> > > Crescent > > > Monkey wrench > > > Adjustable spanner > > > > > Spanner (as a wrench) was used by Mark Twain in his story "Roughing > > It", ca. 1880. See Gutenberg press. > > My friend's plumber dad, UK early 70s, would ask for him to > "pass the monkey', ie "plumber's wrench" > > http://images.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_TN/0279-0605-2400-05 15_TN.jpg > > Never heard it referred to as a 'plumber's spanner' > > I've read a definition somewhere that said 'spanner' was the > correct term for an adjustable 'wrench', but it seems a thing > for working with nuts and bolts is whatever you want to call it > > eg the Google image results for 'box spanner' are what I'd > variously call 'spanner', 'ring spanner', 'plug spanner' > (with tommy bar) or 'socket'. I had once what I'd truly call > a 'box spanner'. A bar with a cube at each end, each with 6 > different size 'closed spanners' They get called plumbers spanners / plumbers wrench / stillson / stilTson (!) in Oz. Not that you see them all that much since sink fitting went plastic. I don't see what I'd call a box spanner on that page. I'd call a box spanner what you see in top of this picture - , (bad photo), they used to be common, but they seem to have been replaced by this these days. Aha - http://www.ucp.co.uk/handy.htm - it seems they are a dumbell spanner. Hmmmm. (BTW, how'd you get get 6 sizes per end?) The other type are known as adjustable spanners (duh!) here (Oz), or shifting spanners, or more commonly just as shifters. Sometimes Crescent (tm). As the article says, their primary purpose is to round off bolt heads; thus increasing ones vocabulary, or round off nuts, thus adding nuts splitters, WD40, chisels, or more exotic swearing etc to your life. Tony -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist