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Old 09-27-2011, 10:18 PM
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moon161 moon161 is offline
Formerly of Car Hell
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Buffalo NY
Posts: 2,057
Advance auto parts, under the counter, next to the candy. Cheap set of 5 metric wrenches from india, buy two @ $3.99 ea. or so. I think I found the heads to be thin enough. Otherwise, scrounge the tool crib at your local flea market, and file/sand/grind to thickness.

YMMV on the following, heavy COTTON clothing and leather work gloves are useful here. Avoid open-toed and plastic shoes as well. Don't be the guy that they say 'Don't be this guy' about in shop class.

Plan what they will look like- two nested wrenches, bent at about 70 degrees, then back. You have to clear the studs that stick out of the head. IIRC, about 2-3". An accurate sketch of your intended shape will be a useful template.

1. Skip preheat if you have an acetylene torch. Clamp 14 mm in middle w/ vise grips, Preheat open end till it glows (I used a torpedo heater, a hot bed of charcoal would work too, especially if fed w/ air from your hair dryer or other blower).

2. Clamp open end in vise. Spot heat junction between the head of the wrench and the shaft w/ acetylene or blow torch. You'll be here a while if all you have is a blow torch and no preheat.
3. When you have a band of cherry red to orange across the shaft, put your torch safely away, and bend the wrench with your vise grips, use gusto as required. Do not use gusto to the point that you lose your balance and stumble in to your glowing masterpiece.
4. Compare to template, adjust as required.
5. Quench and set aside, I dipped it in some motor oil. Water quench will probably make it brittle (not good).
6. Repeat for the other 3 bends, comparing to sketch. Remember to offset your bends so they nest properly.
7. Sit back and wait for the Real men of genius ad production crew.

17mm open end wrench is not so easy to find by itself, I have a couple, flea market & garage sale finds.

Otherwise, the unspeakable site sells a set for around $20, I think.
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