Review on Heating Fitting Spanner Removal and Tightening Tool by Dexter Rasberry

Is this the best tool you can buy? Of course not. It does the job and costs $5. If I were to compare this to a $75 tool and it also costs $75 then it would probably be a 3 star rating because it still does one job (tightening/loosening) castellated nuts on a given item, but $75 tools do more (barrel nuts). ). and everything else). At first I couldn't install this tool on my castellated mother. Since I wasn't in a hurry, I didn't try to force it. I tried using it to tighten the nut during assembly. I removed the buffer tube and nut and just kept the nut and tool to see what the problem was. By just holding the nut, I was able to snap the nut into the tool with little effort. I realized that the black coating applied to the tool made it too thick to fit into the notches on the nut. A few clicks and it's easier. I tapped the tool very lightly with a file to remove some of the black coating on the tool so it would slide into the nut more easily. It's still a good/snug fit but is now easier to put on and take off. In case it's not obvious, the square hole in the tool allows for a 3/8 ratchet to be attached to the tool. The tool can be used without the ratchet, but the additional ratchet lever makes the job easier. Conclusion: 5 minutes of inspection and easy filing was worth my savings. I don't want a $75 tool that is very rarely used and the reviews I've seen of $20 tools have not been better than the reviews for this tool. I was careful when using it. I used my left thumb to hold the tool on the nut so it wouldn't come loose while I tightened with my right hand. Since it engages at 3 points, it cannot detach from the nut. It must be inserted and removed from the side. If you press the tool sideways against the nut, it will not come loose. The photo shows where I thought I would have to file (shiny spots) and the tool actually snaps into place. With the shank folded, the tool cannot come loose from the nut. I don't keep it in place in the picture.