36" Pipe Wrench

[Ashgrove]

My 36" steel Ridgid pipe wrench seems to have taken up permanent residence at my sons place.
Considering a replacement for my shop, a couple questions:
Is Ridgid still brand of choice?
Steel or aluminum ? Been known to use a "handle extension" on particularly stubborn items.
Thanks.

 

[KnurledNut]

For use with a cheater, you want steel. Ridgid will probably always be the gold standard for pipe wrenches in America. That would be my choice.

 

[willf650]

Just look on Facebook. You can probably get a 36" or better for about $80 in decent shape. Most will be rigid but avoid the Asian ones you see.

As mentioned if it's a once in a while thing with a cheater get steel. If you're a fitter dealing with 4" screw pipe regularly(rarity at this point) get the aluminum.

I've seen a couple 60" for sale recently on market place. Never seen on in person.

 

[redwrench60]

Everything besides Ridgid is swine vomit.

Now that we have that out of the way, get an aluminum. Once you get to the BIG sizes like 36” there’s enough mass you can cheater pipe them just fine. Swinging around a 36” or 48” steel pipe wrench just plain *****.

 

[Rinspeed]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1369631530...5b1&pg=4481478&_trksid=p4481478.c101506.m1851

 

[Rinspeed]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1580013329...Y10KSptE5gOn62U7M3oEgtcPQ=|tkp:Bk9SR_Dcz_mFaA

 

[MongoTA]

Ridgid, and consider looking at auction sites, you might find something near you.

Pipe Wrenches @ auction

 

[a6hux]

Menards has a 48” iron wrench for $100

 

[rlitman]

Everything besides Ridgid is swine vomit...

I wouldn't go that far, but I will agree that everything CHEAPER than Ridgid is swine vomit, so you're not doing yourself any favors looking to cheap out on a wrench, and you certainly can't go wrong with a Ridgid.

That being said, while I own a number of Ridgid pipe wrenches (all iron), and just this week I brought my 36" one to store at work (because I've never used it), ever since I've accumulated Snap On PWZ0 through 4 I haven't touched a Ridgid wrench other than to move it around, and the only reason I haven't sold the 36" yet is because of my fear that I MIGHT want to use it one day. But I also know it's really something I'd only use to disassemble something that's never going back together.

For the record, I've watched 36" Ridgid wrenches come and go on CL for $50-80 for years, and almost jumped on one at $30. When I saw one going for $20, I simply couldn't pass it up. Still never used it, though there were some days I was pogo-ing on my 24's that it would have been great had I had it then.

If you really want to enjoy using a pipe wrench, take a look at this antique 36" Schick:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/127576527586

These have aluminum hooks, so you MUST NOT use a Schick with a cheater, but the 36" also weighs about the same as a 24" aluminum Ridgid.

In today's market, Rothenberger is a direct equal to Ridgid. And you've got Snap On, which is rebranding Bahco I believe, and there's Knipex with a good product. I myself am partial to my Ampco wrenches, which you can find from time to time on eBay for reasonable prices. I've gotten them in bronze and aluminum handle versions from 18-24".

 

[mngundog]

Aluminum without a doubt.

 

[Ashgrove]

Thanks everyone, found a steel Ridgid for a decent price.

 

[Vinny]

Safety notice came out at work when someone used a 36" aluminum Ridgid with a cheater and bent it (leadimg to injury), so be wary if you're going to be doing that. And fir that very reason be careful when buying them used. Folks are good at hiding the bent ones in photos.
Regularly using a 36" steel one will save you a gym membership, so there's that benefit.

 

[neophyte]

My 36" steel Ridgid pipe wrench seems to have taken up permanent residence at my sons place.
Considering a replacement for my shop, a couple questions:
Is Ridgid still brand of choice?
Steel or aluminum ? Been known to use a "handle extension" on particularly stubborn items.
Thanks.

Most Industrial Pope Wrenches are based on the Ridgid design nowadays, and the parts are probably interchangeable, and may be dome sort of “Standard”, with the exception of aesthetics.
Ridgid is probably still the standard for quality, since they actually seem to have developed techniques for better material and quality control for casting, forging, and hardening the parts.
I would not buy Chinese made pipe wrenches, although some might be fine.
There are Spanish produced pipe wrenches that are likely quality, (I think this is what Reed now sells), and Japanese made ones as well.
Be careful with Japanese made pipe wrenches, since some actually use a different design with parts that are not interchangeable. (MCC actually makes clones of the original Stillson pipe wrench design, and the later Ridgid design which likely uses parts interchangeable with the Ridgid wrenches, and a separate Japanese design).

