I just told my daughter that I was about to watch a nearly 25 minute video about the correct way to use an adjustable spanner and she looked at me like I've gone mad.
Did you mention added to the previous video it's 45 minutes? I am about to watch the linked destruction testing too 😂 gotta be over an hour by then. It's one of my favourite tools due to it's versatility and I've used it in a couple jobs. Always a good tool to have if in a jam.
Ah, the old nut fucker. May I suggest that if using to the point of destruction of the nut/ bolt, shifter , top lip , eyebrow or forehead, you have missed the point of the very useful tool that is designed to be used in either orientation. Like all tools, there is a large variation of quality available from children’s toys to professional use. When cleaned, lubricated and stored correctly, a quality shifter will last a lifetime.
You were right first time. There is a self locking component in an adjustable shifter. Try taking the screw adjuster out of an old shifter. On square stock like you demonstrated (to maximise the effect at extremes) wrong direction will just slide the movable jaw. Right direction will lock to jaw to some extent (a good thing)
Great video. When you mentioned the 15° angle on wrench and the reason for it, I recalled that I discovered something back in 2005 that I thought very clever. On a spanner (wrench) with 12 point ring on one end, and 'open-ender' on the other, they were even offset to one another. This had the effect of halving the 15° to 7.5°, allowing me to do up a nut on an inaccessable DIY shed door hinge I'd designed. I guess all sets of those spanners have that feature, but I never knew.
Thanks Uncle JC. I feel so much more blokey lol. Seriously, great stuff, please do keep making these styled videos as they not only make great sense but they're nicely entertaining in presentation. Long live Uncle JC
A Japanese tourist and a Ukrainian Canadian struck up a conversation in Butchart Gardens. The Japanese tourist said that gardens in Japan were much older, more subtle and sophisticated. The conversation became quite animated and suddenly there was a flash through the air and the Canadian fell to the ground stunned. After a few seconds he got up shaking his head. The Japanese bowed and said "Open palm strike, Ishin Ryu Karate, Okinawa, 1961 Black Belt,.“. The conversation began again at a more civil level but soon escalated. Suddenly there was a flash of silver through the air and the tourist fell to the ground stunned. After several minutes he got shakily to his feet. The Canadian bowed and said "Crescent wrench, $19.95, Canadian Tire". (as you might guess, I first heard this when I was about five, a long time ago) No data, no conversation.
I'm just glad he changed his shirt, that really freaked me out. I hope you are a member of the dull men's club. We have great things to talk about in there.
Some FMEA from the Automotive Attenborough of Australia...Blows my mind how I keep getting sucked into these lengthy narrations...Excellent content as always my friend...cheers from 'Merica!
I did my apprenticeship in the 70s in a large engineering work shop when men were men and if you looked sideways at someone watch out and I have always loved the work shop jargon I still use it today most of it is politically incorrect but I don’t give a shit. 👍🇦🇺
Agreed, but Snap-On flank drive shifters are fantastic and don't destroy nuts/bolts. They cost $$$ but save time and problems by not destroying the fasteners.
Ah, childhood memories (I'm a farmer's son). I can add "sharpening rod" to your list! A few quick swipes can at least somewhat enhance your field knife, I believe.
I nearly always have success turning a tight nut with two spanners linked together. That is with the ring end on the nut and the open end linked with a ring end of another. Some should say that's an easy way to wreck your spanner, but it works 99% of the time.
I only use a shifter if I have no other option and use it in the "wrong" direction because I think having the contact point on the movable jaw closer in gives less chance of rounding the nut off. This becomes more obvious if you consider a shifter that has enough wear that the jaws are no longer parallel but splayed out slightly.
Poofteenths and cunthairs were common measurement units back in my youth. When a young bloke would ask "how many thous are in an inch" the usual reply was "millions of the little cunts".
The shifters I've seen that have failed, usually invovled a piece of pipe used to gain more leverage, or a knockometer applied to the end of the handle.
i never use that on a nut cause if it slips or moves it rounds it. Ive only used that when i want to bend small brackets that might be crooked like radiator brackets or sheet metal i want to straighten up when fixing the edge of car panels.
Totally understand what you’re saying and wholly agree from a nut/wrench/knuckle f’ing perspective. I more often position them the opposite direction (unless for access constraints), because the angle _seems_ to provide more leverage to really ‘wrench’ on it (whether pushing or pulling), and if/when the nut rounds and becomes f’ed, you’re hand/s are less likely to slip off the wrench, which could cause more personal injury than skinning a knuckle or two. Also the opposite angle tends to face better when hammering on it, as the hammer doesn’t deflect off the end of the wrench as much. No idea if this is valid, but to me it just ‘feels right’ to do the opposite, and I always get a (tiny) sense of satisfaction when starting an awkward nut, when the wrench first fits in the opposite orientation to the ‘right way’.
As someone that lives deep in the "rust belt" of 'merica, I'll confirm that penetrating oil tends not to do a lot until that initial breaking free of heavily corroded fastener. If you can let those products soak for a LONG time (a week or more), then sometimes they get into the threads before breaking loose.
