Wrenches

When you need to either service or change out a faucet, you must first open the faucet up by removing the water control handle. All water control handles are anchored to the faucet with a small screw,…

An action wrench is a tool used to clamp around the action of a rifle, when removing the barrel. Making an action wrench can be done by hand, if you have the proper tools and materials. Fabricating…

The M1903A3 Springfield rifle, otherwise referred to as the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, was a service rifle issued to U.S. troops from 1905 to 1937. The 1903A3 is a bolt-action, clip-fed…

One of the most important parts of keeping your home and family safe during a natural disaster is shutting off your gas line. When natural disasters – especially earthquakes -- hit, they can…

Plumbers and do-it-yourselfers know how useful a basin wrench is when it comes to removing faucets during sink repair and maintenance projects. The basin wrench features a unique design that allows it…

A barrel nut, used to secure a gun’s barrel to the chamber, requires a specialized tool called a barrel wrench. You can purchase these expensive wrenches from many different gun manufacturers or…

"Poptropica" is an online game in which players can design their own avatars and travel to a variety of islands for adventures. One of these is known as "Steamworks Island" and…

A tension wrench is a basic component of any locksmith's tool kit. It applies tension to the tumblers in the lock, and the lock will often pop open when the wrench is twisted. This is especially true…

Small padlocks can often be picked without a professional locksmith's assistance. This is especially important if you have locked valuables away in a locker or other secure location and have now…

The xylophone's origins stretch back more than 1000 years, with the earliest known example found in southeast Asia. Traditional xylophones are made of wooden bars of different lengths laid across an…

Firefighters use ratcheting hydrant wrenches to gain access to fire hydrants. A standard ratchet of socket, like the ones found in a tool set, cannot be used to loosen the bolts and nuts on a fire…

The most common reasons a mechanic or handyman needs substitutes for the 15 mm wrench include stuck bolts and damaged bolt heads. When a standard, open-end 15 mm wrench cannot break a stuck bolt or…

There is a dizzying array of wrenches, ratchets, torque wrenches and other tools designed to install and tighten a wide range of bolts and fasteners. This can be a little confusing if you are…

A Crescent wrench is a straight-handled, metal tool with an adjustable, crescent-shaped end clamp. The movable jaw of the end clamp can be widened or narrowed to fit a variety of nuts and bolts.…

A ratchet is a simple device consisting of a pawl engaging a toothed wheel to permit movement in one direction and restrict in the other. Even though a ratchet is a simple device, using it as a main…

A lock, or locking, wrench is designed to firmly hold material such as pipes or bolts between its jaws, ensuring a strong and unmoving grip. With the jaws either straight or slightly angled, the…

The Husky brand of tools is sold exclusively at Home Depot stores nationwide. Home Depot has the Husky Pro brand of tools manufactured by a number of companies around the globe. Husky tools are…

Toilets have many moving parts. One of those parts is the closet spud. Known by other names such as a spud washer, closet spud gasket or simply a spud gasket, it comes in many styles, materials and…

Socket wrenches have a handle that swivels and a socket that is used to tighten or loosen a nut. The socket can be removed from the handle so that another size can be attached. When the nut is worn…

Open-end wrenches are hand-held tools used for loosening and tightening bolts. An open-end wrench is exactly what the name entails. The end of the wrench that fits over the head of the bolt is open on…

Ratchet wrenches loosen or tighten bolts by fitting over the bolt or nut. When you turn the ratchet wrench the nut or bolt loosens or tightens. They are an indispensable part of a toolbox as long as…

Metric nuts and bolts are encountered on an increasingly regular basis. However, many basic wrench sets only cover the standard sizes. You don't want to have spend the money to double the size of your…

Allen wrenches are L-shaped metal tools designed for use with special screw heads. Unlike the sharp, narrow edges flat-head screwdrivers, the end of an Allen wrench is blunt with a hexagonal shape…

Allen wrenches are usually made of coated steel. As with any other type of steel, Allen wrenches attract rust. Unlike some other tools, however, you cannot clean rust from Allen wrenches with…

Socket wrenches typically consist of a ratchet wrench with a female slot and a set of sockets to go into the slot. However, this only describes one type of socket wrench. There actually are four types…

It is commonly believed that measuring the inside of the wrench head will give you the wrench size rating. This is not true. In fact, a wrench size rating is based on the diameter of the corresponding…

One way to avoid busting your knuckles when loosening or tightening bolts is to use a socket wrench. Sockets surround the entire nut or bolt. The socket wrench usually gives you more leverage to…

Impact drivers come in many brands, sizes and price ranges. While they perform many of the same functions as hammer drills, impact wrenches and regular drills, an impact driver differs in the way it…

When working with pneumatic components, it is important to use the right tubing. You should select the tubing based on both material and sizing. You will find air tubing in various inch and metric…

Since the company's beginning, Maytag has been a leader in the home appliance industry. A number of changes have occurred over the years in their appliances and how they are repaired. You can see the…

Metric tools are measured in millimeters and use "mm" to denote the difference between metric and imperial measurements such as inches. An Allen wrench is a five-point wrench that slips into the head…

An adjustable wrench is a handy device to have in your tool box. It can loosen or tighten a large variety of different sized bolts and other fasteners. There is more to using this type of wrench than…

Adjustable torque wrenches can apply a specific amount of torque to a bolt. Bolts that are tightened beyond their recommended torque may break and cause damage to the piece of machinery. Keeping a…

The "spud bar" is also known as the "digging bar" or "tamper bar." Its origins are unknown, but references to it are made in the May 5, 1898, issue of "The Electrical World."

