Show your pipe wrenches

[Monte]

 

[maddawg1952]

Started out as a sprinkler-fitter when I was 18, regularly used a 4' ridgid compound leverage wrench ( 2 piece wrench that chains around 1 part with a lever action piece that attaches to the 1st part) on a rolling staging while screwing together 6" or 8" pipe to fittings,damn wrench weighed almost as much as I did back then. I'll have to see if I can find some pics of 1

 

[Blöckw@rt]

 

[young_buck]

I don't have a picture of them on their lonesome but here is my extensive collection 8", 10" and a 14" Matercraft set I paid $9.99 for

 

[littletoes]

Monte---How "fast" are those pliers-style of 'pipe-wrenches' to use???

If you had to fasten, and un-fasten each spin, they could sure slow a guy down, but the thin jaws sure would be nice in some tight spots....I've had to hook up well over 100 unit heaters/univents, and they always are in horrible spots...smaller jaws would be a big plus.

Never understood why RIDGID hasn't come up with a thinner jawed version of a pipe wrench. You would think with the newer alloys, something like that could be done.

 

[jeffmoss26]

young buck, you gotta find some old Ridgid wrenches, they are the best!

 

[Recoil Rob]

Monte, what's the brand name on those blue locking pliers type thin jaw wrenches? i need one badly.

 

[young_buck]

young buck, you gotta find some old Ridgid wrenches, they are the best!

I know, mine are alright but not holding up the best. I've got to find somewhere that sells them

 

[Monte]

Monte---How "fast" are those pliers-style of 'pipe-wrenches' to use???

If you had to fasten, and un-fasten each spin, they could sure slow a guy down, but the thin jaws sure would be nice in some tight spots....I've had to hook up well over 100 unit heaters/univents, and they always are in horrible spots...smaller jaws would be a big plus.

Never understood why RIDGID hasn't come up with a thinner jawed version of a pipe wrench. You would think with the newer alloys, something like that could be done.

if you completely tighten the nut it´s locked and you have to open the nut again to remove the wrench. But you could slightly loosen the nut and use it like a ratchet, like the Knipex pliers wrench.

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But maybe this would be an option: a hydrid Cobra pipe wrench:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KI5mAYEsmSw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Monte, what's the brand name on those blue locking pliers type thin jaw wrenches? i need one badly.

Dako (= Gedore) ,Gedore and VBW
www.Gedoretools.com
www.VBW.de
( http://www.samstagsales.com/vbw.htm#rail )


The 3 basic types:
90 degree, 45 degree and S-type:

a modern version from Gedore with 2 component handle and aluminium lock nut:

 

[jeffmoss26]

I know, mine are alright but not holding up the best. I've got to find somewhere that sells them

Most of mine came from garage sales. The only brand new one I have was a gift!

 

[littletoes]

The ones I use on the job are provided by the employer, but I own up to a 48" at home, with my 36" being the newest. All are RIDGID alloy versions, except the 48". Very handy when you need them!

RIDGID did come up with that new "self-adjusting" pipe wrench....but if you ask me, they missed the mark.

We don't need something with a BIGGER head on it, we need something with a SMALLER head, to fit in tight spots!
It seems I use a 10" wrench as often as I use a 24" or an 18".

All the sprink fitters use much smaller wrenches with cheaters on them, formed to the handle-permanently.

 

[fivespdcat]

I just recently snagged these Armstrong versions off eBay to replace my **** workforce set

Haven't received them yet, but look the same as Ridgid to me.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Similar...

 

[littletoes]

Armstrong stuff is usually expensive, too!

 

[jpickar]

Here are two of my 15 or so pipe wrenches that I have. I bought the 6" at a pawn shop. I like small wrenches. The 48" cast iron one and most of the others I have came off my father-in-laws steam locomotive. And YES I used the 48" a lot on the locomotive. It is heavy and took two of us to get it up on the engine to take the saftey valves off. Partially because it is heavy and partially because we were having to lift it up over our heads. It took two of us to use it!
I like using the 6" the best.

John

 

[djkyle65]

I do get mad at computers from time to time!! That pipe wrench would come in handy haha
This one is more suited to my needs though...

I have to get me one of those that awesome! Where do I get one?

