Where can I find a _________? (Tool Edition)

Ron

Ron

Dum Spiro Spero
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Apr 16, 2005
Location
Sharon, SC
I lost a wrench this weekend and I want to replace it.
Que the internet meme - but its a 10MM regular old combination wrench...or so I thought.

Ive got a Craftsman USA made combo wrench set that is probably as old as I am. A few over the years have been replaced due to loss, breakage ...whatever.

But what apparently makes this set quite unique, I am finding, is the box end of the combo wrenches are all 6 point. Now granted there have been a few instances where I have cussed the lack of options for locating a wrench...but where this becomes relevant is for bleeding brakes. I swear lately every damn caliper I replace has a shitty bleeder screw that will strip out if you look a it twice...even replacing them with new bleeders from the parts houses doesnt help. Same thin ass metal. So the extra contact of a 6 point is nice and prevents strips.
Yes I have a line wrench.
Yes I can use it, though prefer not to.

So all that rambling aside...
3 stops today (Lowes, Home Depot and Sears) and I cant find a damn combo wrench with a 6 point box end. Anyone got any suggestions?
 
Please, is that all you need? Challenge me next time. ;)

McMaster Carr, $12.
It will be likely be Armstrong brand (very good); I know that because I've bought them before.
My favorite German tool companies also make those but you'll have to do a little more legwork to look up part numbers to order from a tool site in this country. But, they'll also be better and cheaper than Snap-On, etc.

Actually, I just saw you're bleeding brakes. Go buy a bleeder wrench from NAPA, it's exactly what you need. They're 8mm and 10mm or something like that. I have one, it fits tiiiiight on the bleeder.


Found it, it's this one I'm pretty sure:
Wrench, Brake Bleeder, 8 mm & 10 mm, Evercraft

And yes, never use anything but a close tolerance 6-point on a bleeder. If you have to use something else, don't use something else.
 
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Its not just for bleeding brakes, that's just where the 6 point thing is a pet peeve. I want to re-complete my set.

McMaster it is though I guess.
 
Ron said:
Its not just for bleeding brakes, that's just where the 6 point thing is a pet peeve. I want to re-complete my set.

McMaster it is though I guess.
Click to expand...

Buy the $6 one at NAPA for brakes, and buy a standard one to complete the set. You'll never want to use anything else for brakes once you have the NAPA one.
 
jeepinmatt said:
@Ron I assume you lost this:
NOS CRAFTSMAN (USA) MADE 10MM 6 POINT COMBINATION WRENCH 42867 | eBay
And you're not high roller enough to replace it with this:
NICE SNAP ON 10 mm Combination Open Box End Wrench 6 Point Tool OSHM100 USA | eBay
Click to expand...


Yes and yes.
Why do I never think about ebay?


Fabrik8 said:
Buy the $6 one at NAPA for brakes, and buy a standard one to complete the set. You'll never want to use anything else for brakes once you have the NAPA one.
Click to expand...


For $6 I guess it worth a shot...next time Im near a Napa Ill pick one up. Too bad they closed the 2 closest ones down. There truly was a difference in th quality of their refurb parts compared to oreilly, autozne,advace
 
Aside from the wrench vs. line wrench I use a six point socket. Yeah it gets all squirted up but after breaking it loose a wrench is easy peasy.

And Im right with you. I got a handme down set complete with blow molded case. It irks me the script is different even though the socket are identical otherwise. It was my fathers.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
Aside from the wrench vs. line wrench I use a six point socket. Yeah it gets all squirted up but after breaking it loose a wrench is easy peasy.

And Im right with you. I got a handme down set complete with blow molded case. It irks me the script is different even though the socket are identical otherwise. It was my fathers.
Click to expand...

Sockets work, but I can't put a bleeder hose on the nipple with a socket. Bleeder bottle and bleeder wrench, zero drips and zero mess.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
Yeah it gets all squirted up
Click to expand...

covered that...my use is strictly to prevent rounding. Think ancient rarely moved crust covered this is gonna cost me hours of headache. I can get square and apply torque parallel to the mounting face and greatly reduce distortion. I never liked the way a wrench has the end bent for clearance when something is really tight and in an awkward place. The hoses are nice but when we are talking broken rounded off garbage I'll take a little mess to clean up.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
covered that...my use is strictly to prevent rounding. Think ancient rarely moved crust covered this is gonna cost me hours of headache. I can get square and apply torque parallel to the mounting face and greatly reduce distortion. I never liked the way a wrench has the end bent for clearance when something is really tight and in an awkward place. The hoses are nice but when we are talking broken rounded off garbage I'll take a little mess to clean up.
Click to expand...

