Adjusable Wrenches - Who uses em...

[mobiledynamics]

I don't use my adjustable flats much, but I have to say, these are the 1st things I reach for when I'm doing finishing plumbing. I have a full 3 piece Knipex Cobra flat set as well.....but I always end up using smaller handled/thinner Klein Adjustables I've had kicking around for years.

It's generally a small one to tighten the compression nut on a angle stop & a 10/12" one if I'm putting a fitting onto a baseboard or thermostatic valve and such. I never really got used to the *handle* of the Knipex in a flat wrench application when doing such work and prefer just a single handle.

 

[jd_1138]

I had to replace the wax ring on a friend's toilet the other day. All I had was a small adjustable wrench (All Trades brand) in the vehicle I was driving. I used it on the water line to the toilet and on the toilet bolts. Did fine with those low torque fasteners.

The flange was rusted out. I forgot to pick up a flange. I brought 2 wax rings and a set of toilet bolts. I only mess with toilets every 5 years or so and can't remember the basics. Now I have to go back and install a new flange, as her toilet only has one bolt holding it down. It's a free job (wife's friend).

 

[ev2mopar]

I carry 2 or 3 diifferently sized ones in my tool box when I go out on a roadcall.
They're technically not the right tool to use, however, in a pinch, they have been lifesavers.
I have used them to change air fittings, hydraulic lines and fittings, used them as hammers, prybars and wedges.

 

[fatfillup]

I use them most everyday on fittings on the pressure washers I work on. Rarely on a nut or bolt. Low torque or large area for them to grab and the work just fine. I sell a fair amount of them to. Can't keep the big ones (24") in stock.

 

[shocksandstrutz]

I carry 2 or 3 diifferently sized ones in my tool box when I go out on a roadcall.
They're technically not the right tool to use, however, in a pinch, they have been lifesavers.
I have used them to change air fittings, hydraulic lines and fittings, used them as hammers, prybars and wedges.

^^ This is what i use mine for. They are not my go-to, but in a pinch they are always handy to have. I use them all the time on plumbing fixes though. no need to carry around a wrench roll doing light household plumbing

 

[Jim C.]

I have them in a few different sizes, but for some reason, I rarely if ever use them. Usually I have the luxury of being near my tools when I'm working on a project at home, or I have the time to plan ahead when working on a project away from home (like my parents house). Having the right or best tool for the job usually isn't a problem. I'm sure many people use adjustable wrenches frequently. They're probably one of the most produced and purchased hand tools of all time. Everyone has at least one or two. Still, for me personally, an adjustable wrench is more like an emergency or "better than nothing" type of tool. It's never the first, second, or even third tool I reach for, but I would be glad to have one when it's all I've got and it will get the job done. For that reason alone, I have a couple in my shop, one in the garage, one in my desk drawer at work, and one in the car.

Jim C.

 

[pfctblu]

Used one last night to swap a temp sensor on my F150. Never used them much until I got the Channellock versions. In my plumbing bag I carry a 8in Wide 8WCB - very handy to have.

 

[Zeke]

I keep adjustable wrenches on the welding cart and in the welding gear bag. There is nothing that you need to tighten beyond 'snug.' Lots of different sized fittings. I'd otherwise have to carry a full set of end wrenches. As mentioned, they work well for most plumbing jobs. They make a good backing wrench on mechanical jobs for the most part.

And you can beat the **** out of them.

 

[DieselSaves]

We keep adjustable wrenches in all of our tractors. The only downside is that in the last ten years we had to ad metric ones for all the German equipment.

 

[PoorOwner]

I was going to buy someones cherry picker and engine stand, I pack the adj. Wrenches with me

Or some fitting over 1" I just grab the big one instead of looking for the proper one, which would be too long to swing the wrench anyway

That said, i use them exclusively for EGR pipe fittings !
I had a small one with jaw grinded to fit and handle shortened

 

[rusty65]

I don't use adjustables often but when I do I prefer Proto, stay thirsty my friends.


Sent directly from the Snap On Kool Aid factory.

