Grips and adjustables

[wetdrip]

Why use grips and adjustables rather than dedicated spanners?

 

[Scott_D]

Can you imagine carrying dozens of spanners around

 

[wetdrip]

Yes, see that, but for compression and rad work, why not?
It's only a few.

 

[Scott_D]

I have this for 15 and 22 compression fitting but the nuts are often different sizes. Carry as little as possible

 

[kris]

I have this for 15 and 22 compression fitting but the nuts are often different sizes. Carry as little as possible

I bought this a few weeks ago on the recomendation of someone and was bit dissapointed as its really slack fit on 15 and 22 nuts , i bought the monument one , possibly the nuts are smaller , god knows , it tightens nuts but when i need real leverage its just not tight enough,
Is your one ok scott or do you find this aswell, , n what makes yours ?

I love my footprints,

 

[Scott_D]

Mine is also monument. It depends on the fittings, its usually good on 15mm but not always on 22mm

 

[Rabbitman]

You can't beat footprints

 

[hammers4spanner]

You can't beat footprints

How old are you ?

60?

 

[stevetheplumber]

footprints every time for me as well youngsters dont like them as there is no shiny chrome or flashy coloured handles although i have moved on to thumbturn ones for the 7 inch ones

 

[Dotty]

Another one for footies. I've got various sizes. Different sized shifters and a couple of pipe grips. Love my footies.

 

[Atouchofgas]

footprints every time for me as well youngsters dont like them as there is no shiny chrome or flashy coloured handles although i have moved on to thumbturn ones for the 7 inch ones

Totally agree the wee 7 thumb turn is great

 

[stevetheplumber]

i find the nine inch thumb turns seem to spread around the thumb turn hole and twist
lots of youngsters struggle to get the idea that they only work one way and give up on them for pump plier types not appreciating the self locking action when used correctly
although have to admit i have a small pair of the pliers with the orange handles and release on the back which i also like

 

[Masood]

I've got my dad's old footprints - the traditional type with the screw you take out to adjust them. Love them but don't keep them in my toolbox in case they get lost or stolen.

 

[Ermintrude]

I don't know what to say. Use right tool for right job. If you used footprints on chrome I would hit you. If you tried adjustables on iron I may hit you. If you used grips on a boiler I would hit u.

 

[AWheating]

i use normal spanners on alot of things but you have to have your adjustables as the nuts on many fittings vary so much. 24mm fits most 15mm nuts, 32mm fits about 50% of 22 nuts. 16mm will put most modern rad tails in, some need a 15mm. 17mm will tighten most sanitary hanging bolts. 8mm most doc's and you always need a 10mm spanner for alot of things like cistern bolts.

as for footys, i like them over stilleys but mine got robbed when me van was done over 2 months ago and i have yet to replace them.

 

[zzzjim]

QUOTING kris ........" Spanner" tightens nuts but when i need real leverage its just not tight enough,


Ground my first attempt smaller than 22 , even at 21.5mm still gets sloppy , I'm sure modern fittings go oval if squeezed between flats of spanner !

 

[Rabbitman]

I'm like masood i have also have a pair of my dads old footys, with an extra hole drilled in to take off immersion heaters..... Not that i change many elements these days

 

[Masood]

I don't know what to say. Use right tool for right job. If you used footprints on chrome I would hit you. If you tried adjustables on iron I may hit you. If you used grips on a boiler I would hit u.

So basically you just want an excuse to hit people?

 

[wetdrip]

So basically you just want an excuse to hit people?

I thought it was a very productive post.

My original point is , why not use a tool that is desiged, machined to tolerance for a nut so it actually fits the nut, rather than turn a wee screw to adjust, squeeze to grip then turn.

 

[Ermintrude]

No excuse needed . I'm a vegan so I don't like to hurt or be cause of harm to animals so I use apprentices

 

[wetdrip]

No excuse needed . I'm a vegan so I don't like to hurt or be cause of harm to animals so I use apprentices

Vegan? Me too.

 

[lame plumber]

Why use grips and adjustables rather than dedicated spanners?

ever tried gripping mild steel pipe with a spanner?

 

[wetdrip]

ever tried gripping mild steel pipe with a spanner?

No, but then I wouldn't try to as there's no flats on it.

 

[Dotty]

No excuse needed . I'm a vegan so I don't like to hurt or be cause of harm to animals so I use apprentices

Vegan? Me too.

Veganism. Completely unnatural.

Happiness is half a twitching cow on your plate with a bowl of chips and a jar of English mustard.

 

[Ermintrude]

I used to think the same. What's unnatural is how factory farmed animals and genetically "improved" and treated in farms. What's un natural is that 70% of the worlds crops feed 20% of the humans on it.

What's unnatural is that a life cost less than a bunch of bananas!


I'm not stupid enough to lecture as you need to realise not be told but

10million turkeys slaughtered in UK last year . 400,000 died on way to slaughter - data from defra!
.....

 

[newcastle phill]

400 thousand died......

They ended up at lidls

 

[Ermintrude]

No they ended up in Bernard Mathews Turkey food

 

[Dotty]

I buy all my meat from my local butcher who sources his meat from reputable suppliers. I've worked for him and a few of his suppliers so I'm satisfied there's no factory or intensive farming going on. The animals lead a happy and contented life up until they become food.

I'm square with my conscience.

 

[Gray0689]

Veganism. Completely unnatural.

Happiness is half a twitching cow on your plate with a bowl of chips and a jar of English mustard.

Stuff the mustard
Gravy on everything lol

 

[Gray0689]

How old are you ?

60?

Footprints are the dogs

 

[wetdrip]

I'm square with my conscience.

Good. I can get a spanner on that square...Boom Boom.

 

[solutions]

I have this for 15 and 22 compression fitting but the nuts are often different sizes. Carry as little as possible

I have that one but like you said fittings are often not standard enough. The same manu makes a pump valve nut spanner, its a beast but you only have to show it yo a pump valve and it lets go.

 

[Neil K]

I have that one but like you said fittings are often not standard enough. The same manu makes a pump valve nut spanner, its a beast but you only have to show it yo a pump valve and it lets go.

I've got a couple of them. My mates I work with call it ''The Irish Spanner''

 

[jaydebruyne]

I don't know what to say. Use right tool for right job. If you used footprints on chrome I would hit you. If you tried adjustables on iron I may hit you. If you used grips on a boiler I would hit u.

That's one way of teaching your apprentices :tounge_smile:

I've got my eye on some footprints but I use bahco adjustables (I actually don't like them) and stanley fatmax grips which I bought to replace a pair of Irwins I left at a custards house. I actually really like the fatmax grips, they're comfortable and have a push button to adjust the size which is handy when only have one free hand! I also have a rothenberger adjustables which aren't too bad.

 

[MOSSEP]

I use a club hammer and an old screwdriver, tightens everything