Cabinet pulls made from wrenches

[Iron Falcon 72]

I thought I'd seen it somewhere on the Web but, I've done the Google search and I've searched here but I can't seem to find this topic. Has anyone ever made cabinet pulls from old wrenches?

[Frosty]

Hmmmm. sounds like this is your chance! Just be VERY careful if you're going to forge them, chrome is a carcinogen, especially if it's heated to forging temps. That particular version is called hexavalent chrome. It's really BAD stuff so remove the chrome before heating or grinding on wrenches. I forget if vinegar will remove it but don't think so, it's not ringing the bell in my birch addled brain right now. Maybe muriatic acid will do it. I'm SURE I don't need to say this but use ALL safety practices if you use acid, apron, eye protection, proper gloves, breathing protection, acid into water NEVER EVER water into acid, etc.

Oh yeah, one last bit. Pics! send us pics of whatever you do. We LOVE pics you know.

Frosty the Lucky

[Mainely,Bob]

I`ve done it for other people for use on toolboxes.Used antique curved and S shaped wrenches both times.First time just threw them in the fire to anneal them and then drilled for brass posts that I turned tenons on one end and internal threads on the other.
Second time the guy didn`t want to spend alot of money so I just brazed threaded bungs on the back of them for him.
I`ve done the first process with decking spikes and bronze posts for a ship`s joiner`s tool chest too.The wife thinks she`d like something similar for the kitchen using spikes from local shipwrecks.
Also made a towel rack out of an old barefoot auger.Cut down that would make a neat longer drawer pull. :)

[bigfootnampa]

As I think Bob meant to say: use the antique wrenches that were often handmade and do NOT have the chrome coatings of the modern versions. There are lots of them available at flea markets and in antique malls. They are MUCH more interesting anyway.

[Mainely,Bob]

There it is!
As they say"Chrome don`t get you home",unless you live in the local hospital.
Surprisingly enough the old wrenches go for far less money up here,usually scrap prices.
Nicer shapes and decorations(like brand names) too!

[John B]

We had a "Fun" forge in competition at one of our get togethers,

Make something from a spanner, as we had loads of all different types of old spanners that were donated because they 'may come in useful'

What was noticable was the difference in the materials used for these spanners, from wrought iron to cast steel drop forged, some were easy to work others more difficult, and some were nigh on impossible to work, any way we ended the day with a variety of items.


I know you guys like pictures, (apologies for the picture quality) these were the items made on the day.

They ranged from Candle holders, letter opener, bending forks, Scorpion Banana holder, Large size old style can opener, a Twybil, and a small dog bootscraper/sculpture

The winning piece was the twybil, a splitting tool used by willow hurdle makers to make mortice like slots, the blade edge is used to shave out the sides between two holes drilled at the ends of the mortice, and the hook end is used to pick out the timber to make the slot.

[ThomasPowers]

I made a "Tyrannosaurus Wrench" from a double ended wrench, forged and chiseled and punched one end down into a "face" and installed red seed beads for the eyes---the other end fits the propane tank for my travel gas forge---I *always* know which is the wrench for it now! Kids like it.

[Mainely,Bob]

During break one day I took a rather large combination wrench we never used and cut it in half and welded a thin band to either end that I had shaped to fit my head.I used to wear it under my hardhat when guided tours came thru.
Needless to say,management loved it(not).

[primtechsmith]

John B,
What an outstanding idea!!!!!! Now I need to find a good supply of these things and do this with our Virginia guys!

Thanks for sharing that!

Jim Masterson down at the Metal Museum has used them for a few things...
http://www.metalmuseum.org/artists.html
He is at the bottom...the hight heels he made are awesome!

Randy Hodges down in Manteo NC does some cool stuff with them too:
http://manteoblacksmith.net/
Scroll down to his wine racks....

Peyton

[Iron Falcon 72]

I`ve done it for other people for use on toolboxes.Used antique curved and S shaped wrenches both times.First time just threw them in the fire to anneal them and then drilled for brass posts that I turned tenons on one end and internal threads on the other.
Second time the guy didn`t want to spend alot of money so I just brazed threaded bungs on the back of them for him.
I`ve done the first process with decking spikes and bronze posts for a ship`s joiner`s tool chest too.The wife thinks she`d like something similar for the kitchen using spikes from local shipwrecks.
Also made a towel rack out of an old barefoot auger.Cut down that would make a neat longer drawer pull.

This is the idea. I thought of doing this with the screw posts that binding cos. use. They call them sex bolts. Is that what you mean by threaded bungs?

To those with the cautionary tales thanks, I'll be careful. These are all old ones so no chrome I think.

[Mainely,Bob]

This is the idea. I thought of doing this with the screw posts that binding cos. use. They call them sex bolts. Is that what you mean by threaded bungs?

The threaded bungs I was talking about are just short pieces of rod of appropriate size chucked up in a lathe,drilled thru and tapped.I would bet you could do it on a wood lathe in a pinch.
Drill thru the drawer face and install with machine bolts just like any drawer pull.

You would still have to fix the sex bolts to the wrench somehow so why go to the trouble to adapt when you can easily make exactly what you need?