My challenge is that requires a second person which I rarely have.
With a hose and bottle I crack the bleeder go pump it a few times.. Check the tube, tighten and move.
 
Understood, but Im not a shop. Bleeding brakes is something I do 1-2x a year.
Im also a cheap ass. I cant justify $60 for that, nor do I want an extra contraption taking up space in my already too tight garage.

I did build one one time out of a pump up garden sprayer. Was neat but wasted a shit ton of brake fluid.
 
Ron said:
I lost a wrench this weekend and I want to replace it.
Que the internet meme - but its a 10MM regular old combination wrench...or so I thought.

Ive got a Craftsman USA made combo wrench set that is probably as old as I am. A few over the years have been replaced due to loss, breakage ...whatever.

But what apparently makes this set quite unique, I am finding, is the box end of the combo wrenches are all 6 point. Now granted there have been a few instances where I have cussed the lack of options for locating a wrench...but where this becomes relevant is for bleeding brakes. I swear lately every damn caliper I replace has a shitty bleeder screw that will strip out if you look a it twice...even replacing them with new bleeders from the parts houses doesnt help. Same thin ass metal. So the extra contact of a 6 point is nice and prevents strips.
Yes I have a line wrench.
Yes I can use it, though prefer not to.

So all that rambling aside...
3 stops today (Lowes, Home Depot and Sears) and I cant find a damn combo wrench with a 6 point box end. Anyone got any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Send me your address and Ill send you an extra one I have,or at least think I have.
 
74a529ba47b171af11f6da5da5442722.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Fabrik8 said:
Sockets work, but I can't put a bleeder hose on the nipple with a socket. Bleeder bottle and bleeder wrench, zero drips and zero mess.
Click to expand...
Ill break them loose w a socket and then use a wrench.
 
Made me look at the assorted collection of wrenches in my tool box. My Only combo 6 point 10mm, is by PowrKraft [forged in USA]. Goggle shows it used to be sold by Montgomery Ward. No telling Where I picked it up!
 
1 - my local Sears has 6 pt wrenches as well as 12 point. I only buy 6 point for all the reasons of not-rounding bolts.
2 - Isn't this what a tubing wrench is for? It's like a box end in that it has a round claw w/ 6 sides but part of 1 is missing so it can slip past a tube but still grip on 6 corners. Perfect for getting over a tub stuck on the end of s bleeder screw.
3 - @Ron you can buy a vacuum pump for $20-30 and it is worth every penny. I've used that for bleeding via suction myself for a decade. Also really useful for flushing out things like a power steering reservoir.
 
RatLabGuy said:
1 - my local Sears has 6 pt wrenches as well as 12 point. I only buy 6 point for all the reasons of not-rounding bolts.
2 - Isn't this what a tubing wrench is for? It's like a box end in that it has a round claw w/ 6 sides but part of 1 is missing so it can slip past a tube but still grip on 6 corners. Perfect for getting over a tub stuck on the end of s bleeder screw.
3 - @Ron you can buy a vacuum pump for $20-30 and it is worth every penny. I've used that for bleeding via suction myself for a decade. Also really useful for flushing out things like a power steering reservoir.
Click to expand...

My line wrenches are cheap Chinese cheap. They are thicker than a standard wrench and thicker than the head of the bleeder. Interferes with tubing.
Vacuum bleeding is different/opposite from a power bleeder as I understand it.
 
I've got an old USA Thorsen 10m box wrench that kick's ass on bleeders and an USA Easco 12/10mm line wrench that works fine....but apparently they are no longer made in the USA.
 
Wes said:
I mean, how else am I gonna turn a brake job into an all day affair with 8 trips to the parts store.
Click to expand...
Loose the banjo bolt
 
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