Spanner Wrench

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gregrycm
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:38 pm
Location: Chatham, IL

Spanner Wrench

Post by gregrycm »

Hello,

I decided to build my own spanner wrench after ordering one that was the wrong size. It was a pretty quick project and except for the welding, I am happy with the resulting tool.

Here are a couple of 'before and after' MIG welding photos:

My intentions were to fill the holes with weld, then file. But the web at the hole edges was too thin and some of that metal melted away. So this is the result after lots of filing.

Image
Handle and Body 2 by gregrycm, on Flickr

Image
Welded by gregrycm, on Flickr

I thought about drilling smaller holes in the same location and pinning, but I was concerned about things loosening after some use. Any suggestions for the next tool that I might build?

Thanks,
Greg
CraigS
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 3:15 pm

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by CraigS »

Nice job,
I need to build on of theses for my lathe. How about, instead of welding just using some hard pins press fit in the holes.

Craig
gregrycm wrote:Hello,

I decided to build my own spanner wrench after ordering one that was the wrong size. It was a pretty quick project and except for the welding, I am happy with the resulting tool.

Here are a couple of 'before and after' MIG welding photos:

My intentions were to fill the holes with weld, then file. But the web at the hole edges was too thin and some of that metal melted away. So this is the result after lots of filing.

Image
Handle and Body 2 by gregrycm, on Flickr

Image
Welded by gregrycm, on Flickr

I thought about drilling smaller holes in the same location and pinning, but I was concerned about things loosening after some use. Any suggestions for the next tool that I might build?

Thanks,
Greg
gregrycm
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:38 pm
Location: Chatham, IL

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by gregrycm »

Craig,

I thought about pinning, but was not sure if the holes would loosen up after some use.

Greg
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Davo J
Posts: 361
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 9:15 am
Location: Australia

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by Davo J »

I do a lot of this sort of wig welding myself, where you want it to look like it wasn't welded.
For this I would have drilled into the flat of the spanner and plug welded that side instead. This way it would have been easier to finish to the flat surface instead of the round.

Getting the wire speed and heat right are important as well, so it's best to have a practice on a piece of scrap. With todays electricity over here welding delicate stuff, one setting on the welder at lunch will be a lot different at night etc, so it needs adjusting at the time your doing it.

Still a nice job on the spanner.

Dave
User avatar
Davo J
Posts: 361
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 9:15 am
Location: Australia

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by Davo J »

I forgot to add,
If there is room, I usually drill the hole with just the end of the drill bit so the sides are tapered. This way it lets you get the mig wire in easier.

Dave
John Hill
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:38 am
Location: near Christchurch New Zealand

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by John Hill »

Thats a very nice looking tool.

I might be a bit old fashioned but for fixing something like that I usually rivet it. If carefully done the result can be almost invisible.
norman
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 5:16 pm

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by norman »

Why not pin and silver solder? Ooop! Looks like you used tubing instead of a steel rod for the handle or did you? Still the tool looks fine to me the way you did it, if it works good that is what matters.
flutedchamber
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:14 am

Re: Spanner Wrench

Post by flutedchamber »

Two 1/8 or 3/16 roll pins would have worked fine. Plenty of strength. There are a lot of different ways to skin this cat.
Fine job.
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