Step out of the tool cage and the teacher asks if I have the right tool for the job. I spin the adjuster and say "It's the right tool for a lot of jobs." He just shook his head.
Nearly all Crescent style wrenches have jaw problems that causes strip heads etc. Even when tighten each time, the worm and jaw often loosens during operation and not just cheap ones do that. Stanley 85-610 is a "hybrid" with Vice-grips to stop loose jaws striping heads or just grip a head without anyone holding the wrench. Very helpful when can't reach the head of a floating bolt by one person for whatever reason trying to remove a nut. This only really works in one way that most of effort doesn't push on locking level.
The Torque Test Channel is great. I’ve found, for me, that penetrating oil seems to work a bit better if you tap the parts when you apply the oil. It possibly vibrates the parts, allowing the oil to penetrate slightly better. It may be just enough to matter. It might also be a placebo.
@ it’s not the oil. If it can get in there it does help somewhat. It’s whether my tapping the fitting is helping that’s the question. I find that warming, not heating, the connection helps the oil worm its way in as well.
@@melgross My dad taught me to tap the bolt with a light hammer like a ballpeen while putting tension on the spanner holding the nut. Works a charm to loosen stubborn bolts. So your tapping is definitely helping.
Was always taught not to use it backwards and put the forces on the worm. Also, the worm needs the end play spring installed - real PITA if that spring is absent or knackered. Also, I used to use an *oxy-spanner* and a knockometer.
Ive always heard them called Crescent wrenches and have never heard them called anything else. Crescent is the maker of the most popular in Louisiana but all brands get called by that name. the wrenches when used upside down is a good way of getting injured or and used upside down it will slip off because the lower jar is much weaker and will round the nut off.
I have found the best way to undo the ceased bolt or nut is actually when the hammer trick doesn't work is to do the opposite, try to tighten the bolt or nut using the same brute force, if you hear a cracking noise then the bolt is now free and will undo! When I say brute force I so mean using the adjustable wrench with a long tube to make it longer to increase leverage. But you must remember if anything breaks everything, including you will suddenly move in the direction of force so be careful you are not going to break your bones on anything in the way! When in industry use industrial force, safely.
0:45 - I use it both ways, yet as said here, when putting quite a deal more pull, and the arrangement provides that clearance... I tend to think of it like the hand, grasping... all those fingers, to that one thumb... wrap the _'fingers'_ (solid with the handle bit), to pull, rather than pushing, with the _'thumb'_ (the sliding, adjustable bit) - otherwise, if I can help it, time permits, and the proper spanner, isn't in the other tool-box, away - I prefer to use a box-end, wrench, and cheater-pipe (not for smoking), or better yet, an impact-driver... We can't always use what's ideal, so use what we have, the best way possible... I'll watch the remainder of the video to see why this is still in debate... though it has been, for quite some time now... Cheers-
I hope in the next episode you discuss the proper use of the shifter as a Hammer mate , essentially so those tool illiterates can safety and securely nail shit together! Asking for friend seen using tool improperly as you know Know-it-alls don’t listen to just anybody . Keep on Hammering and Torquing Auto Expert
F-en Engineers.. we were taught to hate them, but nowadays i appreciate them immeasureably ! During my apprenticeship ( approx 100 Years ago ) we were taught to " lead with the short-jaw " That applied to open-ended spanners, multi-grips, vice-grips, and yep them 'nut-lathes' ( called crescents in NZ, and shifters in Oz ), Onya Sir John, logic is Noted and enjoyed lots Mate
If you really want to apply force, maybe one should be using a fixed size instead? I only use shifters as a last resort because they damage the nuts/bolts too much. P.S. I commented before the end - he actually covers this.
I'm a Fitter And Turner , I started in 1967 , I did a 5 year Apprenticeship as was the case at the time , I all so do General Engineering , Fabrication , Hydraulic's and Pneumatic's , very time I see some one use a Shifter the Wrong way I Cringe , having said that I all so have used it both ways But only with the right amount of force , they are meant to work One Way when you are working it hard . Using the shifter with a Looose grip is Not how you use it , It should be snug their for the contact point is up the top and Not at the end of the jaw , your Hypothesis is wrong when you use it the right way .
Not sure after reading that which way you think is correct, but I look at it this way: Using it the way John that described as "the right way", the extra torque on the end of the jaw is going to force that end of the jaw "out" more, ( ie away from the other face) thus increasing the "non-parallelity" (idk I'm just making up words at this point ) between the two contact faces of the spanner, thus making it more likely to fuck the nut. I'm less concerned about one failing catastrophically than getting whatever it is undone, as I've never had one break on me. So I'll keep using them the "wrong" way. ( But I'm going to check out Torque Factor cos I'm this far invested already) Have a good one.
John - I concur completely re: your recommenced usage of shifters aka adjustable wrenches. Your 30 degree handle angle explanation was ideal and something I consider a vast majority of uses would not have been aware of. But - how do I "ideally" manipulate the Hot-Tub Wenches to my best advantage? "Please" do tell 🙂
I've spent most of my working life in heavy industry and have broken plenty of shifters. they always snap the worm threads, especially the big 24" plus shifters. the rest of the tool has remained unscathed and we used to have spare worms in the tool store
@@AutoExpertJC I have, but it was made of finest Chinesium. $4.99 at the local purveyor of cheap imported crap, according to the price tag. My tight-arse mate got told that yes, I had indeed broken his brand new shifter, and that he should go buy another one. Preferably one that cost more than a large pizza, as opposed to one which cost less than a couple of steamed dimmies.
