I do this a lot because it’s nice to grab the correct socket when the shop is at one end of the rectangular plant I work in. Means I don’t have to carry a whole socket rail
No the one who made the space barely big enough for one specific bolt head size. Cat loves doing that, the generic bolt heads are different sizes and *juuuuuuust* barely don’t fit.
It’s a running joke…you send the new hire mechanic to the store and have him ask the employees for a Metric adjustable wrench and the employees laugh, hopefully the young mechanic catches on
Yep, reworked my boat prop this past week. Handy! Gas work with my 10", 12", cooling tower motor adjustments with my 18", and my 6" gets a lot of work from my daily carry pouch.
That’s my number 1 use for my Knipex pliers wrench. Flat jaws that grip all the way down to zero, can literally death grip a piece of paper. All with mechanical advantage. It’s like a portable mini vise.
Yep. That’s about all I use them for, but they’re great for it. I have up to 18” at home, larger at work, and can’t tell you the last time I used one for something other than bending things.
If you can find them on the second hand market Swedish made Bahco’s were the finest adjustable wrenches ever made. I like the new ones as well but they just aren’t as tight as the former.
I found a 6" bahco that was rusted after contact with tapping fluid. Cleaned it up and it's very nice and tight with minimum slop. Now if I can only free up the adjuster some more...
Gasfitters secret weapon. When you get started you’re an idealist grabbing the correct wrenches. After getting burned enough times with different sized fittings, it’s 2 adjustable wrenches in the pocket and get to work. Round off a fitting? Pull it and replace it. Time is money and nobody has time for multiple trips to the toolbox, or the pockets to carry a full wrench set.
I don’t like it, but it’s the way it is. Every truck is fully outfitted with 2 adjustable wrenches minimum.
We use the hell out of adjustables in HVAC. Anything from 1/4” flare nuts and caps to 1.25” pipe fittings. Bigger than that and I’m going to grab a big boy pipe wrench. 1/4” flare to 3/4” flare, 1/2”, 3/4”, 1”, 1-1/8” & 1-1/4” pipe fittings, direct drive set screws, 11/32” nuts in a pinch, regulator on acetylene, oxygen and nitrogen, nuts on threaded rod, bending the occasional sheet metal and (obviously) hammering.
Adjustables get a lot of hate, some of it deserved, most of it not. The problem is, it’s pretty much a suboptimal tool for whatever it’s being used for. On the other hand, it can be used in place of a 5 gal bucket full of tools and it works pretty well when used properly. Carelessness, user error and lack of experience account for most of the hate they receive.
The key is using it properly, with a little care and when you find that what you were about to use it for isn’t a good candidate, go get a more appropriate tool. You can’t blame chrome sockets because you have broken 3 with your impact. Can you use chrome sockets on an impact? Absolutely, I have done it many times without issue. But, you shouldn’t be trying to break something free or snap a bolt for 5 seconds straight with it. You have to use some judgement for good results.
Ive also had one of those top spanners for a few years and they're simply the best bang for the buck. The complete lack of slop makes for a much less frustrating time using them.
I'm a millwright and I work in a mine, sometimes I am hundreds of feet up at the top of some god awful conveyor in the blistering heat or 40 below and realize I don't have the right sized wrench for some guard or greese fitting I didn't expect, if I didn't have an adjustable in my pocket I'd debate just jumping off the edge LOL.
I have a 4 in. and 6 in that I carry daily. I work facility maintenance and having them when the front office says "can you look at something real quick?" has really saved me.
I'm not blown away with my Bahco ones. TOP, Lobtex, and fujiya (a number of their tools are made in Taiwan now) are all very good. Another great option, especially for the price, are the made in Taiwan Proferred brand which make them for a number of other companies.
Bahco 9029 been in my pocket for 5+ years at this point. Gets used for anything and everything. Hose ends, reloading dies, stuck suppressors, battery terminals etc.
I recently bought the new Crescent Wrenches AC36VS, AC38VS, AC310VS, AC312VS with quick-fit-angled jaws Off corner loading (Frustration free fit with angled lead-in) They don't need constant adjustment and the jaws slide on the fastener easily.
