All purpose wrench

[GOPHER SLAYER]

How would you like to carry this baby in your tool pouch. It is 15 inches long and ways 5&1/2 LBS. It was made by B&C in Springfield. I can't read the state. It is strong enough to tighten any nut or loosen it. I would also make a very good weapon.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have one like that, except mine is Metric ;)

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have one like that, except mine is Metric ;)

Jon, that is funny.

[Nueces]

How would you like to carry this baby in your tool pouch. It is 15 inches long and ways 5&1/2 LBS. It was made by B&C in Springfield. I can't read the state. It is strong enough to tighten any nut or loosen it. I would also make a very good weapon.

I recall one of those being one of the weapons in the game "Clue"

[45_Colt]

Note that the left-handed version is even more versatile. 8-)

45_Colt

[BLAHUT]

Dad hit me it the head with one of these many years ago, then it was called a monkey rench.

[Larry Gibson]

I have one like that, except mine is Metric ;)

Right or left hand? ��

[Wayne Smith]

That would be Springfield, Mass, most likely.

[15meter]

Dad hit me it the head with one of these many years ago, then it was called a monkey rench.

We always called it a monkey wrench. Still have the small one around here somewhere. Big one was used with a 4 foot pipe to tighten the square nuts on the axle on the 22' tillage disk. 36" pipe wrench with a 36" pipe slid over the handle on the other end. Let that rotate down to the ground and tighten the nut with the monkey wrench and pipe.

They actually worked quite well with the square nuts. Better than adjustable open end wrenches, AKA Crescent wrenches. And my 16" crescent wouldn't open enough for the disk nut.

Glad other people are doing those kinds of things now.

I can sit and watch other people work like that ALL day.

Probably came out of Springfield Massachusetts. Back in the day there used to be massive amount of manufacturing in Springfield. Think Springfield armory, pretty sure Indian motorcycles came from there. Just those two factories would support a whole bunch of supplier companies.

And it's worth an hour or two to tour what's left of the armory.

[Mk42gunner]

How would you like to carry this baby in your tool pouch. It is 15 inches long and ways 5&1/2 LBS. It was made by B&C in Springfield. I can't read the state. It is strong enough to tighten any nut or loosen it. I would also make a very good weapon.
I have a very similar wrench that is about a foot long.

As 15meter said, they work better than the average Crescent hammer.

Robert

[Shawlerbrook]

Also very effective as a hammer.

[jaysouth]

I have one like that, except mine is Metric ;)


Is your's ambidextrous? Mine is left-handed only.

[slim1836]

Mine is made for underwater use.

Slim

[deltaenterprizes]

I have a couple of them.
I recall them being called a “Ford” wrench!

[Winger Ed.]

Yep. A real 'monkey wrench'
W&B in Canada made a bunch of them like that too.

[Bull]

I hate metric lol

[beemer]

I have one about that size, it's stamped L&NRR.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Heeeeyyyyy… your catching on to my genius….

[Winger Ed.]

I hate metric lol

Me too. I think it's just a fad anyway.

[HWooldridge]

They make great twisting wrenches for ornamental ironwork. Weld a short handle on the head to help centralize the torque.

[Dio]

I have a similar one. They make good improvised hammers

[pertnear]

Mine can be switched to turn either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Must be a newer model....

[toot]

back then the wrench was primarily used on the old square type nuts. it was called a MONKEY WRENCH.

[rusty marlin]

I have one centered on a length of chain used as a decorative Gate Weight.

[missionary5155]

Today... Large vice grip for nuts. Ball peen for "those other nuts".

[William Yanda]

If you had a left handed one, you might have a matching pair.

[beemer]

My neighbor had one made of brass, destroyed it using it for a hammer.

When the furniture plant I worked at was shutting down the foreman in the finishing room gave me a new 12 in. adjustable wrench made of brass. It makes a wonderful tool for installing breach plugs.

[elk hunter]

I have a couple of them.
I recall them being called a “Ford” wrench!

Somewhere in my stuff I have one about 9" that is marked FORD in script. It came in a tool set for a model T. I also have a 16" combination wrench that has flat jaws and pipe jaws. They were standard issue on steam locomotives. Heating and subsequent cooling and the constant pounding/vibration by the reciprocating parts can cause water and steam leaks. Mine is marked GNR for Great Northern Railroad.

