Automatic Adjustable Wrench: Power Tool meets Hand Tool

If there is one thing that I can’t stand, it is using a crescent wrench on bolts where you can’t go in from the side. I was putting together a bed the other day, and I found that turning a bolt in a “pinch” position caused the adjustable wrench to become unadjusted, and I had to constantly readjust it with the annoying threaded control.

The Automatic Adjustable Wrench has the threaded control, but is designed to electronically adjust to whatever nut or bolt you’re turning with a touch of a button. As you can see, the device even has a tiny meter on the side so you know exactly what you are getting.

The wrench is adjustable up to 32mm or 1-1/4 inches across. The tool itself is 8 inches, and powered by 2 AAA batteries for 220 foot-pounds worth of torque.

One of the questions that the Automatic Adjustable Wrench is silently asking is what is the line between power tool or hand tool. Most repairmen would probably go for just using a simple power wrench, but if the bolts are too long, you need something for torque’s sake.

The Automatic Adjustable Wrench is made by famed power tool manufacturer Black and Decker, and is available everywhere for about $30 (ballpark price).

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3 Comments on “Automatic Adjustable Wrench: Power Tool meets Hand Tool”

Daniel Says:

I was given one of these for Christmas last year and it is really handy in just the right application. It is a little bulky for things like working on a car or other tight spots, I prefer having a nice full set fixed wrenches.

My siblings ran out the batteries the day I got it playing with it, but as long as you are only using it how it is supposed to be used the batteries last quite a while. And if they do run out you can still adjust it by hand.

Wednesday’s Gadget Gallery » Coolest Gadgets Says:

[...] Automatic Adjustable Wrench: Power Tool meets Hand Tool [...]

Daniel Says:

John Wrote: As a mechanical engineer, I would like to know how this applies 220 ft lbs of torque. The power portion opens and closes the jaws, in no way applying any torque to the fastener.

Not being a mechanical engineer myself, although I do work for an engineering company, I am not sure the mechanics of transfer of torque. But I can tell you how it works.

The motor in the wrench turns the little thumb screw. I am not sure if it is belt or gear driven within the wrench itself, I suppose I could take of the cover and look though. It is a pretty low power motor that if you put your finger on the side of the thumb screw it will not turn. However the torque on a normal adjustable crescent wrench is used to lock the thumb screw in place it looks like this works on the same principle to keep the motor from having any torque on it when turning a bolt.

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