Spanner kits

[Dockhead]

I think Neeves is saying that we shouldn’t all be so high and mighty about Using The Correct Tool and Only The Correct Tool. I sort of agree with him - and am a proud owner of a well used pair of mole grips. I also own a fairly comprehensive set of good quality spanners, sockets, torque wrenches and everything else - by the likes of Snap-on, Gedore, Britool, Norbar and all the other usual suspects (I rebuilt engines for years). It’s about having all bases covered. As I said before, I have removed (previous owner) mangled fasteners that nothing other than mole grips would have removed.

I also agree that total anal-compulsive fanaticism is misplaced here.

A quality adjustable wrench, adjusted carefully, and used on a not too tightly torqued nut, is OK in my book. Contrary to how my father taught me -- he was a tool fetishist.

But the right non-adjustable quality wrench is always better when possible.

Would never use mole grips unless the fastener is already ruined (not to take away from the fact that mole grips are brilliant devices with a thousand uses).

The monstrosities in the OP would not find any use on my boat. They are not even compact or anything.

 

[Neeves]

I think Neeves is saying that we shouldn’t all be so high and mighty about Using The Correct Tool and Only The Correct Tool. I sort of agree with him - and am a proud owner of a well used pair of mole grips. I also own a fairly comprehensive set of good quality spanners, sockets, torque wrenches and everything else - by the likes of Snap-on, Gedore, Britool, Norbar and all the other usual suspects (I rebuilt engines for years). It’s about having all bases covered. As I said before, I have removed (previous owner) mangled fasteners that nothing other than mole grips would have removed.

Thank you

I too have a full spanner set, I have a full set of normal sockets and a set of long sockets, ratchet spanners (which are a bit chunky, and a full set of, intentionally, bent (offset?) spanners, 2 sizes of mole wrench, what's called a plumbers wrench, stilsons, big and small shifters and gear pullers, big and small. No torque wrenches. And I have an Aligator wrench invaluable when I do a walk about before dropping lines (and bleeding fuel lines). And then I have spanners with handles I have shortened, to allow getting into tight spaces.

Of course there is a bit of winding up - its a forum. But by being wound up the thread has explored a whole host of tools, ideas and beliefs. I was thoroughly amused by the condemnation of adjustable spanners (and mole wrenches) - every one I know has and uses them. If they are so awful how/why have they endured? A bit like Aligator wrenches - if the two forms, open and closed, Aligator wrenches are so awful why have they endured, the smallest is 60mm long fits in a pocket and doubles up as a shackle keyed is great for attaching Nyloc nuts - where no torque is needed and no damage results.

I am a bit worried that people do not know what the function of a Nyloc nut might be, have never thought of it being single use and over torque..

The worst use of a Nyloc nut I have experienced was on the Spade anchor. The shank is secured into the fluke by a stainless bolt with a Nyloc nut. In true marine style the Bolt was belt and braces had was drilled to accept a split pin (so Nyloc nut further secured by a split pin. ). The hole for the split pin in the bolt had ragged edges which chewed up and destroyed the function of the nylon insert........

Horses for courses is a good summary - but maybe people don't understand what the expression means. and actually use adjustable spanners and mole wrenches (as Dockhead says - a great invention) with gay abandon (but don't admit to same)..

Jonathan

 

[thinwater]

... I also have 2 Stilsons, big and small, they appear to not invoke wrath - nor mentioned....yet. And surely no engineer would admit to using a Stilson - too wobbly ....

Jonathan

Isn't the improved Stilson wrench still the standard for big threaded pipe? Possible no application on most boats ... but sometimes, if there is room. Pipefitters everywhere think so. I have several, 12" to 36", and gave my 48" wrench away a few years ago. Too damn heavy. It was also copper/berrilium alloy, for refinery hot zone use. Not cheap.

Of course, these are pretty far astray from Neeves' original proposition for a simple, lightweight wrench!

 

[Neeves]

Isn't the improved Stilson wrench still the standard for big threaded pipe? Possible no application on most boats ... but sometimes, if there is room. Pipefitters everywhere think so. I have several, 12" to 36", and gave my 48" wrench away a few years ago. Too damn heavy. It was also copper/berrilium alloy, for refinery hot zone use. Not cheap.

Of course, these are pretty far astray from Neeves' original proposition for a simple, lightweight wrench!

Real men use a Stilson, a big one - only wimps like neeves would be seen with his abomination.

Pipe has a large role to play - even for us. Yacht cradle comes to mind.

Never say never

Jonathan

 

[WoodyP]

In the final analysis of what won't come apart and spanners don't work it's either the disc cutter or the gas axe.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Isn't the improved Stilson wrench still the standard for big threaded pipe? Possible no application on most boats ... but sometimes, if there is room. Pipefitters everywhere think so. I have several, 12" to 36", and gave my 48" wrench away a few years ago. Too damn heavy. It was also copper/berrilium alloy, for refinery hot zone use. Not cheap.

Of course, these are pretty far astray from Neeves' original proposition for a simple, lightweight wrench!

