Enormous 42" wrench

Discussion in 'Tools' started by UncleChuckTX, Mar 14, 2022.

  1. UncleChuckTX

    UncleChuckTX Well-Known Member

    Actually, it's 42.5", and weighs somewhere between 25 - 50 pounds. I didn't think to measure the inside opening, but it's probably around 6 or 7". Pictured below in the back of a minivan (for scale).

    One side is marked with a molded "20", and the other has a mystery mark. I looked on both sides of the head for an impressed maker / company mark, but it's so scuffed and dirty I didn't see anything. The yellow stuff in the middle is masking tape and residue. The piece of paper it was holding on disintegrated in my hands, unfortunately.

    I can only find one similar on a pinterest link that loops to nowhere. I know next to nothing about tools and am mainly hoping someone can point me in the right direction with keywords, etc. I saw one page that said these types of oversized tools were used for bridge construction, railroads, etc. - "structural tools". ???

    Thanks!

    IMG_20220314_185753_Crop.jpg
    IMG_20220314_185801_Crop.jpg
    IMG_20220314_185816_Crop.jpg
     
    UncleChuckTX, Mar 14, 2022
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  2. moreotherstuff

    moreotherstuff Izorizent

    Sometimes you just need a really big wrench. Any heavy machinery/construction could use bolts that size.
     
    moreotherstuff, Mar 14, 2022
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  3. UncleChuckTX

    UncleChuckTX Well-Known Member

    Right - it definitely looks like it was used for something. I live in an area with refineries every few miles, so could also be something related to petroleum industry.
     
    UncleChuckTX, Mar 14, 2022
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  4. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Mar 14, 2022
    Roaring20s, Mar 14, 2022
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    2manybooks, Darkwing Manor and UncleChuckTX like this.
  5. UncleChuckTX

    UncleChuckTX Well-Known Member

    Thank you for that link. I stumbled across a wrench that has a very similar shape, at least, in a 2009 auction catalog page. The tapered and rounded end is what I was focusing on. I'll keep looking around.

    http://wrenchingnews.com/ervin-matz-auction-2009/catalog.html

    "0059. 2F5131 (with Billings logo) (Caterpillar?) - - 20.25" large, heavy wrench with a single 2-1/4" opening. Excellent, painted. (not in Rathbone)"

    I copied the pic from there:

    ervin-matz-058-65.jpg
     
    UncleChuckTX, Mar 14, 2022
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  6. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    from back in the day where men were men, and not pussies !!:hilarious::hilarious::jawdrop:
     
    komokwa, Mar 14, 2022
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  7. Firemandk

    Firemandk Well-Known Member

    If it's 2 inches , it could be an after market Model T exhaust nut wrench........
     
    Firemandk, Mar 15, 2022
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  8. daveydempsey

    daveydempsey Moderator Moderator

    Its a Spanner. :cool:


    Wrenches and spanners are ultimately designed to do the same job – tightening or loosening nuts and bolts. While this can sometimes lead to confusion between them, they’re actually two separate tools with their own characteristics and specific uses.

    Defining a wrench
    In English, a wrench generally refers to adjustable wrenches, which have a moveable lower jaw to adjust to different size nuts and bolts. They’re great because one tool will cover a wide variety of different size fastenings in both metric and imperial – although there is still a minimum and maximum size to watch out for.

    The downside, however, is that wrenches are typically quite bulky tools – especially around the jaws – which makes it difficult to use them in narrow spaces or for precision work, which is especially relevant when thinking about automotive jobs. Because they aren’t size-specific, there’s also arguably more risk of rounding the fastening, which can lead to frustration and cost of replacement.

    Defining a spanner
    Spanners are size-specific. The most common is the combination spanner, which has a closed – ‘box’ – end and an open end to help with different access points, although there are a wide variety of different types such as double box or offset spanners.

    The head is slimmer, meaning that it’s easier to fit into narrower spaces and the size-specific nature lessens the risk of rounding. If you know which size you require, then you’ll get the job done quicker as you don’t have to adjust the tool each time, and there is a certain satisfaction from using the ‘right tool for the job’.

    So why the confusion?
    Aside from having very similar purposes, there’s the fact that the terminology for these tools is different in UK English and American English. American English speakers use ‘wrench’ as an all-encompassing term for both wrenches and spanners, while UK English speakers distinguish between ‘wrenches’ and ‘spanners’ as described above.
     
    daveydempsey, Mar 15, 2022
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  9. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    and at home waits the wench...

    useless to discuss without measuring the open end. could be a metric 20 mm.
     
    Fid, Mar 15, 2022
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  10. say_it_slowly

    say_it_slowly The worst prison is a closed heart

    I think the only person I remember calling one of these a spanner here in my part the states was my friend from Scotland:D. Maybe others have had other experiences. :)
     
    say_it_slowly, Mar 15, 2022
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  11. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    Here in the States we would call a spanner an "open end wrench", to distinguish it from an adjustable.
     
    2manybooks, Mar 15, 2022
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  12. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    and in German a spanner is a Peeping Tom...
     
    Fid, Mar 15, 2022
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  13. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

    That must be a slang?
     
    Roaring20s, Mar 15, 2022
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  14. Fid

    Fid Well-Known Member

    not at all !
     
    Fid, Mar 15, 2022
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  15. say_it_slowly

    say_it_slowly The worst prison is a closed heart

    say_it_slowly, Mar 15, 2022
    #15 + Quote Reply
    komokwa and Fid like this.
  16. say_it_slowly

    say_it_slowly The worst prison is a closed heart

    say_it_slowly, Mar 15, 2022
    #16 + Quote Reply
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