A wrench, also known as a spanner, is a tool for tightening and loosening bolts and nuts. It can be operated manually or powered by other sources such as air or electric power. Wrench is a common and useful tool that is included in almost every toolbox. Generally, a wrench has a stout lever and a notch at one end that used for gripping the bolt and nut. Some wrenches may have the notch designed at both ends. There are many different types of wrenches available in a wide range of sizes for different objects and applications. If you are a house owner and use it for general DIY projects, an adjustable wrench will be enough for your usage. If you are a professional or contractor, you may require a particular size for a specific purpose, you can pick the individual piece that fits the requirements. Here we will introduce a few common types of wrench that widely used in DIY or industrial projects.
Adjustable Wrench
Adjustable wrench, also known as a crescent wrench, is considered the most popular type that being widely used by house owners or industrial professionals. An adjustable wrench is a good value tool as it can fit into multiple sizes of bolts and nuts. It has a fixed jaw, a moveable lower jaw, and an adjusting mechanism located below the jaws to adjust the size of the wrench. Due to its versatility, it is more likely to slip or slide along the bolts if it isn’t adjusted tight enough or when we are using too much force on it. There are available in different size as well and we can get a smaller or bigger one according to our range of jobs.
Open-End Wrench
Open-end wrench is a one-piece wrench that has a u-shaped opening at fixed size located at both end sides and each has a different size. It is quick and easy to use as it allows us to flip the wrench over and use the opposite side for a different size when needed. Open-end wrench is flat and easy to use in a restricted area or small space for tightening and loosening bolts.
Box-End Wrench
The box-end wrench is similar to the open-end wrench but it has closed ends on both sides. Unlike other types of wrenches that have a smooth surface, the box-end wrench has a series of 6, 8, or 12 points that can provide a greater gripping power on the fasteners. The 8-point model is for the square heads, while the 6 and 12-point model is suitable for hexagonal bolts and nuts. Due to its closed-end design, this type of wrench is less likely to slip in compare to other types of wrenches. A Box-end wrench is a very good choice for loosening the stuck fasteners as we can use more torque without damaging the ratchet mechanism.
Combination Wrench
A combination wrench is the combination of open-end and box-end wrench, it has an open and a box-end design at each side and usually in the same size. A combination wrench is a versatile and multipurpose tool that suitable for a variety of works and so its price tends to be more expensive than other types of wrenches.
Pipe Wrench
The pipe wrench is a heavy and large tool used for heating and plumbing works. There is an upper jaw that is moveable to adjust the wrench size and fit the required setting. It also has a serrated jaw to provide a firm grip on the materials. A pipe wrench is usually made of cast iron that can provide more torque.
Allen Wrench
Allen wrench is also called hex-key, it is a small and effective hand tool that mainly used for recessed nuts. Allen wrenches have a long L or T-shaped handle with hexagonal shape ends to fit the screws or bolts that have hexagonal-shaped recessed holes. These types of fasteners are common to be found in most mechanical equipment such as bicycles, automotive engines, furniture, etc.
Socket Wrench
Socket wrenches normally come in a set that consists of a handle and a number of short sockets in multiple sizes that can fit the various sizes of bolt and nut. A socket is attached to the end of the handle and fits directly over the fastener, it is detachable and interchangeable for different fastener types and sizes. The feature of ratcheting allows us to turn the bolt and nut without the need of re-positioning the wrench on the fastener. We can complete the work easily and quickly in a small space with the use of a socket wrench.
Torque Wrench
A torque wrench is usually designed in the form of a socket wrench with special mechanisms. It is mainly designed for special situations where require a specific torque to tighten the bolt and nut. This tool allows the operator to set a required torque and so the fastener can be tightened at a proper tension that helps to avoid damage resulting from over-tightening or over-loosening. A torque wrench is commonly applied to automotive or construction industries where the tightness of bolts and nuts is crucial.
Strap Wrench
A strap wrench is to tighten and loosen the objects by wrapping the strap around the object to create a firm grip. It consists of a handle and a strap that can be made of different types of material such as polymers, rubber, leather, spring steel. Strap made of polymer is smooth, flexible, and has high static friction that can avoid slipping. A strap wrench is mainly used for the items in cylindrical form and does not have a flat surface such as pipes, knobs, container lids, etc.
Power Wrench
Power wrenches, also known as impact wrenches are small handheld powered tools that use air/pneumatic or electric motor to rotate socket wrenches at a high speed for tightening or loosening nuts quickly. It equipped with a torque-limiting mechanism that will stop rotation when a set torque is fulfilled. The pneumatic impact wrench is the most traditional wrench that is powered by compressed air. The key advantage of using pneumatic wrenches is that they can operate constantly without the use of electric power. However, it is difficult to adjust the power especially when the application requires less power and little torque is needed. Another type of power wrench is electric-powered impact wrenches. It can be classified into two types which are Corded and Cordless impact wrenches. A corded electric impact wrench has a cord that connects directly to the power source. Whereas a cordless electric impact wrench is powered by batteries and usually rechargeable. The cordless electric power wrench is portable and can be used everywhere. Its convenience and flexibility have made it become the most popular types of power wrench in the market and available in a wide range of models, sizes, and prices. The main disadvantage of a cordless electric power wrench is that it is less powerful as the battery cannot store power for producing high torque.
No single type of wrench can fit all the situations and applications. We should choose the right wrench according to the task to perform. MecHero Malaysia supplies a variety of wrenches and power wrenches for meeting your project requirements. You can always contact us at +6011-7000 7687 or email us at my.mechero@gmail.com for an inquiry about the nail gun for industrial or home use. As a steel and online hardware store Malaysia, we also supply a wide range of steel material, general hardware, or mechanical components. Tell us your requirements now and we can advise you accordingly.
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