Basin Wrench Design, Honest Feedback Needed

[cr0ft]

Hi all,

I've designed this basin wrench which has a patent pending on the idea (that means if it's great then no copying it ).

Before I approach manufacturers etc I would really appreciate some honest feedback along the following lines.

1.) Would you buy the tool when you next need to replace your basin wrench.
2.) How much would you be willing to pay for it.

TOOL DESCRIPTION

http://www.dripbusters.co.uk/images/Tap Wrench Drawings.pdf

The above link is a PDF file with pictures of the tool. The handle and extension handle are 9/10 and 12/13mm box spanners (so they can work on smaller nuts found on kitchen and modern basin taps). These box spanners will slide inside each other by means of a push-fit.

The user chooses either a bath or basin head which is a dual purpose head designed to work on backing nuts or plumbing connection nuts. Again, this mates into the handle by means of a push-fit only.

Crossbar then slides through at any of the points where a hole has been drilled through the handle assembly. Then it's used just like a normal basin wrench.

The advantage of the fixed head is it's much easier to locate. This design takes up the absolute minimum amount of room around the nut, making it even possible to work on the most confined corner basins - something adjustable head basin wrenches can't do.

I'm going to size the handle and extension handle so that it's possible to use it to easily undo backing nuts on bath taps that are mounted on the side of a bath and thus normally inaccessible. In this case the fixed head and long handle will save having to remove the bath.

FINALLY

Please be as brutally honest as you can be about the idea as if it's rubbish you will be saving me a lot of money and time.

Thanks!

Effectively it's 1 tool that will work on all nuts.

 

[WHPES]

Your link doesnt work so nothing to see.

If its like the JawDroppers then you will have to compete on price.

 

[cr0ft]

Hmm, have you got Acrobat Reader installed? The link works ok on my comp.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i saw the link alright.

 

[cr0ft]

What's your thoughts on it steveb?

 

[leelister6]

Hard to tell without actually using it matey. Problem is, the backnuts on taps doesn't seem to be standard anymore!! Last few pairs of bath AND basin taps came with brass nuts that were quite a lot smaller than the jaws on my trusty old crowsfoot (still 1/2" & 3/4" bsp but a lot less meat on em!) Also, how much force will it take before it bends/breaks? I've had a 2' length of steam pipe on my old wrench to remove taps from cast baths before! If it was about a tenner I would probably have one but as I say, until I see it in the flesh I couldn't say for certain. Send me a free sample and I'll test it to destruction for you Ex-steelworker style!!

 

[Mikey456]

£20 tops id pay for that. And what lee said boss has box spanners that dont fit the new shape nuts too small/big. Great idea to be fair though would be tempted to try it out.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

it looks alright. how are you going to prevent the parts falling apart you are upsidedown under a bath? maybe dense foam or sprung ball bearing to grip?

 

[WHPES]

Got it to work. However there is already something around like that called a Crowsfoot wrench, and as another poster says, the back nuts are not all the same across the flats, so no I wouldnt be interested. Will stick with the Monument and the Jaw Droppers thanks.

 

[gaspastemania]

Myabe i'm reading this wrong but i already have box spanners which interlink, not to mention i have a crows foot as already stated on here plus an adjustable one which covers most for me . On top of that will it fit the small style handwash cloakroom basins as most basin spanners dont.

If it was any good tho then £10 - £ 15 would be fair price .

 

[cr0ft]

Heyup all. I've had a look at the Crowsfoot wrench. It seems to be based around a socket idea rather than interlocking box spanners. The piece will stay together by using what's known in engineering design terms as a push-fit tolerance. Basically you can push it together and pull it apart with a little bit of force but it won't undo easily unless you pull on it.

I'd be interested to know how often you come across brass backing nuts. The plastic ones are all the same size, right? If memory serves me right I've only once come across a tap where they were an unusual size and they were made of brass. Is there a set of backing nut sizes somewhere or do manufacturers literally make any size they want?

In terms of functionality, the closest thing I can find is the Jaw Dropper (£46.99 on Screwfix website at the moment), but on that it doesn't have the extra functionality of a pair of box spanners that interlink together as the handle. You still have to buy a separate set of box spanners to work on kitchen backing nuts.

The product has been designed to take up the minimum of space around the nut, specifically to deal with situations like small-style handwash cloakroom basins. Actually, one of these was the insipration for the idea when I realised an adjustable wrench wasn't going to fit around the nut.

 

[cr0ft]

I guess I should say that the aim with this tool is it will cover the vast majority of situations. The feedback so far has been good and it's very handy to have so please keep it coming. Once you tot up the cost of an adjustable basin wrench, kitchen tap box spanner set and crows foot set, this will do the job of all 3 in most situations. The backing nut issue needs a bit more work for sure though!

 

[gaspastemania]

In all honesty i probably would not buy it if it got much past £15 as i would be thinking already have enough basin spanners/ box spanners to cope.Bit like the olive splitter good tool but does evryone have one its also quite pricey.

 

[cr0ft]

Thanks a lot. It's good to get a feel for what price us plumbers are willing to pay as plumbers would be the main market after all!

 

[Blackcatgas]

Instead of the removable tommy bar... how about a 1/2 ratchet like on a socket set that attches to the bottom?.

 

[cr0ft]

Hi blackgatgas. That's an interesting idea. My thinking with the tommy bar was that you can adjust it to avoid pipes etc and make the tool as versatile as possible.

It's interesting the thoughts people are coming up with with regards to pricing. Is the general opinion that the Jawdroppers are massively overpriced then? I notice a couple of you said you have them so I wondered what people's thoughts were on this.

 

[CES]

You mention a push-fit tolerance that will hold them together? This may be ok when its new but as it gets older I think the tolerance will widen and the box spanners will slip apart?.
Also, you'll need to make sure it doesn't bend as some of these backnuts can be really tight and the torque will be pretty big. Good idea though, nice to see guys coming up with solutions for problems at work.. I need a ray gun that disintegrates arsey customers...

 

[cr0ft]

Now the ray-gun would be a cracking idea! I think from the feedback I've received I need to work on some sort of socket device that works with the handle, whilst still allowing them to be used as box spanners.

Thanks a lot for all the feedback. It's certainly good food for thought before I move on with the idea.

 

[leelister6]

The plastic backnuts do seem to be the old standard size an are ok for deck mixers which don't really need to be torqued up quite so much. On the single taps I ALWAYS put brass nuts and top hats on and they never come loose. The plastic ones split quite easily (But then I am a tad heavy handed!)

 

[WHPES]

Ratchet, now thats got me thinking. Trouble with the trusty old monument is that when you change your grip the jaws seem to let go.