Does any have a experience with any of the following tools or something similar?
Need it for hard to reach plumbing fixtures basin wrench doesn’t fit and hard to turn channel locks
Or proto
@fred I saw your comment on the Astro article on the main site so if you can please provide more info.
Thanks
In our plumbing business - we used the Proto’s. I don’t recall that we bought them in sets.
Another choice might be these:
but we had no experience with them
There were times when we’d be working on “old work” where demolition and replacement was not an option.
Then we might try a basin buddy wrench or a crow-ring ( we had one from Williams) - used with an extension bar and a T-handle or breaker bar.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-EZ-Change-Faucet-Tool-56988/303528759
I need something that doesn’t need such a big swing.
Thanks!
With the Astro’s and Proto’s that you show - the swing is set by the length of the wrench handle. That typically gets longer (as it should) to provide more torque as the size of the nut goes up. A flex head wrench - like those that I link to from Gearwrench - can be angled from straight on (180 degrees) to right angled (90 degrees) to the fitting. Of course the closer you get to 90 degrees the less effective torque you can apply. The use of a crowfoot, drive extension and T-handle or breaker bar was often our solution to tight quarters. The proper length extension can often help you clear obstructions - but the amount of torque you can apply is sometimes limited.
Sometimes old work was not salvageable - faucet nuts too rusted in or otherwise inaccessible - so cutting was the last resort. There are specialty “nut crackers” for basin nuts:
There is no room for a full grab with the gearwrench for example the other ones don’t need a full swing.
And for not cracking I’ve used my Dremel in the past or sometimes a reciprocating saw…
@fred what is the opening size in comparison with the proto?
How big is the mouth?
I bought the Astro the opening is a little too small.
Thanks
Having sold the business - along with the wrenches - almost 9 years ago - I don’t have them in front of me to measure. But with flare wrenches the opening is sized to slip over the tube that corresponds to the ferule nut. I recall that the Proto and Parker wrenches that we had opened up quite a bit larger than that. Parker (Parker Hannifin) also makes their wrenches in a much larger range of sizes from 3/8 inch (their part # 860062-6) - up to 2-1/4 inch hex (their Part # 860062-24) . I found a picture showing the Parker onesThere in the open position:
Williams also makes these wrenches:
So do Wright:
and you may still be able to buy old stock from Armstrong:
https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/ratcheting-flare-nut-wrench.html
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