[gwpercle]

I hate metric lol
:goodpost:
LIKE !

Lets form a club ... NoMA ... No Metric Allowed

My grandfather's workbench / garage had 4 monkey wrenches ...
2 rather big ones 10" - 12" , a medium size - 7" and a little baby wrench 4 " long ... I have that one in my tool box ...
It always reminds me of my Paw-Paw .
Gary

[GOPHER SLAYER]

After you handle one of these babies you can understand why some companies required you to wear steel toed shoes.

[farmbif]

I have a couple of them.
I recall them being called a “Ford” wrench!

I guess you might need one if you have a vehicle that needs to be "Fixed Or Repaired Daily"

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I guess you might need one if you have a vehicle that needs to be "Fixed Or Repaired Daily"

Do you know what the initials FIAT stands for? FIX IT AGAIN TONY!

[Bent Ramrod]

I have one I use to remove and replace the bushing atop my RCBS press. It’s the only one of convenient size that opens up far enough. It came down from my grandfather who worked at Ford for a time.

I’ve seen them with “Fordson” on them. Maybe part of the tractor tool kit. One of my elderly neighbors said they used to call them “knuckle smashers.”

[schutzen-jager]

I have a couple of them.
I recall them being called a “Ford” wrench!

the actual Ford ones are very different + clearly marked { Ford }

[Springfield]

I use mine to grab the receiver on lever action rifles to remove the barrel. Has much wider jaws than any Crescent wrench. Put leather on the jaws, of course, to not mar the finish on the rifle.

[Winger Ed.]

the actual Ford ones are very different + clearly marked { Ford }

True.

All the real ford ones looked more like a variation of the smaller more common Crescent wrenches rather than a Stillson.

[schutzen-jager]

True.

All the real ford ones looked more like a variation of the smaller more common Crescent wrenches rather than a Stillson.

i have all the model T + A wrenches + never saw any that looked like a crescent wrench, they are all in an all steel monkey wrench pattern -

[Winger Ed.]

i have all the model T + A wrenches + never saw any that looked like a crescent wrench, they are all in an all steel monkey wrench pattern -

Right. I was referring to the way the adjustment/worm screw worked, not the angle of the jaws to the handle.

[oksmle]

Beemer: I bet that one of yours, being the size you indicated,was forged for the Louisville & Nashville Rail Road. My Great Grand Dad cut ties for them when they were running track in Arkansas before the Civil War.
oksmle

[abunaitoo]

So where did the term "Monkey Wrench" come from????
The World English Dictionary gives a nautical definition for monkey, as a modifier "denoting a small light structure or piece of equipment contrived to suit an immediate purpose: a monkey foresail ; a monkey bridge."
So an adjustable wrench, "contrived to suit an immediate purpose", in place of standard open end wench.
There are many other myths about it name.
Invented by a guy named Charles Monk that was supposed to have invented it.
He didn't.
Another is that boxer Jack Johnson invented the wrench while in prison.
Racial slur.
He had nothing to do with it.
First came on in the 18th century for the nuts on wagon wheels.
Nuts, bolts were hand made back then, and not always the exact same size.
A Monkey wrench has no teeth on the jaws.
A Pipe wench has teeth. It made to turn pipes.
Tools are so interesting.

[Noah Zark]

Beemer: I bet that one of yours, being the size you indicated,was forged for the Louisville & Nashville Rail Road. My Great Grand Dad cut ties for them when they were running track in Arkansas before the Civil War.
oksmle


Don't you mean Loovull & Nashvull RR?

Noah

[Winger Ed.]

So where did the term "Monkey Wrench" come from????



I always heard that you only had to be as smart as a monkey to operate it.
Or, it was simple enough a monkey could use it.

[jaysouth]

Mine can be switched to turn either clockwise or counter-clockwise. Must be a newer model....

Ambidextrous and multi-lingual as well.

[Siskiwit]

Used one of those a few months ago to tighten a gas line. It was handy.

[JSnover]

I have one about that size, it's stamped L&NRR.

