What Kind of Tool is This?

[Palf70Step]

Was cleaning out stuff in the shop and came across this tool. I have had it for 20+ years, but for the life of me cannot remember (or if I even knew) what it is and its usage.

[truckster]

It looks like a hinged spanner.

[1976gmc20]

It looks a lot like a fire hose wrench but I've never seen a hinged one. The hinge probably makes it work on a wider range of sizes.

[FleetsidePaul]

It looks like a fossil of a parakeet.

[Palf70Step]

Armstrong USA 34-301 Adjustable Hook Spanner Wrench 3/4-2" spanner it is

So, what do they get used for?

[Palf70Step]

Well this helps explain it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io21yGTLWHc

Now why in the heck do I have one and where did I get it?

[mongocanfly]

Yep..spanner wrench...we use them at work all the time

[Palf70Step]

I am guessing that I got it from my dad's toolbox after he passed in the early 90s. Never saw one in use before.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Well this helps explain it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io21yGTLWHc

Now why in the heck do I have one and where did I get it?

So it is basically like our fire hose wrenches (the smaller ones 1" - 3") only there are apparently other applications. Some years ago our VFD got a whole bunch of non-hinged aluminum ones for everybody to carry on their person.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Armstrong USA 34-301 Adjustable Hook Spanner Wrench 3/4-2" spanner it is

So, what do they get used for?

Spanning

[Killer Bee]

yep, spanner wrench, used for stuff like this;

[1976gmc20]

[Steeveedee]

Flywheel turner for a hamster cage.

[Getter-Done]

Wow
This is for Collet tooling.
I have been collecting these.
I have several different types
It's a machinist (thing)

At the shop I am currently employed
They share 1 for 4 machines they use.














.

[whitedog76]

I wonder how well it would open a 5 gallon bucket?

[geezer#99]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

Make sure you line up your higbee’s before you tighten that hose!

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

Make sure you line up your higbee’s before you tighten that hose!

Interesting! I'm going to have to look for those marks. We use mostly 1" and 1.5" (and mop-up / garden hose). Except for the tenders where we have some big hoses with cam-locks.

Never seen anything cross thread but you have to watch out for hose thread vs pipe thread.

[geezer#99]

We used to use a stripe of white paint on the higbee’s. Easier to see when hooking up.
Saved a lot of fumbling with connections when we had to string out a couple 500 foot lengths in a hurry.
Especially handy for the newbies when we had firehose drills once a month.

[truckdude239]

I was going to say old time alignment tool

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by geezer#99

We used to use a stripe of white paint on the higbee’s. Easier to see when hooking up.
Saved a lot of fumbling with connections when we had to string out a couple 500 foot lengths in a hurry.
Especially handy for the newbies when we had firehose drills once a month.

Well about 95% of the time we use the 1" hard line on the hose reel, except when we are doing mop-up with the 3/4" garden hose. All of our hose reels are power retract now which saves a lot of time when we're doing squirt and run. You can even haul the nozzle person back up a cliff with the hose reel/winch.

Generally things have really gone to crap if we have to do a hose lay outside of training.