Whitworth

[Phil Ambrose]

On 29/01/2019 at 11:52, Phil Ambrose said:

As Tony says, just use a spanner that fits.

Phil

OK Tony, I've altered that to "a spanner that fits correctly"

I didn't think it had to be spelt out as a spanner that does not fit correctly cannot be described as a spanner that fits.

Phil

[mayalld]

24 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

OK Tony, I've altered that to "a spanner that fits correctly"

I didn't think it had to be spelt out as a spanner that does not fit correctly cannot be described as a spanner that fits.

Phil

I am always reminded of what my dad said when I was young, and he asked me to pass him a half-inch spanner.

 

I looked through the metric spanners, and asked which one was nearest to the right size.

 

He responded "half inch - use the correct spanner, not a nearly right one"

 

[RLWP]

42 minutes ago, jonesthenuke said:

and look for ones in good condition. They are generally cheap when bought this way.

 

Should you inherit some Whit/BSF spanners by whatever means, there will inevitably be some that are bent into weird shapes.

 

These sit on the toolbox for years until one day, they turn out to be exactly the right tool for some ridiculously inaccessible fastening

 

I used to be puzzled as to why Whit/BSF spanners came in so many different lengths, nowadays I'm grateful

 

Richard

Edited January 30, 2019 by RLWP

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

Well now you have brought up the topic, what are your thoughts on water pump pliers? 

 

 

They're practically indispensable for some plumbing applications.  I also feel they may be useful to the "dirty handed" to hold biscuits,  particularly for dunking.  I reckon you could get a proper grip on ginger nuts. 

 

6 minutes ago, mayalld said:

I am always reminded of what my dad said when I was young, and he asked me to pass him a half-inch spanner.

 

I looked through the metric spanners, and asked which one was nearest to the right size.

 

He responded "half inch - use the correct spanner, not a nearly right one"

 

 

Good lad your Dad.

 

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, Sea Dog said:

I also feel they may be useful to the "dirty handed" to hold biscuits,  particularly for dunking.  I reckon you could get a proper grip on ginger nuts. 

Oi! I'm strawberry blonde. 

 

[Iain_S]

57 minutes ago, mayalld said:

I am always reminded of what my dad said when I was young, and he asked me to pass him a half-inch spanner.

 

I looked through the metric spanners, and asked which one was nearest to the right size.

 

He responded "half inch - use the correct spanner, not a nearly right one"

 

Although sometimes the "wrong" spanner is a better fit. An 11mm on slightly under sized 7/16" AF, for example. ?

[Tony Brooks]

10 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

Although sometimes the "wrong" spanner is a better fit. An 11mm on slightly under sized 7/16" AF, for example. ?

Absolutely, there can be tolerance differences between (say) Britool/Snap On and Ebay specials types that render the later unusable despite being marked as the same size.

[Phil Ambrose]

2 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

Oi! I'm strawberry blonde. 

 

Surely that's fire engine red?

Phil

[TheBiscuits]

4 minutes ago, Phil Ambrose said:

Surely that's fire engine red?

I would be if Steve was gripping my ginger nuts with his pliers!

[Phil Ambrose]

While on the subject of tools, when I started as an apprentice toolmaker the best bit of advice I received was " if you knock something in with a hammer always make sure you have a bigger one to knock it out"

Phil

[dor]

I have a box full of Whitworth, BSF & AF spanners and sockets, going back to my Austin Seven, A35, Mini days. Occasionally, very occasionally, I find a nut that isn't metric (or at least, isn't 'metric now) and they come in handy.

 

I've also got a box full of Imperial nuts and bolts in various sizes.  When I do need a bolt, finding a nut that has the same thread profile is always interesting.

[Sea Dog]

20 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

I would be if Steve was gripping my ginger nuts with his pliers!

Twas merely a jest - not a statement of intent! 

[David Schweizer]

9 minutes ago, dor said:

I have a box full of Whitworth, BSF & AF spanners and sockets, going back to my Austin Seven, A35, Mini days. Occasionally, very occasionally, I find a nut that isn't metric (or at least, isn't 'metric now) and they come in handy.

 

I've also got a box full of Imperial nuts and bolts in various sizes.  When I do need a bolt, finding a nut that has the same thread profile is always interesting.

Likewise, in fact I use some of them every year when I service and sharpen my two push along lawn Mowers.

 

I had an Austin Seven, and an A35 plus two A40's, but I progressesed onto Riley RM's. From recollection all of them used Whitworth spanners.

 

 

[BEngo]

All the A and B series engines I have worked on were unified threads, so AF spanners.

Another good piece of advice regarding hitting things: Don't force it lad, get a bigger hammer.

N

[RLWP]

4 minutes ago, BEngo said:

Another good piece of advice regarding hitting things: Don't force it lad, get a bigger hammer.

N

A remarkably good piece of advice

 

Richard

[Stilllearning]

16 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

Likewise, in fact I use some of them every year when I service and sharpen my two push along lawn Mowers.

 

I had an Austin Seven, and an A35 plus two A40's, but I progressesed onto Riley RM's. From recollection all of them used Whitworth spanners.

 

 

And Morris Minors need a mixture of AF and Whitworth 

[Machpoint005]

49 minutes ago, Stilllearning said:

And Morris Minors need a mixture of AF and Whitworth 

 

Aaaarghhh!

[David Schweizer]

2 hours ago, Stilllearning said:

And Morris Minors need a mixture of AF and Whitworth 

Jan had one of them, a good car.

[Nightwatch]

I have a slightly rusty spanner my tool box. (In fact I have more than one spanner) that if all else fails nine times out of ten, it's the one I wanted first. No idea of the size. If I'm looking at 20mm I know my 'special' spanner won't do the job, so sadly I ignore it at the risk of upsetting it. It seems happy enough!

[bizzard]

Tell Elora I love her.

[rusty69]

Tellor ya self.

[dor]

On 30/01/2019 at 13:22, RLWP said:

 

Should you inherit some Whit/BSF spanners by whatever means, there will inevitably be some that are bent into weird shapes.

 

These sit on the toolbox for years until one day, they turn out to be exactly the right tool for some ridiculously inaccessible fastening

 

I used to be puzzled as to why Whit/BSF spanners came in so many different lengths, nowadays I'm grateful

 

Richard

I've got a small metric spanner (10 - 12mm, cn't remember offhand)  which is cut down to about 7cm which I have used to undo the nuts holding the flue collar onto the top of my Stovax stove.  Also a ring spanner with a small section cut out so it can be put 'through' the bolt to get onto the nut.  It's been in the box for about twenty years and I have no idea what it was for, but it must have been critical at some time!

[Machpoint005]

5 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

Jan had one of them, a good car.

 

... in some ways. I wouldn't want to use one undertake a 500 mile round trip in one day, though. 

[Stilllearning]

18 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

... in some ways. I wouldn't want to use one undertake a 500 mile round trip in one day, though. 

I expect Issigonis wouldn’t have thought it a good idea either.

[David Schweizer]

19 hours ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

... in some ways. I wouldn't want to use one undertake a 500 mile round trip in one day, though. 

That would probably apply to almost any car designed in the 1940's, not just the MM.  Although I  happily drove 250 mile round trips in my Riley RM, but they were considered to be a luxury car. (introduced three years before the M.M.)

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2019 by David Schweizer