Strap wrench didn't work. Or did it.l

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by cyberpriusII, Jun 8, 2025 at 8:10 PM.

  1. cyberpriusII

    cyberpriusII Prodigyplace says I'm Super Kris

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    Needed to replace very old showerhead. Bought a nice, shiny heavy Speakman 2.5 gpm.

    Did not want to mar the Speakman and saw folks recommending rubber strap wrench from Harbor Freight for $5, which includes two wrenches. Great!

    'Cept could not get either wrench to grab.
    https://www.harborfreight.com/rubber-strap-wrench-set-2-piece

    So ended up using a Crescent adjustable end wrench. No scratches. And, I found the strap wrench works great on stubborn kitchen jars.
    kris
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I've got one of those sets-of-two rubber strap wrenches, which I successfully used for a number of things, but didn't find the straps to hold up very long.

    I have a woven nylon webbing oil filter strap wrench that I've had since college and still as good as ever.
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i use a crescent and rag to protect the surface. doesn't take much pressure to prevent it from dripping with a good teflon tape wrap.
     
  4. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    ^ that.

    When I was traveling for Uncle I used to LITERALLY carry a modified shower head with me, along with a wrench and some tape for those budget hotels that had 'plant-misting' shower heads.

    Fortunately, I married up.
    My CFO's standards for hotels are MUCH higher than her standards for husbands - so I get to leave the Teflon tape at home now.....

    IYKYK.....
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    We’re using a vice-grip style wrench on such jars, they can be absurdly stubborn.

    then there’s tin snips, for the key-opening corned beef tins that hang up at the seam.

    I recall one bottle with a “security” cap: end up cutting that off, and breaking loose the underlying, real cap, with the bottle clamped in a vice, vice-grips rotating the cap.

    Say this feels like the kitchen edition of just have to vent.
     
  6. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Good job...I just get some painters tape and wrap up anything I don't want scratched. Easy to remove, too, without leaving glue. (For things that are super-easy to scratch, I'll also put some tape on the wrench I'm using.)
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I've done that too!
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    Used thread "goop" rather than tape for decades. A little more messy, but no big deal.

    But, a decade (.?) ago took advice of a professional plumber and tried Oatey Fastape. Gray colored so it sorta blends with Chrome and Stainless. Three wraps and watertight.

    BTW, I love conserving water, but low-flow heads...? Hate pulling the restrictor as then it is too much flow. But .75 gpm is not gonna work. 2.5 gpm sounds reasonable.

    Finally, did not realize there is no set standard for GPM for showers in the USA. Different states, different GPM.

    There, my contribution to topics that veer away from the flood lately that seem to be different ids.
     
    #8 Stevewoods, Jun 9, 2025 at 6:35 PM
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i'd rather limit shower time than gpm
     
  10. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Do a couple of submarine patrols or spend 8 months or so in a tent and you will never want ANY KIND of 'restrictor' in your shower head!!
     
  11. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

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    I served in the Coast Guard and also worked a commerical fisher off the California Coast -- if we got too dank, just took a dive :ROFLMAO:.

    Fishing boat conserved the most
    No showers or bathing of any kind unless we anchored off an island and you leaped in...or there was on deck with a bucket of seawater and "special soap."

    The crew also shunned the formal head and took care of all business "over the side."

    But, yeah, 2.5 gpm is fine. Don't want to damage my delicate skin!

    Federal standard seems to be 2.5 gpm, but California Washington Oregon are 1.8 Gpm. Thought I heard .75 gpm somewhere, but guess not
     
    #11 Stevewoods, Jun 9, 2025 at 10:43 PM
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2025 at 10:53 PM
  12. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    I don't live in a desert, OR aboard a stinkpot.
    I happen to live where there is enough rainfall and not too many people and I lo so the idea that there's a federal standard for shower heads is somewhat insane to me.

    What's next?
    Toilets? ;)