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. YOUR SHOP
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Get a grip
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Loosening a fitting with a Crescent wrench and Channellock pliers requires that you put all your force in the direction of the smaller, lower jaw. Photo by Scott R. Nesbitt |
“Universal” adjustable wrenches and “angle-head slip-joint pliers” are among the most useful, and misused, tools in the shop.
The photo shows the proper position for loosening a brass compression fitting with Channellock pliers on the bottom and a Crescent adjustable wrench on top. At the rear is a black set of “water pump” pliers that are not what I want in my field toolbox.
These adjustable tools have more than a century of history. They are sophisticated, patented machines that use principles of geometry and math to give the technician a good grip on the common six-sided fasteners and fittings with flat faces found on machinery.
Properly used, they can save the technician time and trouble, especially out in the field where the tool selection may be limited. Used incorrectly, the tools produce rounded shoulders, busted knuckles and deleted expletives when they slip, slide and generally mess up the job. Proper use involves a few simple rules.
Rule One: Always apply force in the direction of the small jaw.
Rule Two: Get the tool firmly adjusted before applying force.
Rule Three: Keep the tools clean and dry. Oil isn’t needed, and only increases chances of slippage and damage to the work.
Crescent wrenches use a screw-and-gear system to produce a perfect fit on fasteners. Properly adjusted, they give a tighter grip than a standard open-end wrench, which always has a little extra clearance.
Channellock pliers have a set of curved adjusting slots that give great leverage, but lack infinite adjustability. Instead, you move the jaws back and forth on the fastener until you see no air gaps between the fitting’s faces and the teeth on the upper and lower jaws. This parallel grip will maximize holding power and minimize damage to the fitting.
If you need to grip a pipe or other round machine part, use Channellocks with curved jaw faces.
By the way: Both Crescent and Channellock were trademarked long ago, but the basic patents expired, which allows anyone to make competing units. But some details of the designs are still covered by patents.
Which brings us to those black pliers I don’t like.
Instead of the gear-like adjusting teeth on the Channellock design, water-pump pliers have a series of adjusting holes that are supposed to make it easier to adjust them one-handed. But with the exception of a few high-dollar units I’ve come across, they just don’t give me the grip I want when wrestling stubborn fittings. Life’s too short to work with bad tools.
Is your shop properly equipped with first aid? Are your employees prepared to respond to a workplace emergency? OSHA’s Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program outlines the elements you’ll need to design and implement a first-aid program specific to your worksite. All first-aid programs should include: management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training, according to OSHA. Start by identifying and assessing the risks that have potential to cause worker injury or illness, and then design a program that: • aims to minimize the outcome of accidents or exposures Additionally, make sure all workers know about the first-aid program, including what they should do if a co-worker becomes ill or injured. For more information, access the document online at www.osha.gov/publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf. |
