Spanners & Wrenches

Spanners & Wrenches — Stahlwille, Bondhus, Bahco, Wiha, Trax & Maxigear

A spanner is the everyday hand tool for tightening and loosening hex fasteners — the workhorse of mechanical, plumbing, electrical and general trade work across Australia. AIMS Industrial stocks over 330 spanners and wrenches from Stahlwille, Bondhus, Bahco, Wiha, Trax, Dixon and Maxigear — covering open end, ring, combination, ratcheting, adjustable, hex key, stubby/offset, torque wrenches and specialty fastener wrenches in metric and imperial across all common sizes.

Spanner Types — Quick Reference

• Open end spanners — U-shaped jaws engage two flats of the fastener; fast on and off but lower torque capacity. See our open end wrenches.
• Ring spanners (box spanners) — closed ring engages all six points of the fastener; higher torque capacity than open end, reduces rounding risk under high load. See our ring spanners.
• Combination spanners — open end on one side, ring on the other in matching size; the everyday workshop choice. See our combination wrenches.
• Ratcheting spanners — internal ratchet mechanism in the ring end for fast driving without lifting and re-engaging. See our ratcheting spanners.
• Adjustable wrenches — for turning fasteners where a fixed-size spanner isn't available. Common jaw openings 150mm, 200mm, 250mm, 300mm.
• Hex key sets (Allen keys) — for socket head cap screws and grub screws. See our hex keys & Allen wrenches.
• Stubby and offset spanners — for restricted-access work where standard spanners can't fit.
• Pipe wrenches — for plumbing and varied-size pipe and fittings. See our pipe wrenches.
• Torque wrenches — for tightening fasteners to specified torque values. See our torque wrenches.
• Specialty — hook spanners, flare nut wrenches, pin spanners, crow foot spanners, box/tubular spanners.

Choosing the Right Spanner

• General workshop work — combination spanner sets cover the daily-used range of sizes.
• Tight or seized fasteners — ring (box) spanners minimise rounding risk under high torque.
• High-volume fastening — ratcheting combination spanners save significant time.
• Restricted access — stubby, offset or angled-head spanners reach where standard spanners can't.
• Electrical work — VDE-insulated spanners certified to 1000V (mandatory for live or near-live work — see below).
• Plumbing — pipe wrenches and adjustable spanners handle varied-size pipe and fittings.

Spanner Sizing — Metric and Imperial

Spanner sizing matches the fastener hex size:

• Metric — 6mm through 32mm covers most general trade work; smaller and larger available.
• Imperial (AF / SAE) — 1/4" through 1-1/4" for US-spec equipment and older Australian work.
• Whitworth (BSW) and BS — for heritage British equipment and restoration work.

Most Australian workshops are metric-first, but imperial spanner sets are essential for automotive (US-origin vehicles), older equipment and imported machinery. A complete trade kit usually includes both metric and imperial.

What Separates Quality Spanners From Cheap Ones

Three things: jaw tolerance (precision-machined jaws grip fasteners exactly; cheap jaws round off fasteners under torque), steel grade and hardness (chrome-vanadium or chrome-molybdenum, properly heat-treated; cheap spanners twist or break under load), and finish (mirror chrome or matte chrome that resists corrosion; cheap finishes peel and rust within months). Quality spanners earn back their price through years of reliable service.

Set or Singles?

A 12-14 piece combination spanner set typically covers the daily-used metric range (8mm-22mm). For varied trade work, sets are economical and keep the kit organised. For specific replacements or specialty sizes, singles let you build a custom kit. Most workshops carry one base set plus singles for specialty applications.

VDE-Insulated for Electrical Work

For work near live electrical conductors, spanners must be VDE-certified to 1000V — two-layer insulation, drop-tested, dielectric-strength tested. Don't substitute non-VDE spanners in electrical applications. Wiha and Stahlwille both supply VDE-certified spanner ranges.

Our Spanner & Wrench Brands

• Stahlwille — German precision tool manufacturer producing spanners to DIN and ISO standards with tight dimensional tolerances. Preferred for precision engineering, automotive and aerospace maintenance.
• Bondhus — American hex key manufacturer known for Protanium high-torque steel. Ball-End hex keys engage at angles up to 25° for access in tight locations. The professional's choice for hex key tooling.
• Bahco — the trade workhorse, solid quality at sensible price. The brand most Australian tradies eventually settle on.
• Wiha — premium German precision. VDE-certified electrical spanners and high-end workshop tooling.
• Trax, Dixon and Maxigear — broad workshop spanner ranges, combination sets and adjustable wrenches for trade and industrial general-purpose work.

Companion Ranges at AIMS

Spanners sit alongside our broader fastener tool range. See our sockets, torque wrenches, hand tools, pliers & cutters, screwdrivers & nut drivers and tool storage ranges.

Need help speccing spanners for trade, electrical or specific work? Contact our team — we'll match brand, size range and pattern. AIMS Industrial has been supplying professional hand tools to Australian trade and industrial customers since 1988.