Crescent wrench for proprietary barrel nuts with wrench flats? - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Crescent wrench for proprietary barrel nuts with wrench flats?

Posted: 9/27/2017 12:54:11 PM EDT

Some of the proprietary barrel nuts that come with handguards have wrench flats, and given the size of a barrel nut, you need a crescent wrench with jaws that open more than 1". The problem is these barrel nut wrench flats tend not to be very wide, often 1/2" or slightly less. Larger crescent wrench jaws tend to be wider than 1/2". Some crescent wrench jaws have narrower leading edges, so you can get the wrench partially seated on the barrel nut flats, but not fully seated because the wrench jaws are too wide for full seating.

Anyone know where I can find sufficiently large crescent wrenches with narrow jaws? Is there an alternative solution to this?

Posted: 9/27/2017 12:59:24 PM EDT

[#1]

I think all of the proprietary barrel nuts I have got have come with a wrench at the time I purchased them. You can also get crows foot wrenches up to 2" size from a couple of the tool companies. I don't like to use the crescent type wrenches cause a lot of them don't lock down tight and I have had them slip and gall the larger nuts.

Posted: 9/27/2017 1:05:00 PM EDT

[#2]

I got a cheap chinese crow's foot off Ebay for my Diamondhead barrel nut. Combined it with a 1/2" torque wrench, it worked great.

Posted: 9/27/2017 1:29:21 PM EDT

[#3]

https://www.amazon.com/Channellock-6SWCB-Adjustable-WideAzz-Opening/dp/B00VBPY91O?th=1

opens to 1-1/2"

Posted: 9/27/2017 2:42:07 PM EDT

[#4]

I've run into this same issue myself. Found a Channellock crescent wrench at Orscheln's that opened to 1 1/2" and had sufficiently narrow jaws.
Pretty sure it was this one - https://www.orschelnfarmhome.com/view/product/si-adjustable-wrench-6---12-in/si6453689

The best part is the square-ish hole in the handle will fit a 1/2 drive torque wrench.
I turn the crescent 90 degrees perpendicular to the head on the torque wrench and call it close enough.

Posted: 9/27/2017 3:11:13 PM EDT

[#5]

There is another option if you want to stick to the adjustable wrench idea.
A little known tool company called T and E Tools makes a very high quality thin-jawed adjustable wrench that goes all the way out to 2 3/8".
As a heavy equipment mechanic, I've been using this wrench daily for several months now (both on guns and equipment) and I'm totally impressed with it's performance. I'm a bit old school when it comes to tools
and tend to be skeptical of the latest and greatest "miracle tool" to come to the market, so I'm approaching it from that standpoint.
Not cheap at $41 but worth every penny in my opinion. LINKY
Pics below show tool both at work and play

Posted: 9/27/2017 4:42:42 PM EDT

[#6]

I had this same exact same problem with the Seekins Precision NOXs barrel nut. > Link.

Posted: 9/27/2017 5:07:51 PM EDT

[#7]

How about channellock pliers (tongue and groove pliers)? It's for a rimfire upper, so I don't need a lot of torque. The jaw thickness on those should be well under 1/2", no?

Posted: 9/27/2017 5:27:44 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Anyone know where I can find sufficiently large crescent wrenches with narrow jaws? Is there an alternative solution to this?

View Quote

It's amazing what you can do when you own a grinder. Shoot, just the number of useful tools you can make out of $0.88 screwdrivers alone is worth it.

Posted: 9/27/2017 7:06:50 PM EDT

[#9]

Quote History

Quoted:

It's amazing what you can do when you own a grinder. Shoot, just the number of useful tools you can make out of $0.88 screwdrivers alone is worth it.

View Quote

Good call! I'll buy a cheap crescent wrench and introduce it to Mr. Dremel and his pal, the grinding bit. That will be cheaper and have a lot more uses than an expensive crows foot wrench in one particular size.

Posted: 9/27/2017 8:09:35 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
There is another option if you want to stick to the adjustable wrench idea.
A little known tool company called T and E Tools makes a very high quality thin-jawed adjustable wrench that goes all the way out to 2 3/8".
As a heavy equipment mechanic, I've been using this wrench daily for several months now (both on guns and equipment) and I'm totally impressed with it's performance. I'm a bit old school when it comes to tools
and tend to be skeptical of the latest and greatest "miracle tool" to come to the market, so I'm approaching it from that standpoint.
Not cheap at $41 but worth every penny in my opinion. LINKY
Pics below show tool both at work and play

https://i.imgur.com/hYd2C4l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KapNx7R.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SjJ4vRL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cHxr7Wm.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nn3cGPK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XTT8Xir.jpg

View Quote

This is nice- it would be Perfect if they machined a 1/2 square for a torque wrench in the right place and viola - ADJUSTABLE CROWS FOOT!! ?? Why Wouldn't this work?

Posted: 9/27/2017 8:29:50 PM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:

This is nice- it would be Perfect if they machined a 1/2 square for a torque wrench in the right place and viola - ADJUSTABLE CROWS FOOT!! ?? Why Wouldn't this work?

View Quote

Because that is to easy and they are in the business to make money!

Posted: 9/28/2017 12:11:10 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:

It's amazing what you can do when you own a grinder. Shoot, just the number of useful tools you can make out of $0.88 screwdrivers alone is worth it.

View Quote

This is exactly what I did. Works great

Posted: 9/28/2017 2:59:16 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Some of the proprietary barrel nuts that come with handguards have wrench flats, and given the size of a barrel nut, you need a crescent wrench with jaws that open more than 1". The problem is these barrel nut wrench flats tend not to be very wide, often 1/2" or slightly less. Larger crescent wrench jaws tend to be wider than 1/2". Some crescent wrench jaws have narrower leading edges, so you can get the wrench partially seated on the barrel nut flats, but not fully seated because the wrench jaws are too wide for full seating.

Anyone know where I can find sufficiently large crescent wrenches with narrow jaws? Is there an alternative solution to this?

View Quote

OP.....if your gonna build guns....please learn what tools are called, and be prepared to buy the RIGHT tool for the job.

This is an ADJUSTABLE WRENCH. Please.... do not use this tool to tighten barrel nuts.

There are the tools you need. Maybe buy a torque wrench while you are buying the right tools....

Posted: 9/28/2017 5:48:04 PM EDT

[#14]

I needed a 1 1/4" wrench, so I went to Autozone and picked up a 1 1/4 spanner wrench for $12 A friend that is a machinist is going to mill a slot for me to connect the torque wrench.

Posted: 9/28/2017 8:06:25 PM EDT

[#15]

As CJ points out, the tool that you need is a crow's foot wrench for the specific flat-to-flat size you'll be working with. Crow's foot wrenches are often thinner than adjustable wrenches, too.

The term "crescent wrench" should be capitalized. Crescent is a brand name and they are not necessarily fond of having their name applied generically to every crappy, cheap @$$ adjustable open end wrench in the world.

I would totally avoid anything like a slip-jaw plier (brand name "Channellock") for this purpose. If you need a tool to tighten something, it'll take enough pressure that your pliers will leave marks that you'll be unhappy about later.

Posted: 10/1/2017 11:25:07 PM EDT

[#16]

$11.97 @ Home Depot. Don't get anything adjustable. Get the correct size crows foot and use a torque wrench.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Crescent wrench for proprietary barrel nuts with wrench flats?

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