 

[McFarmer]

I just crawled down from a 60 foot silo. To put the unloader together up there I need the following wrenches : 1/2, (2) 9/16, (2) 3/4 and (2) 15/16. But I take up two crescent wrenches and call it good.

 

[bobcatdan]

I use 12" and 15" all the time, mostly on larger out in the open hydraulic hose fitting. Sometime I have to get serious and the 18" and 24" come out.

 

[Wakefield]

I think that if you have it opened all of the way up it is weaker than the dedicated one size Wright open end would be. But if it is only half way opened up it is quite strong for what it fits that way.

 

[Exceller8]

I still use them. I especially like having one in my bike bag.

 

[DRhodes]

ONLY as a last resort.

 

[knobby]

handy as hell for straightening bent edges/lips on sheet metal as the smooth jaws don't leave impressions unlike most tools folks use for these kind of jobs

 

[wjamyers]

had an old one save me recently.

my craftsman 10mm open end was slipping off of a brake line and it was the only 10mm tool I had. so I put that old adjustable that's been sitting in my tool kit for 25 years on there, tightened it as much as I could, and hey presto!

 

[bcradio]

We keep adjustable wrenches in all of our tractors. The only downside is that in the last ten years we had to ad metric ones for all the German equipment.

Those pesky metric fasteners... you can never seem to get the SAE adjustables to the right sizes for metric fasteners.

 

[joel63]

I never leave home without a couple, a 6" and 8" in the a/c tool kit.
Never know when they will be needed.

 

[kamesama980]

I use em at work because we have the dumbest mix of SAE and metric. Some stuff is SAE, some uses the european metric (8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18), a few use the asian metric (8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19. And of course any of those might be matched to standard or metric threads

At home, never. All my jap cars use metric. I take that back, I did use a pair as shears to cut the steel shipping bands on the maxjax.

 

[phred]

I use them on large nuts and bolts. Pitman arms are one that come to mind. Usually for stuff over 1.25" because I don't have that many large wrenches in my box.

 

[justanengineer]

Theyre my go-to wrenches for many instances, especially working with machine tools, tractors, and/or plumbing.

 

[monkeyspanners]

I use them on flare nuts on refrigeration pipework daily, plumbing fittings also. But for normal nuts and bolts i'll use a socket or ratchet spanner or such.

Back when my Dad still worked he had a set of flare nut spanners but now no one follows the standards for refrigeration nut sizes, lots have become metric or even just some odd size to save on brass.

 

[scaron]

of course, i use them all the time; who doesn't? i've got a pretty good variety of nice ones laying around: wright, diamond tool, crescent... i'll reach for one if it's nearby and i don't need a lot of torque... great for taking with you when you're heading out and not really sure what you'll need... great example: a few nights ago, i was picking up an old lawn mower from a friend and i knew i was gonna need something to take the bolts out of the handle to collapse it so that it'll fit into my trunk. i didn't want to take a full tool box, socket set, roll of wrenches so i just packed a pair of slip joints and my biggest adjustable. worked like a charm. they're great to keep in your car, bike, moped, scooter, motorcycle, boat, whatever. a good adjustable and a nice multi-bit driver will get you out of a lot of trouble.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Wow. I figuered so many DIE HARD GJ'ers would be the ~correct~ wrench only ;-)

I wonder if I would get the same response on a slip joint plier

 

[justanengineer]

Wow. I figuered so many DIE HARD GJ'ers would be the ~correct~ wrench only ;-)

I wonder if I would get the same response on a slip joint plier

Some of us realize that the "correct" tool is the one that works and does no damage, were taught to use an adjustable properly, and dont have issues. Theres very few situations where I couldnt use an adjustable if I had the room for the bulk of one. The same thing applies to a slip joint plier, tho they are very different tools. In the hands of a monkey even a properly fitting boxed end wrench is dangerous.

 

[ganymede]

I use Crescent style, auto style and 19th century screw (monkey ) wrenches too.

 

[Jim C.]

