A wrench is a valuable tool for construction, automotive repair, electrical repair, or woodwork. You can also use it to level equipment, drive lag screws, and make adjustments to appliances and fixtures. It grips, tightens and loosens things like pipes, pipe fittings, screws, nuts, and bolts. You might overlook a wrench until you realize the need for it. But you can’t just grab the nearest wrench whenever you need one; you need to choose a wrench based on its intended use.
Whether you’re a mechanic, builder, craftsman, handyman, or just want to start some projects of your own, a good set of wrenches is a must-have in your toolbox. Pliers, screwdrivers, and hammers are handy, but none of them will provide the torque necessary to loosen tough bolts.
Wrenches will help you get the job done quickly, especially when you’ve got the perfect wrench for the task at hand.
Types of Wrenches
There are many types of wrenches on the market. While they are all designed for fastening, each shape and size has specific functions. Here are the most popular and versatile wrenches for repairs and maintenance.
Open End Wrench
The open-ended wrench has two U-shaped ends. One of its ends is slightly bigger than the other. This wrench is good for working on hard-to-reach bolts and nuts. It is flat enough to reach bolts and nuts in small spaces, and its open design allows you to attach it vertically or horizontally onto a target fitting.
An open-ended wrench doesn’t have multiple attachments, but its double ends will cover a range of sizes, allowing you to loosen and tighten a variety of nuts and bolts. The U-shaped opening can be gripped differently depending on the angle you need, providing strong leverage.
While open-ended wrenches are useful for projects that thicker wrenches won’t fit into, they may strip the edges of bolts more than closed-end wrenches. Also, their wrench ends are exact to the nut, so you might have to carry around a set of wrenches to use on different sizes of nuts. But, since they’re built both to loosen and tighten fluidly, you won’t need to readjust your grip, empowering you to work faster.
Open-ended wrenches come with fasteners you can use for both standard and metric applications. You’ll also find flex head wrenches you can use to work on altered angles. Nearly every toolbox should have at least one open end wrench.
Box End Wrench
This fixed wrench looks like an open ended wrench, except that it has a box or circular shape rather than a crescent at its opening. With a closed loop at its ends, this wrench grips nuts without rounding their edges. The box-ended wrench is designed for square nuts, hexagonal bolts, or multi-edged nuts, and comes in varying sizes. Like open end wrenches, box end wrenches usually come in sets that include a wide range of sizes.
Some of these wrenches come with an offset handle that allows knuckle clearance over obstructions that may impede work on flat surfaces. Also, some box wrenches have ratcheting mechanisms for better tightening and loosening.
Box end wrenches can help auto mechanics get leverage since they fit over nuts completely. However, it may be difficult (or even impossible) to fit a box end wrench into a tight place.
Box end wrenches typically have six-point or twelve-point recesses. They are most suitable for use on hex-head fasteners. With the twelve-point recess, you can change the wrench’s position on the nut by moving the handle. Check out this 75 degree offset wrench with MaxChrome finish.
Combination Wrench
A combination wrench is a double-ended wrench combining an open-ended wrench and a box-ended wrench. One end is crescent-shaped, with a closed loop, while the other end is closed. Though it is a simple tool, the combination wrench is versatile, and many homeowners love it because it gives you the best of an open-ended wrench and a box-ended wrench. Combination wrenches are commonly used to fix faucets and toilets, as well as other household fixtures.
You can use the closed end to loosen tough nuts and bolts and use the open-ended side to unscrew them. This type of wrench can fit into tight spaces and still provide the power of a box-ended wrench. Combination wrenches are available in both metric and standard.
You can buy combination wrenches like the WaveDrive Pro wrench with a MaxChrome finish in sets. In a set, you’ll get various wrench sizes to use for specific tasks.
Stubby Wrench
A stubby wrench is a compact version of the combination wrench. Because of its short shaft design, it will fit in more confined areas. This wrench is extremely useful, reaching corners of your automobile or electrical compartment that other wrenches won’t be able to access.
Some units of stubby wrenches come with hinged heads to give you more precise fittings. The hinge that’s on the handle will allow any of its ends to be angled so that you can get a better fit.
Also referred to as short body wrenches and angle wrenches, these mini wrenches will work appropriately in tight quarters where other regular-sized wrenches won’t do. If you want to put together furniture or fix a bicycle, this is the best tool for working on those hard-to-reach areas. Stubby wrenches come in both standard and metric sizes.
Ratcheting Wrench
If you have a lot of fastening to do, this wrench is the most time efficient option. A ratcheting wrench has a mechanism on its head that attaches to varying sizes of sockets through a square nub. The device holds still when pulled in a direction and releases when you pull it in the opposite direction. This allows you to wind endlessly without having to readjust the wrench. That way, you can tighten a fastener quickly, without removing or refitting the wrench after every turn.
Ratcheting wrenches are your best bet when you’re restricted by time or space, and will help ensure that you get the job done quickly. A ratchet wrench set usually includes one ratchet and varying sizes of sockets. Buying one means saving both time and money.
Miniature Wrenches
As a tool lover, you may be interested in using small wrenches to do tasks in tight spaces that can’t be easily accessed with larger tools.
