Archive for the ‘Locking Pliers’ Category
Irwin Vice Grips Have It Held Down
When it comes to multi-function tools in the workshop, having a pair of pliers that doubles as a hand-held vice is invaluable for any craftsman looking to increase the efficiency of space as well as avoid buying more hand tools than necessary.
The perfect tool for this type of usage is a pair of Vice Grips by Irwin tools. Vice Grips work much like an adjustable wrench that locks into place one the appropriate size is set. But unlike an adjustable wrench, the Vice grips give a firm hold on the object you’re working on. The Vice Grips wrench also doubles as a mini vice or clamp that is perfect for those time when both hands are need while holding a small object in place. I can’t count how many times this little trick has worked for me when I didn’t have a a vice around or when the shop vice is just too much for the job.
Irwin Vice Grip Pliers Are Great In A Pinch
Working out on the cattle ranch, one has to get innovative a lot of the time in order to do what needs to be done. This can mean using everyday hand tools for some pretty unusual purposes.
One of the things I like to do in a pinch is use my Irwin Vice Grip pliers as a pair of clamps when I have nothing else. A good example of this is when my heat lamp stand broke off of the cone where the bulb sits, I reattached it using my Irwin Vice Grip pliers. I just adjusted the face to the size opening I needed, then clamped the light in place. Since it’s temporary fixture for warming up the chicken coop in a deep freeze, I’ll be sure to get the Vice Grips back in the tool box soon enough.
Vice Grips Give You A Grip On the Workshop
After years of using hand tools in the workshop, I have come to the conclusion that Vice Grips are among some of my favorites. What makes Vice Grips so unique is the adjustable locking feature on the handle. This is the reason Vice Grips are also called locking pliers; they can be adjusted, and when fit to the right size, locked into place with a lever on the handle.
Vice Grips are especially useful when you need a free hand or even two when also needing a grip on what you’re working on. I’ve found them to be an essential part of my shop and recommend them to anyone serious about their workspace.
Vice Grip Pliers In the Workshop
There are many things going on in my workshop. I enjoy everything from woodworking to working with metals, and one thing that I’ve noticed in all applications, is that there’s usually something getting crimped or clamped down in an awkward position where a bench vice just won’t do.
In these situations, I break out one of my favorite hand tools, the Vice Grip pliers made by Irwin Tools. Vice Grip pliers are locking pliers that have an adjustable face to fit on most bolts or nuts. They also double as a small duty vice or clamp for those unexpected times when you need to hold something in place while still using both hands. The Vice Grip pliers are a must-have item in my shop.
Such Diversity In Vice Grip Pliers
Things to do on the ranch can get quite diverse, and I always find myself inventing new ways to do things with the existing stuff that I own. This sometimes means using some hand tools in unconventional ways. An example of one of the hand tools that I am talking about is Vice Grip Pliers, made by Irwin Tools.
I find Vice Grip pliers to be one of the most useful hand tools because of the adjustable and locking features built in to it, which is why they’re also called “locking pliers”. This means, that I can use them like a clamp for things that need to be held together temporarily. For example, I use them to hold together the sections of collapsable hay rings so I can use my hands more freely to get the bolts in. This works especially well with c-clamp style Vice Grip pliers on larger things that the regular Vice Grip pliers can’t get around.
At first blush, Vice grip pliers, made by Irwin Tools (which many refer to simply as “locking pliers”), seem somewhat trivial as far as knowing how to use them, but not all of us are hand tools experts either. So, I’m sure that some people out there would benefit from a brief explanation of this simple operation .
The first thing you want to recognize about the Vice Grip pliers, is that they lock down with quite a bit force, hence the name “locking pliers”. This will allow for a nice tight grip on the object your working on, and is usually used to free up a hand in cases where things have to be constantly squeezed. You don’t want to squeeze too hard in most cases though, because you may damage whatever you’re working on. To adjust the opening and therefore “tightness” of the Vice Grip pliers, you’ll see on the bottom of one of the two handle pieces, a screw that can be loosened or tightened, which will open or close the face of the wrench.
When you squeeze down, the Vice Grip pliers will now lock into place. To release them, there is a flat lever on the opposite side of the handle with the screw. Just squeeze this piece while spreading the handle pieces apart, and the pliers will release.
Vice Grip Pliers Are A Must-Have When You’re Repairing On-the-Go.
Out on the Texas family farm, I’m a ramblin’ man that spends almost all day out in huge fields and in deeply wooded trails fixing all sorts of equipment and fences, not to mention inventing new things for efficient land management. One of the most important hand tools I keep handy on the truck is Vice Grip pliers, made by Irwin Tools.
Some of the constant maintenance I’m performing out on the ranch is to the water pipes and water troughs for the live stock. These fittings are constantly getting frozen in the winter and even in the summer, need to have a nice tight grip on them to be loosened because they tend to swell and get stuck, and are many times very slippery. In the winter, I like to use the Vice Grip pliers along with some pre-warmed water to loosen the hose fittings. The Vice Grip pliers lock down, which is why they’re also called “locking pliers”, making them perfect for the slippery surface. In the summer, the warm water isn’t necessary. Just remember that Vice Grip pliers can be adjusted, so make sure it’s not too tight, or it will damage the hose connection.
Basic Care For Your Channellock Pliers
Because their hand tools are so durable, many people assume that no maintenance is needed for their Channellock pliers. This is true to some extent, but after a while the tools become tarnished, dirty and sometime oxidized.
First off, keeping your tools such as slip joint pliers for example, out of any damp storage area is going to be huge for any tools. Moisture is the a one of the main causes of hand tool deterioration. This can cause rust and oxidization on tools that are chipped or have the protective coating scraped off, exposing the bare metal. Keeping your Channel lock pliers out of the way of corrosives or heavy oils such as motor oil is a good idea too. You wouldn’t want anything to damage the nice handles on the tools. Keep all joins and moving parts of Channellock pliers oiled and free of dirt or dust as well. Aside from following these easy steps, caring for your pliers really depends mostly on how much of a beating you give them when they are in use.
Being a media wiring engineer for many years, I have to say, it is a very interesting profession. There is not a huge market for this trade, so sometimes finding specialized tools for the job can be a real hassle. For instance, on the job site, we always have to some soldering. When it comes to soldering, we need something to hold the XLR connectors while we tin (apply solder), and connect the wire. Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I would just carry around a decent sized vice in my giant tool bag.
An associate of mine got a little more creative, since he couldn’t fit a vice in his already stuffed tool bag. I noticed one day, he took out his locking pliers, and placed a connector in the grips, then leaned it up against something, and he was in business! Now, instead of worrying about bringing his vice to work, he just used the locking pliers. Though locking pliers have been known by many as Vice Grip Pliers, the company that makes them, Irwin Tools, makes many more pliers under the name of vice grip.