RCH was the smallest unit of measurement on any jobsite I worked here in 'Murica. The main criteria I sort adjustable wrenches by is practical: Grab a nut or bolt that about half fills the throat of the wrench. Place it all the way to the back and tighten the wrench, as one should if he doesn't want to be a "nutfucker". Now try to pull the wrench straight off, parallel to the jaws--as you would in a confined space. Nine times out of ten--or maybe ninety-eight times out of a hundred--the wrench is stuck because the jaws are not parallel to each other. I have one of ten adjustables that passes this test in the company shop, and they're by all other measures POS--no COO, no brand, just 10"-250mm Chrome Vanadium. I found them in the woods as a large lump of rust and restored them to prove a point about rust removal and now they're my favorite adjustables.
Would I be wrong in saying that if you’re using an adjustable (regardless of direction) to the point of breaking it that perhaps you’re using the wrong tool?
I've got to agree with you there Tony. I've done some terrible things to shifters over the years and rounded many nuts but incredibly, no busted shifters yet.
@@grantperkins368 Again, you were Not trying ( or desperate ) enough... I have put cheater-bars on Lots ( usually the bigger nuts ) and Yep, nut stays still and worse-for-wear, bluddy shifter fails... Good Luck !
"Hit the spanner at will"... What did Will do to you that you are hitting the spanner at him?. This video is on shifters, but I am going to talk about multigrips. The "correct way to use a shifter" is more the correct way to use multigrips. If the top, outer bit is the side that you are pushing the handles on ( ie you are pushing the handle attached to the moveable jaw. I know that it seems I changed direction but I didn't ), the pressure on the handle is trying to close the jaws while the torque is "wrapped around" whatever you are trying to turn. Going the other way, your grip strength is doing all the gripping and the torque is also being added. One way, the torque adds to the grip while the other takes the grip away.
If it's really that tuff to turn, ya probably got the wrong tool ! A decent Pipe Wrench with a length of appropriate sized pipe over the longer handle will give you all the purchase ya need plus, keep ya out of the danger zone . Greetings from Canuckistan !
When you fire up the stick welder to light the gas axe to light your smoke ( whether tobacco or a different blend, I'm not judging ), that is correct usage.
I would like to know when I whack my spanner with my shifter should I forgo some leverage by hitting the shaft near the swelling or is the ring strong enough to be pounded without concern for long term damage?
Back when I was working on the rigs, the rig mechanic used to say that anyone using a shifter (crescent, Westralia) had been “Roughneckified) 😂. Incidentally, did you know that the Westralian crescent was invented by the Swedish (Bacho)?
My TAFE teacher cracked the Sh!ts when I used a shifter and said I should use the proper sized spanner....the Army mechanics never use a shifter.....so year later I joined the army as a qualified mechanic and got issues a tool box and it also contained 3 shifters.....I had a little giggle to my self...
I still maintain that a wrench is a god awful description of something that plumber or an American uses to apply force to a Nut. "Spanner" my good friend is the proper word to describe a tool to remove fasteners.
You won’t be breaking one with hand strength alone. A 2 1/2 m length of pipe will help. The Chinese ones will break quickly as they have a lot of flex. The big Bahco will last pretty well, but I’ve broken a few of those trying to release big concrete coring bits. Always the bottom, movable jaw.
My old boss used to use a term for torque and measuring different objects, give it 'two poofteenth's of a female pubic hair'. After having been in the auto electrical game for fifty years, I have still been unable to find a measuring implement marked in 'poofteenth's of a c##thair' I am still wondering if it is an Imperial or Metric term?
If you have a Bahco or Garrington or Crescent or Jackdaw adjustable and only use the power that your arm can exert on the handle, no hammering or cheater bars, then it won’t break. They’re designed to be stronger, as they get bigger, and on your own, you’ll never break a quality tool
Turn nutfukker to adjustable wrench guide. Take angle grinder and gring tips of the jaw just a beesdick. If you have something jammed significantly. Put wrench on nut, tight it and remove it than tight it up just a beesdick. Put grinded adjustable wrench back to nut and smack it with hammer on the nut... That way you have tightest possible wrench on planet earth. Every hydraulic service has to have that, those things are bathing in acidic dust and numbers on wrench aren't meaning anything because that wheel loader have been eaten by acid sludge and dust for years. so you need to have tight open end wrench. Nut was 46 mm in factory but now you need 44,8 +air hammer +huge pipe on end of that wrench... Torch doesn't go trough door of that factory because even gate is flammable
mrpete222 did a “not perfectly scientific video”on this topic about 8 years ago titled: (MYTH BREAKERS #1 (Pt 1 of 2) Use & Abuse of Crescent Wrenches tublacain) that I found interesting. He also sounds a little like Jimmy Stewart. Which is a good thing haha! Cheers from Texas!
John, I'm really disappointed about your fire concerns with the oxytorch. Like whats a minor house fire vs the importance of getting a bolt unstuck? Just a disappointing attitude.
I think that it was in the first few hours of commencing my apprenticeship that the tradesmen indoctrinated me into the ways of correct use of tools. I was taught to use them in the order below as the job demanded: 1. Sockets 2. Ring Spanners 3. Open ended Spanners 4. Shifters And this is the first that I've heard shifters called "Crescent Wrenches", too. And of course, the rather crude "AFS", too... And the angular doody-whatsits that you apply to shifters is also applied to open enders... Of course, the amount of room allowed to swing the spanner dictates how you use them too. Great video. Hope that someone learns something from it.
@@mikelastname indeed. The list is highly extendable, the worse the damaged nut/bolt head becomes. But I think it taps out when the gas axe is brought into service... Joking aside, one of the more useful gadgets that I have is an impact driver. No, not the ones that Makita makes but one that you hit with a hammer to drive loose any stubborn screws, particularly Phillips headed ones.
@ I would only put fire extinguisher after gas axe on the list. I like my impact driver as smashing it with a roomy big hammer feels like making progress, but access is often an issue in an engine bay.
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. Worth remembering. At least they can get steel chips out of your eye with a magnet. So you might not lose the eye.
When I did my apprenticeship, I was told, by someone who may or may not have known what the hell they were talking about (those who can do, those who can’t teach), that the adjustable part of the shifter (Crescent if your in Westralia) is the weaker part , so therefore, you want to be loading the bottom of the adjustable bit, not the top, because that’ll put more leverage on it and break it. Edit. And after watching your video to the end , it appears the bloke who taught me, didn’t know what the hell he was talking about 🤷. What hope does the world have when the educators are wrong 🤷
Just to set the record straight on the whole” those that can do, those that can’t teach” thing. This is not about a lack of knowledge, it derives from those who were physically injured on the job so rendered them “unable to do in the field”, they then went on to pass their knowledge on in the classroom.
I have to wonder what's wrong with me for watching 45 odd mins on shifters. But I agree the Torque test channel is cool wasted a lot of my time watching that too.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
I just told my daughter that I was about to watch a nearly 25 minute video about the correct way to use an adjustable spanner and she looked at me like I've gone mad.
That's completely normal.
@@AutoExpertJC Which bit..?
Did you mention added to the previous video it's 45 minutes? I am about to watch the linked destruction testing too 😂 gotta be over an hour by then.
It's one of my favourite tools due to it's versatility and I've used it in a couple jobs. Always a good tool to have if in a jam.
She is right!
Ah, the old nut fucker. May I suggest that if using to the point of destruction of the nut/ bolt, shifter , top lip , eyebrow or forehead, you have missed the point of the very useful tool that is designed to be used in either orientation. Like all tools, there is a large variation of quality available from children’s toys to professional use. When cleaned, lubricated and stored correctly, a quality shifter will last a lifetime.
My dad always referred to the incremental torque increase as a “poofteenth.” I miss the good old days.
You were right first time. There is a self locking component in an adjustable shifter. Try taking the screw adjuster out of an old shifter. On square stock like you demonstrated (to maximise the effect at extremes) wrong direction will just slide the movable jaw. Right direction will lock to jaw to some extent (a good thing)
Great video.
When you mentioned the 15° angle on wrench and the reason for it, I recalled that I discovered something back in 2005 that I thought very clever.
On a spanner (wrench) with 12 point ring on one end, and 'open-ender' on the other, they were even offset to one another. This had the effect of halving the 15° to 7.5°, allowing me to do up a nut on an inaccessable DIY shed door hinge I'd designed. I guess all sets of those spanners have that feature, but I never knew.
Thanks Uncle JC. I feel so much more blokey lol. Seriously, great stuff, please do keep making these styled videos as they not only make great sense but they're nicely entertaining in presentation. Long live Uncle JC
A Japanese tourist and a Ukrainian Canadian struck up a conversation in Butchart Gardens. The Japanese tourist said that gardens in Japan were much older, more subtle and sophisticated. The conversation became quite animated and suddenly there was a flash through the air and the Canadian fell to the ground stunned. After a few seconds he got up shaking his head. The Japanese bowed and said "Open palm strike, Ishin Ryu Karate, Okinawa, 1961 Black Belt,.“. The conversation began again at a more civil level but soon escalated. Suddenly there was a flash of silver through the air and the tourist fell to the ground stunned. After several minutes he got shakily to his feet. The Canadian bowed and said "Crescent wrench, $19.95, Canadian Tire". (as you might guess, I first heard this when I was about five, a long time ago)
No data, no conversation.
Yeah, oldie but a goodie. One variation on this was a crowbar from Castles (Castles being a hardware store where I lived).
Two episodes on shifters. I never saw this coming.
Neither did I. I shiftered myself.
@AutoExpertJC Really throws a wrench into things
@@AutoExpertJC Old mate is running out of content.
I'm just glad he changed his shirt, that really freaked me out. I hope you are a member of the dull men's club. We have great things to talk about in there.
