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Carbon fiber wrenches

02camaro86

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i have a unhealthy obsession with carbon fiber... as i was surfing the inter-webs i came across

www.carbonlitetools.com

carbon fiber wrenches! totally impractical, there are many glaring flaws with these but they are insanely cool. they would cool just to look at. anyway that is all. figured you guys might like them too. :rocker:

CarbonLite-Tools-01.jpg
 
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bry@n

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They look cool and people will buy them for that very reason. I don't see the point of buying them for any other reason.
 

Kracin

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how much force can you put on them before they break? and do they take care of the medical bill when you sever a tendon using them?
 

LXCam

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As much as I'd like to have a set, ain't never gonna happen at that price. Even if I thought they were a totally ligit tool that could take a fair amount of torque and not die on me would I spend that much.
 

route246

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They will probably be beyond insanely strong as long as you stress them in the direction they are meant to be stressed. But I would not recommend taking a hammer to them from the side because they would probably shatter.
 

Kracin

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maybe the only people who would benefit from this type of tool set would be lineman or other people who have to climb up radio towers to change lights and stuff like that. where 5 pounds becomes 50 pounds by the time you reach the top.
 

404

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Wonder if these are cut out of old MX rocket motor casings.
 

route246

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I can think of plenty of uses. My walk-around kit is pretty heavy and I would never think about taking it up a ladder. A lot of the weight is the wrenches.

maybe the only people who would benefit from this type of tool set would be lineman or other people who have to climb up radio towers to change lights and stuff like that. where 5 pounds becomes 50 pounds by the time you reach the top.
 

Mechanical Noise

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They will probably be beyond insanely strong as long as you stress them in the direction they are meant to be stressed. But I would not recommend taking a hammer to them from the side because they would probably shatter.

Stronger than tool steel of, not the same weight, but of the same cross section?
 

Mechanical Noise

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Why are the wrenches fractional inch sizes on one side and metric on the other? Also, the sizes look like they're silkscreened. How long would that hold up in a typical work environment?
 

Adam.C

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Stronger than tool steel of, not the same weight, but of the same cross section?

nope. not even close. 2 problems: 1) Graphite fiber is only strong in tension. Steel is fairly isotropic. 2) the glue that holds the fabric together is not strong or stiff. Its just epoxy.

The other problem is the drive. Is it also plastic? How is it attached? It looks like Titanium.

I was buying glasses a few years back. I tried on a pair of wire rimmed glasses and the sales girl said, "They are titanium" "Its the world's strongest metal". I usually don't handle situations like that well. I was buying couches in Restoration Hardware. The sales girl there told me the coffee table on sale was made from timbers from a medieval church in England. "No", I said, "those are Douglass fir 2X10's from home Depot"

Funny to me how people not in my line of work just get to say whatever they want without consequence or challenge. Kinda like the truck tool equivalent thread.
 

knobby

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nope. not even close. 2 problems: 1) Graphite fiber is only strong in tension. Steel is fairly isotropic. 2) the glue that holds the fabric together is not strong or stiff. Its just epoxy.

The other problem is the drive. Is it also plastic? How is it attached? It looks like Titanium.

I was buying glasses a few years back. I tried on a pair of wire rimmed glasses and the sales girl said, "They are titanium" "Its the world's strongest metal". I usually don't handle situations like that well. I was buying couches in Restoration Hardware. The sales girl there told me the coffee table on sale was made from timbers from a medieval church in England. "No", I said, "those are Douglass fir 2X10's from home Depot"

Funny to me how people not in my line of work just get to say whatever they want without consequence or challenge. Kinda like the truck tool equivalent thread.

If you had actually read the description you would have known that the "drive" is constructed of stainless. js.
 

vartz04

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I work for a company that reinforces bridges buildings and pipes with carbon fiber. It is insane how strong this stuff is when cured. That said its only strong one way.

If it's good enough to reinforce concrete columns enough to add another floor on a building it should be good enough to turn some bolts.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1426278098.231167.jpg
 

jonemark401

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Weight could be a key feature. Anyone think of an advantage to a wrench that does not conduct electricity?
 

Commendatore

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I see now that they have stainless teeth, but until then I saw a major possible benefit. Round your wrenches instead of your fasteners!
 

ncfh

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I might just give these a go, see if I can break them and then improve them.
 
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Trey T

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very innovative but I think it should be improved a lot more to look like traditional steel wrenches.
 

RedRabbit

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There are gaps between the drive mechanism and the body itself, I have a feeling under tension especially that would enlarge and rip itself apart.
 

efb16acrx

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I mean, they wouldn't even be useful for EOD work or something. Stupid.... Yet, I still want them.
 

BeachBoy

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useful for application where extreme weight reduction is a goald but not space reduction.

