I remember using an adjustable spanner on a nut when my foreman walked past.He asked to have a look at the spanner,when I passed it to him he threw it out of the window. I then had a long lecture about how the spanner for a 1/2 BSW is marked 1/2 BSW and that is the tool you use. Metrinch (what a stupid name) are a vague copy of the tools designed to work on deformed nuts and bolts, the fact that they can be used on various nuts and bolts,similar sized but difeerent standards is coincidental. There are a few instances where (once again by coincidence) fittings are within a few thou of one another 3/8 BSW and 5/8 bsw , 18mm and 28mm for example) and the two sockets or spanners are close enough that they are virtually interchangeable. This has however been taken to extremes by some of these so called universal tools,I have seen a socket marked 1/2 AF,13mm,1/4 BSF which diod a pretty useless job of fitting any.
Each to his own,but I heeded my old foremans advice and have owned and used four sets of sockets and spanners, BSW/BSF, AF,BA and to my shame Metric. I've also followed his lead and thrown a few out the window too.
I've sold tens of thousands of tools over the years,each one designed to fit one size of nut and to fit it correctly,I've also sold hundreds designed to fit chrome plated,brass or alloy fittings or ones that are rusted and/or damaged. I've never sold one that was intended to do both.
peter lamented,
With Metrinch tools you have less rounded nuts & bolts but they only supply plain spannersand sockets and nothing like ratchet spanners.
I didn't compare them with an adjustable it was an intro,however the comparison would have been reasonably accurate in that both nearly fit various sizes. You stick to your tools,I'll stick to mine.
Then Peter, you need;
http://sidchrome.com.au/product/13-piece-pro-series-geared-spanners-set-af/
"TORQUEPLUS™ FASTENING SYSTEM
Apart from allowing extra torque, TORQUEPLUS™ also reduces the risk of fastener rounding, provides a greater opportunity to turn worn, rounded fasteners and meets aerospace specification."
The above explanation of their torqueplus system is from their website and is basically the same concept as metrinch where the loading is applied to the flats of a hex rather than the corners.
Snap-On has the same thing with their Flank Drive range. From their catalogue..The above explanation of their torqueplus system is from their website and is basically the same concept as metrinch where the loading is applied to the flats of a hex rather than the corners.
The vast majority of my spanner work is in AF Inch sizes, so I am going to use the chart below to illustrate my point. Seeing as Metric spanners are also measured as "AF", ie ACROSS FLATS then, taking into account manufacturing tolerances for both spanners and fasteners, the only really interchangeable sizes between AF and Metric will be the 9/32-7.1mm, 7/16-11.1mm, 9/16-14.2mm (at a push),3/4-19mm,7/8-22.2mm (again at a push), and of those, ONLY the 19mm is able to work as a 3/4", the rest can only be a METRIC spanner working an INCH size, which means that I still need to have the relevant INCH spanners in my box to be able to work.Still haven't seen an explanation from you why an "universal" tool like the Metrinch isn't a good tool. I don't use adjustable spanners either and only want to use proper fitting tools but the Metrinch principle works very well on aluminum, chromed and rounded (damaged) bolts and off course on all standard bolts and nuts