Crescent wrench proper use
 

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This may be the single thing that I do correctly with hand tools.

I have a couple of Crescent wrenches, and they get very little use. Very little. I always prefer to use a regular wrench of the proper size. I can't remember ever using a crescent wrench on my vehicles.

I use them on a odd plumbing fixtures and I hate plumbing work.

I've been using it correctly ever since I broke one as a kid. It's not easy being Scottish and unnecessarily paying for things.

I didn’t understand this at first, now I think I do.

Suppose you are looking at the head of a nut and want to turn it clockwise, with an adjustable wrench with handle to the right of the nut, positioned to engage the upper and lower flats of the nut. The pressure points are the right corner of the upper flat and the left corner of the lower flat. These two corners - upper right and lower left - are the only part of the nut that matters. The line between them is a diagonal, from the inner end of the upper jaw of the wrench to the outer end of the lower jaw. When you turn the wrench clockwise, you are effectively trying to turn that diagonal. As you do so, the upper right corner of the nut is pressing up on the inner end of the upper jaw of the wrench, and the lower left corner is pressing down on the outer end of the lower jaw. With me so far?

The choice you have is, are you a) applying pressure on the inner end of the fixed jaw and the outer end of the adjustable jaw, or b) on the inner end of the adjustable jaw and the outer end of the fixed jaw?

The fixed jaw is beefy, it doesn’t care what end is getting pressure. So the choice boils down to a) applying pressure on the outer end of the adjustable jaw, or b) on the inner end of the adjustable jaw?

a) is the wrench held rightside up (adjustable jaw on bottom), while b) is the wrench held upside down (adjustable jaw on top). [EDITED]

If you choose a), the force is being applied on the outer end of the adjustable jaw, and the adjustable jaw is trying to rotate relative to the wrench, and the slider is getting jammed and thus taking some of the force.

If you choose b), the force is being applied on the inner end of the adjustable jaw, and the adjustable jaw is not trying to rotate, but rather is trying to slide, so the teeth and worm gear are taking all the force. Since the teeth and worm gear are not perfectly aligned, only one tooth and one spot on the worm gear are taking all the force - it is whichever tooth/gear spot have the tightest fit.

Seems to me the slider is stronger than one tooth/spot on worm gear - the slider is 1” long and beefier than the 1/8” contact of tooth and gear. So you want a) [EDITED]

Why does Crescent always get the credit? :confused:

I think they invented it. And are the bestest. Sure Japanese make nice ones but who cares.

He did a lousy job of showing/explaining the orientation to use. He should have the camera focused down with a nut laying on a surface and just show the wrench with the correct orientation for use when tightening and another when loosening the hardware.

My 'Great Value' adjustable wrench will do the job.:D

I also use these...
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...AC_SL1500_.jpg

I have a mid-sized one I keep in the tool box on the tractor. If I have to work on the electric fence, it is perfect for dealing with the low torque values of the copper split bolts which can be of two sizes, as the company changed their bolts a decade or so ago.
I also had a mni sized one I used to adjust the workings of the cutaway model of the tidal power plant when I worked there.

Best
Les

I hope I am using the hammer function correctly

I just used it yesterday, properly of course. Just like Freddy, the hammer function was used to sink a course thread screw into the side of someone's fine finish cabinet work. Hell, its soft wood so it went in with ease using the proper side, side way. Create a little dome with putty to hide the half sunken hex head, a 'lil paint, no one will ever noticed.

A pair of Knipex cobra pliers have completely eliminated the need to use an adjustable wrench in most situations, at least in my life.

I have a couple these Knipex around the house and the shop for quick, simple work when I have to deal with nuts and bolts. It takes a little getting use to, but after a few times its works wonders. I almost threw out my crescent wrenchs or simply use them as they are intended, hammers. Forget turning that screw with your greasy thumb and index finger.

https://www.amazon.com/KNIPEX-87-41-250-RAP/dp/B000X4PUCQ/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2UVEB2IG4Z47T&keywords=knipex%2Bnu t%2Bwrench&qid=1704494915&s=hi&sprefix=knipex%2Bnu t%2Bwrench%2Ctools%2C146&sr=1-8&th=1

Haha,mme too. As my numerous bent and broken screwdrivers will tell you.

For the crescent, it’s always seemed like common sense to me since I was taking the wheels off my Schwinn as a 10 year old. Always have done it that way.

My Crescent wrenches have always doubled as micrometers.
Some of them are older than I am as they were my dad's.

I have a dozen adjustable wrenches. Don't leave home without one is my thought. Well, you might need a knife and a screwdriver.

But seriously just hacking around with an lawn mower or cheap bike, if I can have 2 adjustable wrenches there and do most of the work, why not?

I do use them correctly but I've used them carelessly backwards and have never broken even a cheap one. If the nut/bolt is that tough, I'll go get a sized wrench.

After reading some of the responses, my immediate thought was to go all PARFY and suggest that young people were taught about the identity of the wrench and ignored the proper use........

