On Thu, 08 Aug 2013 21:02:38 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 8 Aug 2013 08:12:16 -0700 (PDT), Bob La Londe
wrote:

I am sure you are familiar with them. The flat black (sometimes otherwise coated) wrenches that come with a lot of power tools for changing blades, bits, discs, etc. They look like they are stamped out of sheet. I am certainly not going to make a stamping die for one wrench, but I am sure I could cut one out of flat stock on the mill when I need one and a regular mechanics wrench won't fit. The thing is I don't know what steel to use.

How about an inexpensive alloy that might be easily heat treatable. I don't think surface hardening would help for a wrench or a spanner as the cross section would still be softer, but maybe somebody who knows better could speak up?
Do what the average mechanic does when he needs a wrench to fit
where a normal one doesn't. Modify an existing wrench. Bend, grind,
cut, whatever is necessary.

I have a whole 'set' of those, including a 4" long 12" crescent
wrench. I prefer using a 7" angle grinder over a rotary grinder for
thinning open end wrenches. They're quicker and it's easier to keep
the result flat and parallel.

In another life, I made a Chebby distributor wrench from a 1/2"
Chiwanese box wrench, some 3/8" barstock, and a coat hanger (rod), and
a car battery. T'warnt purty.

(Jus'cuz it was all available and nobody was open Sunday night.)

--
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight
very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands.
It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.
-- John Wayne