I have used shiffters for years as long as adjustment is correct and sensible torque is used.😊
Some FMEA from the Automotive Attenborough of Australia...Blows my mind how I keep getting sucked into these lengthy narrations...Excellent content as always my friend...cheers from 'Merica!
Thanks!
Thank you very much, Mr Barus. I appreciate your comment.
I did my apprenticeship in the 70s in a large engineering work shop when men were men and if you looked sideways at someone watch out and I have always loved the work shop jargon I still use it today most of it is politically incorrect but I don’t give a shit. 👍🇦🇺
As an old mechanic, I love a shifter, until I don't.
19:19 yep. I use 6 point sockets pretty much for everything now to avoid damage.
Agreed, but Snap-On flank drive shifters are fantastic and don't destroy nuts/bolts. They cost $$$ but save time and problems by not destroying the fasteners.
@@michaelbradley3393 I have sockets with me when I have spanners and shifters so no time saved.
You tried a 6 point ring spanner? I'm wondering if they are worth the cost and aggravation of limited arc for the grip benefit.
@@mikelastnameyes they are for underbody nuts you'd prefer not to round off.
Simple analysis delivers an absolute, a little deeper thinking delivers a vector.
The first time I heard someone refer to the “hot wrench”, I loved it, it’s been in my lexicon ever since.
"Adjustable Nut Rounder", singularly most used tool in my tractors toolbox. Spanner/lever/pry and hammer all in one :D
Ah, childhood memories (I'm a farmer's son). I can add "sharpening rod" to your list! A few quick swipes can at least somewhat enhance your field knife, I believe.
UNF- Universal nut fer
Variable open-ender
( spanner )
My tractor tool box. Shifter. Mash hammer, leatherman.
Brilliant! John is not only a great engineer but he is able to put things forward in an interesting and entertaining way.
I can confirm John is 100% correct as i have a photo of a 10" Crescent wrench that actually has an arrow to show direction of use.
I nearly always have success turning a tight nut with two spanners linked together. That is with the ring end on the nut and the open end linked with a ring end of another. Some should say that's an easy way to wreck your spanner, but it works 99% of the time.
I only use a shifter if I have no other option and use it in the "wrong" direction because I think having the contact point on the movable jaw closer in gives less chance of rounding the nut off. This becomes more obvious if you consider a shifter that has enough wear that the jaws are no longer parallel but splayed out slightly.
👍 my thinking also!
Poofteenths and cunthairs were common measurement units back in my youth. When a young bloke would ask "how many thous are in an inch" the usual reply was "millions of the little cunts".
The problem with "cunthairs" as a measure is, ok they are thin but some of them can get fairly long.
I still use them and install in every apprentice I have over the last 25years
...back in the day, when they had hair.
The shifters I've seen that have failed, usually invovled a piece of pipe used to gain more leverage, or a knockometer applied to the end of the handle.
i never use that on a nut cause if it slips or moves it rounds it. Ive only used that when i want to bend small brackets that might be crooked like radiator brackets or sheet metal i want to straighten up when fixing the edge of car panels.
Also project farm has done testing of these with a press showing explosions. Was great.
11:52 ttc is awesome too.
Project farm is awesome.
@@AutoExpertJC It's very impressive!
slop between the worm and the moving jaw is the key factor. The lower the helix angle of the worm drive the better the shifter will work.
I worked with an old ridgey-didge Aussie, a shifter was always called a silver hammer.
Totally understand what you’re saying and wholly agree from a nut/wrench/knuckle f’ing perspective. I more often position them the opposite direction (unless for access constraints), because the angle _seems_ to provide more leverage to really ‘wrench’ on it (whether pushing or pulling), and if/when the nut rounds and becomes f’ed, you’re hand/s are less likely to slip off the wrench, which could cause more personal injury than skinning a knuckle or two. Also the opposite angle tends to face better when hammering on it, as the hammer doesn’t deflect off the end of the wrench as much. No idea if this is valid, but to me it just ‘feels right’ to do the opposite, and I always get a (tiny) sense of satisfaction when starting an awkward nut, when the wrench first fits in the opposite orientation to the ‘right way’.
As someone that lives deep in the "rust belt" of 'merica, I'll confirm that penetrating oil tends not to do a lot until that initial breaking free of heavily corroded fastener. If you can let those products soak for a LONG time (a week or more), then sometimes they get into the threads before breaking loose.
Step out of the tool cage and the teacher asks if I have the right tool for the job. I spin the adjuster and say "It's the right tool for a lot of jobs." He just shook his head.
The kids are going to talk about it in the nursing home that's a classic
Inox is an excellent spray on penentrant, it will also lubricate and break down rust.
You're not losing it, you just need to introduce more insulting dialogue like your videos used to have. I've kinda been missing it actually
Nearly all Crescent style wrenches have jaw problems that causes strip heads etc. Even when tighten each time, the worm and jaw often loosens during operation and not just cheap ones do that. Stanley 85-610 is a "hybrid" with Vice-grips to stop loose jaws striping heads or just grip a head without anyone holding the wrench. Very helpful when can't reach the head of a floating bolt by one person for whatever reason trying to remove a nut. This only really works in one way that most of effort doesn't push on locking level.
