Wrenches

Wrenches (Spanners)

A wrench or spanner is a commonly used hand tool for loosening or fastening bolts, screws, nuts, and other threaded objects. Generally, high quality wrenches are made from chromium-vanadium alloy steel (CR-V) with drop-forged process. In addition, carbon steel is often used as the materials for wrenches. The wrenches are usually chrome-plated to provide corrosion resistant protection and make it clean easily. The most common types are called open-end wrench and box-end wrench in American English while open-ended spanner and ring spanner in British English. But there are quite many types of wrenches or spanners for specific purposes.

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Common Wrench Types

The types of wrenches listed below are just a few of the many, and they are commonly-used manual wrenches. There are surely a lot of wrenches powered by electricity, batteries, pneumatic, etc., for the harder work, such as cordless driver, corded wrench, impact wrench, cordless ratchet and so on.

	Open-end wrench (Open-ended spanner) The open-end wrench has a U-shaped opening at both ends to hold two opposite faces of the bolt or nut. This kind of wrench generally come in double ends with different sizes.
	Box-end wrench (Ring spanner) The box-end wrench or ring spanner has an enclosed ring at both ends. The box end may be either six-point or twelve point. With offset design, the wrench can reach the bolts and nuts in tight space and provide clearance for the fingers without hurt.
	Ratcheting wrench The ratcheting wrench features a ratcheting device inside. It can be double-end ratcheting wrench, or a type of combination wrench with open-end wrench. The ratcheting wrench allows the handle to move at a small working swing arc, ideal for tight spaces.
	Combination wrench The combination wrench is a double-ended wrench that has one end like the open-end wrench and the other end like the box-end wrench, so it can perform both functions of open-end and box-end wrenches. Generally, the sizes are the same at the both ends of combination wrench.
	Adjustable wrench (Crescent wrench, Adjustable spanner) The adjustable wrench or adjustable spanner has an open end with a movable jaw that can adjust the opening size arbitrarily within a certain range. Therefore, it can perform the jobs of multiple open end wrenches. The adjustable wrenches are one of most commonly-used wrenches to turning bolts and nuts in different sizes.
	Pipe wrench The pipe wrench looks like monkey wrench, but is designed with serrated jaws for firmly gripping metal pipes and pipe fittings.
	Allen wrench (Allen key, Hex key) Allen wrench or a hex key, is a hand tool to turn the screws and bolts that have a hexagonal slot. The hex key generally has two style, L-shaped and T-shaped with a handle attached to the end. The hex key comes in SAE or Metric sizes which are usually marked on the surface. It is usually sold in Allen wrench set or hex key set including various sizes (eg 1.5mm-10mm).
	Torx wrench (Torx key) The torx wrench is designed to drive the bolts and screws with a star-shaped head. Although it is similar to L-shaped hex key, it comes with a star-shaped head. It is usually sold in torx key set including various sizes (eg T10-T500).
	Lug wrench Lug wrench, a type of socket wrench, is used for turning lug nuts on cars, so it is also called wheel brace. The lug wrench usually comes in L shape or cross form, and the latter is known as 4-way lug wrench.
	Oil filter wrench As the name suggests, the oil filter wrench is used to remove the cylindrical oil filters. It has strap or chain type, and socket type. The oil filter wrench is mainly used in the automotive industry.
	Strap wrench The strap wrench or chain wrench features a fabric, rubber, or metal strap or chain attached to a handle. These self-tightening wrench is ideal for gripping cylindrical objects that do not work with normal wrenches well.
	Spanner wrench The spanner wrenches refer in particular to a type of wrenches that have one or several pins or hooks at the end. They can be pin spanner, hook spanner, C spanner, pin face spanner, etc.
	Socket wrench The socket wrench comes with a ratcheting mechanism, allowing you turning bolts and nuts quickly without taking the wrench out of the fasteners. It is simply called a ratchet or ratchet handle, and the reversible ratchet allow you to change the turning direction. The common dive sizes are1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2”, and you can select the suitable socket size as needed.
	Torque wrench Torque wrenches are used to tight a nut or bolt to a specific torque. The click-type torque wrench is the most popular on the market, which can send a click sound to inform the user once the preset torque is reached. The torque wrenches are mostly used in automobile industrial, but they can also be applied in bicycles, motorcycles, farming equipment, etc. It is often found in torque wrench set which includes a torque wrench and many types of bits.

Optimal Tips of Using Wrenches

The wrench or spanner is selected according to the shape of the screw, bolt or nut, specifications and working conditions. Choosing wrench with proper specifications ensures the correct operation. The following tips should be noted during the operation.

• Tips for using open-end wrench, box-end wrench, spanner wrench, hex key, etc.

• These wrenches or spanners generally can loosen or tighten just one-sized screws or bolts, and the double-end can turning the fasteners of two sizes.
• When using the open end wrench, make the wrench opening fit well with the fasteners to be turned before applying force. If the contact is not good, the wrench will easily slip off by applying force.
• Socket wrench should also fit well with the fasteners before applying the force. If it is found the deformation or crack of the socket and the ratchet handle, the wrench should stop using. Pay attention to remove the dirt and oil in the socket at any time
• When using the pin or hook spanner wrenches and Allen wrenches or hex keys, please pay attention to choose the appropriate specifications and models to prevent the wrenches from slipping out.

• Tips for using the adjustable wrenches composed of wrench handle, fixed jaw, adjustable jaw and worm gear, etc.

• The opening of these wrenches can be adjusted within a certain range. Therefore, as long as the head sizes of screws, bolts or nuts are within the opening range, the adjustable wrench can generally be used. But it had better not use the large-sized wrench to screw the smaller-sized of the screw, thus it may cause the screw broken due to excessive force.
• The opening shall be adjusted according to the size of the opposite side of the hexagon head of the screw or nut. The clearance shall not be too large, otherwise the screw head or nut will be damaged or the wrench will slip easily.
• When applying force to the adjustable wrench, the fixing jaw should be subjected to the main force, and the handle should be pulled towards the operator instead of pushed forward. The wrench handle should not be arbitrarily extended and the wrench should not be used as a hammer tool.

• Tips for using torque wrench

• Do not make strong impact on it during use.
• Torque wrench absolutely cannot be used as a hammer, to knock the workpiece.
• Do not continue to apply force after the wrench send the alarm.
• Before use, please check whether the arrow on the torque wrench is consistent with the direction of the force applied. If not, please rotate the wrench 180 degrees to reinstall it.
• Do not disassemble the parts of the wrench by yourself, so as not to damage the accuracy.
• After the click-type torque wrench is used, set the torque value to zero to maintain the accuracy of the wrench and extend its service life.