If they made this wrench, would you use it?

KnurledNut · May 14, 2015

With the popularity of flex ratcheting wrenches, why not make a flex non-ratcheting combination?

I have saltus-type wrenches, but i find the box end is often too big.
A fixed design would have higher strength and a thinner ring to get on bolts where a ratcheting-type wouldnt fit.
Opinions?

I had a little fun with Photoshop:
:beer:

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Kracin · May 14, 2015

KnurledNut · May 14, 2015

^^^
I am aware of those.
But its not the same. I think we all know why. Flare vs. regular. 6 vs 12.

Kracin · May 14, 2015

not the same but its one of those things. if it was necessary it would have probably been made by now, it seems anything that requires a wrench to get on where you can put a box end, you can usually get a socket. otherwise its the open end.

i'm sure theres a few special cases where you would need super tight clearance, but dont think anyone is going to devote the time and money to another niche tool.

SASORacing · May 14, 2015

i have never broken a ratcheting reversible or non reversible wrench. I hardly even use fixed / normal wrenches now. Ratcheting saves so much time.

Bigblue&Goldie · May 14, 2015

No interest. The current breed of ratcheting wrenches are so strong, I don't see the point.

Mohawk Dave · May 14, 2015

I want regular length that has flex box and flex ratcheting, same size on each end. Spline while we're at it.

Can't remember the last time I NEEDED an open end.

monkeyspanners · May 14, 2015

I have one with a swivel socket on it, its good where it is useful but i wouldn't need a whole set of them.

bahcoswed · May 14, 2015

Bigblue&Goldie said:
No interest. The current breed of ratcheting wrenches are so strong, I don't see the point.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1431636710.229074.jpg

This is the point! So yes, I would use it very much because in the most places a fat ratchet wrench doesnt fit

Not on a Bmw anyway!

Gmonkee · May 14, 2015

I have offset flex line wrenches that are used for what you describe. Not the same tool you desire however. Not a frequent use tool but when required a time and 4 letter word saver.

Time to maybe contact a machinst friend and see if you can make a set of them. Make a good test drive of them on the job to see if the idea holds up in use.

devoncoolman · May 14, 2015

Id probably buy them. Its one of those tools that would rarily get used but when it saves you an hour or two not having to remove something else its a money saver. Im a flat rate tech so ive got tons of tools that save me time where as the hourly guys i work with don't buy squat.

I just don't think that market for them would be huge probably why in the last 100 years nobody has made them. I have the flex line wrenches they are a big help when the need arises but its not very often.

Jeremy77 · May 14, 2015

In industrial work, the box end of a ratcheting wrench is almost always too big to work when bolting a smallish (3/4"- 1.5") flanged valve to flanged piping. While not nessecarily needed, a wrench of the type that you are suggesting would allow this. I've been in stations where it would have made life easier.

ADSR · May 14, 2015

Bigblue&Goldie said:
No interest. The current breed of ratcheting wrenches are so strong, I don't see the point.

This^^^

Mohawk Dave · May 14, 2015

devoncoolman said:
SNIP
I just don't think that market for them would be huge probably why in the last 100 years nobody has made them. SNIP

lol. devon, seriously not trying to bust balls and single you out bro. Just my opinion.....

I think it's super peculiar when people point out that if something hasn't been made yet, then it's probably not needed. Wonder who said that about automobiles, internet, debit cards, combines, and shark tanks.

Necessity is the mother of all invention. :beer:

Lorddiesel, I'm surprised you no want! lol. Ratcheting is strong, but I think access is the main reason. Super torque on the other side of the coin of course.

I'd also like flexed box for holding while running impact on other side. In fact, since it's box, put a lip on it so it catches nut/bolt face.

Jeremy77 · May 14, 2015

A ratcheting wrench would never fit on the inside of either of these flanges and depending on the configuration of any attached piping, maybe not on the outside. It wouldn't be a tool used all of the time but it could save dozens of turns on your wrist on occasion.

ADSR · May 14, 2015

Jeremy77 said:
A ratcheting wrench would never fit on the inside of either of these flanges and depending on the configuration of any attached piping, maybe not on the outside. It wouldn't be a tool used all of the time but it could save dozens of turns on your wrist on occasion.

That's what the open end ratcheting end is for.

Jeremy77 · May 14, 2015

When you are twisted out on an I beam 30' feet in the air with a harness on, it's not always easy to reposition your tools. Add in that due to things being jammed up, getting a half or even quarter turn on a bolt isn't possible with a normal box end. As I said, it's not an everyday tool but in my line of work, it could at times be useful.

Jeremy77 · May 14, 2015

Isn't always* possible.

Sam'sAutoParts · May 14, 2015

Seems like it could be handy at times, especially in metric for newer cars. Alternator on my 2k civic comes to mind.

I'm thinking I would only use sizes 10-19mm

92integra · May 14, 2015

you make it ill buy it!

rayh91 · May 15, 2015

monkeyspanners said:
I have one with a swivel socket on it, its good where it is useful but i wouldn't need a whole set of them.

Yup, would rather use those or a regular flex ratcheting.