The Torque Test Channel is great. I’ve found, for me, that penetrating oil seems to work a bit better if you tap the parts when you apply the oil. It possibly vibrates the parts, allowing the oil to penetrate slightly better. It may be just enough to matter. It might also be a placebo.
Penetrating oil IS placebo. Liquid courage. It gives you the confidence to turn it a little harder.
@ it’s not the oil. If it can get in there it does help somewhat. It’s whether my tapping the fitting is helping that’s the question. I find that warming, not heating, the connection helps the oil worm its way in as well.
@@melgross My dad taught me to tap the bolt with a light hammer like a ballpeen while putting tension on the spanner holding the nut. Works a charm to loosen stubborn bolts. So your tapping is definitely helping.
Was always taught not to use it backwards and put the forces on the worm. Also, the worm needs the end play spring installed - real PITA if that spring is absent or knackered. Also, I used to use an *oxy-spanner* and a knockometer.
I would love to see a stress simulation on the tool in both directions, then a real test. Interesting stuff
You are correct, my shed doesn't have any shifters, the toolbox in my ute has 2 shifters.
Bonza!
Good video mate.
Ive always heard them called Crescent wrenches and have never heard them called anything else. Crescent is the maker of the most popular in Louisiana but all brands get called by that name. the wrenches when used upside down is a good way of getting injured or and used upside down it will slip off because the lower jar is much weaker and will round the nut off.
he did use the term crescent wrench in his first video in case you have not seen that yet 😁
What's your view on magnetic induction heaters as an alternative to the gas axe John?
I have found the best way to undo the ceased bolt or nut is actually when the hammer trick doesn't work is to do the opposite, try to tighten the bolt or nut using the same brute force, if you hear a cracking noise then the bolt is now free and will undo!
When I say brute force I so mean using the adjustable wrench with a long tube to make it longer to increase leverage.
But you must remember if anything breaks everything, including you will suddenly move in the direction of force so be careful you are not going to break your bones on anything in the way!
When in industry use industrial force, safely.
_"mad-man, of metal-manipulating, mayhem"_ - That's a mouthful... Cheers-
0:45 - I use it both ways, yet as said here, when putting quite a deal more pull, and the arrangement provides that clearance... I tend to think of it like the hand, grasping... all those fingers, to that one thumb... wrap the _'fingers'_ (solid with the handle bit), to pull, rather than pushing, with the _'thumb'_ (the sliding, adjustable bit) - otherwise, if I can help it, time permits, and the proper spanner, isn't in the other tool-box, away - I prefer to use a box-end, wrench, and cheater-pipe (not for smoking), or better yet, an impact-driver... We can't always use what's ideal, so use what we have, the best way possible... I'll watch the remainder of the video to see why this is still in debate... though it has been, for quite some time now... Cheers-
I hope in the next episode you discuss the proper use of the shifter as a Hammer mate , essentially so those tool illiterates can safety and securely nail shit together! Asking for friend seen using tool improperly as you know Know-it-alls don’t listen to just anybody . Keep on Hammering and Torquing Auto Expert
Where do stilsons fit into the mix?
F-en Engineers.. we were taught to hate them, but nowadays i appreciate them immeasureably !
During my apprenticeship ( approx 100 Years ago ) we were taught to " lead with the short-jaw "
That applied to open-ended spanners, multi-grips, vice-grips, and yep them 'nut-lathes'
( called crescents in NZ, and shifters in Oz ), Onya Sir John, logic is Noted and enjoyed lots Mate
@7:44 in the woods, the "gas axe" refers to the chainsaw
If you really want to apply force, maybe one should be using a fixed size instead? I only use shifters as a last resort because they damage the nuts/bolts too much.
P.S. I commented before the end - he actually covers this.
I'm a Fitter And Turner , I started in 1967 , I did a 5 year Apprenticeship as was the case at the time , I all so do General Engineering , Fabrication , Hydraulic's and Pneumatic's , very time I see some one use a Shifter the Wrong way I Cringe , having said that I all so have used it both ways But only with the right amount of force , they are meant to work One Way when you are working it hard . Using the shifter with a Looose grip is Not how you use it , It should be snug their for the contact point is up the top and Not at the end of the jaw , your Hypothesis is wrong when you use it the right way .
Not sure after reading that which way you think is correct, but I look at it this way: Using it the way John that described as "the right way", the extra torque on the end of the jaw is going to force that end of the jaw "out" more, ( ie away from the other face) thus increasing the "non-parallelity" (idk I'm just making up words at this point ) between the two contact faces of the spanner, thus making it more likely to fuck the nut.
I'm less concerned about one failing catastrophically than getting whatever it is undone, as I've never had one break on me. So I'll keep using them the "wrong" way.
( But I'm going to check out Torque Factor cos I'm this far invested already)
Have a good one.
I was always advised against using brass as a mallet hitting surface due to how the brass splinters compared to copper or bronze.
Well Well Well .. All this time, i'd been SO careful - to use the thing the WRONG xxxxing way!
OK I'm convinced ;) Thanks JC
I reckon you're too easily convinced. Failure is not the major consideration, getting the nut off is.
