Spanners & Wrenches

Spanners & Wrenches at AIMS — Stahlwille, Bondhus, Trax, Wiha & More

A spanner is the everyday hand tool for tightening and loosening hex fasteners, and it is the workhorse of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and general trade work. AIMS Industrial stocks more than 330 spanners, wrenches and hex keys from Stahlwille, Bondhus, Trax, Wiha, Typhoon Tools, Maxigear, Ko-Ken, Irega and Bahco, plus specialty ranges from Super, Champion, Garrick Herbert, Dixon and Lang Tools. The range covers combination, ring, open end, ratcheting and adjustable spanners, hex and Torx keys, and specialty wrenches in metric, imperial and Whitworth sizes. Our Types of Spanners Guide has more on selection.

Quick Reference — What's in This Range

The Spanner & Wrench Types in Our Range

Combination spanners

Open end on one side, ring on the other, in matching size. This is the spanner most workshops reach for first. Stahlwille and Trax supply singles and sets, including a Trax Whitworth combination wrench, and Typhoon Tools offers metric and AF imperial sets. See combination wrenches.

Ring (box) spanners

A closed ring engages the fastener all the way round rather than on two flats, which spreads the load and reduces the risk of rounding a stubborn head. Stahlwille supplies double-ended flat, offset, shallow-offset and half-moon ring spanners, and Trax adds 12-point double ring wrenches. See ring spanners.

Open end spanners

Open jaws slide onto two flats from the side, which makes them the quickest on and off and the only option where a fitting cannot be lifted clear. Stahlwille's range includes single and double-ended spanners and thin-jaw electrician's spanners. See open end wrenches.

Ratcheting spanners

A ratchet mechanism in the ring end turns the fastener without lifting and re-seating the spanner on every stroke. Maxigear covers reversible, flex-head, offset and stubby styles in metric and imperial, Ko-Ken supplies reversible ratcheting ring wrenches, and Stahlwille, Lang Tools, Trax and Typhoon Tools add ratcheting spanners and sets. See ratcheting spanners.

Adjustable wrenches

One tool for a range of fastener sizes, or for when a fixed spanner is not on hand. Irega, Bahco, Stahlwille and Trax supply adjustable wrenches here. Irega's range includes wide-opening, extra-slim and reversible models and insulated 1000V wrenches (see below). See adjustable wrenches.

Hex keys & Torx keys

Hex keys fit the recess in socket head cap screws and grub screws. Bondhus has the largest hex key range here, with L-wrenches, T-handles, ball end, fold-up and Torx keys in metric and imperial, and Wiha, Stahlwille, Champion and Typhoon Tools add their own L-keys, T-handles and fold-up or swing-out sets. See hex keys & Allen wrenches for every brand in one place.

Specialty wrenches

Super supplies podger spanners and an adjustable hook spanner, Trax pin spanners, a hook spanner and a parrot nose grip wrench, Garrick Herbert strap and chain wrenches, and Dixon a cast iron poly spanner and a bronze drum plug wrench. Ko-Ken T-handle wrenches and a Stahlwille ring insert tool are also in this range. Browse the hook spanners and pin spanners pages, or pipe wrenches for plumbing tools.

Choosing the Right Spanner

• General workshop work — a combination spanner set covers the sizes you use every day.
• Tight or seized fasteners — a ring spanner grips all the way round and is less likely to round the head under torque.
• Repetitive fastening — a ratcheting spanner saves time over re-seating a standard spanner on every turn.
• Varied or unknown sizes — an adjustable wrench covers a range of fastener sizes with one tool.
• Work near live electrical equipment — use an insulated wrench rated for the voltage (see below).
• Socket head cap and grub screws — these need a hex key, not a spanner.

Metric, Imperial and Whitworth Sizing

Spanner size matches the across-flats (AF) hex dimension of the fastener, not the thread diameter.

• Metric — sizes in mm. Stahlwille, Trax, Maxigear and Typhoon Tools supply metric spanners and sets.
• Imperial (AF / SAE) — sizes in inches, for US-spec equipment and older machinery. Maxigear, Bondhus and Typhoon Tools supply dedicated imperial ranges.
• Whitworth (BSW) — Trax supplies a Whitworth combination wrench and a 21-piece BSW Whitworth socket and spanner set.

As a guide for common metric fasteners: M6 = 10mm, M8 = 13mm, M16 = 24mm and M20 = 30mm. M10, M12 and M14 differ by standard: DIN fasteners use 17, 19 and 22mm, and ISO fasteners use 16, 18 and 21mm. Check the size on the fastener rather than assuming from the thread size.

