DIYbanter - Wing Nuts

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Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8" bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.
Thanks.
Ken.

Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote in message
...
Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8" bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.

Home-made would be dead easy.

Piece of pipe that will fit over the centre part of the wingnut. Hacksaw a
pair of slots to grab the wings. Drill a hole in the other end through both
walls of the pipe, stick in a beefy screwdriver to turn the thing.

Ken Sterling wrote:
Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8"
bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.
Thanks.
Ken.

Slot a piece of 3/4" pipe to fit over the wing nut. Cut to a handy
length and weld a tee handle on.
Bugs

I'll chime in with the fact that wing nuts really should be tightened by
hand - that is why they exist.
Making a tool for them has also been mentioned by others so I won't repeat
it here. 5" or so will generally make it a custom item.

--
Why isn't there an Ozone Hole at the NORTH Pole?

Thanks for all the suggestions..... I *can* make a homemade wrench, as
suggested by some, but I was hoping to find something which would be
almost a perfect fit down on top of the wingnut, to prevent breaking
off the "ears". The pipe with a slot will probably work, and the
links provided show basically that style plus one looking like a piece
of folded-over metal but still not exactly what I was wanting. I
guess I could get a 3/8" wingnut, and start machining.......
Thanks for the help.
Ken.

You could also remove the wing nut and replace it with a hex nut. Use
an open end wrench to make adjustments. . . . or a custom made deep
socket [welded to a pipe handle]
Bugs

When I read this there were 5 replies. All but one refering to a
home-made tool. Does anyone read these questions?

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 12:08:11 GMT, Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote:

Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8" bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.
Thanks.
Ken.

In article ,
Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote:

Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8" bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.
Thanks.
Ken.

I've successfully used a long coil spring--I think it came off a
tractor implement--to unwind a stubborn wingnut. Not exactly home made,
I simply picked it up and used it. Only grabs one wing, though.
You could also look into a spanner socket and used the little pegs
against the wings. Dunno how deep you can get those, though.

--
B.B. --I am not a goat! thegoat4 at airmail dot net
http://web2.airmail.net/thegoat4/

Ok - I made some for my wife out of wood, but metal is easy also.

Think of an H the bottom of the H allows the round part of the wind nut
to slip up into. The legs of the H are closer than those of the wings.
In other words, take a square that is larger than the nut - a rod or short one.
Drill a hole down the center of the length - 5 or more ? - or just poke out
the top - you could make a 10" length with a 5 inch bore...
Then slot the end such that the slots are large enough to allow the wings
to enter.

Place over wing and with a hand or wrench - turn in the needed direction.

The ones I made were over size - and allowed my wife to hand twist nuts
without mashing her fingers and being able to tighten with more torque...

Martin

B.B. wrote:

In article ,
Ken Sterling (Ken Sterling) wrote:

Gang,
Other than "home-made", does anyone know of a "wing-nut" wrench that
could be used to go down over about 5" of bolt before fitting down
over the wing nut? I didn't see anything in McM-C, but I have a
situation where a motor belt tension adjustment uses *long* 3/8" bolts
to support a hinged plate on which the motor is mounted - but after a
couple of years, the wingnuts are real tough to turn (if not
impossible) and there really isn't much room for "long handles".
Looking for something with a hole in the center which would drop down
over the bolt, sit on the "wings" of the wing nut and allow turning.
Thanks.
Ken.

I've successfully used a long coil spring--I think it came off a
tractor implement--to unwind a stubborn wingnut. Not exactly home made,
I simply picked it up and used it. Only grabs one wing, though.
You could also look into a spanner socket and used the little pegs
against the wings. Dunno how deep you can get those, though.

--
Martin Eastburn, Barbara Eastburn
@ home at Lion's Lair with our computer
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
I'm probably going to try something like this, Martin. I will want to
machine the bottom end of the "device" so that there is a good fit
around and down over the entire wing nut, shaped so that there is no
"slop". Reason being is that (damn engineers) the motor is mounted to
a flat plate, and the long 3/8 bolts come up through the bottom of the
machine, then a wingnut is placed on both of the long bolts (upside
down, then the plate is set down over the bolts and another wingnut is
installed in the proper direction down to the plate. It's used to
provide belt tension for the machine. Problem is: there is about 4 or
so inches of bolt above the wingnut - and it gets rusted (they
couldn't have used stainless?) and the wingnuts can't be loosened due
to the rust. I'm thinking with some PBBlaster and the proper tool, I
will be able to get them loose. Thanks for the idea. There doesn't
appear to be anything suitable made commercially.
Ken.

To make sure you do not break the wingnuts, freezing them in place, use
your homemade or bought tool to remove both nuts, lapping them into
place as you go with some silicon carbide "Clover" or equivalent
grease-mixed compound. _Don't_ just unscrew them; they will jam
eventually, and you will break a wing. Rather, loosen and tighten
alternately, working the compound in, preventing the buildup of tension
that will break the nut. A lot like using a tap, loosen some, then
retighten, never simply run it all the way out.

I agree they are made to be tightened by hand and should be
reconditioned until they do tighten by hand. Simply forcing them will
end up with a broken nut, and a non-adjustable adjustment.

Once free of the screw, they will be worn and loose but can be
replaced. If the new nuts are tight, then lap them into place, as well,
until they work smoothly. A thread resizing die can be used if you have
removed all the compound. If not, you'll ruin the die.

On 3 Feb 2005 06:16:03 -0800, "Bugs" vaguely
proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

You could also remove the wing nut

......but I think "how" is the whole problem.