Having just put a new thermocouple in a water heater and without my crow's feet[which would probably been too big for the job]. question 1 does any one make 1/4" drive crow's feet? question 2 If I were to heat a combination wrench with the oxy torch and bend the open end to 90 deg would I have to re temper, heat treat,or???
Thanks in advance.
Chuck P.
Q1 - Look at Snap-On Tools "Weatherhead" sockets, and if that will work , buy a much less expensive deep socket and grind to match!
Bob
When I needed a special crow's foot (22mm) I made one by cutting off the end of an open end wrench and welding a short (3/8) extension drive to it, works wonderful for tightening the axle nut on my 3-wheeler when nothing else would fit (a socket wouldn't work at all ;(
Free men own guns - www(dot)geocities(dot)com/CapitolHill/5357/
** Posted from
My brother is a diesel mechanic, and many of the tools are specialized. You can either pay lots to the dealer or the snap-on truck, or you can buy big handfuls of cheap wrenches at flea markets and tag sales and modify them as you need them. Cut and rewelded, torched and bent, it all works. He's not had to retemper any that I know of... --Glenn Lyford
Re: Q2: Not necessarily. Depends on how much torque you are going to apply to it in use. Good wrenches are usually alloy tool steel, not just plain carbon steel, so they get a fair of their strength from the alloying elements. I'd give it a try.
During the "flea market" time of year, I try to keep in mind the loose tools I need to fill in a set or for just such a need as you have. I should keep a paper list with me to help. When I see wrenches for 50 cents or so, I don't mind expirementing a little.
Pete Stanaitis
----------------
Pilgrim wrote:
It is going to be a 1/4" drive! I doubt you have to worry too much about temper or heat treat.
Many wrenches are cut off, and welded or brazed, or simply bent cold or hot for special ops. Easy and cheap to do.
Just hack, grind, bend, heat, as required to make it work. I have several special wrenches made from bent box wrenches, cut up sockets, sockets with a bar welded to the side (sort of a deep wall box wrench) and similar.
Most of the good brands and many of the import specials are high enough alloy that they will take the heat> Having just put a new thermocouple in a water heater and without my
I've seen many and made a couple of distributor wrenches out of long wrenches heated and bent. Of course, you must treat it afterward to make it stronger. I don't recall a 1/4" drive, but it's likely available. Maybe not made because of likelihood of twisting off when used with a cheater pipe, as some people would tend to do. ;-)
Steve
Another option is to slice the side of a suitable donor 1/4" drive deep socket, ala O2 sensor driver, yet another use for the 4 1/2" angle grinder with cutoff wheel, also cheap pawn shop sockets. Haven't seen a 1/4" drive set of crow's feet, they all seem to be
3/8". Yet another option is to find some flare nut wrenches and make your bend on them. Had some brake line tools for one car that had the ends bent at 90 degrees like that, think they were Lisle make. How about something like this?:Stan
Snap-On and other high-end tool companies offer 1/4 inch drive crowfoot wrenches. They tend to be pretty expensive and not offered by mass market tool manufacturers. Retempering is generally not needed after hot bending wrenches.
Don Young
Thanks to all who replied.
Chuck P.
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.