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Wrenches
Wrenches are required for tightening and
loosening a nut or bolt and work by gripping
the flat sides. If the wrench you use doesn't
fit the nut or bolt exactly, either you won't
be able to fit the wrench around it or you
will concentrate the twisting power on the
weaker corners of the nut or bolt and risk
deforming it and losing the ability to tighten
or loosen it. Since standard English and
Metric sized nuts and bolts, with a few exceptions,
do not have equivalent sizes, you will need
either an adjustable wrench or a wrench for
the proper system. Most domestically produced
nuts and bolts are English, but cars and
internationally made products tend to use
Metric measurements.
The main types of wrenches are:
- open and box end wrenches - open end wrenches
are easily slipped on from the side; box
end wrenches require access from the end
but won't slip off. The size of the box end
will depend on the number of sides on the
nut or bolt. Both are available in "offset"
models that put the head in a different plane
from the handle to allow easier work in crowded
areas, and both are available in a variety
of lengths with the longer wrenches offering
more twisting power but requiring more work
room.
- crescent wrenches - an open ended wrench
that is adjustable to fit a range of sizes.
It's adjustability makes it a handy item
for a tool box. When shopping, examine the
quality of the worm gear, as this will determine
the ability of the wrench to grip without
shifting sizes.
- socket wrenches - usually sold in sets with
a range of sockets, and available in standard
and deep dimensions (for reaching nuts around
protruding bolts).
- ratchet wrenches - available as individual
wrenches or in the handle of a socket wrench,
a ratchet allows faster twisting by allowing
you to twist the nut with a series of short,
linear moves.
- Allen and hex wrenches - designed for special
nuts and bolts, usually small in size, that
are a cross between screws and bolts. These
wrenches tend to be pieces of bent metal
and may be available as screwdrivers or screwdriver
bits.
- pipe wrench - a heavy, wide-mouthed, adjustable
wrench for plumbing.
- spanner wrench - a special purpose wrench
that provides twisting power to two points
opposite of each other. Uses include sink
drains, axles, and wherever you are trying
to twist a tube-like nut with the proper
indentations that has been screwed around
or within a larger housing.
- strap wrench - a handle with a leather strap
that is useful for working where you don't
want to risk marring the surface, as when
installing tub spouts.
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