Wrench storage

[ChazzC]

This is what a "lump hammer" is. Name comes from the fact the hammer head just looks like a "lump" of square barstock that has had minimal machining. Also known as a "Club" hammer.

Language is a strange thing at times, what with regional and country based language often being different to what many may know if from a different country or even regional area.

View attachment 505230

Short-handled heavy hammers are also called Engineer's Hammers, Drilling Hammers (for use with a hardened Star bit) and mini-sledge. Wilton has a 4 lbs. version they call the B.A.S.H.:



However, if I absolutely need to use persuasion on a wrench to loosen a fastener I prefer to use a smaller, softer mallet:



Side Note: Back in the 80's we were replacing the tie-rods on an older large hydraulic cocoa press (using ultrasound we found that one of the rods had a 60% crack just below the retaining nut); we asked the Italian manufacturer what torque should be applied when installing the new rods and were told to heat the press up to operating temperature (it had steam passageways), tighten the nut with a wrench by hand and then hit the end of the wrench with a sledge hammer (no details on the weight, handle length or physical characteristics of the individual wielding the sledge). IIRC, we asked a competitor and they told us to rotate the nut X° past hand tight. the threaded rods wee around 18"Ø.

 

[ChazzC]

Commonly known, in England at least, as "Slogging" spanners, to be hit mercilessly with the heaviest hammer you can find...

I well remember having a 55mm spanner for smacking when it came to working on HPC compressors and filling them with oil. They had a short hex bolt with an o-ring seal. Never met one that wasn't overly tight. Always had to use a 2lb lump hammer, the hammer being nicknamed "Lumpy" due to the fact it was a "lump" hammer.

Still have the spanner somehwere... Was a full length, but cut down for ease of use and use in tight confines. Also expolains why I always have clear silicone grease to hand which was used for the little activation cyclinder seal, but now gets used for o-rings and other things.

@ChazzC

The word "Gronk", at least to me, means a specific type of diesel shunting loco. A class 08 0-6-0 shunting loco. They are referred to as "Gronks" collectively or as a "Gronk" when spotted on their own.

View attachment 505235

Gronk:


I it to mean really lean on something, but it has some derogatory meanings elsewhere.

 

[pontiac428]

Great, just great. Now I need to find a metric rake.

As for hammers, your lump is what I call a single jack, which is a one-hand sledge of about 2.5 lbs. Double jack is a two-hander. Picked that up from the old-timers. A 5-lb cross-peen with a long handle is a mjolnir or engineer's hammer. A 16 to 24 oz ball peen is a MC hammer for when you're wrenching and need to separate ball joints, because it's hammer time. A mallet is a hammer made of anything but steel.

In the states, your gronk might be called a humper by the pin man when it's not shunting, but that's about all I know about trains.

 

[darkzero]

So that's what a rake is for! I haven't seen a rake or hoe around here in probably 35 yrs. Well maybe the other kind of the latter (so I assume) but that's not a subject for here.

 

[darkzero]

I have a number of large open end wrenches with short handles, some purchased that way but most “converted:”

View attachment 505157
Some have also had the heads thinned. The ends are smooth but not radiused; however, since I don’t gronk the fasteners these are used on that’s not an issue.

That one in the front (which looks somewhat unmodified) reminds me of what are called Service Wrenches or Pump Wrenches.

Their short length, thin profile, & wide opening (sizes) is why I like to use them for my collet chucks. No idea what their intended use is for though, hydraulics is what I always assumed.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

Short-handled heavy hammers are also called Engineer's Hammers, Drilling Hammers (for use with a hardened Star bit) and mini-sledge. Wilton has a 4 lbs. version they call the B.A.S.H.:

View attachment 505311

However, if I absolutely need to use persuasion on a wrench to loosen a fastener I prefer to use a smaller, softer mallet:

View attachment 505312

Side Note: Back in the 80's we were replacing the tie-rods on an older large hydraulic cocoa press (using ultrasound we found that one of the rods had a 60% crack just below the retaining nut); we asked the Italian manufacturer what torque should be applied when installing the new rods and were told to heat the press up to operating temperature (it had steam passageways), tighten the nut with a wrench by hand and then hit the end of the wrench with a sledge hammer (no details on the weight, handle length or physical characteristics of the individual wielding the sledge). IIRC, we asked a competitor and they told us to rotate the nut X° past hand tight. the threaded rods wee around 18

I generally like a piece of pipe big enough to slide over the wrench about 30" or 750mm long...

 

[ChazzC]

That one in the front (which looks somewhat unmodified) reminds me of what are called Service Wrenches or Pump Wrenches.

Their short length, thin profile, & wide opening (sizes) is why I like to use them for my collet chucks. No idea what their intended use is for though, hydraulics is what I always assumed.

View attachment 505661

Yes, Amazon calls that one a “Service Wrench,” and all of these are used either on collets or chuck adapters - things you want tight, but not impossible to loosen and are usually in close quarters.

 

[ChazzC]

I generally like a piece of pipe big enough to slide over the wrench about 30" or 750mm long...

I used to have a length of partially flattened pipe (flattened/oval-ish end slipped over the wrench handle) to help break fasteners loose; I need to find a friendly iron worker to make me a replacement.

 

[pontiac428]

That one in the front (which looks somewhat unmodified) reminds me of what are called Service Wrenches or Pump Wrenches.

Their short length, thin profile, & wide opening (sizes) is why I like to use them for my collet chucks. No idea what their intended use is for though, hydraulics is what I always assumed.

Well, dang it, that's just great. Now that I know what to search for- Armstrong pump wrenches and Proto service wrenches; suddenly I can fill that gap. I have tappet wrenches, but they're long and give me grief sometimes. I have ignition wrenches, but that's for smaller stuff. I have cone wrenches, but they're small and metric. What I've been missing are service wrenches for sure, and pump wrenches for the larger stuff. I thank you, but my wallet is definitely giving you side eyes right now.

 

[darkzero]

Well, dang it, that's just great. Now that I know what to search for- Armstrong pump wrenches and Proto service wrenches; suddenly I can fill that gap. I have tappet wrenches, but they're long and give me grief sometimes. I have ignition wrenches, but that's for smaller stuff. I have cone wrenches, but they're small and metric. What I've been missing are service wrenches for sure, and pump wrenches for the larger stuff. I thank you, but my wallet is definitely giving you side eyes right now.

Haha, no problemo.

Unfortuantely Armstrong is no more, iconic brand killed off by Apex, one of the main reasons why I hate Apex. But you can still find Armstrong stuff on ebay, even NOS.

Martin is also another popular brand for service wrenches (the brand Mcmaster carries, if they haven't changed). Williams & Wright also make them. I'm sure there are others but these are the ones still made in the USA if that matters.

My Armstrong ones I found on ebay, NOS. The Protos I believe I got from MSC (back when I had local MSC outlet).