[Frosty]

John: I love the Spannerall but have NO idea what a twibill is. Is it a Star Trek reference, you know, The Twouble with Twibills?

The competition idea is terrific, I'll start keeping my eyes open for the old unplated wrenches for club meetings.

Great thread all round.
Frosty the Lucky

[ThomasPowers]

Frosty as I recall it's mentioned in "A Museum of Early American Tools", Eric Sloane

[John B]

I thought I mentioned that in the post, but I willtry to expand the use a littel.

A twybil, is a tool used by willow hurdle makers to make mortice like slots,

A series of holes are drilled/bored into the timber close together, and the and the hook end is then used to pick out the timber beteween these holes to make the mortice slot. The curve on the front allowing it to be used like a lever at the extreme edges of the mortice.

The blade edge is then used to shave out the sides between two holes drilled at the ends of the mortice, to give the smooth sided finish.

Hope this clarifies its use.

[pkrankow]

So a "hurdle" is a short movable fence panel?
Phil

[Iron Falcon 72]

The threaded bungs I was talking about are just short pieces of rod of appropriate size chucked up in a lathe,drilled thru and tapped.I would bet you could do it on a wood lathe in a pinch.
Drill thru the drawer face and install with machine bolts just like any drawer pull.

You would still have to fix the sex bolts to the wrench somehow so why go to the trouble to adapt when you can easily make exactly what you need?

I don't have either kind of lathe so it wouldn't be particularly easy to make my own. I'd planned to braze on store-bought brass or steel bolts. But, it sounds like I was on the right track, no? Do you know if anyone sells internally threaded rod? Then I could just cut off each piece.

[bigfootnampa]

So a "hurdle" is a short movable fence panel?
Phil

That is correct Phil. They are a traditional version of todays welded portable fence panels. They were used something like the round pen panels currently fashionable to handle livestock. Hurdles were most commonly used by sheepmen though sometimes for pigs or even cattle. They are made of willow or hazel woven around vertical stakes called sails.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I would caution checking the wrenches before using them for a project like this. Do not use any tools market HAZET-pretty sure that is the right spelling. These tools were used in the spare tire tool boxes on early VW's, and are highly sought after by collectors who are trying to put their tool box back together.

There is a Vegas artist that makes belt buckles, and other items from old wrenches.

[Iron Falcon 72]

Thanks, I'll check to make sure none of them are.

[Iron Falcon 72]

I`ve done it for other people for use on toolboxes.Used antique curved and S shaped wrenches both times.First time just threw them in the fire to anneal them and then drilled for brass posts that I turned tenons on one end and internal threads on the other.
Second time the guy didn`t want to spend alot of money so I just brazed threaded bungs on the back of them for him.
I`ve done the first process with decking spikes and bronze posts for a ship`s joiner`s tool chest too.The wife thinks she`d like something similar for the kitchen using spikes from local shipwrecks.
Also made a towel rack out of an old barefoot auger.Cut down that would make a neat longer drawer pull.

What material did you use for the threaded bungs? Will brass hold up being brazed or would they melt? Thanks

[John B]

Silver solder would be the way to go, Brazing may be a term you use for this, normally brazing implies using brass as the medium (or could be copper)

For specific details/methods try http://www.richard-whitehouse.co.uk/Soldering%20notes.pdf

Beware of the zinc in the brass when heating it.

[Mainely,Bob]

Been away for awhile due to the power being out in our area for a few days.We didn`t get the snow(rain instead) but sure got the wind!

I would go down to the local home center and look for something called coupling nuts.They look like a standard nut only about 5 times thicker.Try to get ones that aren`t cad plated,cad=bad.
Larger plumbing supply houses may have something similar that`s used to couple pipe hangers to all thread stand offs.
The hex exterior shape would go along with the whole wrench theme now that I think about it.
Something to use next time around!

If I was going to use brass Then I`d go with silver solder as others have suggested.

[Iron Falcon 72]

Been away for awhile due to the power being out in our area for a few days.We didn`t get the snow(rain instead) but sure got the wind!

I would go down to the local home center and look for something called coupling nuts.They look like a standard nut only about 5 times thicker.Try to get ones that aren`t cad plated,cad=bad.
Larger plumbing supply houses may have something similar that`s used to couple pipe hangers to all thread stand offs.
The hex exterior shape would go along with the whole wrench theme now that I think about it.
Something to use next time around!

If I was going to use brass Then I`d go with silver solder as others have suggested.

All of the standoffs I've found are either zinc or cad plated so I'll have to treat them in muriatic acid. I've jsut been informed that she'd prefer steel so I'll be brazing!

[Sam Thompson]

So a "hurdle" is a short movable fence panel?
Phil

...and thus a 'hurdle bunter' is a particularly stupid sheep that bangs its head against the fence: it can also be applied to...

[Frosty]

...and thus a 'hurdle bunter' is a particularly stupid sheep that bangs its head against the fence: it can also be applied to...

I thought ALL sheep were that way. We'll only keep one till it's eating size and put it in the freezer. Seriously, sheep must only be alocated so many brain cells so the larger they get the more diluted what little intelligence they started with is.

Frosty the Lucky.