SASORacing · May 15, 2015

bahcoswed said:
This is the point! So yes, I would use it very much because in the most places a fat ratchet wrench doesnt fit Not on a Bmw anyway!

you have a point but those are thick and probably cheap. The fact is its rare that the extra fractions of an inch make a difference. And even then the ratcheting mechanisim wins over slimness anyday. If clearance is an issue then grab a fixed wrench, but %99 of the time ratcheting works %100 better.

devoncoolman · May 15, 2015

Mohawk Dave said:
lol. devon, seriously not trying to bust balls and single you out bro. Just my opinion.....

I think it's super peculiar when people point out that if something hasn't been made yet, then it's probably not needed.

See thats not the point i was trying to make. I never said it wasn't needed. Or wasn't usefull. I said theres probably not a big market for it. See a big company is not going to make forging dies and dedicat full production lines to make a tool that wont sell millions of units a year. Just because we would buy them doesn't meen others will. Maybe im wrong but i don't think i am. But with all the new flex head ratcheting wrenches availible today most people are going to just buy those. Hell i know guys that strictly use ratchet wrenches. Barely even own a set of non ratchets.

Mohawk Dave · May 15, 2015

right on Devon. I agree with ya. :beer:

bahcoswed · May 15, 2015

SASORacing said:
you have a point but those are thick and probably cheap. The fact is its rare that the extra fractions of an inch make a difference. And even then the ratcheting mechanisim wins over slimness anyday. If clearance is an issue then grab a fixed wrench, but %99 of the time ratcheting works %100 better.

Yes they are fat, but not cheap( Wurth Zebra)! All flexhead ratchet wrenches are fat! Not like my wurth maybe, but 10 times thicker than a regular combo! The problem for me when I wrenching is as allways the tight spots! I think an box end like a quadbox wrench has would be better because the ratcheting mechanism is outside the thick material and works a little bit like the box end on a stahlwille open box 13 or facom 440! But they are even thicker so the only way is to buy every style in the world on wrenches

KnurledNut · Apr 10, 2021

Bumping my old thread.
I really wish someone made this style.
It would have been more than handy on many past jobs.
Surely one of you tool companies that lurks these threads can make these a reality!

p00p · Apr 10, 2021

If it were very thin while being slim, I'd had use for it.

ThePostman · Apr 10, 2021

I want that open end to be a good sharp v cut like the pittsburgh pros, the best cheap long pattern perfect for 90% of alignments wrench set that I bought them for almost 20 years ago. Make it long like gearwrench, mountain, matco. Yes, please give me a reversible flex ratcheting head on the other side and you are the perfect set of alignment wrenches. Please go from 12mm to 24mm with no skips, 26,27,30. Thank you my money will be yours as soon as they are on the market. Hey astro guy, pay attention to this.....

ChevyEFI · Apr 11, 2021

Find a ratcheting that can be bored and broached to test your idea. Might take a 10mm ratcheting to make an ideal 14mm bored and broached box.

ChevyEFI · Apr 11, 2021

Also, there are 12pt box flex crowfeet. Fitting the box part of one of those in place of the ratching part of a flex ratching combo would probably be the easiest path to building a prototype.

ChevyEFI · Apr 11, 2021

ChevyEFI said:
Also, there are 12pt box flex crowfeet. Fitting the box part of one of those in place of the ratching part of a flex ratching combo would probably be the easiest path to building a prototype.

Using the VIM version of this would give an opportunity to have an offset flex wrench. Milling down another thick-neck wrench like a torque adapter could give a zero-offset build.

Wrench97 · Apr 11, 2021

Jeremy77 said:
A ratcheting wrench would never fit on the inside of either of these flanges and depending on the configuration of any attached piping, maybe not on the outside. It wouldn't be a tool used all of the time but it could save dozens of turns on your wrist on occasion.

That's where you use 12 pt heads because they are smaller in diameter.

KnurledNut · Apr 11, 2021

ChevyEFI said:
Using the VIM version of this would give an opportunity to have an offset flex wrench. Milling down another thick-neck wrench like a torque adapter could give a zero-offset build.

Good ideas. Especially the torque adaptor.

Al Borland · Apr 11, 2021

Wrench97 said:
That's where you use 12 pt heads because they are smaller in diameter.

Is he installing or disassembling? Older stuff is traditionally 6 point. Even now, the usual going in is 6-point as the installer is using the supplied hardware.

Posted valve example 30 feet off the ground on a manlift is where vise-grips come in. Clamp 'em on and let it stop against the valve body and turn the other side. Break all the bolts loose before removing any. Impact gun and swivels are your friend.

And I would probably get a set of wrenches like that, try them and then leave them in the toolbox for 20 years next to my Robogrips and double open-end wrenches.

Schurkey · Apr 14, 2021

ThePostman said:
I want that open end to be a good sharp v cut like the pittsburgh pros,

Aside from being weaker than a radius, what's the point (!) of a V-cut?

The way I see it, the V-cut is a problem, not a solution.

Yes, I do own a few Bonney-made V-cut wrenches.

slowtwitch73 · Apr 14, 2021

Yeah.. large assumption here that guys will only buy if there is an actual need/use. Bwahaha!!!!

bonneyman · Apr 15, 2021

92integra said:
you make it ill buy it!

Now that sounds like a GJ member! :lol:

M635_Guy · Apr 15, 2021

It's a "No." from me.

If they made this wrench, would you use it?

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