For those not familiar with tools, you may find yourself asking what a wrench is. Well, a wrench is tool that is used to for gripping when trying to turn an object or a component. These components include nuts, bolts, and other types of rotating fasteners. The term wrench is an American standard term for this tool, but for the British the term is spanner. This tool is made from a durable material like the chromium-vanadium alloy. To resist corrosion wrenches are coated with chrome.

Like other tools, there are various types of wrenches. Knowing a few things can help you familiarize yourself with it.

Adjustable - this is probably one of the most popular types. You must see these in almost everyone's toolbox. This type has an adjustable jaw. To move the jaw you simply turn the knob beneath it. This is perfect in case you do not want to store a lot of wrenches.
Open-end wrench - this tool has a U-shaped end that can grip either ends of a nut and bolt. Open-ended wrenches are usually double-ended and each end has a different sized opening.
Box-end wrenches - this is a kind of wrench with an angled end. The ends are enclosed and fit perfectly on the faces of the nuts or bolts. The recesses or openings can have six points or twelve points that can fit nuts with hexagonal heads.
Combination - this type is actually a merging of a box-end and open-end wrench. One end has a U-shaped opening while the other end is enclosed. The ends may be different but the size is the same.

These are just some examples of the wrench you might have tucked away in your toolbox. However, the list does not stop there. There are numerous types of wrenches from general types to a more specific type.

If you have a big, beautiful home garden, chances are, you have a garden hose. A garden hose also known as a hosepipe is basically a flexible rubber tube that carries water. Although garden hoses may also be made from polyurethane or vinyl, rubber is the most popular material used. Attached to a spigot or a tap, water hoses are useful gardening equipment making watering a lot easier and faster. You can attach a number of things at the end of your garden hoses. Sprinklers and sprayers for example, concentrate or de-concentrate water to one point or over a wider area.

Garden hoses are actually the simplest method of irrigating your garden. But if your garden is quite large, you might benefit from having multiple garden hoses attached end to end. The threads at each end of a typical garden hose easily connect with one another. FORGE

Fashioned from synthetic rubber or durable soft plastic, garden hoses have an internal web of fibers that makes garden hoses flexible and their smooth exteriors make for easy maneuvering between, around, and past trees and other obstacles. And because of their inherent durability, garden hoses can withstand scraping, scratches, even being stepped on without damaging its functional use.

Hoses are normally classified into categories depending on usage, toughness, durability, and overall quality of materials used. Garden hoses can be either of three kinds:

Light Duty. Light duty garden hoses are made of lightweight material and can be handled quite easily. You can use a light duty garden hose for fairly light gardening chores or light house cleaning. This type of hose is easy to move around and drag to different places. It can be wrapped around in a spool after use. It is usually made of hard plastic or rubber.

Medium duty hoses can give out enough water pressure to take out hardened dirt in hard to reach corners. Although a bit heavy, this is very useful in working with big lawns or gardens.

Medium Duty. Medium duty hoses are ideal for general watering purposes. Resistant to kinks and generally durable and flexible, medium duty hoses are good for watering your lawns or washing your car. Most also come with at least a five-year warranty.

Heavy Duty. For tough watering chores, use a heavy duty hose. Very kink-resistant, heavy duty hoses come with heavy duty brass octagonal couplings. They're also extremely flexible. Heavy duty hoses can handle all of your typical watering chores such as gardening, car washing, etc. This type is perfect if you use your hose heavily as most heavy duty hoses come with lifetime warranties.

Other types of hoses are available for various uses and purposes. Generally larger and made with materials tougher than garden hose rubber, some of these types of hoses are employed for industrial purposes and are able to handle intense water pressure.

Whether you're a professional gardener or just doing it as a hobby, pick out a good garden hose to have handy. It should serve you well in the garden and for various other chores you might need it for.

What are the Choices of Garden Hose Reels and where will you get the best Hose Reels Advice?

There are many choices of garden reels available today and it can be quite confusing as to deciding which type, style, brand etc is going to best suit your needs. In this article I will offer my over 20 years experience in the hose reels business to hopefully offer you the best hose reels advice so that you can be armed with the best information when you make your purchase.

Where Will You Position your Garden Reel?

So you are considering buying a hose reel for your garden. Maybe you have walked through a few large DYI or Hardware stores or even checked out a few sites on the internet and are maybe a little bit confused about what type you should purchase and importantly where are you going to position it?

There are a number of aspects to consider when selecting a garden reel for your particular needs. Some of these are listed below in brief form and will be covered in future articles in more DETAIL. Some of these are pretty obvious however there are some things that many people fail to take into account when finding the right reel. Hose length, hose diameter (internal and external), water pressure, length of hose required (versus what hose capacity different reels have, the construction material (steel or plastic), method of winding up the hose (hand crank or spring rewind) and the major aspect that many people fall down on is the positioning of the reel.

Let's first look at the that wonderful real estate adage, position, position, position as a starting point. Where you are going to install / mount your garden reel needs careful consideration. What practical length of hose will you need relative to where you install it? What area of garden or lawn do you want to effectively cover with your reel?

So if the length of hose on a type of reel you are considering is not quite going to give you the coverage you need - what is the solution?

