Mounting giant Plomb wrench on wall

Electron2002 · Apr 28, 2020

Hey all, don’t post much, but wanted to see what kind of ideas you guys have for a project.

I have been a Plomb collector for several years and one of the more notable items in my collection, is a Plomb 4-104-112 3-1/4” x 3-1/2” double open end wrench. For those unfamiliar, the "4" series wrenches were a line of super industrial double open end wrenches. They didn't show up in normal product catalogs. They were always in a plain steel finish and typically the head width of the wrench was about twice that of the regular "3xxx" line of double open end wrenches. The model numbers for the wrenches consistent of "4", followed by the size of the smaller end in 32nds of an inch, followed by the size of the larger end In 32nds. e.g. a 7/8" x 1" wrench would have been a 42832. The really big sizes, had dashes added between the sizes.

Anyway, I have a giant one of these. It weighs in at about 45-50lbs and about 34" long. I am planning on mounting it up on the wall in the garage to display it, but am curious if others have done similar with other big wrenches and what kind of solution they came up with. Any ideas are appreciated.

dutchgray · Apr 29, 2020

Nails or screws inside the open end, or a length of chain around the upper jaw each end and hang it like a picture.

Catfishdan · Apr 29, 2020

It would be cool to get a 3-1/4” and a 3-1/2” bolt and mount those to the wall, then slip the jaws over them. Let’s see a picture of that beast!

Electron2002 · Apr 29, 2020

Here’s a few shots of the wrench.

SeisMec · Apr 29, 2020

Get an appropriate size piece of diamond plate X wide by Y high that you can lag bolt to the wall studs. Weld stubs from the threaded ends of the appropriate size bolts to the diamond plate. Spin the appropriate (3-1/4" & 3-1/2" across the flats) nuts on to the stubs. Hang the wrench on the nuts.

If you're like me and would worry about some young, dumb kid fooling with it - sliding the wrench off the nuts and dropping it on their toes - bolt a strap of metal over the middle of the handle. Sooner or later I'd want to be able to unstrap the wrench - hand it to a buddy - and say say something like, "How would you like to play with this baby all day?"

Kevin54 · Apr 29, 2020

If you have studs in the walls, find center of the wrench, go out 8" on each side of centerline, and weld a bolt on that is about 3" long. Drill the studs with the same size hole, then slide the bolts that you welded to the wrench into the two holes.

dubdoc · Apr 29, 2020

Like this - my garage wall art ???

nicks78camaro · Apr 29, 2020

Sweet. What did that sucker cost?

Electron2002 · Apr 29, 2020

The cable loop you have on that No2 pipe cutter is an interesting idea.

Electron2002 · Apr 29, 2020

nicks78camaro said:
Sweet. What did that sucker cost?

Can’t remember anymore. I’ve had it for about 10 years now.

4xdog · Apr 29, 2020

Maybe redeploy a gun rack?

rlitman · Apr 29, 2020

That's a beast! My 2-3/8" monster weighs in at under 13lbs.
When I got mine, I had plans to make a nice display for it. I couldn't decide on one of two options.
1) Find the correct bolt head for it, welding that bolt to a hidden steel frame, with a small super magnet keeping the wrench safely in position.
2) Forging some 1/2" or 3/4" steel rods into the shape of peg board hooks, and drilling and installing them into some 3/4" MDF to look like pegboard with holes spaced maybe 3" OC.

Of course, life has gotten in the way, and it's still hanging from a few framing nails.

2oolhound · Apr 29, 2020

Catfishdan said:
It would be cool to get a 3-1/4” and a 3-1/2” bolt and mount those to the wall, then slip the jaws over them. Let’s see a picture of that beast!

This is a cool idea. You could cut the hex nuts out of 2x4 then puddy and paint them to look like steel. Then glue or screw them to the wall. Silicon would hold the wrench on securely and still be removable at some time in the future.

gmwelder86 · Apr 29, 2020

dubdoc said:
Like this - my garage wall art ???

Make it into the UA journal?

r_olson_06 · Apr 30, 2020

Electron2002 said:
Can’t remember anymore. I’ve had it for about 10 years now.

I think I speak for all the Plomb collectors when I say that is one impressive wrench. I have only 1 of that series and they are insanely thick for their size. You should post up some pics of your collection. Like most Plomb collectors on here the lockdowns are giving us anxiety. Would be good to have some eye candy to look at.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

Electron2002 · May 3, 2020

For the most part, my collection isn’t very well organized, I must admit.

