It's come to my attention that a bunch of you dopes don't know anything about wrenches. And what do wrenches do for us? Well, that's simple! Everything, but the most important thing? Automail! So I've decided to give you all some helpful facts about wrenches that help make automail what it is today.
Let's start with the general definition of a wrench.
Wrench: A wrench or spanner is a tool used to provide a mechanical advantage in applying torque to turn bolts, nuts or other hard-to-turn items.
** This is the best tool when creating an automail leg or arm, since you need to use bolts to hold all the pieces together. If one unscrews, then it could mess up the whole design.
Types of Wrenches:
Open-end wrench / Flat spanner: a one-piece wrench with a U-shaped opening that grips two opposite faces of the bolt or nut. This wrench is often double-ended, with a different-sized opening at each end. The ends are generally oriented at an angle of around 15 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the handle. This allows a greater range of movement in enclosed spaces by flipping the wrench over.
Ring spanner / Box-end wrench: a one-piece wrench with an enclosed opening that grips the faces of the bolt or nut. The recess is generally a six-point or twelve-point opening for use with nuts or bolt heads with a hexagonal shape. The twelve-point fits onto the fastening at twice as many angles, an advantage where swing is limited. Eight-point wrenches are also made for square-shaped nuts and bolt heads. Ring spanners are often double-ended and usually with offset handles to improve access to the nut or bolt.
Combination wrench / Combination spanner: a double-ended tool with one end being like an open-end wrench or open-ended spanner, and the other end being like a box-end wrench or ring spanner. Both ends generally fit the same size of bolt.
Flare-nut wrench / Tube wrench / Line wrench: used for gripping the nuts on the ends of tubes. It is similar to a box-end wrench but, instead of encircling the nut completely, it has a narrow opening just wide enough to allow the wrench to fit over the tube. This allows for maximum contact on plumbing nuts, which are typically softer metals and therefore more prone to damage from open-ended wrenches.
Adjustable end wrench / Adjustable spanner / Shifting spanner: an open-ended wrench with adjustable (usually smooth) jaws.
Monkey wrench: an old type of adjustable end wrench with a straight handle and smooth jaws.
Pipe wrench: an adjustable-end wrench with self-tightening properties and hard serrated jaws that securely grip soft iron pipe and pipe fittings.
Socket wrench: a hollow cylinder that fits over one end of a nut or bolt head. It may include a handle, but is usually used with various drive tools. It generally has either a six-point or twelve-point recess, may be shallow or deep, and may have a built-in universal joint.
Slogging Spanner: A spanner (both open and ring types are available) with a block end to the handle specifically designed for use with a hammer. Typically used to release large nuts and bolts where the shock of the impact is useful in breaking rust or paint.
And there you go! All the information on wrenches you need to know! That is...if you're not going to be an Automail Mechanic like myself, if you are, well, that's another story.