I got one too, N&W RR

[abunaitoo]

Many years ago, someone wrote a book titled "Did a monkey invent the monkey wrench???"
He got into some trouble for the title.
It was changed to something else.
What is wrong with people???
What happened to "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" ????

I've had a few of those over the years
They come in different sizes.
Never had one stamped FORD.

[HWooldridge]

There are “monkey” tools in the blacksmith trade, with the implied meaning they are easy enough to use that even a monkey could work with them. The terminology may have crossed over to this wrench design.

[.45Cole]

I called them "ford" wrenches and they're really good for adjusting to large spans. I keep a couple around to hold the other end of a large nut or to use on a fastener larger than ~2" (largest my crescents will go)

[Winger Ed.]

I called them "ford" wrenches

The true Ford wrench is unique, with its worm adjuster like a Cresant wrench, and 'Ford' is cast into the handle.
Its adjuster is different from the other similar types the have an adjuster like a pipe wrench that looks like a big nut.
And, they were made specifically for Ford, and were in the tool kit that came with your new Model A.

[GregLaROCHE]

The other similar wrench is the pipe wrench with gripping jaws. For some reason my father always called them Stilson wrenches. Anyone know where that name came from ?

[Winger Ed.]

For some reason my father always called them Stilson wrenches. Anyone know where that name came from ?


He invented and patented it with the teeth version for pipes in 1869.
He licensed it out to several other manufacturers, and it was properly called the Stillson pattern wrench.

The 'Ford wrench' type has smooth jaws for gripping nuts & bolts and a worm gear type adjuster
like a Cresant wrench instead of the big round nut in the frame..

[Johnch]

I have 2 of those
One is bent slightly
As we used a 10' piece of pipe on it to loosen a few nuts
I guess the 10 foot cheater pipe and me bouncing on the pipe was a bit more than the wrench was designed for

John

[15meter]

I have 2 of those
One is bent slightly
As we used a 10' piece of pipe on it to loosen a few nuts
I guess the 10 foot cheater pipe and me bouncing on the pipe was a bit more than the wrench was designed for

John

If it was only bent slightly you weren't trying, we had one on the farm the handle was bent enough we had to keep getting bigger diameter pipes to fit over it. 36" pipe wrench takes a fair amount of oomph to bend the handle.


Although now that my dad has passed away I can confess that on an occasion or two I'd get the wrench and pipe on the nut with the other end on the ground and then let the hydraulics down.

Most generally came loose.

If not, then it was time for the wrench with hoses attached.

Can't be tight if it's a liquid.

[MT Gianni]

I have a 6" a 10" and a 12" given to me by my wife's grandfather. He started as a pipefitter after he completed 8th grade.That would have been about 1930.

[15meter]

For old time wrenches, this was always my favorite:

308750

Don't know what the official name is, just like the looks of it and the feel in the hand.

[William Yanda]

Commonly found around Railroad towns.

[CastingFool]

My neighbor had one made of brass, destroyed it using it for a hammer.

When the furniture plant I worked at was shutting down the foreman in the finishing room gave me a new 12 in. adjustable wrench made of brass. It makes a wonderful tool for installing breach plugs.

That was the non-sparkingversion, to be used on gas lines

[WRideout]

My neighbor had one made of brass, destroyed it using it for a hammer.

When the furniture plant I worked at was shutting down the foreman in the finishing room gave me a new 12 in. adjustable wrench made of brass. It makes a wonderful tool for installing breach plugs.

Those were non-sparking for use in an explosive atmosphere.

Wayne

[MT Gianni]

Slight thread detour, I used to maintain a 150 miles of natural gas pipeline that served irrigation pumps in SE Idaho. We got 3-4 feet of snow in the winter and the meter sets would break if not taken apart and stored. Often there was no road to the engine and set or it was covered with irrigation pipes. Walking in 1/2- 1/4 mile was common. I carried 2 18" pipe wrenches and some plugs with me to stabilize things. I had the wrenches in my back pockets walking in and didn't quite bend over far enough to clear the electric fence. I will state here that a Rigid brand steel wrench is a good conductor.
I was a kid then in the mid 80's. When I retired I carried around 36" wrenches and a ball bat cheater for the pipes I needed to break apart.

[samari46]

I have one about 14" long and marked PRR still don't know where I got it. Probably one of the shops that sold used tools. Frank