A wrench, also called an adjustable spanner or an adjustable wrench, is a tool that can be used to remove or install nuts and bolts. Depending on the size of the nut or bolt, the twist can be made narrower or wider.
The wrench has a fixed jaw, a sliding jaw that can be moved along a thread, and an arm or handle. The threaded part becomes a sliding jaw regulator that lets you adjust how wide or narrow the wrench is.
History says that an English engineer named Richard Clyburn came up with the wrench in 1842. This key is called an “English key in some European countries.”
Wrench Function
The wrench is a key that has many uses and is a must-have tool. This is because its job is to help remove or tighten nuts or bolts when a wrench or ring key is not the right tool.
But it would help if you didn’t use a wrench on nuts or bolts that have a heavy load. This is because it can hurt the bolt or wrench’s surface.
Wrench Parts
The wrench is divided into several parts, including:
- Fixed Jaw: The part of a wrench that goes on the armor handles. When the adjusting thread is turned, this part can’t move or stay still.
- Adjustable Jaw: When the adjusting thread is turned, this part is attached to a rail that can move. This lets the jaw wrench change its size based on its needs.
- Worm Screw: Part of the wrench makes it possible to change the size of the moving jaw so that it fits the nut or bolt. The thread for adjusting can turn left or right.
- Handle: The wrench is turned with the handle, which also acts as the wrench’s handle.
Wrench Size
The wrench comes in different sizes, from 4 inches (114 mm) to 24 inches (610 mm) (612 mm). The twist is this long for this size, and the jaw opening can be around 13 mm to 62 mm.
Each wrench has a different size hole. If a 10-inch twist can only open up to 29 mm, it can’t be used to open bolt heads or nuts bigger than 29 mm. It needs to be bigger than 10 inches.
How to use
Even though a wrench is easy to use, it shouldn’t be used. A wrench can break, making a nut or bolt turn the wrong way or lose its angle.
Here’s how to use the right wrench:
- Turn the adjusting thread slowly to open the wrench’s jaw. Turn the adjusting thread counterclockwise to make the wrench’s sliding jaw wider.
- Place the nut or bolt inside the wrench’s jaws. Then, turn the adjusting thread back clockwise until the wrench jaw fits the size of the nut or bolt and presses down firmly.
- It’s best to keep the jaw up and in the opposite direction of the pull of the lock arm.
- Ensure that the nut or bolt is in the corner of the wrench that faces you. This keeps nuts or bolts from coming loose or moving away from the wrench.
- The wrench arm needs to be turned in the direction of rotation. Turn the wrench arm counterclockwise to loosen or remove the bolt. To tighten, turn the wrench arm in a clockwise direction.