How to bend a wrench

[Usamech]

All,

First time posting on this forum. I know nothing about forging. Thought this might be the best place to ask.  

I'm a mechanic, and I would like to bend the end of a craftsman box end 15/16 wrench.  Frequently at work we use the box end side of a 15/16, 12 point wrench to torque some large bolts. However the 10 or 13° offset on the end of the wrench gets in the way.  It's in a really tight place and takes a lot of work arounds to get the wrench on the nut.  We torque the bolt.  I wish it were completely straight, with no offset.

I've bent, much smaller, half inch size wrenches before simply using Mapp gas and a turbo torch to heat cherry red, bend, quench cool, and then reheating again.  I have an Oxy. acetylene set up I rarely use, so I have to relearn how to use it each time.

Without getting too deep into detail, and sophisticated practices that you professionals have, which I do not, what's the best way I can get this done.  Or is this just a bad idea?  This versus spending two to $400 for a snap on specialty straight wrench.

Thanks in advance!

Gordon

[Frosty]

Welcome aboard Gordon glad to have you. If you put your general location in the header you'll have a better chance of meeting up with members living within visiting distance.

Have a press in the shop? Adjust the press so there is just enough room to slide the wrench between the ram and base die. You want them flat and parallel.

I assume it's a chromed wrench. NEVER heat or grind chrome, hexavalent chrome forms and is as about as toxic as it gets. That's NO BULL, kill you cripple or if you're lucky only put you in the hospital with only  few exposures. A chrome shop can strip and even re-chrome it afterwards if you want. Or you can strip it yourself with a muriatic acid or acetic acid (strong vinegar) bath. Acetic acid is safer of course but you'll still have a haz mat to safely dispose of. 

Whatever you do PLEASE don't heat up a chromed tool!

Once stripped, heat the bend, place it in the press and flatten it. There will be some rebound even doing it hot but it shouldn't be enough to still be hard to put on the nuts. Grind the offset off. If it needs more straightening use spacers so it's over bent slightly and can rebound to straight.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome from the Ozark mountains. If you are close to me we could probably straighten it cold with my bearing press. Like Frosty said don't heat a chromed wrench, or anything else for that matter. If you get the chrome coating removed your Mapp Gas torch should heat it to red and some hammer hits on the anvil will straighten it. I have modified a lot of wrenches for special applications and never quench them but cool them down covered with ashes or vermiculite over night. Wrenches are made to be tough and quenching them will make it brittle so they snap under force. The reheating you did probably negated the quench.

 

I can't control the wind, all I can do is adjust my sails. ~ Semper Paratus

[Usamech]

All,

Thanks for the quick response!

Yes, I have a 20 ton Blackhawk press--pretty beefy.  Needed a hoist in the shed to tip it on its feet when I set it up.  I didn't think you could could bend something like this, or at least very easily. But I'll give it a try cold first.  

I'd have to assume it's chromed.  Actually a 1 -1/16 size wrench. "Forged in the USA".  I guess it doesn't have to say Chrome Vanadium, or similar to know that it's chromed.  I'll have to read up on this too.

Forgot about the hexavalent Chrome thing. Big thanks for the reminder!  Yes, I've come across that a couple times welding things that I should not have. I have annual training on hexavalent chrome every year. In fact, I'm due next month. I I'll have to read up on removing the chrome with muriatic acid or similar. 

Hope to follow up soon.

Thanks,

Gordon
 

 

[Steve Sells]

Chrome Vanadium, refers to the type of steel used to make the tool not the coating

[BillyBones]

Gordon, i have maybe a dozen wrenches i have bent into a shape needed. Even one that we cut in half and i brazed back together just to prove that a braze was strong enough to use. I would just use an oxy-acetylene torch, heat to red and then bend to shape. 

I gave up rebuilding transmissions a couple years ago and went back to work in a machine shop. Our wrenches are flat so you may want to look for machinist wrenches as well.