An impact wrench or socket wrench is a screw-driving power tool that comes in different sizes and is used to either loosen or tighten bolts or nuts. These wrenches are often used for hard metal…

Socket wrenches have a handle and a socket used to tighten or loosen a nut. The socket detaches from the handle so that different sized sockets can be attached. Sometimes the socket becomes stuck on…

A wrench or spanner is a type of tool that helps you grip and turn objects, especially nuts and bolts. It provides you with the torque needed to loosen and tighten these objects. The term wrench is…

The Honda Rancher is one of the heavy-duty ATVs sold by the Honda company. Used mostly by farmers and individuals with large tracts of land, the Rancher is a large-body ATV made exclusively for use on…

A torque wrench is a tool used to measure the amount of torque that is being applied to bolts and nuts. Specific bolts must be inserted with circular force. The torque wrench can be identified by its…

Cable clamps are useful in a number of situations, from securing cable to a wall, suspending it from the ceiling, or joining it to an overlapping fitting. Although there are numerous types of cable…

Adjustable wrenches are versatile hand tools. The wrench jaws adjust to fit almost any size bolt or nut. The lower jaw of the adjustable wrench moves up and down using the spiral adjuster on the tool…

A wrench can become stuck on a nut that is being removed or, in the case of an adjustable wrench, the adjustment wheel can become stuck. In either case the stuck wrench is unstuck by following a…

The first adjustable wrench was patented in 1892, and has been a mainstay in tool boxes ever since. Because of their unique ability to tighten or loosen any size nut or bolt, provided that nut or bolt…

Adjustable wrenches serve as an all-in-one utility tool to help a homeowner tighten and loosen pipe fittings and fasteners of various sizes, replacing the need to keep several wrenches in his toolbox.…

Without a basin wrench, you'd have a hard time tightening up the connections between pipes underneath your sink. They are built to fit into the areas around sink piping.

A spanner wrench, also called a crescent wrench, is a versatile tool. The adjustable head allows you to tighten and loosen a variety of sizes of nuts. For example, if you are working on a project that…

Whenever you replace a small engine or the engine's piston rings, you must break in the engine in order to get maximum power from the new engine. Engine break-in heats up the new piston rings and…

You can purchase a metric socket wrench set almost anywhere. Their common sizes and flexibility make them nearly ubiquitous. Metric and SAE (Imperial or English) sockets are often combined into a…

A Torx wrench is an L-shaped tool that resembles a screwdriver with a six-pointed star shape at the head. The wrench is used to remove Torx screws, which have the same six-pointed indentation.

A ratcheting socket wrench is one of the most versatile tools available. Its adjustable vise grip means that it can be manipulated to fit a vast range of nuts, bolts and fasteners. One drawback of the…

A torque wrench allows you to ensure that a nut or bolt is tight enough, but sometimes these wrenches are not calibrated correctly. Or, they become incorrectly calibrated due to use. You can use…

You need a torque wrench when the tightness of a nut becomes crucial. The torque wrench accurately and precisely measures nut tension as well as bolt tension, depending on the manufacturer. For the…

There are many applications and uses for pipe wrenches, but when you have a frozen joint or an ancient, rusted coupling that refuses to budge, the compound leverage pipe wrench is the only tool for…

The term "spanner wrench" is really a redundancy; a "spanner" and a "wrench" are really just two words used by different English-speaking countries for the same tool. So the terms can be used…

Remember the aggravation of using tools with power cords, stringing cords together with extensions and keeping them from becoming entangled messes? Cordless operation was a power tool advance long…

Torque wrenches are often required for attaching various threaded fasteners to different mechanical assemblies. They are indispensable to bicycle, car, aircraft and truck mechanics, among others. The…

An Allen wrench is a particular type of six-sided, "L" shaped "hex key" tool that is used to tighten or loosen a hexagon screw. Allen wrenches come in various sizes and have been patented all over the…

Impact wrenches, also known as pneumatic wrenches, are used to make connecting and disconnecting mechanical components easier and less time consuming. They are a very frequently used tool.…

An Allen wrench or Allen key is a familiar brand name for a hex key or hex head wrench, a tool that drives a screw or bolt called a “socket head cap screw.” This type of screw, with a…

The router is a versatile tool that is found in nearly every wood shop. It spins a razor-sharp cutting bit in the range of 10,000 to 25,000 RPM to cut, mortise and shape wood. The speed of the tool…

The pipe wrench, also known as the Stillson wrench, is a specialized type of gripping and turning tool that the American machinist Daniel C. Stillson patented in 1869, according to Pipe Wrench Guide.…

