Recommendation for an 18" adjustable wrench

[OurTown]

I have been looking for a good quality 18" adjustable wrench. The $20 ones at Chinese Freight don't excite me very much but it looks like to get a good USA made one the price really shoots up there. Crescent makes one that is about $90 but it looks like the other brands go up from there. Is there something in between that I'm overlooking? Proto makes a wide jaw capacity 15" that is about $60 that I might consider. The main need is for over 2" jaw capacity for changing those really hard to get out light bulbs. Might even have to use a pipe on the handle too.

 

[MEP001]

NOT Husky. The last one I bought was so bad I returned it.

The real Crescent brand made in USA are good, but the ones they sell in retail stores are made in China. They aren't much better than Husky - I deliberately dropped my 8" one in a pit the other day when it wouldn't even tighten a spray tip.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Hard to get out light bulbs... with an adjustable wrench? I'm confused... how exactly do you do that?
I have 2 of the chinese freight adjustables, I think they are 18"... since I rarely need them, that level of quality is sufficient for me.
Perhaps a strap wrench or a chain wrench is an alternative for you, I've used them in the past and they work well.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have been looking for a good quality 18" adjustable wrench. .

April fools?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Hard to get out light bulbs... with an adjustable wrench? I'm confused... how exactly do you do that?.

When I read that, I was thinking "April Fools" and didn't bite.

 

[OurTown]

Upon closer inspection of the bulbs I think the jaw opening needs to be more like 3". View attachment 1349

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

thanks for the pic. Yep, I have just one word for you: strap wrench.

 

[OurTown]

It's not as funny on April 2. Guess I should have posted it earlier in the day yesterday. I really do want an 18" wrench though and found a Ridgid (USA made) one on Amazon for $69.95 and free shipping. The ones at Chinese Freight are starting to temp me though and when it comes to larger tools every once in a while I buy there. I usually subscribe to "buy once, cry once" when it comes to tools but the big 'ens are expensive and for me don't get used as much.

 

[br549ms]

now that is 4/2,

Proto makes a fine a 18" adjustable wrench. We use them in the Offshore drilling environment. Snap-on and Wilson are good too.

 

[MEP001]

It's not as funny on April 2. Guess I should have posted it earlier in the day yesterday. I really do want an 18" wrench though and found a Ridgid (USA made) one on Amazon for $69.95 and free shipping. The ones at Chinese Freight are starting to temp me though and when it comes to larger tools every once in a while I buy there. I usually subscribe to "buy once, cry once" when it comes to tools but the big 'ens are expensive and for me don't get used as much.

I've found most of the Harbor Freight hand tools are at least adequate. I have four of their pipe wrenches (two 24", one 24" aluminum and a 36") and they work fine the rare times I need them. If I were a professional plumber I'd stick with Ridgid. As I mentioned I bought a Husky crescent, and the first time I used it the jaws just spread and rounded off a 1/2" brass hex fitting that wasn't even all that tight. They're all made in China anyway.

Harbor Freight has some new cordless tools that are apparently very good.

 

[OurTown]

now that is 4/2,

Proto makes a fine a 18" adjustable wrench. We use them in the Offshore drilling environment. Snap-on and Wilson are good too.

I looked at those too and find it interesting that they (and other brands) make a USA made professional version and a Chinese/Taiwanese/Spanish made "Home Depot quality" version. The price varies little between them.

 

[Greg Pack]

I use proto generally, they make one with a click stop that I'm not so wild about though, but that is personal preference. Zoro with coupon is usually very competitive on protos.

Both channelock and Bahco ( a snap on subsidiary), and probably several others (including snap on branded)market a decent adjustable wrench made in Spain by a company called irega.

Taiwan has become the new producer of mid grade tools. There are several huge conglomerates over there that produce multiple lines for USA marketers. They have the quality control down pat and are producing some very decent tools. Even the better lines at harbor freight (Pittsburg Pro)are made in Taiwan and are pretty good value. Harbor freight is actually trying to produce an expensive premium line too called Icon. They have a breaker bar that is more expensive than a USA made proto bar- yeah good luck with that. Anyway, I always look at company of mfg. and I'll take a taiwain made tool over chinese made any day of the week.

 

[Greg Pack]

This is a great deal on ebay right now for a Proto USA made 18" adjustable wrench- 35.00 shipped

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-18-Sta...m41fe402b72:g:m68AAOSwo~dcfTXB&frcectupt=true

 

[OurTown]

This is a great deal on ebay right now for a Proto USA made 18" adjustable wrench- 35.00 shipped

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-18-Sta...m41fe402b72:g:m68AAOSwo~dcfTXB&frcectupt=true

Thanks. That was not on there the other day. I bought one. Now I need to find a smoking deal on a 24" pipe wrench....

 

[MEP001]

These are great for the price:

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-in-steel-pipe-wrench-61361.html

 

[OurTown]

These are great for the price:

https://www.harborfreight.com/24-in-steel-pipe-wrench-61361.html

I actually have one of those but it does not bite into pipe like my 18" Ridgid. Maybe the teeth are cut at the wrong angle or the geometry of the jaws are different.

 

[MEP001]

The teeth just aren't as hard. I've had my 12" Ridgid at least 25 years and use it all the time. I've used the Chinese-made 24" half a dozen times and the teeth are more worn than on my Ridgid. It just depends on how much you use them, as little as I need a larger pipe wrench it'll never pay off for me to spend on a good one.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

Look on craigslist or offerup. I see used but high quality large pipe wrenches often and for good prices.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

A tool I find rather useful is a ford wrench. Kind of hard to find these days but I recommend anyone who deals with any threaded pipe fittings get one or three.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I like these. Have not had any issues. https://www.harborfreight.com/catal...d+Weight,f,Sale+Rank,f&q=Aluminum+Pipe+Wrench