Strap wrench!

**Cribbs74** Thu Feb 09, 2012 6:44 pm

Both my .15's were thouroughly "gummed" I decided while waiting for the propee wrenches that I would go ahead and free the cylinders NV etc.

I think it was John G's suggestion to use a strap wrench on stubborn cylinders so I heated the cylinders carefully with some propane clamped the case in my vice between some thick shop rags and with a little effort they slowly spun off. Zero damage.

Just a testimony that it does work.

roddie Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:21 pm

I bought one today.. smallest I could find. The handle is 7"L. and the webbed-strap is 5/8" W.

I paid $11 dollars for it at my local Leeway/True-Value hardware dealer.. but when later checking Google/Amazon; they're available for a dollar or two less.

What I particularly like about this one, is that the strap simply wraps around a steel pin that fits into a recess in the metal-handle.. and can easily be replaced once worn-out.. or swapped-out for possibly another type of material such as leather or rubber.

My general purpose will be for the removal of Cox engine cylinders from the crankcase, that do not have flats milled into the top for a spanner... or for that same-type cylinder that inevitably unscrews from the case while trying to change a glow-head.. but I'm sure it will be handy for other things. It has a capacity of 2" maximum diameter.. dictated by its small jaw-radius.

Ken Cook had mentioned finding small strap-wrenches, frequently left-behind on the job by plumbers. I shopped a plumbing-supply outlet today.. but the owner knew nothing of these. I thought that maybe the ones that Ken spoke of may have been a plastic-handled/disposable type.. since he said that they were commonly discarded. The one I bought isn't something that would be discarded. It's very well made.. and will likely last for decades.. if not longer.

**RknRusty** Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:51 pm

I need one of those for getting the caps off of screw top Cokes.

Oldenginerod Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:30 pm

I have a Baby BOA rubber strap wrench.

While it's handy, it isn't robust enough to grip a really tight cylinder. I think Roddie's looks a lot stronger.

roddie Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:46 pm

Oldenginerod wrote:I have a Baby BOA rubber strap wrench.

While it's handy, it isn't robust enough to grip a really tight cylinder. I think Roddie's looks a lot stronger.

The webbing on mine is really stiff.. which makes me wonder if it will hinder working on small parts.. we'll see. I may try to find some roached-out upholstery-leather and cut a 5/8" width strip to the length of the webbing.. (approx. 12"L.) It may be more pliable and easier to work with.

**Cribbs74** Mon Jun 26, 2017 8:48 pm

Good Heavens Roddie!

Where did you find this antique of a thread?

roddie Tue Jun 27, 2017 6:14 pm

Cribbs74 wrote:Good Heavens Roddie!

Where did you find this antique of a thread?

Ha Ha! Yes.. I was surprised at the date when I got the search results. I try to make an effort of searching applicable criteria, rather than creating a new thread. Usually it's with holidays (if I'm the first poster..) and sometimes birthdays. It's my way of recycling.. Laughing

I was psyched when your thread came up in the search. I used the "inside" (default) search option.. rather than the Google option. I was also happy to be the first to reply in 5-6 years.. Shocked

If you study the strap-wrench designs out there; "making one" for gripping a Cox engine cylinder shouldn't be very difficult. As small as the one I bought is.. it still may prove cumbersome to use. All that's really needed is a strap.. and a small hardwood handle with a radius-jaw cut-into one end.. with a center-hole drilled through the jaw, big enough for both strap-ends to pass through. Bind one-end of the strap to the handle with the other end free to adjust the loop-size to the circumference of what needs to be turned. The straps' free-end is gripped with the handle and the "pinch" inside the jaw-hole will provide the needed grip. If I ever try to make my own.. I'll post the details here.

These instructions that came with my strap-wrench will provide a visual of the concept.

Tee Bee Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:27 pm

I would be interested in having one of those that would work on the smaller .020 and .010 cylinders as well. I ruined an .010 cylinder a few years back trying to remove it with a Cox wrench. Now I'm hesitant to tear them down for a piston reset. This might be the ticket.

roddie Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:28 pm

Tee Bee wrote:I would be interested in having one of those that would work on the smaller .020 and .010 cylinders as well. I ruined an .010 cylinder a few years back trying to remove it with a Cox wrench. Now I'm hesitant to tear them down for a piston reset. This might be the ticket.

Hi Troy, Very sorry to hear about the .010 cylinder. You know; some of the best tools for our model engines come out of good old home-grown ingenuity. I'm almost willing to bet that you could make a micro strap-wrench for a Tee Dee .010 cylinder by using one half of a spring-type wooden cloths-pin and a shoelace.

... a leather lace would probably grip better.. or cutting a strip of thin rubber to wrap around the cylinder-fins for a tighter grip. It only took 10 minutes to make.

Tee Bee Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:52 pm

Nice, Roddie. Have you tested it yet?

roddie Tue Jun 27, 2017 10:24 pm

Tee Bee wrote:Nice, Roddie. Have you tested it yet?

I did actually.. and it wont turn a freshly tightened cylinder on an .049 using the cloth shoestring.. but it does grip the cylinder as designed. I don't have any smaller engines to try. A different strap-material like leather.. may work. The "concept" is worth some experimentation I think. Nothing ventured.. nothing gained.. Smile

balogh Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:27 pm

Just bought one on ebay called mini boa constrictor, mounted with rubber strap...does not move the Cox cylinder on any of my 010....09 engines. It slips no matter if the cylinder is decreased...

Oldenginerod Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:01 pm

Oldenginerod wrote:I have a Baby BOA rubber strap wrench.

While it's handy, it isn't robust enough to grip a really tight cylinder. I think Roddie's looks a lot stronger.

You should have read back to my previous post.

Jason_WI Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:38 pm

I just use an old genuine leather belt that I wrap around the cylinder 2 times and use a flex joint pliers to get the stubborn cylinders without a wrench cutout milled on the top. Haven't damaged a cylinder yet with this method.

roddie Wed Jun 28, 2017 7:25 pm

Jason_WI wrote:I just use an old genuine leather belt that I wrap around the cylinder 2 times and use a flex joint pliers to get the stubborn cylinders without a wrench cutout milled on the top. Haven't damaged a cylinder yet with this method.

I think that the "leather" may be the key. A strap-wrench equipped with a leather-strap is worth giving a try. Save an old retired leather wallet.. I have a few of them that I've cut-up for "sling-shot" slings. I don't like the idea of "squeezing" the cylinder from opposing sides with pliers.. even if the jaws/cylinder are padded. The strap-wrench "twists".. while compressing.. rather than just gripping like pliers would. As it's been mentioned; don't be afraid to apply a little heat to the cylinder beforehand..

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