"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
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.)


Its funny. I grew up in a rural area and my dad owned a country hardware
and autoparts store. I could get anything there from fish hooks, to spare
ammo, to nuts and bolts, to plumbing for just about anything, to power
tools, to whatever. Now that I live in town I find myself having to visit 5
different stores for a single project, and then still having to order
something that I think should be a stock item in order to finish a project.

What really kills me is the bulk bolt bins in all the stores are grade 2 at
best, but our main bulk bolt bins were all grade 5. We only stocked a few
grade 2 in certain sizes for farmers that used them as shear pins on
equipment. We also had bulk bolt bins of grade 8. Every time I see the
fastener aisle in a big box store all I can think is Hillman sucks.