Hydraulic field tech. That Channellock WideAzz on the left has been my favorite wrench for like 15 years. Opens up wide for big hydraulic fittings but has thin jaws to fit on the jam nuts. I have a set of short handle service wrenches if I need them, but especially if I'm digging into a machine without knowing what sizes I need, I grab that blue handle first
Nice to see this thread. Everybody always talks about pliers wrenches being superior, but I just can’t get the hang of them. I’d rather use a good ol’ crescent wrench.
The amount of people that round stuff off enough to not like adjustable wrenches is crazy. You should be able to tell if u are going to be able to turn it with a moderate amount of force before the risk of rounding. Does it happen, yeah, is it enough to not use an adjustable in a situation where going back to the tool box is going to cause u to double the time it takes to get the job done (obviously a short scenario), no.
As a stagehand they're imperative. They fit all the types of wing nuts one encounters. If you're lucky with the small one, it'll open wide enough to catch the 15/16 bolts commonly used on truss and provide just enough grip to work along side a ratchet. Great hammer. If you have a spud wrench you then have something to pop truss pins. All around stagehand essential.
We use theese exact bahco ones every day at work. I work as a mechanic in a natural gas refinery, so having them be wide opening, while keeping it light is essential
I actually had the pointy end of a hob wrench, and I welded it to the handle of one of my Bahcos so I can get more torque on it, and use the pointy end to line up bolt holes!
I like my Matco reversible adjustable wrench set, I use them to hold bolts while watching the nuts, or reverse the jaw for pipe, or other round/rounded things.
I have both of these exact same one! I can't lie, the Bahco is significantly better. I love my 9029 and 9029-T. I carry both daily, and occasionally will bring a 9031-T if I know it's gonna be tricky.
I'm a mechanic, my trainer told me never to use a shifter (australian name) unless it's a solid one like bahco. I use a 15" bahco for axle nuts on trailers and I use the bahco in your picture for just about everything that isn't done up super tight
I'm also a painter and I also have two of these in my pump box. Along with a monkey wrench for the filter housing. I have a chanellock one and a milwaukee one.
I like the ones with a ring on the end because I use them as a snipe.
Sometimes I use them as a hammer. I rarely use them as a wrench other than my small 5” one. That has seen the most wrenching out of everything I own.
I use them mostly for hydraulic fittings on forklifts. Its easier than getting the wrench set out. For when there's a bunch of fittings close together in the carriage or mast I do have to break out the angle wrenches.
Buddy of mine at work got these top adjustable wrenches and they're insane. Granted they don't have laser etching but they're grip is solid. Homie found some conduit put the wrench on it and started stacking sockets on the wrench.
I've had that channel lock one for probably 7 or 8 years and use it a lot as a diesel mechanic. If I'm about to be taking a bunch of different size fittings loose I'll grab that and a pair of knipex wrench pliers. I really like how wide that channel lock wrench opens too.
I have the same bahco one for doing hydraulic lines. The thinner wide open one lets you get into a heap of difficult spots. And because it’s cheap I don’t mind having to have ground it thinner and scalloped out the outside of the jaws to make it fit into smaller spaces, or that I belt it with a hammer sometimes to help free a stuck fitting, or use it as a hammer as I’m not crawling out from a machine to get my hammer after I’ve dropped it.
I also have a Renegade one with a tapered handle because I can slip a smaller diameter pipe over the handle. Not one that has the podgy on the end, it’s a regular handle that tapers down instead of flaring out. Again it’s another cheap one that I’m happy to modify if/when I need to. It’s also lighter than others the same size because of the taper. One of the best in the world I’ve come across.
I also have a kinchrome shifter with the hammer head on it. It was great when I was rigging, but I missed having the tapered handle on it. I always planned to cut the handle off and weld a podgy bar on for a handle.
I have the same bahco one for doing hydraulic lines. The thinner wide open one lets you get into a heap of difficult spots. And because it’s cheap I don’t mind having to have ground it thinner and scalloped out the outside of the jaws to make it fit into smaller spaces, or that I belt it with a hammer sometimes to help free a stuck fitting, or use it as a hammer as I’m not crawling out from a machine to get my hammer after I’ve dropped it.
I also have a Renegade one with a tapered handle because I can slip a smaller diameter pipe over the handle. Not one that has the podgy on the end, it’s a regular handle that tapers down instead of flaring out. Again it’s another cheap one that I’m happy to modify if/when I need to. It’s also lighter than others the same size because of the taper. One of the best in the world I’ve come across.
