1/4" Tuning Wrench?

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 23 May 2003 2:39 pm

Can someone recommend a mail-order outlet where I can get one of those small wrenches, in 1/4" size, for tuning the hex nuts for pedals and knee levers?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 May 2003 2:55 pm

Sears will have a 1/4" nut spinner that should work fine! Xcelite makes a lot of nut drivers/spinners, too. Check out the tool companies on the web for their P-8 (short 1/4" nut driver), or the HS-8 (long nut driver). They measure about 4" long, and 6" long, respectively.[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 23 May 2003 at 04:07 PM.]

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 23 May 2003 3:09 pm

Hi Donny,

Nut "spinner"? What's a "spinner"?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 23 May 2003 3:16 pm

Nevermind the damn spinner. I wanna know what day the tuning wench arrives. The cleaning lady comes on Thursday...

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 23 May 2003 4:09 pm

Before you buy anything, double check the size, or at least take one with you to the store. All the nylon tuning nuts I've seen are 3/16" except for Fessenden's which are slightly larger at 5mm.

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 23 May 2003 4:15 pm

Bryan---I'm not sure what you are looking for but for 'miniature' open and box wrenches I got a set of 'spark plug' wrenches from Sears. The set ranges from 5/32" to 7/16" and is perfect for the locking nut on the knee lever stop on my Carter. Not cheesy tin either--fairly substantial tools.

---if you are talking about nylon tuning nuts, clink 'links' at the top of the page to get to several steel accessory dealers. There is a GeorgeL wrench that is pretty standard.[This message was edited by Jon Light on 23 May 2003 at 05:17 PM.]

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 23 May 2003 8:00 pm

Jim Smith - I've double checked the size. These are 1/4" tuning nuts.

Jon Light - I checked the George L site. The tuning nuts listed are either 1/8" or 3/16". This leads to believe that the tuning wrenches offered will also be 1/8" or 3/32".

Donny Hinson - I will check out Sears before I finalize the search.

While searching the net, I found that Stewmac offers banjo bracket hex wrenches in the 1/4" size: http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi/hzpi/u/HzSt011111150n151612110U0n0m1311151312101616/hazel.cgi?action=SERVE&ITEM=catalog/sku.html&sku=0852

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 23 May 2003 8:12 pm

Duplicate message was deleted. [This message was edited by Bryan Bradfield on 24 May 2003 at 07:18 AM.]

Kenny Foy · Post by **Kenny Foy** » 23 May 2003 8:21 pm

Bryan, If It's for the nylon tuning nuts on the end of the guitar a 1/4" inch deep well socket,1/4" drive, works great.You can get'em at Sears and you don't have to buy a whole set just a single piece.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 23 May 2003 8:27 pm

The nylon nuts George L sells are for either 1/8" or 3/32" rod, but they both take a 3/16" wrench. I'm not doubting that yours take a 1/4" wrench, but what kind of guitar is it?

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 24 May 2003 6:13 am

Jim Smith - This guitar is a 1970's Sierra Rock Slide 8 string, with 3 pedals which were added in the 1990's. It appears that I'm dealing with a length of hex metal (the "nut") fixed to a pull rod. The length of the pull rod is increased or decreased by a removeable threaded device nestled within the bell crank. The length adjustment is done at the changer end of the guitar.

Fred Layman · Post by **Fred Layman** » 25 May 2003 5:54 pm

Several of the early pedal steels used a 1/4" hex nut for tuning. Sears is a good place to find the 1/4" nut driver that works fine.

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 26 May 2003 2:57 pm

From a local industrial supplier, I picked up a stubby handle, part # 90-3, which mates to a removeable 1/4" nut driver, part # 90-8S, made by VACO, a division of Klein Tools. The assembled unit measures 4" in length, and the handle diameter is 1-1/8". It cost me the equivalent of about $7.00 US.

I tried it on my steel. It works. I'm happy.

I now see by the catalogue on the internet that I can get part # SS8, a one piece stubby 1/4" nut driver at 3-3/4" total length for $4.20 US. There's my spare.
http://www.mytoolstore.com/klein/ss12.html