Milwaukee launched 2 new aluminum-handle self-adjusting pipe wrenches that were designed to provide better access when working in tight spaces.
Both feature a self-setting adjustment that can rapidly bite into various types of pipes and connections.
The handles are described as being ergonomic, with Milwaukee saying they won’t dig into your palms during use.
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Features include a slim head that better fits in tight spaces, a large jaw opening lever that allows for easy one-handed use, and a tether-ready handle loop.
The jaws are tough and hardened for increased grip and tooth durability.
The 14″ wrench has a capacity of 3/8″ to 2″, and the 18″ wrench has a capacity of 3/4″ to 2-1/2″.
Launch Pricing:
18″ (48-22-7418) – $85
14″ (48-22-7414) – $60
The 2 new pipe wrenches join Milwaukee’s broad line of steel and aluminum pipe wrenches. According to this chart, Milwaukee Tool now has 29 different pipe wrenches, not including 3 basin and faucet wrenches.
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Discussion
It’s always nice to see Milwaukee’s take on tried and true hand tool designs.
I have used self-adjusting pipe wrenches before – mainly smaller ones, but not enough to have formed any preferences.
From past conversations, it seems that – inline with Milwaukee’s sales points – a lot of plumbers prefer self-adjusting pipe wrenches when working in tighter spaces, and traditional-style pipe wrenches for general purpose use.
What’s your take on the new pipe wrench designs? How likely are you to add these to your plumbing tool kit?
Jerry
If working somewhere that requires me to climb onto a scaffolding or up a ladder etc I far prefer self adjusting pipe wrenches. They allow you to grab different sizes of pipes without having to mess with turning an adjustment screw so you can instantly go from 3/4 to 1/2 to 1 inch pipes with just one pair of wrenches. I do prefer the standard style when working with just one size of pipe as the jaws are always open making it easier to grab a pipe one handed.
Dominic
Looks like Mikwaukee is paying a license fee to Pipe Vise, for the design.
Dominic
Looks like Milwaukee is paying a license fee to Pipe Vise, for the design.
James
They do look like the Pipe Vise wrenches, although Ridgid and others make similar designs. Speaking of Pipe Visé, I pulled the trigger on their Bigfoot and Roughneck recently. My first impressions are great and I am eager to try them out on an install coming up Tuesday. When placing the order, I almost filled up my cart with their self adjusting pipe wrenches and Micro, but cooler heads prevailed.
I like the Milwaukee pipe wrenches I have, although I bought them due to availability at a plumbing shop when I needed them for a job. I don’t need any more pipe wrenches now but if I did, it would be a pricing / availability decision between Ridgid and Milwaukee…I have zero complaints with either.
ITCD
Nah, this design goes way back to a Heller Brothers patent that expired in the 1940s. They called it the Masterench.
MM
Looks like these are solid wrenches, though I’m not sure there is anything new and different here. I have a Ridgid aluminum-handle 14″ self-adjusting wrench among my pipe tools, it looks very similar to this. I like it for working overhead or for very simple jobs like a long run of straight pipe without much variety in the fittings, but otherwise I prefer Knipex Cobras or traditional pipe wrenches. The Cobras are thin and light and traditional pipe wrenches have a larger adjustment range compared to these self-adjusting wrenches.
garrett
…they missed a little space above the hinge where they could have put some more branding…
Koko The Talking Ape
I’d seen this kind of wrench design before, but never with aluminum handles. Seems like a good thing!
It seems like they could be designed to increase the size range by making the lower jaw ride up and down on on a threaded shaft, a little like “crescent” wrenches.
Albert
Anyone know where they are made?
fred
Acme says : Vietnam
I believe that the ones from PipeVise (Perot Industries) come from China
Ridgid Rapid Grip ones are still made in the USA – and come with both iron and aluminum handles.
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Ridgid-12693-RIDGID-14-Aluminum-RapidGrip-Pipe-Wrench
Reed makes a different style – similar the old ones from Crescent and Weil
https://www.amazon.com/Reed-Tool-Hand-Wrench-4-Inch/dp/B006O0LT7I
There are also folks like Powerbuilt (Alltrade) that make socket wrench crowfeet employing the same principle
The first ones of this sort that I recall seeing were made by Heller Brothers – better known for making files.
fred
eBay is selling a Heller Brothers one that they say dates from 1929. It shows patents from 1925 and 1927, so the concept is not exactly new.
The crowfoot styles (Powerbuilt, Vim et al.) may be a newer adaptation on the concept:
https://www.amazon.com/MichaelPro-Spring-Loaded-Adjusting-Crowfoot-Wrench/dp/B09KGHX5XF
fred
Wheeler-Rex also markets ones they call Gripmaster – in 10 and 14 inch sizes. Made in Spain. They look a lot like ones from Proto that are also made in Spain. If I had to guess – Super-Ego might be the OEM
Steve
I’ve never used one of these before, but have plenty of experience with a traditional pipe wrench. I could see where it would be useful for a one handed or tight type of area. I wonder how it would perform if you really needed to give it some oomph to loosen a pipe or if you put a piece of pipe on the end to really get some leverage. Something tells me a regular pipe wrench is just fine and I’ve never been in a situation where I couldn’t get a pipe wrench to work versus something like this. However, I might consider a smaller 10″ one, if they made one; to carry in my bag versus the 10″ regular one I have now. Seems like this would be quicker for easy tasks. These wrenches are kind of pricey though, so I’ll pass…
Steve
Looks like in that top photo, your only getting a couple of teeth on the lower jaw. Appears that there are some situations like that where a regular pipe wrench would give you some additional leverage or not tend to slip as much…
MM
That photo shows what happens when you try to grip something beyond the wrench’s capacity. These self-adjusting type wrenches do grip securely, but only within a relatively small range of sizes. They don’t grip well if the pipe is very small relative to the wrench, or if the jaws can barely reach over it like in that first picture. The pipe diameter needs to be in the “goldilocks zone” where it makes 3-point contact between the two sides of the V-shaped hooked jaw and the center of the fixed jaw. That’s rather different from a traditional pipe wrench where it’s very simple: if the pipe fits in the jaws then it will grip securely.