Workshop Wrenches, Pliers and Screwdrivers: How to Choose

What tools a basic workshop needs

To tighten, loosen, grip and cut in mechanics, plumbing and electrical work, three families are enough: wrenches, pliers and screwdrivers. Each solves a different problem, and choosing well avoids rounding nuts, damaging screws or overloading the tool. Here we go through the types actually available in the Bellota range; you can see everything in the wrenches and pliers and screwdrivers collections.

Open-end, combination and box-end wrenches

These are the fixed-size wrenches, one size for each nut:

• Double open-end wrench: the Bellota 6400 runs from 6x7 to 30x32 mm and its jaws are angled at 15º to work in tight spaces.
• Combination wrench: an open end for quick adjustment and a closed end for final tightening. The Bellota 6410 combination wrench runs from 6 to 22 mm and is the one most often used in a workshop. The 6491 set comes on a clip with 8 or 12 wrenches.
• Offset box-end wrench: the closed end grips all six faces of the nut and is the choice for tight or seized bolts. The 6420 runs from 6x7 to 24x26 mm.

The wrenches in this range are forged in one piece from chrome vanadium steel, hardened and tempered, and the data sheets list a tightening torque 50% above the standard for the open-end, combination and box-end wrenches.

Tube wrenches and socket wrenches with ratchet

When the nut is recessed, the tube wrench (box spanner) reaches where an open-end wrench cannot. The Bellota 6440 is hexagonal and accepts a tommy bar from size 10x11; the 6441 is hollow, with a through hole for threaded rods, and is designed for plumbing.

The socket wrench with ratchet is the fastest for runs of bolts. The Bellota 6528 reversible ratchet has 72 teeth, a 1/2" drive and needs only 5º of swing to engage, so it works in tight spaces. The 6520 hexagonal sockets, from 10 to 32 mm, fit any 1/2" ratchet, and there are accessories such as an extension bar, a universal joint and a sliding T-handle. If you want everything in one, the 26592H108 set brings together 108 pieces with 1/4" and 1/2" sockets in a case.

Adjustable wrenches (crescent wrench) and Stillson

An adjustable wrench covers many sizes with a single tool, but it does not replace a fixed wrench of the exact size. There are several designs:

• Central thumbwheel: the Bellota 6460 adjustable wrench runs from 6" to 15", with a maximum opening of 19.3 to 46 mm depending on size.
• Side thumbwheel: the 6464 is operated with the thumb and has a protected worm screw; it runs from 6" to 16".
• Wide opening: the 26461 is only 200 or 260 mm long, with openings of 40 and 52 mm.

For pipes and round parts there is the Bellota 6600 Stillson pipe wrench, with hardened toothed jaws (55 HRc minimum) and sizes from 8" to 36".

Allen and Torx keys

Many pieces of furniture, bicycles and machines use hex socket or Torx screws. The Bellota 6458-9N set of 9 Allen keys covers 1.5 to 10 mm in a compact clip. There are also long ball-end Allen keys (6457-9P), folding Allen and Torx key sets, and a set of 9 long tamper-proof Torx keys (T9 to T50) with a centre hole, suitable for pin Torx and standard Torx.

Pliers: each for one task

• Combination (universal): grips, holds and cuts. The Bellota 6100 BIM heavy-duty combination pliers come in 160, 180 and 200 mm, and cut hard wire up to 3.1 mm in diameter in the 160 mm version.
• Cutting pliers: diagonal (6110, 6112) or end cutting (6114), with induction-hardened edges. The cutting edges of the 6110 are 62 to 65 HRc.
• Half-round nose and flat nose: for handling small parts and cables in tight spaces (6120, 6122, 6130).
• Multi-position (water pump) pliers: the rack-adjustment 6160 opens up to 43 mm and suits pipes and nuts; there is also a box-joint version, the 6162.
• Wire strippers: the 6150 is adjustable; the insulated 26150 VDE strips cables up to 6 mm.

1000 V insulated pliers for electrical work

If you work on electrical installations, choose insulated tools. The Bellota 26102 VDE insulated combination pliers have insulated handles for working at voltages up to 1,000 V and meet DIN and VDE standards. The VDE series also includes cutting pliers and half-round nose pliers, as well as the 26150 wire stripper. There are also stainless steel electrician's scissors with a wire stripper.

Screwdrivers: slotted, Phillips and Pozidriv

The Trimax range has a chrome-molybdenum-vanadium steel shaft with an anti-rotation system and a tri-lobe handle that allows 120º turns. There are slotted screwdrivers with a hollow-ground tip (for terminals and terminal blocks) and a stamped tip (for demanding tightening), Phillips and Pozidriv. To start, sets are the most practical: the Bellota 66292 set of 6 mechanic's screwdrivers includes four slotted and two Phillips (PH1 and PH2), and the 66291 is designed for electricians, with PH0, PH1 and PH2 tips. For electronics there is a precision set, the 6250J.

How to choose and look after your tools

• Always use the exact size of the nut or screw: a wrench of the right size does not round the head.
• For final tightening, a closed wrench (box-end, tube or socket) is better than an open one.
• For electrical work, choose 1,000 V VDE insulated tools.
• If you are buying for the first time, a set of combination wrenches, a pair of combination pliers, a pair of cutting pliers and a screwdriver set cover most tasks.
• Clean tools after use and store them dry to prevent rust; the matt chrome anti-corrosion finish helps, but is no substitute for care.

If your work also involves striking or filing, see also our guides to site hammers, sledgehammers and chisels and files and rasps.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an open-end wrench and a combination wrench?

An open-end wrench has two open jaws of different sizes, while a combination wrench has an open jaw at one end and a closed one at the other. The combination wrench lets you adjust quickly with the open end and do the final tightening with the closed end.

Adjustable wrench or a set of fixed wrenches?

If you need to cover many sizes with a single tool, the adjustable wrench is practical. For precise tightening without rounding the nut, a wrench of the exact size is better.

What does it mean for pliers to be rated 1000 V?

It means they have insulated handles for working on installations at voltages up to 1,000 V. The insulated pliers in the range meet DIN and VDE standards, such as the 26102 VDE combination pliers.

What is a ratchet wrench for?

For tightening and loosening runs of bolts quickly, switching the direction of rotation with a lever. The Bellota 6528 has 72 teeth and needs only 5º of swing to engage, which helps in tight spaces.

Which screwdrivers do I need to start with?

A basic set with slotted and Phillips screwdrivers covers most cases. The 66292 includes four slotted and two Phillips (PH1 and PH2), and the 66291 adds PH0 for electrical work.

Find the whole range in the wrenches collection and in the pliers and screwdrivers collection.