches-W0QQAdIdZ464040319

Steve

 

[biscuit141]

I agree with everyone here, Rigid is the most popular brand so they are also plentiful and readily available on the used market. And they are cheap second hand. i bought all mine at garage sales. In fact, I was tempted by a 24" Rigid at a pawn shop today, priced at $30 but probably could get it for around $10-$15 in great condition. I currently only go up to 18", but I don't even have a need for one that big. Like any tool, I just want it.

 

[rick carpenter]

I've found a lot more use for my 8" pipe wrench than I thought I would.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

I have Ridgids, but I've gotten fine service out of the cheap ones from Harbor Freight. I know that's a shameful thing, but they are cheap and they work. Like me.

 

[compyello]

not trying to hi-jack what what about the pipe wrenches with a different angle head? much use for those? or is a home owner just as well off with a straight one?