 

[bigcaddy]

Started out as a sprinkler-fitter when I was 18, regularly used a 4' ridgid compound leverage wrench ( 2 piece wrench that chains around 1 part with a lever action piece that attaches to the 1st part) on a rolling staging while screwing together 6" or 8" pipe to fittings,damn wrench weighed almost as much as I did back then. I'll have to see if I can find some pics of 1

See post #26 on page 2 of this thread. I took some pictures at our shop of the tool room full of pipe wrenches. One of them is of some huge compound leverage wrenches

 

[jeffmoss26]

I saw it online, emailed Ridgid and they sent me one

 

[fivespdcat]

Armstrong stuff is usually expensive, too!

I feel pretty lucky, no one bid against me so I got them for $50 shipped. Not garage sale prices, but pretty good I think!

 

[maddawg1952]

See post #26 on page 2 of this thread. I took some pictures at our shop of the tool room full of pipe wrenches. One of them is of some huge compound leverage wrenches

Thanks, I started out in the fab shop(1 car garage with a Ridgid 300 threader) then worked my way up to being a foreman b4 the partners split and the company went under. Kept my license but haven't used it in 40 yrs. I still remember the smell of the sulphur oil like it was yesterday. Biggest I have in my garage is a 3footer, Co I work for has a 4 footer and a 5' chain tong that haven't been used since I've been there, we do Water Main installs and repairs. I still get to 2 flange a riser now and then.

 

[Fixnair]

Here is my collection. Been working on air compressors and air systems for 50 years now. Here is my collection. The oldest and my favorite is the Schick 24" wrench. Got it in '65 while working for my first employer. Was told at the time when the Vietnam Nam war was winding down, the Schick razor company was manufacturing helicopter blades for the military and had a bunch of special aluminum left over and used it to make a bunch of tools.

I have used cheaters and beaten it with hammers and have never broken it. I did have to replace the jaw inserts around 1995. It only weighs a little over three pounds and of all my tools to is my favorite.

 

[Fixnair]

I thought I had two pics up. Sorry, here is the second pic

 

[lbgradwell]

Was told at the time when the Vietnam Nam war was winding down, the Schick razor company was manufacturing helicopter blades for the military and had a bunch of special aluminum left over and used it to make a bunch of tools.

No kidding?! Is that the story?

I've always wondered how that came about...

 

[jpickar]

I have a Schick 6" crescent wrench somewhere. I always wondered why anyone would make a crescent wrench out of alum. The jaws didn't hold up well on it though.

John

 

[Exceller8]

Pipe wrenches get no love in my shop:

 

[littletoes]

Here are two of my 15 or so pipe wrenches that I have. I bought the 6" at a pawn shop. I like small wrenches. The 48" cast iron one and most of the others I have came off my father-in-laws steam locomotive. And YES I used the 48" a lot on the locomotive. It is heavy and took two of us to get it up on the engine to take the saftey valves off. Partially because it is heavy and partially because we were having to lift it up over our heads. It took two of us to use it!
I like using the 6" the best.

John

I'm with you!!!

I much prefer using a 6" over a 48" or a 60"....

I've gone so far as to put a 10 to 15 foot cheater on a 48 to get relief valves off of boilers......not fun, bet we usually get it!

Haven't seen any pic's of anyone using a 60 yet, nor any comments on 'em!

 

[jpickar]

I'm with you!!!

I much prefer using a 6" over a 48" or a 60"....

I've gone so far as to put a 10 to 15 foot cheater on a 48 to get relief valves off of boilers......not fun, bet we usually get it!

Haven't seen any pic's of anyone using a 60 yet, nor any comments on 'em!

I'd a quit working on the engine if I had to use a 60"er. You can see we put a pipe on the handle a few times!

Since you have some steam experiance.... I am trying to get a adaptor out of the end of a locomotive whistle. I can't budge it. Any suggestions other than heat?

John

 

[bigcaddy]

I'd a quit working on the engine if I had to use a 60"er. You can see we put a pipe on the handle a few times!

Since you have some steam experiance.... I am trying to get a adaptor out of the end of a locomotive whistle. I can't budge it. Any suggestions other than heat?

John

have you tried a combo of Kroil, heat and swear words? that usually works for me.

 

[jpickar]

have you tried a combo of Kroil, heat and swear words? that usually works for me.

I will add Kroil, the other two I have used already.

 

[jrlp]

I'd a quit working on the engine if I had to use a 60"er. You can see we put a pipe on the handle a few times!

Since you have some steam experiance.... I am trying to get a adaptor out of the end of a locomotive whistle. I can't budge it. Any suggestions other than heat?