John - I concur completely re: your recommenced usage of shifters aka adjustable wrenches. Your 30 degree handle angle explanation was ideal and something I consider a vast majority of uses would not have been aware of. But - how do I "ideally" manipulate the Hot-Tub Wenches to my best advantage? "Please" do tell 🙂
You need to be sure to get adjustable wenches.
Never use a shifter in conjunction with a rattle gun. Learnt that the hard way.
Nah yu not loosing it John arr rooly enjoy yu lectures loik bein back at school
Spot on John
I've spent most of my working life in heavy industry and have broken plenty of shifters. they always snap the worm threads, especially the big 24" plus shifters. the rest of the tool has remained unscathed and we used to have spare worms in the tool store
Yeah. I've never seen one snap anywhere else.
@@AutoExpertJC I have, but it was made of finest Chinesium. $4.99 at the local purveyor of cheap imported crap, according to the price tag.
My tight-arse mate got told that yes, I had indeed broken his brand new shifter, and that he should go buy another one. Preferably one that cost more than a large pizza, as opposed to one which cost less than a couple of steamed dimmies.
I have also heard of them referred to as "Thumb detectors"
Only place to use one is on a big hex. Back wheel axle nut on a dirt bike etc
In my job working on aircraft, if you used an adjustable wrench they would kick your arse. Open-ended, or ring scanners in the correct size only.
RCH was the smallest unit of measurement on any jobsite I worked here in 'Murica.
The main criteria I sort adjustable wrenches by is practical: Grab a nut or bolt that about half fills the throat of the wrench. Place it all the way to the back and tighten the wrench, as one should if he doesn't want to be a "nutfucker". Now try to pull the wrench straight off, parallel to the jaws--as you would in a confined space. Nine times out of ten--or maybe ninety-eight times out of a hundred--the wrench is stuck because the jaws are not parallel to each other. I have one of ten adjustables that passes this test in the company shop, and they're by all other measures POS--no COO, no brand, just 10"-250mm Chrome Vanadium. I found them in the woods as a large lump of rust and restored them to prove a point about rust removal and now they're my favorite adjustables.
Would I be wrong in saying that if you’re using an adjustable (regardless of direction) to the point of breaking it that perhaps you’re using the wrong tool?
You got everything right except the correct name for that tool. As an engineer I'd expect you to know it's called a nut rounder....
In 40 years as a boilermaker cant ever remember a broken shifter ,even with a pipe on it. so i dont think this even matters
You were not trying hard enough then..... ( or had the correct size spanner available )
3T chain block will do it.
I've got to agree with you there Tony. I've done some terrible things to shifters over the years and rounded many nuts but incredibly, no busted shifters yet.
@@grantperkins368
Again, you were Not trying ( or desperate ) enough... I have put cheater-bars on Lots ( usually the bigger nuts ) and Yep, nut stays still and worse-for-wear, bluddy shifter fails...
Good Luck !
@bluddyrowdy8757 I ll keep trying! Thanks for the encouragement 👍
"Hit the spanner at will"... What did Will do to you that you are hitting the spanner at him?.
This video is on shifters, but I am going to talk about multigrips.
The "correct way to use a shifter" is more the correct way to use multigrips. If the top, outer bit is the side that you are pushing the handles on ( ie you are pushing the handle attached to the moveable jaw. I know that it seems I changed direction but I didn't ), the pressure on the handle is trying to close the jaws while the torque is "wrapped around" whatever you are trying to turn. Going the other way, your grip strength is doing all the gripping and the torque is also being added.
One way, the torque adds to the grip while the other takes the grip away.
Why is it a wrench and not a spanner?
If it's really that tuff to turn, ya probably got the wrong tool !
A decent Pipe Wrench with a length of appropriate sized pipe over the longer handle will give you all the purchase ya need plus, keep ya out of the danger zone . Greetings from Canuckistan !
What about the flammable caveat?
Blue nosed spanner is the term for a 'gas axe' in the UK.
When you fire up the stick welder to light the gas axe to light your smoke ( whether tobacco or a different blend, I'm not judging ), that is correct usage.
Get the ‘ blue spanner ‘ ( oxy / acetylene). Is popular
I would like to know when I whack my spanner with my shifter should I forgo some leverage by hitting the shaft near the swelling or is the ring strong enough to be pounded without concern for long term damage?
So.. which end of the wrench has the nut?
Just wondering when you might do a review on the BYD Shark Ute?
Can you run for PM, Australia needs you mate, seriously.
Shifty this one is... Darth Shifty
We can have a " discussion " about penetrating oils if you want.
Another name I've heard for adjustable wrench is "knuckle-buster".
Back when I was working on the rigs, the rig mechanic used to say that anyone using a shifter (crescent, Westralia) had been “Roughneckified) 😂. Incidentally, did you know that the Westralian crescent was invented by the Swedish (Bacho)?
My TAFE teacher cracked the Sh!ts when I used a shifter and said I should use the proper sized spanner....the Army mechanics never use a shifter.....so year later I joined the army as a qualified mechanic and got issues a tool box and it also contained 3 shifters.....I had a little giggle to my self...
