Mystery miserable man.Foxton Locks

[Nightwatch]

Why worry about it? Just thank them and move on.

 

I cannot remember incidents involving CRT staff or volunteers but when I'm on a hire boat I often get other boaters offering advice that's not needed and I can usually manage not to over-react. If the opportunity arises, a couple of technical questions can help know-it-alls learn that they don't.

Thank who? Who's worried? Annoyed? Yes.

Moved on? Yes.

Edited May 17, 2015 by Nightwatch

[X Alan W]

Stillsons definitely, I think monkey wrench is very much a USA//Canada thing.

I was led to understand " monkey wrench" is the americanism for an adjustable spanner but may be misinformed

[churchward]

 

Slightly

 

the picture above is what I refer to as a "monkey wrench" never heard it called anything else

You are confusing two kinds of wrench that often get lumped together as they look similar. A Monkey wrench is an adjustable square jawed wrench but has no flexibility. A Stillson wrench as in the picture is an adjustable wrench that has a rounded and machined jaw for griping pipes etc. and has a spring mechanism and the bottom jaw can therefore move a little to help it grip. When applied correctly the Stillson will grip the object tighter the harder you pull on the wrench. . That is how I understand it anyway.

[Bettie Boo]

I was led to understand " monkey wrench" is the americanism for an adjustable spanner but may be misinformed

 

nope we call an adjustable "spanner" an adjustable wrench

You are confusing two kinds of wrench that often get lumped together as they look similar. A Monkey wrench is an adjustable square jawed wrench but has no flexibility. A Stillson wrench as in the picture is an adjustable wrench that has a rounded and machined jaw for griping pipes etc. and has a spring mechanism and the bottom jaw can therefore move a little to help it grip. When applied correctly the Stillson will grip the object tighter the harder you pull on the wrench. . That is how I understand it anyway.

 

You could very well be correct, I didn't notice the springy bit on the bottom jaw. It does look very similar to what we call a Monkey wrench

[MtB]

You are confusing two kinds of wrench that often get lumped together as they look similar. A Monkey wrench is an adjustable square jawed wrench but has no flexibility. A Stillson wrench as in the picture is an adjustable wrench that has a rounded and machined jaw for griping pipes etc. and has a spring mechanism and the bottom jaw can therefore move a little to help it grip. When applied correctly the Stillson will grip the object tighter the harder you pull on the wrench. . That is how I understand it anyway.

 

Quite right, which is why I suggested a Stillson wrench not a monkey wrench. A Stillson will grip a rounded paddle spindle superbly no matter how rounded it might be. It will dig it's own grooves for grip before it slips.

[X Alan W]

I was, and also in the 1960's, but only just. I don't recall ever coming across a spindle with rounded corners that sufficient to cause difficulty with windlass grip.

 

Where abouts were these rounded spindles?

There were a good few worn spindles in the late 50's & early 60's, one possible difference in those days most windless's were single head size, were forged not cast & had a tapered head/hole,so required 2 for different spindle sizes, also most spindles were tapered so the wear could be taken up by sliding the windless further onto the spindle, but in the growth of pleasure boating things were " improved" windless's had 2 size heads & a non tapered hole +, people who were boating were less experienced being newcomers & accidents, misuse , etc rose with the growing number of users. Not helped by BW's we will try this attitude, to canal furniture Ie. lock gates in steel, Hydraulic paddle gear,.paddle spindles different in more ways than size,& different between ground & gate at the head of the lock.Removing gate paddles, standardization seemed to be an unheard of thing, & if any thing was repaired that required replacement of parts/fittings etc the odds were it/they would not be the same The S&W was the one for having different size working parts so for lock working you had to carry 2 windless's, boaters could often be seen with 1 tucked in the belt & 1 under jacket collar "The good old days"

[nicknorman]

nope we call an adjustable "spanner" an adjustable wrench

 

You could very well be correct, I didn't notice the springy bit on the bottom jaw. It does look very similar to what we call a Monkey wrench

The confusion arises because you are presuming that Americans (incl Canada) speak English, whereas in fact they speak a substantially different language.

[X Alan W]

 

nope we call an adjustable "spanner" an adjustable wrench

 

You could very well be correct, I didn't notice the springy bit on the bottom jaw. It does look very similar to what we call a Monkey wrench

You are using the North Americanism , Wrench is their word, back in my apprentice shipyard working day if you had asked some one to pass you a wrench they would have looked at you as if you were speaking a foreign language, there it was always spanner. Set, Ring, Combination, Crow foot, or Socket, may be things have changed as it's over 60years since I served my time,& adjustable spanners were a complete NO NO. Excellent for rounding off the corners of nuts & bolts in the same way non tapered windless's can do to paddle spindles.

