How to Bend a Wrench to Make a Hook
A wrench can be a handy tool for many projects. It’s built to apply torque to nuts and bolts to loosen or tighten them. For this reason, you might find yourself in a situation where you need to bend your wrench into a hook shape but don’t know-how. This article will show you how to bend a wrench to make a hook!
The first step is bending one side of the handle down at about 45 degrees to point towards the other side of the wrench. Now, turn over the other end of the handle at about 90 degrees to point away from the nut or bolt head on both sides. Please make sure these bends are symmetrical around each other, or else they’ll be lopsided. Read on to know more information!
Summary: A simple and creative way to make a hook out of a wrench is by bending it into a U-shape. This can be done by placing the wrench on a flat surface, grabbing the two ends of the wrench, and bending them towards each other until they form the U-shape. Once the U-shape is formed, simply cut off the excess metal with a sharp knife.
10 Methods on How to Bend a Wrench to Make a Hook:
1. Flatten the End of Wrench:
A wrench in its original and intended shape tends to be thicker on one end. If you flatten the end of the wrench, it will become thinner and thus easier to bend into a hook. Flatten by placing an object such as a hammer or another wrench with some resistance against the end (and far enough from the end that you don’t bend it as well) onto a hard surface.
2. Heat & Bend:
Before bending the wrench, heat its end by holding a lighter or torch to it for several seconds. After heating, bend the wrench into an L-shape and hold in place with some form of clamping device such as a vise. Use a hammer to hit the wrench on its bent side, straightening it out. If the wrench does not become straight, heat it up again and try bending it into another shape before hitting it with the hammer.
3. Hammer Flat End:
Use a hammer to flatten one end of the wrench. Place the wrench on something sturdy, such as your vise or anvil, so that it faces up when you are hammering. Hold the wrench in place while hammering, and be sure to wear safety gear just in case the wrench flies off onto another part of your body.
4. Use a Pipe:
If you need to make a hook with an angle other than 90 degrees, you can bend a wrench by inserting it into the end of a pipe and gradually increasing the pressure on one side.
5. Coil Spring:
Take a coil spring and wrap it around the desired part of the wrench. The coil spring needs to be large enough not to slide off if you try to bend the wrench. Then, hold onto each end of the spring and pull both ends back towards you while pushing down on the top of the spring.
6. Forming Nail:
If you cannot find a pipe to wrap the wrench around, take several long nails and tie them together at one end. Then, insert the tied nail perpendicular to the other end of the wrench to form an upside-down question mark shape. You can then use both hands to push down on or pull out on opposite ends of the nail so that the wrench bends into a hook.
7. Drill Press:
Use a drill press to bend the wrench. Secure the wrench firmly into the drill press so that it does not move when you are bending it. You can then use both hands to pull one side of the wrench away from the other, thereby forming a hook.
8. Impact Wrench:
An impact wrench is similar to a drill press in that you can use it to bend a wrench. However, an impact wrench does not require as much manual strength as a drill press. For example, instead of using two hands, you can use one hand to pull the wrench’s head away from its handle until you form a hook with it.
9. Pipe Cutter:
Clamp the wrench into a pipe cutter so that it faces up. Then, tighten the pipe cutter around the wrench until you bend it to your desired angle. Use this method if you need to make an L-shaped hook instead of a hook with another shape.
10. Use Pliers:
Get some pliers and hold onto one end of the wrench with them. For example, when you’re trying to bend a wrench from the middle or towards one of its ends, set your pliers at an angle so that they contact both sides of the wrench near the point where you want it to bend. Then you can use your free hand to tug on the other end of the wrench until it bends into a hook.
It’s important to remember that using pliers can be extremely dangerous if you do not know what you are doing because the wrench could slip out of your grasp and fly towards you, resulting in serious injuries such as eye damage or loss.
Safety Measures and Precautions:
1. Use the safety equipment as recommended for a welding helmet with face shields, gloves, and aprons at a minimum. Welding fumes can be hazardous to your health, so care must be taken to protect yourself from them.
2. Never assume that the piece of metal is free of sharp edges or has been thoroughly cleaned of oily residue.
3. Always use the vise grip pliers with a flat side parallel to the bottom jaw of the pliers because you will be using this parallel jaw to bend your wrench. If there is no flat side on your vise grip, look for one that does or grind down your current vise grip, so it does.
4. Wear protective eyewear and a mask so you do not breathe in any of the fumes or burned metal shavings as they may be hazardous to your health.
5. Always wear safety goggles and work gloves when working with pliers for protection from scrapes and burns that can occur while bending the wrench.
6. Keep your work area clean and uncluttered, so you will not injure yourself or lose control of the vise grip pliers while trying to complete this project.
7. Make sure to wear eye protection at all times!
Conclusion:
The article has shown you how to bend a wrench to make a hook. This technique can be applied to many other uses for wrenches, like making an adapter or key holder in the same fashion. If you ever need it, here you can follow the go-to guide on bending a wrench into something valuable and creative!
If you need a wrench hook for hanging up your tools or something to make carrying heavier ones easier around the house, this article will show you how straightforward it can be. All you need is a few essential household items that are most likely already in your home. This project is great for kids because they will have fun learning about some of their favorite things!
