As water feature installers, my sons and I are used to hard, dirty and sometimes dangerous work. We enjoy what we do, whether it’s digging ponds, plumbing pumps, rolling boulders or tweaking waterfalls. We also value anything that makes the job faster, easier or more fun. We’re always looking for tools, apps or gadgets that save time & effort, eliminate stress, add to our comfort on the job or are just fun to use. Often a buddy will turn us on to one. I’d like to return the favor by passing our favorite Tools That Don’t Suck along to you.
So, here’s a shout out and thank you to Shawn Rosen of Koi Market, a retail fish and pond supply here on Long Island in the village of Huntington New York. He turned me and the boys on to a nifty little repurposed tool that I wouldn’t be without now. You may already know how useful an oil filter wrench can be outside the garage, but if you don’t, you’ll like this one.
Built slim to fit into tight engine compartments, this particular style wrench is absolutely perfect for tightening bulkhead fittings, and the offset handle makes it easier to use in tight spots than a typical Channel Lock wrench.
This one, which even my grandson has learned to love, is a 12” long no-name model we picked up at an auto parts store. He needs both hands, but most folks older than three can open it one-handed up to 4” wide. That makes it easy to reach down deep to the bottom of a Skimmer or FilterFalls and tighten bulkhead fittings up to 2”.
You can find an oil filter wrench at just about any hardware store or online. It’s up to you to think outside the box and find more uses out of a single tool!
Do you have an awesome tool you use that totally doesn’t suck? We’d love to hear about it and let Demi give it a try! Read more of Demi’s Tools That Don’t Suck here!
About the Author:
DEMI FORTUNA
Demi has been in water garden construction since 1986. As Atlantic’s Director of Product Information, if he’s not building water features, he’s writing or talking about them. If you have a design or construction question, he’s the one to ask.