John

Depending on size.. Heat heat heat, penetrating oil, and an air hammer to shock the rust/gunk free. Might be able to cut the adapter down the middle to relieve pressure. You can also weld a bead around it to shrink the metal. I get to pull stubborn bearings, fittings, bolts a few times a month. I tig it in a few places and have never lost a fight

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[volvo92906]

from the Ridgid Catalogue

We have one of those at work... Really useful for cylinders.

 

[littletoes]

Are we talking a bushing???

Piece of cake....take a saw-zall and cut it out from the inside. Got a pic?????

Just don't go so far as to get into the good threads you want to save, then you can peel it out with a hammer and chisel, just don't hit it too hard. You'd be amazed what "tapping" with a hammer will get done.

 

[jpickar]

Thanks for the good ideas. I can cut the union nut off and cut the flang down to get a BIG socket on it if I can find a socket that big to use.

I would like to save the union fitting if I can. They are getting rare for steam engine restoration.

But I will have to use the heat and maybe make a wrench to go on the union and use my 48" pipe wrench to hold the whistle. Lots of good ideas here.

Cutting it apart in not out of the question though. Believe it or not I have several BIG single and double jack hammers.

The reason I want to take it out is to put a 2" short ****** in the whistle which will work on most any steam application so I can blow it. This whistle is off the Union Pacific 3967. My father-in-laws favorite engine when he was a engineer. The whistle hasn't been blown in almost 60 years and to blow the whistle that my FIL blew while working would be cool to me anyhow.

John

 

[littletoes]

What makes that 2" union so rare???? I just installed 4 of them last week. Looks to be a black malleable union, but it could be brass and has just tarnished with age.

Think I would use heat too, since the whistle looks to be brass, with the close ****** and the union being black iron.

The bad part, looks like an old recipe of cement/linseed oil was used as a pipe dope, which was very common in steam piping use of days gone by.

Sure was/is a pain to get off. Heat will do the trick though, since brass will expend much farther than steel....you get that union half heated up, it will most likely turn right off, just be careful where you put that wrench, so you don't crush the whistle. A pipe vise would hold it better, maybe even hold it wrapped in something, if lead wouldn't melt...? Lead sheeting that is.

 

[jpickar]

What makes that 2" union so rare???? I just installed 4 of them last week. Looks to be a black malleable union, but it could be brass and has just tarnished with age.

Think I would use heat too, since the whistle looks to be brass, with the close ****** and the union being black iron.

The bad part, looks like an old recipe of cement/linseed oil was used as a pipe dope, which was very common in steam piping use of days gone by.

Sure was/is a pain to get off. Heat will do the trick though, since brass will expend much farther than steel....you get that union half heated up, it will most likely turn right off, just be careful where you put that wrench, so you don't crush the whistle. A pipe vise would hold it better, maybe even hold it wrapped in something, if lead wouldn't melt...? Lead sheeting that is.

Yea the union flange is bronze and the nut is iron. So I do sort of want to save it. A pipe vise with lead sheeting to protect it is a good idea. But I have clamped the whistle up and heated it twice already. The whistle is made of bronze and I have put all the pressure on it I dare.

But with these new ideas and heat and kroil and a few more cheaters and I think I can do it without damaging the whistle. That has been my major concern with this project. Also there is a return spring in the valve housing that I didn't want to damage but I think I can make a new one now that I have some spring stock that is the right diameter.

John

 

[the1nonlyjl]

 

[jfdestree]

I really like my Virax. The cool story about it is that I lost it a few days back in a customer backyard. Lot's of snow and I didn't realize it the same day.
Yesterday, the customer called to said that he found a big wrenches in is yard and will bring it back to the office.
I already bought a smaller Connex one as a temporary replacement, but the Virax one is definitively better.

Need some cleaning and derusting. I will keep the Connex in the truck and put the Virax in the toolbox.

And the Connex.

 

[lbgradwell]

... Virax...Connex

Two new brand names for me!

Are they made in Germany or Sweden or elsewhere?

 

[jfdestree]

Two new brand names for me!

Are they made in Germany or Sweden or elsewhere?

Virax is actually a French Brand, based in the Champagne region. But they don't say where the tools are manufactured.They have ISO certification though. Very innovative products for the professionals.
http://www.virax.com/index.php/en

Connex is a German brand, more for the DIY who is looking for good quality tools. http://www.conmetall.de/ Once again, no indications about the COO.

I have another Virax pipe wrenches, a bit smaller. To give a comparison, the Ega Master above is 10" long.

 

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Here's a PROTO 24" I just picked up for $20