Capri Tools’ miniature wrenches come in a variety of small sizes and are well constructed for uses ranging from electronics to bicycle repair. Built for precision and durability, these mini wrenches will help you get work done in hard-to-reach areas such as dual-band rigs in vehicles and racing suspensions.
They’re also a great choice for drone users and vintage electronic enthusiasts since they can help you repair electronics that use tiny nuts, bolts, and screws.
Not only do they come with durable MAX chrome plating, but these little wrenches also come with a useful carabineer to keep them gathered, so you can use them whenever and wherever you want.
Other Types of Wrenches
There are several other types of wrenches. These wrenches come in varying sizes and designs. Below are a few examples of other wrench types, along with their most common applications.
Adjustable Wrench
Also called the crescent wrench, this wrench has only one adjustable jaw that can fit varying sizes of nuts and bolts. Its end is open and embedded with a spiral screw that opens or closes the crescent when you turn it. Crescent wrenches are affordable, reliable, and suitable for fastening screws and nuts of many different shapes and sizes.
Allen Wrench
You’ll find the allen wrench in all types of toolboxes. This wrench comes in a compact L-shape, with its short side for fastening and the longer side for use as a handle. The allen wrench fits into screws and bolts with hexagonal recesses. Allen wrenches are available in both standard and metric sizes.
Armorer’s Wrench
This wrench with a serrated C-shaped head and often includes square slots and a hole to attach the ratchet handle. The armorer’s wrench gets its name from its most common application: repair and maintenance of firearms.
Pipe Wrench
This adjustable wrench is a heavy-duty duty tool with a fixed upper jaw and a lower jaw that can move. A pipe wrench’s jaws are serrated to bite into steel or galvanized pipe, and the handle is stypically made of steel. They’re most commonly used to grip or turn round or cylindrical items like pipes.
Crowfoot Wrench
This wrench has a single head that attaches ot a ratchet handle and socket extension so that it can fit in tight spaces. It comes in standard and metric sizes and easily tightens or loosens bolts in tight positions. Crowfoot wrenches are also commonly applied to torque wrenches whenever a specific amount of torque is needed to make an adjustment.
Tips for Using Wrenches
While wrenches are mainly for nut and bolt fastening, each type of wrench has its particular purpose. To get the most out of your wrenches, and avoid injuring yourself or others, be sure to follow these steps:
- Use a Durable Wrench: A wrench is durable when it has no chance of slipping from your hand — or worse, breaking — while you’re working. Be sure your wrench has a finish that prevents slipping, and that it’s made of a material suitable for your application.
- Use the Right Size of Wrench: Using a wrench that’s the wrong size can cause you to injure yourself, strip the nut, or otherwise damage the object you’re supposed to be repairing. Always make sure that you’ve got the perfect fit before applying torque; a loose fit could lead to disaster. If you know the exact size of the screw or bolt, grab exactly the right wrench. If you have to figure it out by trial and error, be patient and keep your wrench set close by.
- Always Pull the Wrench: To minimize risks, always apply torque correctly by pulling the wrench toward you, rather than pushing it away from you.
- Don’t Try to Increase its Leverage: Instead of adding long pipes or other objects to increase the leverage of your wrench, buy a wrench that has a long handle. Attempting to improvise an extension to your wrenches handle will always lead to a less secure grip and less durable implement, increasing the risk of damage to yourself, the tool, or the project.
- Don’t Hit Your Wrench: Many wrenches are designed to resist impact, so striking them with a hammer could cause the hammer to simply bounce off, leading to collateral damage to either you or the project. If a wrench isn’t impact resistant, hitting it with a hammer may simply break it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few questions that people often ask regarding the types and uses of wrenches.
What is a wrench used for?
A wrench is used to grip, turn, fasten, loosen, and tighten items like tubes, pipes, and liftings. For work on tubes and pipes, you’ll need a wrench with wide jaws. But if you’re working on nuts and bolts, you need one with thinner jaws.
What is a wrench made of?
The typical wrench is made of chrome vanadium steel or carbon steel alloy so they don’t fracture under pressure.. The type of construction and finish usually depends on what each wrench is meant to do for you. Chrome plating also resists rust and helps protect the wrench from impacts.
What is the difference between an open-ended wrench and a box-ended wrench?
While both tools are for loosening and tightening fasteners, they are different in how and why you’ll use them. The open-ended wrench has an open head, while the box-headed wrench is boxed.
What should you look out for when buying a wrench?
Before you buy a wrench, consider why you need it. Keeping the intended task in mind will guide you to get the most appropriate wrench. Pay attention to the head and size. Also, remember to check the quality of the wrench so that you can buy something that lasts. You can verify a wrench’s quality by reading up on it, checking out its product description, and looking out for reviews from those who have used it.
Get Yourself Some Wrenches
There are several types of wrenches. They come in different price ranges, designs, and sizes. Some ratchet, some have swiveling heads, and some are super thin to fit into hard-to-reach places.
Capri Tools understands how important it is for you to use the right tool. That’s why they’ve handpicked the most valuable and versatile types of wrenches. They also have a wide range of power tools, torque tools, clamping tools, and others. You’ll find a high-quality wrench that’s within your budget, whether you’re in the automotive industry or need to do some fastening down in your basement, at Capri Tools.