Twisting Spud Wrench.

[ODaily]

First off, I've found everybody has different names for these, but Rigid calls 'em a Spud so I will too.

Secondly, that means a smooth jawed pipe wrench, but without most of the built in "rocking" in the jaw.

I see quite a few people using these to Twist metal with, usually while in a vice. Most of them I see are old timey wooden handled antiques. I also always see them with a welded on second handle, usually quite crude. I need something like this, and I've gotten a newer manufactured Rigid 12" Spud wrench and a Rigid 12" pipe wrench. My plan is to cut down the pipe wrench until it can be grafted to the back side of the moving jaw of the spud wrench. It's not perfect, the handles won't actually align with the center of the work, but it's close enough for careful twisting to keep it pretty straight.

It helps to think of this as tap handle with one open side.

While I'm sure I can do this, I can't help but think someone, at sometime surely had something better. A factory made double spud, perhaps? Something else? Has anybody seen this addressed in another way? Just how did the wise men of yesteryear go about hot twisting?

[George N. M.]

A lot of smiths use/used monkey wrenches ( a monkey wrench has adjustable jaws at right angles to the handle and is the predecessor to the cresent wrench).  This is what I use.  Some folk will weld on a bar to balance the twist so that equal torque can be applied on both sides of the jaws.  I have never done this.  I have also seen twisting wrenches made of a bar with an S curve in the middle where one side of the S will fit over, say, a 1/2" bar and the other loop of the S will fit over a say 5/8" bar.  You can also use an open end wrench of the appropriate width. Or, a crescent wrench or a pair of vise grips.  Anything that will grip the hot metal so that you can apply torque will work.

Twisting can be where having a vise which is mounted on a post away from a wall is an advantage becuse you don't have any interference between the wall and the twisting wrench.  I have sometimes rotated my bench vise 90* so that I have clearance for the twisting wrench that I don't have with my post vise which is mounted near the wall.

If the moving jaw of your spud wrench does not have any wiggle to it, like a pipe wrench does, it should work as well as a monkey wrench.  I'm not sure how much a spud wrench costs but you can get monkey wrenches fairly cheaply on ebay.  Also, check flea markets, yard sales, etc..

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[anvil]

It seems Most people start with this and many continue and they do the job. I did.  I prefer the swivel jaw because it fits different forged shapes, but either work. File the jaws smooth and bevil the edges to keep from dinging your work. My welded on handle was a piece of 1/2“*1-1/4" barstock.

I found that for a one off twist they work fine, but if you have multiple bars that need twisting, the adjustment changes and that becomes a real nuisance. I have found that simple is better for me. A simple s like George describes above is far better. The opening on each side of the s is for a different size say 1/2“ and the other is for 3/8" or 5/8". Then make multiple tools for different stock sizes.  Use heavier material for heavier stock.A major benefit for this simple tool is when you twist, if your iron goes in properly, it becomes self locking and that's a real plus. I've used this simple tool, with longer handles or cheaters to twist 1-1/2" square stock. 

[George N. M.]

PS I beleive that you can occasionaly find monkey wrenches (and open end wrenches) with "Ford" cast into the handle and these were originally part of the tool kit that came with Model T Fords.  Because of historical and collector interest/value I would discourage anyone from welding an additional handle to these.

GNM

[Scott NC]

Keen Kutter too....

[Frosty]

They were closed die forged George, not cast. Characters like the brand name forges proud.

Frosty The Lucky.

 

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

21 hours ago, George N. M. said:

I have also seen twisting wrenches made of a bar with an S curve in the middle where one side of the S will fit over, say, a 1/2" bar and the other loop of the S will fit over a say 5/8" bar. 

Here are a couple I made and use. The small one is for tweaking twists and scrolls mostly. I also have a couple of the Ford adjustable wrenches with a handle welded to the end.

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

[George N. M.]

Jerry, yes, die dorged.  Knowing the logo was proud made me think of casting but it didn't feel right.  Die forged it is!

I have a few Ford open end wrenches but no monkey wrenches.  There were enough Model Ts sold that the tools will probably be in use for centuries.  Hard to wear out a wrench.

G

[Frosty]

I do that too George, sometimes the eye and tongue don't meet when we speak. I still say cast when talking about hand tools. 

Small monkey wrenches are on my to buy list unless the asking price is silly or won't budge. 

Something I've been toying with for a long time but have never made is a quick adjusting twisting wrench. A Stilson type wrench like a pipe wrench works because the hook jaw moves and allows it to squeeze the pipe and release by bumping it backwards if it jams. 

My thought was to use a longish length of say 1/2" x 1" flat. Weld the heel jaw about center and make the hook jaw on a slide that cocks and jams like on a pipe clamp.

To use, you hold the heel jaw against the work, slide the hook jaw against it and turn. When done release the hook jaw with a little lever or tap of something handy. If I got it right, the hook jaw would ride cocked at an angle that cocked parallel with the heel jaw when under pressure.

Just another image from Frosty's idea room. In reality a  monkey wrench with extra handle adjusts plenty fast IF you adjust it before heating the stock and open it maybe 1/4 turn on the adjustment wheel to allow room on the HOT stock.

Frosty The Lucky.

[anvil]

The "S" above is my go to. When I get fancy i do two right angle bends to dimension for each to get a good fit and a little more material for strength. But for quick and dirty, bringing the "S" to a good yellow heat and sliding say a piece of half square in one and a piece of 5/8" in the other then hot fitting in my vice works very well. 

[Frosty]

Somewhere I have a twisting wrench I made by drilling the desired stock size hole in a 3/8" x 1 1/2" ( I think) flat bar then cutting from the edge to hole with a hack saw. I stopped squaring the ends when I discovered I never bottomed the stock in the wrench when twisting. Just drill the hole a little deeper than the diameter of the drill bit, say put a 1/2" hole centered 5/8" from the bar's edge. 

Anymore I just preset a monkey wrench twisting wrench maybe 1/2 turn of the adjustment screw larger than the bar size to account for thermal expansion.

Frosty The Lucky.