Impact wrenches are used for large construction and factory projects when a tremendous amount of torque is needed, much more torque than a hand wrench can easily apply. Several different kinds of…

Wrench pliers, also known as vise grips, are adjustable pliers that lock into place, allowing the user two free hands to complete a project. Generally constructed from heat-treated alloy steel for…

Allen wrenches are a tool that anyone should have in their toolbox, no matter whether you own or rent a home or live in an apartment. So many things require Allen wrenches in order to fix or assemble…

Torque wrenches are used to precisely apply a certain amount of torque (twisting pressure) to fasteners such as nuts, bolts and screws. They consist of two basic components--a socket wrench type…

Ratchet sets are extremely useful around the house and in the garage, and consist of several different sized ratchets wrenches. Each ratchet wrench has an accompanying socket. The socket and ratchet…

Husky is the generic brand of hand tools, pneumatic tools and tool accessories carried exclusively in The Home Depot. The brand changed hands and manufacturers many times since its inception.

A torque wrench is a tool that is used to tighten bolts and nuts. Torque wrenches are different from other wrenches in that they have a torque setting dial on the handle. This allows the user to…

In order to test a torque wrench, operate the wrench until a click is heard. Learn about tool calibration with help from a general contractor in this free video on using shop tools.

Reading a torque wrench is very simple, as it have numbers that go down around the handle, and they can read in pounds or in metric measurements. Learn about torque wrench settings with help from a…

A socket wrench set is an array of tools, typically sold as a unit, used to tighten nuts or bolts.

An Allen wrench, also called a hex key or hex wrench, is a small, L-shaped tool used to fit screws with hexagonal recesses, which are often used in small spaces where standard screws are too large or…

Strap wrenches are useful tools that can be employed for many applications. They are used to tighten or loosen objects, mostly pipes. They provide gripping power and will not scratch or deform the…

A socket wrench is a ratcheting type wrench that is designed to use interchangeable sockets. The sockets are removable and fit many different sizes of fasteners. Over time the ratcheting part of the…

The socket wrench has a ratcheting mechanism that allows tightening and loosening of a nut without refitting; usually, the sockets attach to the ratchet in a square fitting and a small lever behind…

A Crescent wrench is a useful tool for household repairs and automotive tuneups. The adjustable jaw makes this wrench ideal for a number of applications.

Allen wrenches, also called "hex keys," start as large pieces of steel alloy known as billet. These 50- to 80-lb. blocks are loaded into a powerful hydraulic press that squeezes the malleable metal…

A ratcheting wrench is a handy tool for working in tight spaces where a standard wrench would not be able to maneuver. You turn a standard wrench to the right when fastening a bolt and left if…

A pipe wrench is an open-end adjustable tool for gripping and turning objects, typically threaded bolts and tubes, such as plumbing pipes, for which the pipe wrench was named. Also known as a monkey…

Turning a pipe can be a frustrating experience. Most wrenches fail to hold their grip and slip continuously without ever moving the pipe. The strap wrench is a handy tool that is used to turn thin…

Pipe wrenches come in a wide range of sizes. For general purposes, an 8-inch or 10-inch wrench will work. Purchase pipe wrenches, which are made of steel or heavy-duty aluminum, at home improvement,…

A flexible gear wrench is a versatile tool that gives you both the access of a wrench and the efficiency and ease of use of a ratchet. Available in a variety of sizes, these mutliuse wrenches are a…

Basic wrenches have been around for a very long time, and their usefulness has not diminished since their inception into the standard tool sets of millions of people around the world. The…

Judging by its appearance, a spud wrench is very much like any other wrench. While some types of wrenches are capable of performing the same task, a spud wrench is designed for a very specific…

A spud wrench is a special purpose device for gripping and turning or holding a spud nut. The spud nut is a wide, narrow nut in a sink drainpipe system that holds the spud washer in place.

To pick a lock, you need only two tools: a lock pick and a tension wrench. You don't have to buy a fancy kit to get a tension wrench, however. You can make one using a paperclip and a pair of pliers.…

The socket wrench is a wonderfully useful tool for tightening and loosening all sizes of nuts and bolts. Its ease of use makes it a must-have in the basic tool chest.

Torque is the unit of measure that tells us how much force is used to overcome resistance for rotation. Wrenches are used to provide leverage when applying rotating force to do jobs like turn bolts…

Most modern strap wrenches consist of a plastic handle with a rubber strap running through it. The handle has an opening in it that allows the strap to thread through the handle once, loop around and…

A pipe wrench is a special type of adjustable wrench designed to grip and turn rounded metal objects such as pipes and rods. A pipe wrench consists of a heavy metal handle with a toothed lower jaw,…

A wrench works using the principles of leverage and mechanical advantage. It's a process by which all machines work. The wrench applies direct force to an object, usually a bolt. This force is more…

When your home improvement project requires a specific level of force on a bolt or nut, use a torque wrench. It is designed to deliver a specific amount of force to the nut or bolt. Use a torque…

There is nothing more frustrating then getting ready to do yard work and discovering that your tractor is not running properly. One of the things you will want to test is the transmission. Before you…