You may or probably not noticed that the picture you so kindly provided shows a pair of stilsons being used on a pipe where there are no flats. The clue is in their other name pipe wrench, they have jaws that are not parallel and work in one direction gripping the pipe. I have two although they rarely see the light of day.

 

[thinwater]

You may or probably not noticed that the picture you so kindly provided shows a pair of stilsons being used on a pipe where there are no flats. The clue is in their other name pipe wrench, they have jaws that are not parallel and work in one direction gripping the pipe. I have two although they rarely see the light of day.

We are joking. Obviously.

[In fact, you do need to be careful with Rigid wrenches at very high stress levels. They can crush pipe and fittings. Cast iron can shatter. I've had two big guys bounce on the end of a 5 meter pipe slid over the handle while loosening a stuck 4-inch fitting. Not recommended ... but it worked. Yup, heat too.

Drop the large one and it will go right through the deck and possibly the hull.

 

[Sandro]

As Mister E said, a mole wrench is the only way to undo an already rounded/ruined ex nut because it makes a unic solid piece with the nut and can be worked in alternate directions with undoing and doing light pushes until the nut begins moving a little bit and then the moving angle increases until it reaches a complete turn - of course everything long soaked in WD 40 or similar.

Apart from the single handed welding/constructing.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

As Mister E said, a mole wrench is the only way to undo an already rounded/ruined ex nut because it makes a unic solid piece with the nut and can be worked in alternate directions with undoing and doing light pushes until the nut begins moving a little bit and then the moving angle increases until it reaches a complete turn - of course everything long soaked in WD 40 or similar.

Apart from the single handed welding/constructing.

The mole grips were probably the reason it was rounded off in the first place. There are several ways to address a rounded off nut or bolt starting with which F;;;;ing idiot did this.

 

[seeSimon]

In the final analysis of what won't come apart and spanners don't work it's either the disc cutter or the gas axe.

If a gas axe won't work (eg underwater, Extreme weather etc) try Broco...they do a man-portable thermic lance. Will cut just about anything, including reinforced concrete.

...and perhaps if power supplies are an issue, there's Kerie Cable. Sort of a thermic lance on a roll. Mind your fingers tho.

 

[fredrussell]

The mole grips were probably the reason it was rounded off in the first place. There are several ways to address a rounded off nut or bolt starting with which F;;;;ing idiot did this.

You keep coming back to this point, but unless you buy a boat, car, etc brand new there’s a good chance you will be dealing with other people’s bodgery. If you’re lucky the previous owner will be as righteous and good with the tools as yourself, but there are plenty of bodgers out there.

 

[Mister E]

You keep coming back to this point, but unless you buy a boat, car, etc brand new there’s a good chance you will be dealing with other people’s bodgery. If you’re lucky the previous owner will be as righteous and good with the tools as yourself, but there are plenty of bodgers out there.

You mean to ones using grips on fuel filters?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

You keep coming back to this point, but unless you buy a boat, car, etc brand new there’s a good chance you will be dealing with other people’s bodgery. If you’re lucky the previous owner will be as righteous and good with the tools as yourself, but there are plenty of bodgers out there.

That is unfortunately very true, and when I have viewed boats in the past there were two things I first looked at: the state of the engine and engine bay and the wiring. Both are excellent at informing you of just how much of a bodger the previous owner was and what potentially lies in store.
I have dealt with others bodges throughout my life without recourse to Mole Grips or any other similar item and I see no reason to make my or someone else's life difficult by starting now.

 

[WoodyP]

Mole grips have a very useful role if used for what they were designed, namely as locking pliers.

 

[Dockhead]

Isn't the improved Stilson wrench still the standard for big threaded pipe? Possible no application on most boats ... but sometimes, if there is room. Pipefitters everywhere think so. I have several, 12" to 36", and gave my 48" wrench away a few years ago. Too damn heavy. It was also copper/berrilium alloy, for refinery hot zone use. Not cheap.

Of course, these are pretty far astray from Neeves' original proposition for a simple, lightweight wrench!


That's the correct tool for pipe. I think Neeves must have meant using one of them on a bolt, which of course would be bodgeissimo.

 

[Poignard]

This variant of Mole grips is a very useful (and cheap) thing to have on a drill press table:

 

[thinwater]

... gas axe.

Fits all sizes.

This variant of Mole grips is a very useful (and cheap) thing to have on a drill press table:

View attachment 195258

Yes! I use that very regularly. Not the best clamp in all cases, but enough for safety in many situations. I think I was drilling a long backing plate for a genoa track. Great for largish holes in small thin metal parts that are prone to grabbing, won't fit in a press vice, and are too dangerous to hand hold.

 

[wonkywinch]

How come this now popped up on my Facebook feed?

 

[Daydream believer]

How come this now popped up on my Facebook feed?

Perhaps AI thought that you were a spanner monkey

 

[Neeves]

Perhaps AI thought that you were a spanner monkey

Fame!

On the bright side - you are not known for being a boring correspondent about anchors.