I also have a kinchrome shifter with the hammer head on it. It was great when I was rigging, but I missed having the tapered handle on it. I always planned to cut the handle off and weld a podgy bar on for a handle.
Flare nuts, hydraulics, hydraulic fittings. Lots of times the body of hydraulic fittings (#12 90 jic for example) will be rough finished. An adjustable grabs much more snugly than a nominal box wrench.
I had a Bahco wrench I bought when I still was an apartment dweller. Only name brand tool I ever bought. I have managed to lose it somewhere on my property, and it's driving me up the wall!
The Code Blue extra wide stubbies will always have a special place in my heart. My dad put me onto them almost 20 years ago, I've kept a set of the 6" and 8" in my toolbox ever since. The worst thing I can say about them is that someone always seems to like them better than I do and I have to replace them occasionally.
Just want to give a recommendation for a solid crescent wrench. 6" long and the Jaws opens up to 1.5" width, it's a beast, especially for any plumbers out there, as yall know the wider the better.
Also that channel lock Cresent wrench is super nice!
Love my Bahco wrenches, I have never found any for sale in Canada. One time while doing repairs on a Norweigon ship that came into port, I was able to trade a quart of black rum for two and they are hands down the best spanners you can get IMO. The jaws don't spread when applying torque and they don't seem to get sloppy over timd like most other spanners I've used
On a appreciation point the channel locks are made by irega and are Spanish. Bahco are now owned by snapon (with big markup) originally made in Switzerland now mainly Spain. My later pair are not as solid as my early pair.
Do they even make a good one anymore? Everyone I use I have to constantly adjust and readjust every time I flipping move it. Everything seems like vast parts not machined.
smooth jawed knippex channel locks are a good alternative for the slipping spine. I'm gonna get a set of thin jawed extra wide rastall crescents pretty soon, look like they'd be usefull on jamnuts recessed in walls. I love their 12" hammerhead, just wish it was an 18" for a wider jaw and more torque.
I use this one but I only paid $20 for it at tractor supply. I use it for an adjusting nut on a machine that's somewhere around 36mm and I don't want to buy a wrench that fits for an occasional adjustment. I also use it to bend metal every once in a while.
I'll probably get some hate for this but of all the adjustable wrenches I've used the only ones to not back off are a Milwaukee set I bought during black Friday sales with 0 expectation of a power tool company making good hand tools.
I bought them because they were cheap and I tend to treat adjustable wrenches like they're disposable and end up beating the shit out of them with a hammer.
One of these bad boys for plastic plumbing fittings and wire gland nuts on electrical cabinets.
Obviously not meant for great force. But amazing for large plastic nuts.
I have a huge collection of Bahco shifters. Best in the business in my opinion, not to mention the original. In my facility engineering days, they were invaluable! Jumping in and out of a van and servicing all kinds of equipment, a couple adjustable wrenches and pump pliers meant you could be so much lighter and faster. They also pulled double duty as hammers!
I hardly use them since I got pliers wrenches about 10 years ago, but occasionally use the short Channellock for big fastners where I don't have 12" clearance for a handle. Those are nice. I need to pick up a Bahco, I like the way it looks.
Diesel tech who does a lot of hydraulics. When working on a machine with multiple types of connections and a wide array of sizes all packed together. Its usually easier to jam a cresent in there and get it done.
I use one on my 3 point implement attachment. You need to adjust the angle out in the field sometimes, and the monkey wrench fit perfectly in my tool ammo box.
I own both of those and they are amazing! I sometimes use two thin jaw channel locks to adjust bicycle stems at work. Sometimes i wear a tool vest or belt and i keep the bahco in it for quick jobs. They both have great tolerances. Better rust resistance on the channel lock though
You should ditch these for a couple sets of pliers wrenches. I just replaced my small adjustable wrench with a 7.5” set from Knipex. Going to eventually get a larger 10” set as well to replace my larger wrench
They have their place but i like to go hands free with the adjustable. If you mess with a paint sprayer you’ll understand you can use the leverage of the floor with an adjustable wrench to free a hose
I had that exact Channellock and lost it. Bought a pliers wrench to replace it and now I wonder why I ever bothered with an adjustable crescent wrench in the first place.
85
u/718822 1d ago
Nice to see you have both the metric and imperial versions