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Banquo
climber
Amerricka
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 26, 2012 - 08:59pm PT
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I bought some wrenches to try them with hanger bolts. The idea being that you only need one wrench for common bolt sizes. All three wrenches will work on the 3/8" and 1/4" bolts I typically encounter in California granite. The 3/8" wedge bolts I use have a 9/16" (9/16 = 0.5625) nut that actually measures 0.555". I think the nut for a 3/8 bolt is supposed to measure between 0.551" and 0.562".
http://www.engineershandbook.com/Tables/nuts.htm
I have three 4" adjustable wrenches:
The made in USA Crescent opens to 0.560" but I had to take a file to it to get that opening. 59 grams, bought at the locale ACE hardware store.
The made in USA Proto opens to 0.685" but it is heavier and the big head limits you to a turn of less than 180 degrees. This appears to be the best quality of the three. 70 grams, ordered online.
The made in China Tekton opens to 0.635". It has a nice grippy rubberized handle. 54 grams, ordered online.
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coastal_climber
Trad climber
Squamish, BC
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Mar 26, 2012 - 09:05pm PT
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i just take a 3/8 and 1/4.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Mar 26, 2012 - 10:50pm PT
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Never liked crescent = adjustable wrenches for anything. For bolts, I used dedicated box-end wrenches. Dead easy, rock solid, and lighter.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Mar 26, 2012 - 10:52pm PT
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Mar 26, 2012 - 11:08pm PT
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I carry a rachet-head wrench and a few sizes of socket.
I've slipped off a bolt tighening a hanger down and gouged the heck out of my hand a few times (you'd think I'd learn to wear gloves). Socket wrench really helps that issue, and, its fast. Short handle to keep the torque down for me, and, weight and space.
The 3/8 drives work great but its kinda hard to find a shorty that's still pretty light. The 1/4" drives are ok but its hard to get a socket big enough for a 1/2" bolt. Adapters work ok, and, keep the rig light.
Long handle for busting bolts off...
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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Mar 26, 2012 - 11:38pm PT
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Crescent wrenches suck. I've used one in the desert and it gets clogged with dirt. Box wrenches are way better..
Paul
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Mar 26, 2012 - 11:49pm PT
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One double-ended OFFSET boxend is the ticket depending on the size of your hardware. Mine does 3/8" and 1/2" Powers 5-piece.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Mar 27, 2012 - 03:27am PT
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Our friend Bob has a similar wrench with no moving parts, with one end for 3/8" Powers and the other for 3/8" wedge bolts.
I used to bring two small Crescent wrenches on a few walls, back in the day when you needed to bring your own 1/4" nuts and hangers.
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Roger Brown
climber
Oceano, California
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Mar 27, 2012 - 07:18am PT
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I carry a 9/16 for the drill and a 1/2 for the bolts. They pretty much handle everything. I carry a small crescent the same place as the prussics on the back of the harness cause "you never know" I buy old wrenches at the Swap Meet from some old guy. Old stuff is always good quality.
Roger
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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Mar 27, 2012 - 10:16am PT
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parallels between
here and
over at dirtbag's post
regarding female wrenches.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Mar 27, 2012 - 10:45am PT
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I got one that would open big enough for the 17mm Fixe nuts (the size of the nut for their standard 10mm stud bolts) - don't run into them often, but nice to have when you do. Although 99% of the time I use an adjustable wrench it's for tightening quick links.
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Banquo
climber
Amerricka
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 27, 2012 - 11:09am PT
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I think all of you who don't like "Crescent" wrenches should try the Proto, it's not bad for an adjustable wrench.
Clint - Bob's wrench is nice but impossible to find. I think I recall him saying that he had to do some filing to get it right.
Anyway, I posted this because none of the manufacturers provide accurate information about how large a nut their wrench will fit.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Mar 27, 2012 - 12:44pm PT
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I have a Sears Craftsman wrench, Part #43864, which has two box ends. One end is 9/16" for 3/8" Powers-type bolts and the other end is 1/2" for 3/8" wedge anchors. The nice thing about this wrench is that it is only about 6 inches long so it fits nicely in the bolt bag and is short so you don't over torque bolts.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Mar 27, 2012 - 12:57pm PT
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If you want to round over and ruin the nuts, go ahead. Other than that, adjustable end wrenches are never the right tool for the job.
Get a 1/2" 9/16" box end wrench and be done with it.
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Loomis
climber
Peklo Vole!
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Mar 27, 2012 - 01:14pm PT
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One can not use better than this.
Great action and guaranteed for life.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Mar 27, 2012 - 01:17pm PT
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Other than that, adjustable end wrenches are never the right tool for the job.
I completely disagree.
During bolt replacement, I have come across tons of weird bolts, pegs, and other metal slammed into holes. Box wrenches severely limit your ability to cover a wide range when out in the field. Crescent wrenches shine in this arena.
For new routing, I use something similar to a box wrench, but better.
This is my wedge bolt wrench. I have one that fits the Powers 5 peice. I can place and tighten a bolt in a hole, something you can't do with a box wrench.
If I could carry only one wrench,for all of my climbing endeavors (except the dust that jeremy/gagner climb :) It would be a crescent.
Thanks Banquo for the specs, good to know the range on those models.
Edit: Any of you thinking of using a wrench with no offset???? That is the rebolters nemisis. Talk about knuckle killers, not to mention the issue of rock features dictating where you place/replace a bolt.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Mar 27, 2012 - 01:18pm PT
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Loomis,
have you used that wrench to tighten bolts? I have found that with some hangers, the head on that wrench is too big to get between the nut and the hanger.
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Loomis
climber
Peklo Vole!
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Mar 27, 2012 - 01:24pm PT
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bhilden: I have not found a hanger that the wrench binds on.
Other companies who make the same kind of wrench are fatter and do bind.
Snap-on™ is the real deal.
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labrat
Trad climber
Nevada City, CA
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Mar 27, 2012 - 02:10pm PT
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I was wondering how a discussion on wrenches could get over 20 posts....
Now I know and I'll be back for more information and entertainment!
(needs at least one picture of busted knuckles :-)
Erik
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