Sometimes you really are full of it, have you actually looked closely at how a shifter is designed and how the moving jaw is supported?
Yes. I have. Thanks for the brain-dead attack.
I still maintain that a wrench is a god awful description of something that plumber or an American uses to apply force to a Nut.
"Spanner" my good friend is the proper word to describe a tool to remove fasteners.
Vast majority: not actual mechanics. I've definitely found out the hard way about shifters on jobs where i couldn't use a spanner.
You won’t be breaking one with hand strength alone. A 2 1/2 m length of pipe will help. The Chinese ones will break quickly as they have a lot of flex. The big Bahco will last pretty well, but I’ve broken a few of those trying to release big concrete coring bits. Always the bottom, movable jaw.
Enjoy the videos most of the time John but who gives a 4X about knuckle heads breaking adjustable wrenches.
My old boss used to use a term for torque and measuring different objects, give it 'two poofteenth's of a female pubic hair'. After having been in the auto electrical game for fifty years, I have still been unable to find a measuring implement marked in 'poofteenth's of a c##thair' I am still wondering if it is an Imperial or Metric term?
If you have a Bahco or Garrington or Crescent or Jackdaw adjustable and only use the power that your arm can exert on the handle, no hammering or cheater bars, then it won’t break. They’re designed to be stronger, as they get bigger, and on your own, you’ll never break a quality tool
Turn nutfukker to adjustable wrench guide. Take angle grinder and gring tips of the jaw just a beesdick. If you have something jammed significantly. Put wrench on nut, tight it and remove it than tight it up just a beesdick. Put grinded adjustable wrench back to nut and smack it with hammer on the nut... That way you have tightest possible wrench on planet earth. Every hydraulic service has to have that, those things are bathing in acidic dust and numbers on wrench aren't meaning anything because that wheel loader have been eaten by acid sludge and dust for years. so you need to have tight open end wrench. Nut was 46 mm in factory but now you need 44,8 +air hammer +huge pipe on end of that wrench... Torch doesn't go trough door of that factory because even gate is flammable
mrpete222 did a “not perfectly scientific video”on this topic about 8 years ago titled: (MYTH BREAKERS #1 (Pt 1 of 2) Use & Abuse of Crescent Wrenches tublacain) that I found interesting. He also sounds a little like Jimmy Stewart. Which is a good thing haha! Cheers from Texas!
When will you shift to another topic?
In the USA the “gas-x” is called the “smoke wrench”.
Smoke wrench: I like it. (Ours is 'Gas Axe' BTW.)
The sliding jaw always in front of direction of travel . TOOL 30 SECONDS
It goes the way it leans
Johnny did you paint it red so you could see it? !! I did # Milwaukee…
John, I'm really disappointed about your fire concerns with the oxytorch. Like whats a minor house fire vs the importance of getting a bolt unstuck? Just a disappointing attitude.
Lofl
I think that it was in the first few hours of commencing my apprenticeship that the tradesmen indoctrinated me into the ways of correct use of tools. I was taught to use them in the order below as the job demanded:
1. Sockets
2. Ring Spanners
3. Open ended Spanners
4. Shifters
And this is the first that I've heard shifters called "Crescent Wrenches", too. And of course, the rather crude "AFS", too...
And the angular doody-whatsits that you apply to shifters is also applied to open enders...
Of course, the amount of room allowed to swing the spanner dictates how you use them too.
Great video. Hope that someone learns something from it.
And then 5. Vice Grips for when you rounded the nut with the SNF
@@mikelastname indeed. The list is highly extendable, the worse the damaged nut/bolt head becomes. But I think it taps out when the gas axe is brought into service...
Joking aside, one of the more useful gadgets that I have is an impact driver. No, not the ones that Makita makes but one that you hit with a hammer to drive loose any stubborn screws, particularly Phillips headed ones.
@ I would only put fire extinguisher after gas axe on the list. I like my impact driver as smashing it with a roomy big hammer feels like making progress, but access is often an issue in an engine bay.
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball. Worth remembering. At least they can get steel chips out of your eye with a magnet. So you might not lose the eye.
When I did my apprenticeship, I was told, by someone who may or may not have known what the hell they were talking about (those who can do, those who can’t teach), that the adjustable part of the shifter (Crescent if your in Westralia) is the weaker part , so therefore, you want to be loading the bottom of the adjustable bit, not the top, because that’ll put more leverage on it and break it.
Edit. And after watching your video to the end , it appears the bloke who taught me, didn’t know what the hell he was talking about 🤷. What hope does the world have when the educators are wrong 🤷
Just to set the record straight on the whole” those that can do, those that can’t teach” thing. This is not about a lack of knowledge, it derives from those who were physically injured on the job so rendered them “unable to do in the field”, they then went on to pass their knowledge on in the classroom.
Pfff. Channel locks ! Multi grips , dude ! 😂. Wonder what they call them in Westralia?
Right way? Wrong way? Who cares? I just like seeing a man playing with his tools.
I have to wonder what's wrong with me for watching 45 odd mins on shifters. But I agree the Torque test channel is cool wasted a lot of my time watching that too.
Translation: Spanner, open end wrench. Ring spanner, box end wrench. You’re welcome.