Spanners

As the name implies, the ring spanner usually has a completely enclosed head and may have 6 or 12 notches within the ring. A 12-notch spanner engages upon the corners of the nut and can engage both hexagonal and square bolts. A 6 notch spanner is normally shaped to fit against all 6 sides of hexagon nuts, this ensures a very tight fit and can allow considerable force to be applied. Ring spanners are stronger than the open-ended type. Ring spanners can also be purchased individually or in sets.

The most common version has its jaws set at an angle of 15 degrees to the shaft. A worm screw is situated close to the jaws of the spanner, which makes adjusting its size with the finger and thumb of the holding hand easier.

A short metal bar used to turn a box spanner.

Made of a tough steel alloy, socket sets comprise of a number of steel sockets in different sizes that attach to a ratcheted handle. The socket fits over the head of the bolt or the nut of corresponding size and by adjusting the ratchet control can tighten or loosen the nut or bolt.

These are simple hexagonal shaped rods with a right-angle bend designed to engage into the head of a screw, which has a hexagonal shaped recess in its head - this is a very common screw found in many modern domestic appliances. Allen keys are also available in sets of metric and imperial sizes.