"Custom" faucet shank removal tool... 1" wrench and dremel is all you need.

Ok, so I didn't invent this idea, but figured I'd put it up here b/c I looked around quite a bit before I found this as the only resolution to getting the elbowed shanks out of my crowded tower (2 taps).

If you're tower looks something like this (not mine, mine was worse with elbows on the shanks and closer together yet):


Then you need to make this:




Feel free to use a cheaper wrench - ACE was the closest place for me to run and not waste $5-10 on gas - so I sprung for an $11 wrench to dremel away at. I would say a 12 pt. wrench is required, but you could try with a 6pt. - I don't know what results you will get though.

I started by taking out 2 "teeth" with my dremel and a metal cutoff wheel. Amazing how easy it cut through this expensive wrench - LOL. That wasn't enough to get it in between my faucet shanks, so I took out 2 more teeth to get what you see. Went in perfectly on both shank nuts and I had them off in seconds.

Would work with 1 1/16" wrench just the same of course, if thats what size yours are...

Hope this helps someone save some headache. I bought a custom spanner wrench/tool from beveragefactory, tried needlenose, tried other adjustable wrenches. This is the only thing that worked for me.

That's a good way to do it. If the tool doesn't work right, modify it. I have a box full of specialty wrenches that I've modified for specific purposes. Unfortunately, I can't always remember what I modified a particular wrench for.

Going to the tool store on the way home today. I have this EXACT problem and have been wondering what to do...

++ and a toast to you.

Photomask said:

That's a good way to do it. If the tool doesn't work right, modify it. I have a box full of specialty wrenches that I've modified for specific purposes. Unfortunately, I can't always remember what I modified a particular wrench for.

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LOL - I plan to keep this one with my beer equipment... then I'll never forget what its for!

erik said:

Going to the tool store on the way home today. I have this EXACT problem and have been wondering what to do...

++ and a toast to you.

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Not a problem man - I looked around long and hard before I found the solution and tried multiple things that didn't work. I was sure the beverage factory tool would work, so I sprung the $10 + shipping and it was a waste...

This was cheaper and works wayyyyy better.

Also, I don't even think I found the solution for it on this site initially either, so I'm glad me creating a new post (on something that wasn't exactly my idea) could help at least someone!

RoaringBrewer said:

LOL - I plan to keep this one with my beer equipment... then I'll never forget what its for!

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Use that dremel to engrave its use on the handle! Cheers!

Now modify the other end to be a faucet wrench

Saw one of these on www.micromatic.com, figured I could make one as well, unfortunately, my shank nuts are 1-1/16" and I could only source a wrench from Sears in that size (still cheaper than buying a shank nut removal tool).





Works perfectly in here:


My dremel said F-U to that wrench!

Is 1 inch pretty standard or is 1 and 1/16th more standard for shanks?

There are some shanks that are 1 1/16. I built the same wrench after seeing one at micromatic's website. Another cheap place to find individual odd wrenches is pawn shops.

How are you guys getting these to work? I got mine cut and it it just hits the other nut and the sides of the tower. Can't get it to work no matter what.

Hope I didn't just toss $20 bucks in the trash.

Put the open end towards the other nut. If your wrench is too deep (thick) you might have to grind it down on one side (the side that will face the nut) so that it's thinner, there may be too much relief before the flats of the wrench. You don't have much room to work here so don't figure that you will get much movement from it before having to re adjust the wrench position.

bendavanza said:

There are some shanks that are 1 1/16. I built the same wrench after seeing one at micromatic's website. Another cheap place to find individual odd wrenches is pawn shops.

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+1 to this, I stroll into the pawn shops by my work and source many tools when I need them and the tool truck wont be by til next week, there are cheap made in china tools all the way up to Mac, Matco, and Snap-on.

azscoob said:

+1 to this, I stroll into the pawn shops by my work and source many tools when I need them and the tool truck wont be by til next week, there are cheap made in china tools all the way up to Mac, Matco, and Snap-on.

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Not to mention you can usually buy individual sockets/wrenches etc peicemeal rather than having to buy a set.

I'll be looking for 1-1/16 wrench on the cheap because I don't want to cut up my only craftsman wrench I have.

-=Jason=-

bendavanza said:

Put the open end towards the other nut. If your wrench is too deep (thick) you might have to grind it down on one side (the side that will face the nut) so that it's thinner, there may be too much relief before the flats of the wrench. You don't have much room to work here so don't figure that you will get much movement from it before having to re adjust the wrench position.

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That is what I figured. Almost easier to just use these pliers but maybe I just need to flatten this wrench out more with the dremel.

Flomaster said:

I'll be looking for 1-1/16 wrench on the cheap because I don't want to cut up my only craftsman wrench I have.

-=Jason=-

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Yo Jason. I picked one up at sears...cost me $20 bucks though and you will have the grind the sides to make it fit in our towers. It is a real pain.

yeah went to sears it was $18.99 I didn't buy it, im going to check out the thrift stores and pawn shops first.

www.lowes.com doesn't list anything bigger than 1"


-=Jason=-

Check out post #8, my Craftsman 1-1/16" fits in my tower just fine without any further modification, other than the cutout on the box end.

