When you are getting ready to perform a DIY home improvement project it is critical to have the right tools on hand. Having the right tools on hand before you start will save you a lot of frustration and time. You don’t want to be caught short and have to run to the store to buy what you need and don’t have. There are basic tools that should be part of every DIY homeowner tool kit and an adjustable wrench should be one of them. That is why we call the adjustable wrench “the irreplaceable adjustable wrench”.

There are basically three types of adjustable wrenches. In most cases homeowners have one of these types of wrenches on hand, however many people are finding that having one of each of the three different varieties is a great asset when it comes to doing home improvement projects.

The crescent wrench is the most popular adjustable wrench made and most homes have one. Crescent wrenches are available in multiple sizes, but most homes have a standard 1 ½ inch crescent wrench that satisfied just about every need to work on any pipe or faucet that breaks in the home.

Whether you have a small or large job, there usually is a crescent wrench made to do the job. The crescent wrench is shaped at an angle at the jaw end at about a fifteen degree angle perpendicular from the handle. Frequently you need two crescent wrenches at the same time, one to hold the fitting and the other to turn the nut.

The second popular adjustable wrench is the monkey wrench. The term goes way back in antiquity. This wrench has a long straight handle. It is most commonly seen in use on large projects and because it is made from forged metal it is very durable. The handle of the monkey wrench is smooth and the size of the gripping jaw can vary. Some of the tools are made big enough to grip a three inch pipe. The gripping faces of the tool are perpendicular to the handle. The monkey wrench is also known as the “auto wrench or Ford Wrench”

The third adjustable wrench is the pipe wrench, also called a Stillson wrench. This wrench is used by plumbers who work with utility pipes. These wrenches are very similar to the monkey wrench but are narrower. They come in various sizes from very small to very large. They also have a self-tightening adjustment that makes them ideal for working with the small pipes and large pipes. The hard serrated jaws of the wrench grip securely to a pipe or pipe fitting and in many cases, are able to be pulled with full body weight when removing a pipe from a fitting.

When it comes time to actually doing a project it is important to have the right tool available. The irreplaceable adjustable wrench is used on many different projects and that is why all three of the different types should be part of your home improvement tool kit.

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