[mattlad]

 

Slightly

 

the picture above is what I refer to as a "monkey wrench" never heard it called anything else

Monkey wrench? Those are definitely Stilsons!

 

Edited:- Sorry, didn't realise a number of people had pointed this out, so ignore this post!

Edited May 17, 2015 by mattlad

[Bettie Boo]

The confusion arises because you are presuming that Americans (incl Canada) speak English, whereas in fact they speak a substantially different language.

 

Well your 1/2 right Nick...I wasn't actually presuming anything; however I do agree that there are many difference's between the language spoken in North America to that which is spoken on the British Isles even though they are both called English

 

Ours being heavily influenced and mixed with Dutch, French, some Spanish, Native American & of course 17th century English whereas I believe the English spoken here is heavily influenced and mixed with Angle, Saxon, (old German), Viking, Danish, early medieval French & Latin - no wonder we have some names for things and some words have different meanings

 

You are using the North Americanism , Wrench is their word, back in my apprentice shipyard working day if you had asked some one to pass you a wrench they would have looked at you as if you were speaking a foreign language, there it was always spanner. Set, Ring, Combination, Crow foot, or Socket, may be things have changed as it's over 60years since I served my time,& adjustable spanners were a complete NO NO. Excellent for rounding off the corners of nuts & bolts in the same way non tapered windless's can do to paddle spindles.

 

Yes Alan, was just pointing out that in North America we would call it an adjustable wrench, not an adjustable spanner

 

Monkey wrench? Those are definitely Stilsons!

 

Edited:- Sorry, didn't realise a number of people had pointed this out, so ignore this post!

 

Ok Ok - you guys win I've learned another new English word and have been introduced to a new tool as well

[Rich]

The S&W was the one for having different size working parts so for lock working you had to carry 2 windless's, boaters could often be seen with 1 tucked in the belt & 1 under jacket collar "The good old days"

It must have been sorted out by the end of the 60's as we went from S-o-S to Autherley in '69 and I don't recall two windlasses. I don't recall seeing many narrowboats either, mostly cruisers.

[Emerald Fox]

Generally 'wrench' is American as they are uncouth operators and tend to replace skill with violence, ie. wrenching.

 

'Spanner' is for Brits who are more genteel and quietly cunning and who know that the tool is to be placed carefully round the nut. And then banged HARD with a hammer.

[Athy]

So what's a monkey spanner?

[Emerald Fox]

This?:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-GIRARD-6-3-4-ADJUSTABLE-MONKEY-WRENCH-WITH-WOODEN-HANDLE-/181741219359?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a509eee1f

[ditchcrawler]

You are using the North Americanism , Wrench is their word, back in my apprentice shipyard working day if you had asked some one to pass you a wrench they would have looked at you as if you were speaking a foreign language, there it was always spanner. Set, Ring, Combination, Crow foot, or Socket, may be things have changed as it's over 60years since I served my time,& adjustable spanners were a complete NO NO. Excellent for rounding off the corners of nuts & bolts in the same way non tapered windless's can do to paddle spindles.

Same here, if the Old Man caught you using an adjustable there was all hell let lose. I saw him pull a contractor up one day for it who replied he was going to put new bolts in, the Old Man asked "and what are you going to do them up with"

[ditchcrawler]

Generally 'wrench' is American as they are uncouth operators and tend to replace skill with violence, ie. wrenching.

 

'Spanner' is for Brits who are more genteel and quietly cunning and who know that the tool is to be placed carefully round the nut. And then banged HARD with a hammer.

That's a "Flogging Spanner"

[Bettie Boo]

 

1. Monkey wrench
2. The monkey wrench or gas grips is an adjustable wrench, a later American development of eighteenth-century English coach wrenches.

[tree monkey]

 

 

• Monkey wrench

•  

  The monkey wrench or gas grips is an adjustable wrench, a later American development of eighteenth-century English coach wrenches.

That's not mine either

[Skyraker]

Surely if your windlass gets stuck you just use a birmingham screwdriver to get it off.

[Emerald Fox]

Birmingham screwdriver:

A hammer. Usually used on delicate devices when a real screwdriver would be better. Refers to the habit of a Birmingham inhabitant (i.e. simpleton] to take a rather simplitic view of maintenance.

 

If it don't work - hit it.
If it still don't work, use a bigger hammer.

 

(from t'Internet. Foxy actually has a liking for Birmingham and its inhabitants. They are friendly and proud of their city, and the whole of Brom seems to have a warm 'glow').

[Bettie Boo]

That's not mine either

 

[b0atman]

Interesting in North Lincolnshire an hammer was a Manchester screwdriver.

[Nightwatch]

Arh! But what about a good old wheel spanner.

[MtB]

When I was a skool, a Birmingham screwdriver was a very blunt chisel!

[Nightwatch]

Thought you were dragged up,up north.