I'm quite sure a very thin wrench made of metal would be as strong/light as this huge but light carbon fiber wrench.

it looks insanely cool though.
 

jim faston

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The first thing I thought of was CF splinters. Form the FAQ on their website:

Q: Do I need to wear gloves using the wrenches?
A: We recommend using gloves as there is a small possibility the carbon fiber can leave splinters in your hand if the carbon fiber is damaged. The possibility of splinters from the carbon fiber wrench is about the same as with a wood handle on a shovel or hammer.
 

rmmiller

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They are cool but it looks like they would be a bit painful to use. Just looking at the first picture in the thread, they seem to have sharp corners for the gripping section.
 

Codyyy

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I was thinking these would be more of a "glossy" type carbon fiber. I don't know too much about that stuff but it is interesting. It might be better if they had a "core" consisting of a lighter but strong metal/material that also was the basis for the closed ends. Then wrap it with carbon fiber, if that is possible. Weight reduction is still considered, but the "flex" stress would be reduced, in theory.
 

kctyphoon

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Q: Why use Carbon Fiber for Wrenches?
A: There was a need for extremely light tools where weight is a major concern as well as tools able to survive extreme environments. Applications include: Endurance Motor Racing, Cycling, Military, Aviation, Space Flight, Hiking, Rock Climbing, Expeditions, Sailing, Boating, Biking, Offshore Fishing, Offshore Oil Rigs, Oil Field, etc.
Q: Price seems high for a set of wrenches, Why?
A: Every thing made with Carbon Fiber is expensive for several reasons, the same reasons why Carbon Fiber is used in high end jewelry along side Gold and Platinum. The Carbon Fiber used in these wrenches have 25+ individual layers of Carbon Fiber cloth that is impregnated with resin, vacuum bagged, and then autoclave to harden. The hardened Stainless Steel inserts are individually cut from 3/8″ thick stock with a process that results in a metal insert 0.05″ wide. It takes over 9 hours to make just one CarbonLite Wrench.
Q: How long will it take to receive my order?
A: Shipping is 2 to 4 weeks. At the moment CarbonLite® Tools cannot be shipped overnight.
Q: What sizes are the wrenches?
A: One side of the wrenches is metric and the opposite side is standard. Sizes are 5/8in, 9/16in 1/2in, 7/16in, 3/8in, 15mm, 14mm, 13mm, 12mm, 10mm.
Q: Are they real Carbon Fiber?
A: Yes, the same type of carbon fiber used in F1 race cars, Super Cars, Racing Yachts, Aircraft, Spacecraft, and anything else that is utterly awesome.
Q: What are the metal teeth made of?
A: Hardened Stainless Steel.
Q: Will the wrenches conduct electricity?
A: Yes, WARNING, DO NOT use the wrenches around anything that uses electricity, carbon fiber conducts electricity.
Q: Will the wrenches rust?
A: No, but the stainless steel can discolor by coming in contact with oils like in your hands, this can be easily wiped off.
Q: Do the wrenches float?
A: No.
Q: How Strong are the wrenches?
A: Strong enough for normal use that a normal wrench is intended for. Do not use a breaker bar with these wrenches as it can damage the carbon fiber from abrasion. Do not hit the wrenches with a hammer. The wrenches are not intended to be used in the place of hammers, pry bars, digging devices, etc.
Q: How much do the wrenches weigh?
A: The set of 5 wrenches weighs 6.7 oz, lighter the one conventional 15mm metal wrench.
Q: Do I need to wear gloves using the wrenches?
A: We recommend using gloves as there is a small possibility the carbon fiber can leave splinters in your hand if the carbon fiber is damaged. The possibility of splinters from the carbon fiber wrench is about the same as with a wood handle on a shovel or hammer.
Q: Are the metal teeth tapered?
A: Yes, the teeth are designed so that when a bolt head is inserted deeper into the teeth, the tighter the teeth are around the bolt head.
Q: Warranty?
A: Yes, CarbonLite Tools Carbon Fiber Wrenches have a limited lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship. The liability of CarbonLite shall be limited to replacing or repairing, at its option, any complete defective units which are returned F.O.B. to our Facility. In order to keep this warranty in effect, the purchaser must have handled and used the product as outlined in the instructions furnished with the product. If, after inspection, you discover any defects in material or workmanship, CarbonLite will have the option to repair, or replace the defective CarbonLite product free of charge. This limited lifetime warranty does not cover damages from normal wear and tear or from accidental damage, misuse, improper care, alterations and damage caused in transportation by a common carrier or airline.


i would think its self explanitory thats these are not meant for typical use other than just the novelty factor.. was thinking the sae / metric combo would allow you to be able to use 2 sae or metrics if the head of the bolt and nut happen to be different sizes, also combining everything into 1 set since there is no open end. anyway - alot of materials conduct electriciy - even wood - just not very well on low current.
 
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the spyder

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The fear of getting a carbon fiber splinter alone makes me give these a huge thumbs down. The worst splinter I ever got was from a dry lay piece of CF.
 

Mechanical Noise

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Looks to me like the first failure point would be the carbon fibers which are cut short around the inserts. Essentially, it's a bunch of short flexible bristles being held by epoxy.

The insert wearing out or the handle delaminating may be total non-issues.
 
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