Myford ML7 Jack nut spanner problem

Hi.

I don't know if anyone is interested in this item. But if you want a slim spanner to fit perfectly between the Myford ML7 jacking nut, without ruining a spanner by having to grind it thinner, I found this on Amazon. Sourcing Map Thin Open End wrench, 14mm x 15mm metric £6.99 free P&P Which for less than £7 saves a lot of time trying to decide "Do I really want to grind down one my spanners? What if I find I need it someday for some heavy duty work and it needs its full thickness?"

I don't know about anyone else on here but I go into panic mode if I can't use a tool for what it is designed for? So when I saw this I thought not only is is it ideal for my Myford setting up, But I'm sure I'll use it for other hard to access jobs too..

Excuse my ignorance, which one is the jacking nut?

Wonder if it is the nuts on the raising block, jacking the bed up?

That doesn't happen to me, I'll take the grinder to spanners, sockets etc without a second thought. And I've never met a long-term mechanic without a collection of similarly modified tools somewhere in their box. A couple of mine include a 30mm spanner cut in half and the jaws slimmed to ease the removal of Yak 18 oil lines, and the open end of an 11mm spanner with a socket welded to it making a sort-of-crows-foot to make loosening/tightening the securing nuts for the air compressor possible, let alone easy.

Sloppy & Tight on BSW/BSF fasterers!

Robert Butler

Seven quid for a spanner that is not even the correct size?!? I would not use one of my favoured spanners, if too thick. I would get one of my old spanners (or one from a car boot sale, etc, at some point) and grind (or possibly machine) it to size. Simple, cost effective and sensible.

In the RAF we had two specially bent screwdrivers for the screws on the alternator connector cover. They were straight slotted screws and you could only turn them 90° at a time before swapping to the other screw driver and doing another 90°.

Chopping and modifying spanners/wrenches was a regular occurrence when I was at work. Heating and curving 27mm combination wrenches to fit around pipes for tightening flange nuts was a frequent request of the welders with access to oxy-acetylene. We also made curved tooling to fit on the end of spigotted torque wrenches for similar reasons. We set the torque value for these tools on a calibrated torque meter. There were quite a few half spanners welded at 90° on a long bar to reach where other tools could not go.

I think making and modifying tools is a standard engineering role.

Martin C