But just to give you something, here are a few shots at the contents of one of my Plomb tool boxes. The box itself, I purchased from the son of a former Plomb factory worker. He had personally modified the box with to have a pull out drawer. The drawer is a bit kludgey, honestly, but it is one of the most unique Plomb boxes I’ve encountered. Let me know if anything in the box catches your eye. There are some significant oddities in this box, if you look close enough. Nothing is for sale, but information is free. :beer:

Electron2002 · May 3, 2020

Oh and for reference, regarding the 4 series wrenches. Here is another photo with a couple other examples. Since basically all the 4 series wrenches were contract ordered tools, they came in a near infinite number of size combinations. Which is where the flexibility of their model numbering system comes into play. You can have a wrench as basic as the tiny 41011 5/16 x 11/32 wrench or as lop sided as the big 1-3/8 x 1 wrench shown. It also means that it’s virtually impossible to complete a set of them. And given that they went at least as big as 3-1/2 x 3-1/4, who would want to try?

3baygarage · May 3, 2020

Neat wrenches. I see a number of cool items in there. Have to ask, is that a Plomb brace bit in the tray? One of many things that caught my eye.

J.A.F.E. · May 3, 2020

I have a Billings 3 1/8 single open end hung on the wall, I just used utility hooks to hang it. Not sure what it weighs but it's not light. This way it is removable and surprisingly some visitors like to hold it - probably to make sure it's real.

r_olson_06 · May 14, 2020

Electron2002 said:
For the most part, my collection isn’t very well organized, I must admit.

But just to give you something, here are a few shots at the contents of one of my Plomb tool boxes. The box itself, I purchased from the son of a former Plomb factory worker. He had personally modified the box with to have a pull out drawer. The drawer is a bit kludgey, honestly, but it is one of the most unique Plomb boxes I’ve encountered. Let me know if anything in the box catches your eye. There are some significant oddities in this box, if you look close enough. Nothing is for sale, but information is free. [emoji481]

I would love to see that double box wrench with the 4 point and 12pt combo in the one pull out tray. Seems unique.

Thanks for sharing.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

Electron2002 · May 14, 2020

r_olson_06 said:
I would love to see that double box wrench with the 4 point and 12pt combo in the one pull out tray. Seems unique.

Thanks for sharing.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

It’s actually even more unique than that. It is a 9/16” 12pt box and and 12pt deep well socket wrench. It was either a Contract tool or a prototype. It was made by welding a 3/8 drive socket on one end of the wrench. The single size stamping and the lack of a model number ever being stamped suggest it was not simply a user modified tool.

Electron2002 · May 14, 2020

Decided not to get fancy and used a couple utility hooks that I already had. Just wish they weren’t orange. I may cut the orange plastidip off of them, or redid them silver/gray/black/whatever.

I have an aluminum Plomb Tool Co sign that I made that will end up being mounted above it and cover the top of the hooks.

r_olson_06 · May 16, 2020

Electron2002 said:
It’s actually even more unique than that. It is a 9/16” 12pt box and and 12pt deep well socket wrench. It was either a Contract tool or a prototype. It was made by welding a 3/8 drive socket on one end of the wrench. The single size stamping and the lack of a model number ever being stamped suggest it was not simply a user modified tool.

Thanks for the pics. That wrench screams a Ford speciality tool for Brakes and ??. Is that 1938 date code?

Nice job on the display piece. Definitely the focal point for your collection.

I think I am going to take on a Plomb display project as well. I think I am going to make a display board for this No 99. 9/16" socket set. Have the layout figured out just mulling over the artwork. I would like it to be somewhat period correct but the set dates 24'-26' and there isn't much out there for reference material.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.

egdede · May 16, 2020

Electron2002 said:
Can’t remember anymore. I’ve had it for about 10 years now.

I always say that to my wife.

Electron2002 · May 17, 2020

egdede said:
I always say that to my wife.

I think there’s a similar trend for most on here.

Electron2002 · May 17, 2020

Here’s an updated photo after adding the Plomb signage above the wrench.

jabberwoki · May 17, 2020

Looks great!

SeisMec · May 17, 2020

Awesome!

vetron · May 18, 2020

a friend of mine can collects wrenches because they were used in ww2 and he has several sets made up for dodges and jeeps. he wont sell any of them lol
i found a plomb ax head the other day, handle broken

Mounting giant Plomb wrench on wall

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