Double Box End Wrench Sizes

[Youngguns]

Hello! I've decided to start hanging my wrenches up on my pegboard, and I'm going through my DBE wrenches. At first, I thought it would be straight forward, with adjacent 16ths next to one another, but I have multiple 25/32 & 3/4 wrenches. To fulfill my OCD, I want to have a spot for each size (even if I don't already have it).

So, I have a few questions: Are there any other "strange" (32nds) sizes I should be on the look out for?
Are there any combinations I would think to be common that may not actually exist (e.g., I don't have a 1/2 & 11/16)?
Finally, how small do they go, 5/16 & 1/4?

Thank you for any and all assistance!

 

[r_olson_06]

Hello! I've decided to start hanging my wrenches up on my pegboard, and I'm going through my DBE wrenches. At first, I thought it would be straight forward, with adjacent 16ths next to one another, but I have multiple 25/32 & 3/4 wrenches. To fulfill my OCD, I want to have a spot for each size (even if I don't already have it).

So, I have a few questions: Are there any other "strange" (32nds) sizes I should be on the look out for?
Are there any combinations I would think to be common that may not actually exist (e.g., I don't have a 1/2 & 11/16)?
Finally, how small do they go, 5/16 & 1/4?

Thank you for any and all assistance!

Craftsman made a 19/32 x 25/32 DBE along with a 1/4 x 5/16. Plomb had all sorts of weird combinations that skipped standard sizes. The waters are very muddy and may not be a place for OCD people. I have found out the hard way.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[Youngguns]

Craftsman made a 19/32 x 25/32 DBE along with a 1/4 x 5/16. Plomb had all sorts of weird combinations that skipped standard sizes. The waters are very muddy and may not be a place for OCD people. I have found out the hard way.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Oh great!
I'm ignoring the (my) wrenches that combine non-adjacent sizes, so that'll help a little. I'll just keep picking up doubles when given the chance. Who knows, maybe I'll eventually have a set (or more than likely a stack of 11/16 x 3/4 ).

 

[Username already in use]

Who knows, maybe I'll eventually have a set (or more than likely a stack of 11/16 x 3/4 ).

The 11/16 & 3/4 with 15* offsets is a difficult size to find in a wartime wrench. Care to post some pictures of what you have?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Youngguns,
All of your questions are highly dependent on brand, type (miniature offset, short offset pattern, long angle head pattern, long offset pattern, etc) and era.

 

[leg17]

Youngguns,
All of your questions are highly dependent on brand, type (miniature offset, short offset pattern, long angle head pattern, long offset pattern, etc) and era.

What he said.

You might do some digging in tool catalogs to get a feel for what you are looking for. A great many wrench sizes are not combined to be OCD friendly, but USER friendly.

 

[Youngguns]

Youngguns,
All of your questions are highly dependent on brand, type (miniature offset, short offset pattern, long angle head pattern, long offset pattern, etc) and era.

What he said.

You might do some digging in tool catalogs to get a feel for what you are looking for. A great many wrench sizes are not combined to be OCD friendly, but USER friendly.

I guess when I use a term like OCD, I can understand where you're coming from, but in all actuality, I'm just after a complete set of DBEs. Whether they're a mismatch of brands, or offsets, it doesn't matter to me. I'm just looking for it to be closed on both ends.

 

[twertsy]

I guess when I use a term like OCD, I can understand where you're coming from, but in all actuality, I'm just after a complete set of DBEs. Whether they're a mismatch of brands, or offsets, it doesn't matter to me. I'm just looking for it to be closed on both ends.

If you make it over DC way let me know. I'll hook you up with a set.

 

[Rileysan]

Hello! I've decided to start hanging my wrenches up on my pegboard, and I'm going through my DBE wrenches. At first, I thought it would be straight forward, with adjacent 16ths next to one another, but I have multiple 25/32 & 3/4 wrenches. To fulfill my OCD, I want to have a spot for each size (even if I don't already have it).

