A real man has a huge number of tools in his arsenal, including wrenches for unscrewing nuts and bolts of various sizes. And of course, they include a key called adjustable . It received this name due to the fact that it can be adjusted to various sizes of nuts. The main scope of these keys is plumbing work.
With their help, futorki, pipe trimmings from rusted or stuck joints, etc. are unscrewed. Due to the large length of the handles of this tool, a significant leverage is formed, and much more force is transmitted to the unscrewing element than if you used a conventional open-end wrench. Also, using an adjustable wrench, you can provide additional clamping of the unscrewed part and the wrench does not slip and does not lick the nut or edges.
Adjustable wrenches, despite the general design and mechanism of action, nevertheless vary greatly in size, price, and features included in their design.
Dimensions of gas adjustable wrenches
The gas wrench is one of the varieties of adjustable wrenches and is intended primarily for unscrewing the joints of round metal pipes and fittings on them. These keys vary in size. So in the store you can find 5 standard sizes of these keys. Dimensions are indicated by numbers. The smallest one is size 1.
Depending on the size of the wrench, it is designed for a specific pipe diameter. So with a gas wrench at number 1, you can clamp and unscrew pipes with a diameter of 10 mm to 36 mm, with a key No. 2 - from 20 mm to 50 mm, with a key No. 3 - from 20 mm to 63 mm, with a key No. 4 - pipes with a diameter of 25 mm or more up to 90 mm, and finally the largest No. 5 pipes from 35 mm to 120 mm in diameter.
The most common keys are numbers 1, 2 and 3. Large keys are probably used only by persons directly involved in the construction and maintenance of water, gas or sewer networks. The key sizes are also different. Approximate tool length for #1 is 300mm, #2 is 400mm, #3 is 500mm, #4 is 630mm and #5 is 700mm. The longer the wrench, the more force you can generate when disassembling the connection.
Types of adjustable wrenches
Adjustable wrenches can not only differ in size, but also have a different design. Adjustable wrenches differ in both the twisting mechanism and the shape of the jaws, depending on what connections they are intended for.
1. Gas key. To begin with, we will describe a classic adjustable or gas wrench.
It consists of two main parts - handles connected to each other. On one of the handles there is a threaded mechanism with a nut, through which you can change the distance between the jaws of the key, adjusting it to the required connection size. These tools have knurled jaws for a firm grip on round steel pipes when loosening connections. You can also find adjustable wrenches with one handle on sale.
They have a similar resizing system, however, there is only one handle, and the upper jaw fits into the groove of the wide part of the handle and does not slip out only thanks to the nut.
2. Nipper wrench. As one of the options for old adjustable wrenches, one can also note the one shown below in the photo.
These keys are not widely used, since the reliability of fixing the handles relative to each other is not too high. In addition, over time, the protrusions in the fixation slots grind off and the tool can already be safely thrown into the trash. They were mainly used when loosening a large number of large diameter nuts on open structures, when the time to fit the size to the nut is critical.
3. Modern wrench with auger thread. Currently, the most common type of wrench for home craftsmen. Of the features of this key, it is worth noting the good fixation of the jaws relative to each other, which does not require additional twisting of the thread during operation. However, these tools also have disadvantages.
Firstly, it has a very small thread stroke. In this regard, the size of the nuts under which it can be adjusted is significantly limited. Secondly, his sponges have a smooth surface and are intended only for unscrewing connections with flat edges - for example, nuts. As a rule, this wrench can be used as an alternative to conventional open-end wrenches if the required size is not available, and in plumbing only for mounting connecting flexible hoses with nuts. If you need serious work related to the dismantling of steel pipes, it will be simply useless.
Tips for choosing a wrench
Every self-respecting man should have at least two wrenches in his arsenal. One is size No. 1, and the second is No. 2. This is due to the fact that it is more convenient to work with a small wrench if you are unwinding a new connection or unscrewing small nuts. It is also worth considering that, as a rule, the bulk of plumbing connections and pipes are located along the walls, where there is not much space to work. And of course, very often it becomes necessary to use two keys at the same time, for example, to unscrew the futorka from a piece of pipe. In this case, we hold the pipe with one tool, and unscrew it with the second.
When you walk into a large hardware store, you will surely see a hefty stand with a huge amount of adjustable wrenches of the most diverse sizes, shapes and prices. The difference between adjustable wrenches in price can differ by 5-8 times. Why is that? Reasonable question. Any seller will answer in a standard way - the more expensive, the better the key. However, not all so simple. The significant price is largely due to the price of the brand, although expensive instruments are still better than cheap ones.
Too cheap adjustable wrenches should not be taken, but do not look at the most expensive one either. Better stop not some parameters of the keys. First of all, the size. Choose the one that you need more for the pipes that are in your house. The next step is to decide on the shape of the sponges. As mentioned above, they can be both smooth and notched.
If you are going to twist mostly flexible hose connections, take them with smooth jaws, and if you plan to mess with rusty and old metal pipe joints, you definitely need a powerful tool with corrugated jaws. They will allow you to better "grab" the round pipe when unscrewing the connection. Immediately decide on the width of the sponges. Be aware that on some keys they are too wide. For pipes, this does not play a role, but because of this width, you cannot tighten the nut or futorka well.
And finally, the main parameter that indicates the quality of the adjustable wrench: the accuracy of the fit of the parts of the tool to each other in the thread area. The smaller the gap, the better the tool. If the parts dangle relative to each other, which can often be seen with cheap keys, they will be very inconvenient to work. Sponges in the process of applying force will warp, which will lead to the need to constantly correct them by additional twisting. You should also pay attention to the metal from which the key is made. If it shines, then it is chrome plated and will be more resistant to moisture. If covered with paint (red or green), it is simply made of steel.
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