Set or Singles?

A set is the simplest way to equip a toolbox, van or apprentice kit in one purchase, and it keeps sizes together. Singles let you replace a worn size or add a specialty spanner you do not already own.

Insulated Wrenches for Electrical Work

The insulation on the tool, not just a coloured handle, is what protects you near live conductors. Irega's insulated adjustable wrenches are rated by the manufacturer for work up to 1,000V AC or 1,500V DC. Each wrench is tested to EN 60900 (equivalent to IEC 900) at 10,000 volts for 10 seconds, and the handles are insulated with three layers of different colours that show when the outer layer is damaged. Inspect the insulation before each use and take the wrench out of service if it is damaged or an inner colour shows. Check the marking and certification on the tool before using it on live work, and follow your site electrical safety procedures.

Our Spanner & Wrench Brands

• Stahlwille — German precision tools: open end, ring, combination, ratcheting and adjustable spanners, plus hex keys.
• Bondhus — the largest hex key and Torx key range here, in metric and imperial.
• Trax — combination, Whitworth, double ring, ratcheting and adjustable wrenches, and pin and hook spanners.
• Wiha — hex and Torx L-keys, T-handles and fold-up sets.
• Typhoon Tools — combination and ratchet spanner sets in metric and AF imperial, plus hex and Torx key sets.
• Maxigear — ratcheting combination, flex-head and offset wrenches in metric and imperial.
• Ko-Ken — reversible ratcheting ring wrenches and T-handle wrenches.
• Irega — adjustable wrenches, including the insulated 1000V range.
• Bahco — adjustable wrenches in wide jaw, reversible jaw and chrome patterns.
• Super, Champion, Garrick Herbert, Dixon and Lang Tools — podger and hook spanners, hex key fold-up sets, strap and chain wrenches, drum fitting wrenches and large imperial ratcheting wrenches.

Companion Collections at AIMS

• Combination wrenches, ring spanners, open end wrenches and ratcheting spanners — by spanner type.
• Adjustable wrenches and hex keys & Allen wrenches — by tool type.
• Pipe wrenches, hook spanners, pin spanners, flare nut wrenches and crow foot spanners — specialty types.
• Torque wrenches, tap wrenches, sockets, pliers & cutters, screwdrivers & nut drivers and tool storage — the broader hand tool range.

Order from AIMS

Need help choosing a spanner set, an insulated wrench or the right size range for a job? Call our team on (02) 9773 0122, contact us, or send your list for a quote.

People Also Ask — Spanners & Wrenches

Q: What's the difference between a spanner and a wrench?

Nothing structural. "Spanner" is the term used in Australia and the UK, and "wrench" is the American term for the same tool. Adjustable wrenches and pipe wrenches tend to keep the "wrench" name in Australian trade use too, so you will see both words across this range.

Q: What's the difference between a combination spanner and a ring spanner?

A combination spanner has an open end on one side and a ring on the other, in the same size. A ring spanner is closed at both ends, so it grips all the way round and is less likely to round a worn or seized head, but it needs room to drop over the fastener.

Q: Do I need metric or imperial spanners for Australian work?

Most modern Australian equipment is metric, but imperial (AF/SAE) spanners are needed for US-origin vehicles and equipment, and Whitworth (BSW) spanners suit older British machinery. A metric base set with imperial singles or a smaller imperial set covers most workshops.

Q: What size spanner fits an M10 bolt?

17mm on DIN-sized hex heads, which is common in Australia. Some ISO-sized fasteners use 16mm, so check the size on the fastener before choosing a spanner.

Q: What's the difference between a spanner and a hex key?

A spanner fits the outside flats of a bolt or nut head. A hex key (Allen key) fits inside the hexagonal recess of a socket head cap screw or grub screw. They are not interchangeable.

Q: Are the insulated wrenches rated for electrical work?

Irega's insulated adjustable wrenches are rated by the manufacturer for work up to 1,000V AC or 1,500V DC, and each is tested to EN 60900 at 10,000 volts for 10 seconds. Check the marking and certification on the tool before using it on live work, and inspect the insulation before each use.

Q: Should I buy a spanner set or build a kit from singles?

A set is the easiest way to equip a new toolbox or van in one purchase. Singles suit replacing a worn size or adding a specialty spanner to an existing kit.

Q: Is a ratcheting spanner worth the extra cost?

For repetitive fastening, yes. A ratcheting spanner turns the fastener without being lifted and re-seated on every stroke. For occasional use on a single fastener, a standard combination spanner does the job.