Come along on two pipe wrenches

[BC Placer gold]

Worked as a helper one winter on diamond drill rigs, Pipe wrenches (Ridgid) backed up against mast while taking full torque of the head to break rod connections. 10’ drill rod on pipe wrench to remove drill bit etc. Tough drilling conditions could really build torque on the drill string. Ridgid could definitely take some abuse….

 

[56wrench]

I’ve got a cheap 24” with a bowed handle- i don’t remember how i did that but i have a couple no-name aluminum 18”ers that will never break, given to me one xmas by my FIL. They won’t grip anything, something to do with the angle of the teeth. They need to be melted down and made into something useful. My old Ridgids are scarred up but still good

 

[Swetz]

When is was young and doing front end alignments I purchased a cheap China made pipe wrench. It was good for nothing! Not sure it is the angle of the teeth or the fact that the teeth all rounded and were not pointy any more.

Anyhow, from then I vowed Rigid only....Fast forward 45 years, Aluminum Rigid only...LOL

 

[361brock]

I use a Rigid 5 ft pipe wrench to turn stubborn cylinder nuts. What is the amazing part is that after locating on jack stand I push the wrench with my backhoe until slight bow. Then I hold it that way and put heat and whack with sledge. Never fails.

Nick

 

[mowingman]

I think the aluminum pipe wrenches were the worst for breaking. We used 36" pipe wrenches for breaking drilling rod loose on geotech drill rigs. I hated those "lightweight" aluminum pipe wrenches. They were not worth a darn when you put a 5' or 6' cheater pipe on the handle.

 

[Joe H]

Looks like they already broke it once, everything in the picture is brand new.

But if it works it works.

Joe H

 

[cfherrman]

I think the aluminum pipe wrenches were the worst for breaking. We used 36" pipe wrenches for breaking drilling rod loose on geotech drill rigs. I hated those "lightweight" aluminum pipe wrenches. They were not worth a darn when you put a 5' or 6' cheater pipe on the handle.

You need a tight fitting chest pipe, one that's too big will break the aluminum right away, I just avoid cheaters on aluminum.

 

[92U 3406]

I can't recall the last time I actually had to use a pipe wrench.

 

[BC Placer gold]

I can't recall the last time I actually had to use a pipe wrench.

lol! A crude, but sometimes necessary tool

 

[IceHole]

Who here hasn’t broken a pipe wrench or 3, maybe a cast vice or 2?

We had a 4ft one on the shop wall that was bent like an L.

I asked about it one day. Apparently a 10ft cheater that. Guys plus big Todd, who was pushing probably 450 did that.

 

[CM1995]

I can't recall the last time I actually had to use a pipe wrench.

Me too and I have 2 on my truck.

 

[IceHole]

I can't recall the last time I actually had to use a pipe wrench.

I was helping in a shop and asked for the "big pipe wrench". Got handed this cute little thing that maybe could have snugged up a sink drain.
I brought in Big Bertha from home the next day. We got the cylinder apart

 

[Joe H]

When you need one, you need one. It's too late for anything else.

Joe H

 

[cfherrman]

It's easy to bend them when you don't have the proper cheaters or you push them not in the plane of the I beam.

I use them every day, but I also deal with pipe every day

 

[Welder Dave]

I don't see a lot of hazard in that arrangement. There is not a lot of spring in the wrenches, chain, or union, if anything breaks it is just going to go slack and fall to the ground. Keep toes out from under.

I work with pipe wrenches like that and it is always done with cheater pipes, you notice the longer wrenches do not have the swell/knob at the end of the handle like the shorter ones do, it is that way for a reason. 2 guys with cheater pipes, a lot more can go wrong involving them smacking each other in the face, than that come along keeping human flesh out of range.

I bought a used 48" Ridged and the end has a knob that my aluminum snipe wouldn't fit over. Thankfully I didn't need a snipe to get the gland nuts off on my 4 in 1 bucket cylinders. It's a heavy wrench. I'd hate to have to lug a 60" Ridged around. I think they're 60lbs.

 

[Tugger2]

Looks fine to me.As said earlier id use my little 1/4 ton comalong. But first id hold a small sledge on one side of that union and hit against it with a my 4lb er to break things loose.

 

[cfherrman]

I use 2" pump barrels for cheaters, they fit the wrenches great but on the 36" you have to bring the knob end down a little bit, like 1/8" on both sides. I've bent them plenty when you are pulling up and back at the same time because it's in the ground. I've also extended the cheaters to like 12'

 

[Tinkerer]

Bending the wrench handles can be minimized by sliding the cheater over the entire length of the handel.

 

[edgephoto]

I was just looking at pipe wrenches on eBay.

I had to laugh when I saw a listing for a curved handle wrench

 

[cfherrman]

My last 5 wrenches I bought new on eBay, used wrenches are not worth it