Is your current inlet water supply (tap / faucet) limiting you on where you can install / mount your garden hose reel? The chances are the position of your water supply (tap / faucet) outdoors for use with a garden hose was arbitrarily determined by the builder of your home or the previous owner, or if by you then likely from a set of plans - let's face it, the garden / lawn area was either not predetermined or has changed.

If installing / mounting your garden hose reel near / next to your water supply to the reel (tap / faucet) will not give you the most desired coverage then there are solutions.

Example - you may have 2, 3 or more water supply points around your house - typically most homes have at least 2 - one at the front and one at the back of the house. These outlets may not be in the best position for watering your garden - I know mine aren't and I designed my house!!!

Example 2 - I have a water supply (tap / faucet) on the south facing side at the front of my house, about a metre (3ft) from the corner of the house. There is no garden(s) on that section of the south side of the house - the gardens are on the west side!!!

So mounting a hose reel right next to that outlet means I am pulling the hose around a corner - not very practical or sensible right?

So the solution for me was to run some poly water pipe from the outlet, along the ground (eventually I pulled up my pavers and buried it) to a point on the west side of the house where the garden is. Sounds logical however even I didn't think of it in the first place!!

Last but not least in this section of positioning your garden hose reel is how you install / mount your garden hose reel after you have decided where you want / need it. A garden reel should be offering you efficiencies right? - if not then you could use an old car wheel rim.

I fitted a riser and an on / off valve and then mounted my garden reel in the best possible position for me to get the best efficiency and least hassles. It is easy and cheap to do - you don't need to pay a plumber to do this for you - some poly pipe, some fittings and the job is done!!

Tip - make sure you mount the reel at a suitable "ergonomic" height - a height which will not have you bending over or reaching up to operate it. Take some time to measure the installation / mounting position carefully before installing the reel to a wall or post or other fixing. The ideal position is for the hose as it rewinds onto the reel to be at about your hip height (this assumes in hand crank reels that the crank is centre line with the reel which should be the case - for spring rewind reels this will be a given).

The combination wrench is the perfect tool for an automotive kit, industrial shop usage or household toolbox. A combination wrench also known as a spanner, is a wrench with an open face on one end and a circular grip on the other.

A combination wrench set is useful for the aspiring motor mechanic as well as industrial mechanics, carpentry jobs, household repairs, automotive repairs and for common tasks such as furniture assembly.

Mechanics Tools:

The right mechanics tools make the difference between an easy job and a difficult one. A mechanic or carpenter is defined by their tools and having the highest grade tool set, complete with combination wrenches, prepares you for any job. The complete mechanics tool set includes wrench kits for automotive jobs, bicycle repair and even specialized work involving foreign automobiles and RV repair. Accessories for spanners that you may want to add to your tool set include cases, wrench grips and wrench holders.

As everyone who has been through an apprentice program knows, bolts are used in construction, manufacturing, and assembly of almost everything. By having a combination wrench set at the ready, you can show that you have the ability to place or remove a bolt easily and efficiently.

Toolkits:

Toolkits come with a variety of selections from a basic 8 piece wrench set, on up to 16, 32, 64 or even 256 piece or more sets. While a few common wrenches will cover most tasks, having a large toolkit with a full selection of wrenches insures that you are ready for any job that comes your way.

Combination wrenches are available in a wide variety of sizes for both standard and metric nut and bolt combinations. This simple hand tool does not require electricity, is designed specifically for the job that it is made to do and is highly resistant to breakage.

Automotive Tool sets:

An automotive tool set should contain a variety of common wrench sizes to handle automotive repairs while on the road. By having a wrench set in your vehicle you are prepared for any emergency car repairs that may be needed.

You will not find an auto repair shop, an automotive training course or even an auto mechanic school that is not well stocked with a wide variety of combination wrenches. When it comes time to do car repairs or other basic mechanical jobs, the first tool in your kit should be the combination wrench. Solid, basic, sturdy and dependable the combination wrench doesn't have moving parts and is designed to withstand impacts on even the most demanding jobs.

Metric Tools:

Metric tools and metric mechanics sets, in addition to standard wrenches, keep you covered for any repair situation. By having an array of metric tools conveniently available you can grab the 8mm or 15mm wrench you need to get the job done, slip it in your pocket and you are ready to go. The roll out case keeps your combination wrenches well organized and ready for automotive jobs or other tasks. In addition to your metric mechanics set, you may wish to purchase specialty manufactured wrenches which can meet the most exacting specifications, including sets that are designed to handle non-standard bolts. A complete set of metric tools for your assembly and repair needs is as essential as a standard tool set which includes the commonly used, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ and 3/4″ combination wrench.

Tool Storage:

When storing your wrenches, a tool storage chest, wrench holder or a standard tool box can be useful. Tool boxes and cases for wrenches, include soft cases in rollout and box style, as well as heavy plastic cases or even heavy duty steel, titanium and aluminum toolboxes for the serious mechanic. Wrenches can be stored in tool chests, roll up cases, and will help you find the exact tool you need for getting extra leverage on a stubborn bolt.

Wrenches range from the most common household types to specialty types.