FWIW, you might be able to find a fitting wrench in 1" or 1-1/16" however, I would think that a fitting wrench would be much more expensive than a standard combo wrench.

Also, Snap-On tools are much thinner than Craftsman, but they are much more expensive too! I think a 1-16" combo is over $50, but if you can source one from a pawn shop then that would be a great deal.

Think Sears will take back my cut up craftsman wrench? ha

IPAAAA said:

Think Sears will take back my cut up craftsman wrench? ha

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superglue the piece back on, maybe they won't notice!

IPAAAA said:

Think Sears will take back my cut up craftsman wrench? ha

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do you return your Christmas tree to home depot on January first too?

to each is own, but IMHO thats wrong.

-=Jason=-

Hahaha...well maybe I will. I was just gonna bring it back all cut up since the people there don't really care about returns and because of the craftsman "warranty".

Flomaster said:

do you return your Christmas tree to home depot on January first too?

to each is own, but IMHO thats wrong.

-=Jason=-

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Doesn't bother me one bit IMHO.

well thats why prices keep rising. Theft, material cost, and dishonest people.

-=Jason=-

Flomaster said:

well thats why prices keep rising. Theft, material cost, and dishonest people.

-=Jason=-

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Ha...not really. Bet you that wrench costs 5 cents to make.

I am not stealing the wrench or being dishonest at all. If I go return the cut up wrench and they allow it...that is on them. That isn't my fault at all so please don't say I am being dishonest or try to lump me in with someone that steals an item without paying for it.

Flomaster said:

do you return your Christmas tree to home depot on January first too?

to each is own, but IMHO thats wrong.

-=Jason=-

Click to expand...

IPAAAA said:

Hahaha...well maybe I will. I was just gonna bring it back all cut up since the people there don't really care about returns and because of the craftsman "warranty".



Doesn't bother me one bit IMHO.

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Flomaster said:

well thats why prices keep rising. Theft, material cost, and dishonest people.

-=Jason=-

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IPAAAA said:

Ha...not really. Bet you that wrench costs 5 cents to make.

I am not stealing the wrench or being dishonest at all. If I go return the cut up wrench and they allow it...that is on them. That isn't my fault at all so please don't say I am being dishonest or try to lump me in with someone that steals an item without paying for it.

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Wow this thread went all moral, WTF?!?!

Ha...ya, right.

Just noticed your from AZ. So am I but I live in CA now. Actually got a case of hop knot in the fridge right now.

IPAAAA said:

Ha...ya, right.

Just noticed your from AZ. So am I but I live in CA now. Actually got a case of hop knot in the fridge right now.

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Yum:rockin:

I scored my tool for $13 at True Value I am not returning it I'll just keep it just in case i need to take apart my towers for any reason. I can handle dropping $13 on a tool.

and about returning a tool you purposely damaged to make it work for you. had the tool broke on its own then yeah return it, but when you purposely cut it up and then return it and they can't resell it how is that even right? I mean yeah if you didn't cut it and they could put it back on the self with a discount tag because its now "used" ok yeah I can see it, but ruining a tool for your own greedy needs and then trying to return it is just wrong I don't care who you are. some one has to pay for that tool why should sears take the hit because you to cheap to buy a tool you need?


-=Jason=-

Thanks for the post. I've been using pliers and my faucet keeps loosening up, going to cut one of my wrenches in the morning.

Needle nose locking pliers from Harbor Freight are cheap, require zero customization and get the job done. If I was adjusting tower faucets every day I would make a custom wrench, but for a once a year job the pliers are fine. They have several sizes so you might want to grab a few and just return the ones you don't need.

samc said:

Needle nose locking pliers from Harbor Freight are cheap, require zero customization and get the job done. If I was adjusting tower faucets every day I would make a custom wrench, but for a once a year job the pliers are fine. They have several sizes so you might want to grab a few and just return the ones you don't need.

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the pliers i had on hand were far to big to get any turning going on. so I had to buy a tool regardless, but with my cut wrench I can get those nuts off and on very fast.

-=Jason=-

you can see I have two exposed edges so that the wrench doesn't touch the right shank nut




I guess where you make your cut in the wrench is pretty important so take note of which shank you want to remove first and what material needs to be eliminated. im sure you could modify it so that its grabbing 4 points of the nut and it would work just fine as well leaving 3 sides exposed on the nut

-=Jason=-

Damn dude! Your nuts is all tore up!

They should look like this!

Schnitzengiggle said:

Damn dude! Your nuts is all tore up!

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That's a bit personal and TMI

Very cool especially since I've been plagued by the loos shanks for a while and can't get them tight enough..

Schnitzengiggle said:

Damn dude! Your nuts is all tore up!

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given the condition of the towers these look amazing, But I doubt the condition of my nuts is going to effect performance

-=Jason=-

homebrewtalk = getting the job done right the first time

Spent an hour & a half at two stores with my tower this am - doh! Should have just looked up here first! Heading to Home Depot now...

TY guys!!!!!!!

edit: Husky 1-1/16" = $7 at HD - nice!!