I actually witnessed someone using a hammer wrongly.

Ish it you not.

The person was holding the instrument at approximately mid handle and thrusting it toward the nail. It may have been a screw, though.

I also saw a person loading a paint roller by dipping it into a can of paint.

I don't know but I think Pillsbury deserves some of the credit for those rolls.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

I like Fred’s answer. “Hammer Function.” Genius.

Now there's an idea! I always thought my Chinese combination micrometer/welding clamp was a great tool, but adding in the adjustable wrench function would make it a tool you could sell on YouTube.

I have 3 work areas spread out over the property and keep at least an 8" or 10" adjustable in each one, plus one in my tractor tool box and one in my golf cart tool box. I have some hanging on the wall in my main shop. I have so many duplicates because an employee was stealing my tools. I replaced them, then found the originals (long story). I still have the 10" genuine Crescent wrench my dad kept in the tool box of his John Deere 520.

The blue 2" wrench is not much more than a toy. I've had the 4" Crescent brand with the yellow handle for 50 years. The 6" is a new Crescent brand made in Spain (OK quality). The rest are old non-Crescent but good Made in USA wrenches.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1704539495.jpg

On the subject on proper use of tools, it's never too late to learn. I've been using screwdrivers for decades, but I remember a tutorial Zeke gave here on proper use of a flat blade screwdriver and thought, "Damn. I didn't know that!"

That’s a great set of nut rounders ya got there!

This!

One thing he didn't clarify in the video, though, is whether this is an issue with metric versions too, or SAE only.

_

Adjustable Metric Spanners are handy.

Project Farm did a test...interesting results. 20 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOd05PUix4&ab_channel=ProjectFarm

Yeah. I threw away all my adjustable imperial ones. It got too confusing having the two systems.

I'd like to see a stress analysis of this. Wouldn't the top and bottom be receiving equal force if the jaws are tight?

What an imbecile. Everyone knows to splash the paint on the wall from the can and then roller it even.

Don't be silly guys, I have both!

I think so, but the the lower jaw has less mass and is not as strong. The work doesn't care.

I don’t think so. Rotating the wrench towards the movable jaw creates a moment at the tip of the jaw. Rotating away from the movable jaw creates a moment at the base of the jaw. The moment arm from the tip of the jaw to the pin that the adjuster barrel rotates is longer than the moment arm from the base of the jaw. The extra bending force against the pin is more likely to bend the pin and mess up your wrench.

I can’t remember which way I was using the crescent wrench, but after putting a lot of force on it, the adjustable part popped off. It was a good brand-name crescent wrench also. I should’ve been using a socket though.

I see what you're saying. You want the moment of force further out on the stronger "top" portion. ...but wouldn't this mean you should do it backwards?

This guy suggested the first direction, but I would think the second is better?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1704685269.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1704685269.jpg

That’s what I initially thought (that counterclockwise is better). But adjustable wrenches don’t fail by the adjustable jaw tearing off, they fail by the adjustment mechanism (worm gear, teeth) getting damaged. Counterclockwise tends to force the adjustable jaw to slide, which means the force is being applied to the adjustment mechanism. Clockwise adds a rotation force to the adjustable jaw, which is resisted by the sliding parts, thus distributing the force between the adjustment mechanism and the siding parts.

That’s my theory anyway - explained it in more detail above. Whether it’s true - someone should take a couple cheap wrenches and abuse them to see.

The wrench grips and turns the edges of the fastener, not the sides.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1704691372.jpg

Ridiculous. If the tool cant handle going either way its a junk tool. Ive used a adjustable wrench my entire life for various things and never have given the direction of rotation a thought. Also, never had an adjustable wrench break or bend. To me this falls into the category of debating the orientation of the Porsche crest on the wheel hub.

Coincidently, I just recently bought a Knipex gear drive adjustable. Great tool. The old Cresant screw type will see little use now.



.

Way I see it as well. The weakest point of the wrench is the worm gear/teeth...

Do we really need a 5-minute tutorial on using an adjustable wrench :eek: When using adjustable tools of any kind, quality/precision is particularly important. Pay the extra $$, get the best adjustable wrench (most are horrible), and you'll be able to use it backwards, forwards, upside down or as a small hammer in a pinch.

Hah. I represent that comment so please retract at once, sir!
Put in a kitchen ceiling light a few weeks ago but the paint needed touch up. Half empty old 5gal bucket of Glidden ceiling white using a drill and long mixer cage to pulverize it first. A 2ft extension handle screwed on and worked from floor. Roll it gently across the surface of the bucket paint and shake it out inside. The drips happen when the roller gets fill up inside and at the edges. Roll edges a bit harder first inside the line and go over it again.
Didn't even use a drop cloth but covered the stove with cardboard. Only a few small drips. YeahI live dangerously.


Turning a crescent 'the right way' forces the adjustable jaw into the frame. Brown arrows.
(I mostly use them for holding a valve still or larger nuts which can't be chewed up)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1704810010.jpg