Tool Talk

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: 1930 on June 02, 2011, 02:27:42 PM

Title: wrench sizes
Post by: 1930 on June 02, 2011, 02:27:42 PM

Didnt someone bring over  the post about sizing wrenches and the changes that took place in 29, can someone point me to that post
I looked at all the posts in general and wrench and it appears to not be there, so where would that info be found again?

Title: Re: wrench sizes
Post by: Papaw on June 02, 2011, 04:02:24 PM

It's from The Wrenching News http://www.wrenchingnews.com/wrench-logos/logos-page-1.html (http://www.wrenchingnews.com/wrench-logos/logos-page-1.html)

Quote

5 - Size Standard Markings
Note: In the United States prior to 1929 the sizes stamped on wrenches usually referred to the diameter of the bolt not the actual opening size. Thus a wrench stamped ½ U. S. would actually have a 7/8" wrench opening size as a nut for a ½" diameter U. S. Standard bolt would measure 13/16" across the flats and allowing for 1/16 clearance would require a 7/8" wrench opening. This same size wrench would also fit nuts for 5/8" hex cap screw and bolt and nuts for 9/16" S.A.E Standard Cap Screws and thus would be marked ½ U.S, 5/8 Hex Cap, and 9/16 SAE. Carl Bolt's website page on tool standards pictures 17 wrenches with 19 different identifications and sizes all marked 1/2"! This could get pretty confusing so circa 1929 the American Engineering Standards Committee specified that wrenches should be marked with the actual width across the flats of the nut or bolt head they would fit
AF    Initials: AF (used with size in inches of nut or bolt head i.e. I/2 AF)
Across Flats (British?)
Size as measured across the flat sides of nut or bolt head or actual wrench opening size
OC    Hex logo and initial C (used with size in inches of bolt diameter i.e. I/2 OC)
Hex Cap Screw
Found on older forged wrenches before 1920 standard want into effect (see note above)
SAE    Initials: SAE (used with size in inches of bolt diameter i.e. I/2 SAE)
Society of Automotive Engineers (fine threaded nuts and bolts)
Found on older forged wrenches before the 1929 standard want into effect (see note above)
USS    Initials: USS (used with size in inches of bolt diameter i.e. I/2 USS)
United States Standard.
Found on older forged wrenches before the 1929 standard want into effect (see note above)

Title: Re: wrench sizes
Post by: 1930 on June 02, 2011, 04:08:43 PM

Thank- you for your effort Noel

Title: Re: wrench sizes
Post by: rusty on June 02, 2011, 06:59:36 PM

Alloy artifacts also has a table of size conversions from an old Billings catalog:
http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/table_oe_wrench.html

Title: Re: wrench sizes
Post by: 1930 on June 02, 2011, 09:04:15 PM

I will look into that, thanks again