 

[redwrench60]

I wouldn't go that far, but I will agree that everything CHEAPER than Ridgid is swine vomit, so you're not doing yourself any favors looking to cheap out on a wrench, and you certainly can't go wrong with a Ridgid.

That being said, while I own a number of Ridgid pipe wrenches (all iron), and just this week I brought my 36" one to store at work (because I've never used it), ever since I've accumulated Snap On PWZ0 through 4 I haven't touched a Ridgid wrench other than to move it around, and the only reason I haven't sold the 36" yet is because of my fear that I MIGHT want to use it one day. But I also know it's really something I'd only use to disassemble something that's never going back together.

I have a set of those PWZ Snap-On’s too and I like them pretty well. They have their place In machinery and equipment repair. But for the industrial side of things, they are too delicate. Nothing performs better in the mud, blood, rust, grease, and pipe dope than a Ridgid aluminum pipe wrench.

 

[danielbuck]

as mentioned... aluminum rigid. really hard to go wrong with that.

 

[MattV]

Thanks everyone, found a steel Ridgid for a decent price.

You should be happy with that. The steel ones are heavy, but for occasional use you'll be fine.The aluminums do hold up alright to extensions, though they will bend if you overdo it. I'd probably keep an eye out for a cheap one anyways if I were you. I keep aluminum and steel so I have both bases covered. I also have a 48" steel, and hope to hell to never have to use it.

 

[Death Row Dave]

If we needed a cheater on 48 in or larger pipe wrench it was time for and chain tong and dont destroy the wrench . Tongs are designed for long cheaters to be used

 

[jblnut]

Everything besides Ridgid is swine vomit.

Pushed on this 48” Irwin until the mini came off the ground before that big nut came loose. “Hydraulic cheater bar”. I haven’t been able to destroy it yet and it’s been used this way a number of times working on that disk.

 

[redwrench60]

Pushed on this 48” Irwin until the mini came off the ground before that big nut came loose. “Hydraulic cheater bar”. I haven’t been able to destroy it yet and it’s been used this way a number of times working on that disk.

I actually have a 24” Irwin steelie that I got for $5 at a pawn or flea I can’t remember. I thought at the time what the heck, it’s $5. It’s actually been a decent wrench. My two complaints are it’s somehow heavier than a 24” steel Ridgid and the leaf spring that helps “lock” and “unlock” the jaws wore out quickly rendering the head floppy and awkward.

 

[neophyte]

I actually have a 24” Irwin steelie that I got for $5 at a pawn or flea I can’t remember. I thought at the time what the heck, it’s $5. It’s actually been a decent wrench. My two complaints are it’s somehow heavier than a 24” steel Ridgid and the leaf spring that helps “lock” and “unlock” the jaws wore out quickly rendering the head floppy and awkward.

Check the spring against pictures of the Ridgid spring.
The Ridgid part is maybe $6, and would probably be available from any decent plumbing supplier or Industrial supplier.

 

[KnurledNut]

Pushed on this 48” Irwin until the mini came off the ground before that big nut came loose. “Hydraulic cheater bar”. I haven’t been able to destroy it yet and it’s been used this way a number of times working on that disk.

That doesn’t look like a 48”.

 

[mngundog]

That doesn’t look like a 48”.

Looks longer than the chair behind it is tall.

 

[jblnut]

That doesn’t look like a 48”.

It’s a 24” wide bucket and a 48” wrench. I’ll hold it by a tape measure if you’d like. Not sure why I’d make **** up and post it online lol.

 

[BreeStephany]

My 36" steel Ridgid pipe wrench seems to have taken up permanent residence at my sons place.
Considering a replacement for my shop, a couple questions:
Is Ridgid still brand of choice?
Steel or aluminum ? Been known to use a "handle extension" on particularly stubborn items.
Thanks.

I have a LOT of Ridgid steel and aluminum pipe wrenches. Most of my 18" and smaller wrenches are new, both aluminum and steel, but all of my 24", 36" and 48" wrenches were once thickly coated in rust when I found them at used tool stores, pawn shops, swap meets and ebay. The old Ridgid wrenches go for CHEAP, I have 2 48" steel wrenches that I picked up for less than $40 each.

A jug of evaporust, a wire wheel, some 2k primer and 2k high gloss red enamle, along with a small bottle of cold bluing and a small paint brush or qtips can turn ANY old Ridgid wrench into almost new again. I honestly prefer the older wrenches, the teeth on the jaws hold a MUCH better edge and grip much better.

An hour or two of work and a day or two of soaking in paint stripper and then evaporust can turn that $25~$40 rusty crusty Ridgid into a practically brand new wrench with all the benefits of older steel tools.

Just my two cents.