Wow. I figuered so many DIE HARD GJ'ers would be the ~correct~ wrench only ;-)

I wonder if I would get the same response on a slip joint plier

I use slip joint pliers a lot more often than adjustable wrenches.

Jim C.

 

[X1 Mike]

ONLY as a last resort.

For the right situation they are a very good first resort. Right now I don't use one a ton but I just used one on some outdoor hose fittings on a power washer last weekend.

When I was a machinist I used them every day. My first job in a tool room was squaring up steel and I would square at least a hundred blocks a day so that meant hundreds of uses every day on the hold down bolts. In 1986 a guy I worked with quit the trade and gave me his 15" Hercules made in China adjustable. I still have that free wrench and it has tightened and loosened thousands of fasteners and I really don't see why it won't last another 27 years. I've considered throwing it away just to relieve my box of China tools but I can't bring myself to do it, thing works too well.

 

[98ssuck]

In my tool bag the only three wrenches I carry around are
-8" so flank drive green adjustable
-8" so wide mouth
-refridgerant service wrench
I need to replace the 8" green with a 10" one as I find it to small. I will try to grab a flarenut or combination from my van if I know it will make the job significantly easier.

 

[bullitt67]

I don't use adjustables often but when I do I prefer Proto, stay thirsty my friends.


Kudos to Rusty!

 

[Old Steamer]

Wow. I figuered so many DIE HARD GJ'ers would be the ~correct~ wrench only ;-)

I wonder if I would get the same response on a slip joint plier

Slip joints are a no-no at the power plant. They tend to tear up too much stuff. Because of this, we frequently use adjustables.

At home, I seldom use an adjustable.

When working on old steam engines/equipment, an adjustable is a must.

 

[bobemmerich]

I don't use one much, but when I need it, I'm glad I have them 4,6,8,10" Sears brand-on the pegboard in the garage-6,8,10" Allen brand-in the main toolbox in the garage and I have a couple of Husky ones around with the comfort plastic grip on them-in the house and in my "plumbing" toolkit- and a few smaller mixed match ones I've gotten over the years. I mostly use them for plumbing jobs or assembling put together stuff that doesn't need to be torqued.

 

[Jswain]

At work I'm a motorhand on a drilling rig, and for random fix it jobs the adjustable is ALWAYS there...mostly because people are too ignorant to put wrenches back where they took them from, and you could spend ten minutes looking for a 15/16" wrench, or grab the adjustable and be done. Also wrenching at heights it's easier to grab two adjustables and know you'll have the right size for whatever is needed, or laying under a hard to get to area. At home I always use the proper size wrench/socket and have only recently added 2 pairs of channellock adjustables because they are so damn **** and I figured I could use them for backups on through bolts or household stuff that isn't torqued/seized to hell.

 

[Kracin]

I just crawled down from a 60 foot silo. To put the unloader together up there I need the following wrenches : 1/2, (2) 9/16, (2) 3/4 and (2) 15/16. But I take up two crescent wrenches and call it good.

this. when i'm working on something and encounter an odd size i haven't carried with me, i don't need to walk a half a mile down and back in the plant just to get 1 size wrench, just pull out the adjustable and get it done. as long as you use it right, it won't hurt anything (high torque isn't right for one).

 

[tbaggz]

We keep adjustable wrenches in all of our tractors. The only downside is that in the last ten years we had to ad metric ones for all the German equipment.

ive been seeing some reversed ones for reverse threaded bolts,i.e left handed.


I have a ton of adjustables. 2",4",6",8",10",12",15",18",24",30".multiples of the 6,8,10,12's,by all makers.30's a bluepoint,24's a rigid,18 and 15 are channellock.others have the hf 24's and I like them,light and tapered handle for easy cheater pipe use.and the code blue line from channellock is bad ***.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have a drawer full of them...don't use them much but I still collect them! When I did stage lighting it was my #1 tool for focusing lights!!

 

[Tsquare]

I use them for any quik simple job - easier that carrying around multiple open end wrenches.

 

[cheechi]

I just used one today to change an air fitting. I had it on hand, wouldn't have been my choice normally but it wasn't like it was a bad choice.