So, I have a few questions: Are there any other "strange" (32nds) sizes I should be on the look out for?
Are there any combinations I would think to be common that may not actually exist (e.g., I don't have a 1/2 & 11/16)?
Finally, how small do they go, 5/16 & 1/4?

Thank you for any and all assistance!

You say you'll be satisfied with one of each size, regardless of manufacturer, but you'll find there is so much more to DBE wrenches than just size. There's length - shorty, standard, & long; depth - no off-set, shallow off-set, & deep off-set (or combinations of each); saltus DBE wrenches; finish - plating or no-plating; 6-pt, 12-pt, 8-pt DBE wrenches; obstruction DBE wrenches; ratcheting DBE wrenches; not to mention manufacturers, age, and so much more!

Let me introduce to you the thread that is dedicated to all things DBE. There are more than 1500 posts by members who own hundreds of DBE wrenches from every maker and every size. There are even those who have creative ways of displaying their collections that might inspire you. Take a look - it will keep you busy for hours

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304752


Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I guess when I use a term like OCD, I can understand where you're coming from, but in all actuality, I'm just after a complete set of DBEs. Whether they're a mismatch of brands, or offsets, it doesn't matter to me.

But it does matter. It matters very much, as I mentioned upthread. You're under the misconception that there is a standard set of wrenches with box ends in a standard set of sizes. Again, that simply is not the case. As I said, a "complete" set of DBE wrenches very much depends on type/pattern (dwarf angled, dwarf offset, long angled, long offset, etc), vintage, and manufacturer.

Here is a crude example.

View media item 74513
On the left is an excerpt from a 1948 Bonney catalog, on the right is an excerpt from a 1948 Plomb catalog. Both excerpts are only showing each Mfgr's offerings of long DBE wrenches with 15* angle ends and 12-point openings. One might think they would make long DBE wrenches with deep offset handles and 12-point openings in the same sizes, but that's not the case. And it's certainly not the case for other patterns (dwarf 15* angle, dwarf offset, etc).

Anyway, the wrenches circled in red in the Bonney column are unique to Bonney - they were NOT MADE by Plomb. The wrenches circled in red in the Plomb column were unique to Plomb - they were NOT MADE by Bonney.

And that's only two manufacturers, same type DBE wrench, in 1948.

If you really wanted to be exhaustive, you could continue this method, adding other Mfgrs (e.g., Williams, Blue-Point, etc) and identifying unique wrenches, until you have a 1-N list of every size combination that any manufacturer made, in 1948.

On the other hand, the wrenches NOT CIRCLED were made by both Bonney and Plomb. For your purposes, you could start to consider those common - to Bonney and Plomb, anyway.

If you jump to 1968, you'll find the situation to be a lot different.

I wasn't trying to be difficult, and it has nothing to with a person's degree of OCD or not. It's just a fact. There is no single simple answer to the question of a "complete" DBE set. Mfgr, era, and type all matter.

 

[Youngguns]

You say you'll be... ...busy for hours

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=304752

Brian

Brian/Rileysan, I did wander across that thread before starting my own. I thought to look through it, but the 80 pages were much more daunting than simply starting my own thread with a couple questions. Hopefully I can add to it in the future!

But it does matter. It matters very much...
View media item 74513...no single simple answer to the question of a "complete" DBE set. Mfgr, era, and type all matter.

Private Lugnutz, I greatly appreciate all the attention and information you're providing me, but I'm still not sure if we're on the same page or not. That may be because I haven't supplied you with enough information though. I'm looking to put together a set of double box end wrenches that range from 1/4-5/16 (assuming that's the smallest of the double boxes, but I don't think it is) to roughly 15/16-1 (a good stopping point I think) without skipping any sizes in between. I don't care if some are offset, or chrome, or Bonney, or Plomb, or etc... I came here to figure out where to start size wise (how small do these buggers get?) and to make sure I wasn't going on a wild goose chase with any sizes.

If you make it over DC way let me know. I'll hook you up with a set.

Twertsy, a most gracious offer! Sadly, I don't think that will happen anytime soon as I'm currently recovering from surgery. Maybe it will give me time to dig for miscellaneous Plomb/Proto tools in exchange?

All, I've attached pictures of what I'm starting with (and to "pretty" up this thread). Most are duplicates of the same size though. I've made a list of adjacent sizes I believe I'm looking for:
5/16-1/4,
3/8-5/16,
7/16-3/8,
1/2-7/16,
9/16-1/2,
5/8-9/16,
11/16-5/8,
3/4-11/16,
25/32-3/4,
13/16-25/32,
7/8-13/16,
15/16-7/8,
1-15/16.

Of this list, are there any that do not exist?
Are there any sizes that fit in there that I've missed?

Sizes I have include:
7/16-3/8,
9/16-1/2,
5/8-9/16,
11/16-5/8,
25/32-3/4,
7/8-13/16.

There are other, "non-adjacent" wrenches in the pictures; included because they're still double box ends.

 

[Rileysan]

I understand your thinking and I'll try to simplify things a little.

You can safely assume you'll be starting at 1/4", although Craftsman (at least) had smaller sets of DBE ignition wrenches that are 1/64" fractional (EG: I have a 7/32" x 15/64" Craftsman DBE).

Most "master" sets of any type of wrench (DBE, DOE, Combo) go up to 1 1/4". There are a number of odd combinations out there that won't make sense (5/8" x 3/4" is a common WWII DBE size because that's what the Govt wanted) because the sizes are not in succession.

Here's an example one set of Craftsman DBE wrenches you might try emulating.

1 1/4" x 1 1/16"
No 1 1/8" DBE in my Craftsman stuff
1" x 15/16"
7/8" x 3/4"
13/16" x 11/16"
19/32" x 25/32" (there are also 25/32" x 3/4" out there)
5/8" x 9/16"
9/16" x 1/2" (yes, 9/16" came twice in the same sets)
7/16" x 3/8"
5/16" x 1/4"

And you might consider trying to find the more common 3 or 4 piece "shorty" DBE sets out there.

The Craftsman 3-piece sets include:
5/8" x 3/4"
1/2" x 9/16"
3/8" x 7/16"


Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's the word "complete" that doesn't make sense to me, Youngguns. Skipping sizes is not the problem. Going for additional sizes and duplicating sizes already covered on the ends of other wrenches is what adds wrenches. You can see that in your own list. The best thing to do is study some catalogs, especially the boxed sets, which were designed for maximum efficiency and the most common applications. You can go from 3/8 to 1-1/16 in /8ths x /16ths and cover every step in between in just six (6) DBE wrenches without skipping or duplicating a size on any end. And you can add a few wrenches in between to cover a few /32nds sizes (typically 19/32 and 25/32), but the other end will likely be a duplicate size (typically 1/2 and 11/16), although there are other combinations favored by certain Mfgrs.

As for how small they are, many Mfgrs made DBE wrenches for ignition/electrical duty, all the way down to 3/16 x 13/64. But those are dwarf wrenches, typically offsets, with 6-point openings.

EDIT: I see that Brian already mentioned ignition duty.

 

[ssdave]

I have a set of Proto DBE, and they were pretty straightforward to get a set.

But, I also have a set of XV Snap-on, and they have duplicates and overlaps in the range of 3/8 to about 1 1/2". I had a lot of them in my box, and thought the set was complete. Then, I saw others that I didn't have, and bought them. Then I started looking for more, and found ones I didn't have. The Snap-on set has 32/nds; I have 19, 21, and 25 32/s at least. I still have a list of about 3 or 4 that I have seen on ebay that I don't have in my set, and have been watching for them to sell at a good price. But, I have all the sizes in one form or another, there's just wrenches out there with different size combinations. So, you can understand the confusion that some of the posters have over your request.

 

[Rileysan]

Just when I realize I have no 1 1/8" Craftsman DBE, lo and behold - I found one!

Craftsman 1 1/8" x 1 5/16". It's the first one I have ever seen.

Brian