Hands Free tension wrench

[Squelchtone]

I was hanging out at a friend's house and noticed something on her desk that immediately drew my eye. It was a little acrylic cube attached to a short piece of guy wire with an alligator clip at the end. I asked what it was for and was told it was for clipping photos to it or important note cards, reminders, etc. Then I was told I could have it!

So there we are and she knows I pick so I asked if I could try something (remember kids: always get permission before picking someone's lock.) I clipped it onto the end of my Bogota and used it as a weighted tension wrench! Worked great too!

just a Bogota with no added weight


Bogota with weight clipped on to it


payday! (and yes, my triple rake Bogota is trapped inside in this photo)



I found more of these little things on ebay, http://www.ebay.com/itm/231501430402 and I'm wondering if I could buy the set of them and shave them down to smaller sizes which would represent less or more weight as needed. I also thought of just taking a small piece of wiper insert and bending a 90 in it with 1 inch of metal on each side, just enough to insert into the keyway and just enough for the gator clip to bite onto.

This is purely an experiment for fun, not saying we should not use both hands for picking, but it sure is a handy item to throw in the tool bag.
Squelchtone

[nick08037]

That's a good idea for such a simple item. They are available without the base if you want to subsiture something else for the weight. Maybe a removeable selectable weigh element.

50 pcs / $8.88, DIY Craft Wire Clip Card Photo Memo Note Clip Holder Clamp Parts
http://www.banggood.com/DIY-Craft-Wire- ... 11463.html

Experimenting with ideas like this can be fun.

Many years ago the large back (aka-junk) room of Edmund Scientific, Barrington NJ, was a great place for interesting finds that would become the start of new projects. The place was a local legend among the geek types of the day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Sci ... orporation

[MBI]

If you clip the weight further up or down the length of the tension wrench it would have the same effect as changing the length of a lever and vary the torsion on the plug without having to keep a bunch of different weights in your bag.

[femurat]

You beat me to it MBI

[cheerIO]

Many years ago the large back (aka-junk) room of Edmund Scientific, Barrington NJ, was a great place for interesting finds that would become the start of new projects. The place was a local legend among the geek types of the day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Sci ... orporation

AHHH, Edmund Scientific. I loved that place. The two stores I miss most are Edmund Scientific and HeathKit. I wonder what kids do now-a-days.

At least I have my friends kids over to my shop when I can and we "play" with "dangerous things" like soldering irons, saws, and (gasp) whittling knives.

[Squelchtone]

If you clip the weight further up or down the length of the tension wrench it would have the same effect as changing the length of a lever and vary the torsion on the plug without having to keep a bunch of different weights in your bag.

Well sure, I know how simple levers work, but it's out of the way if you clip it to the end of the wrench =)

If would be interesting to make a wrench that has notches with a slideable weight that stops at each notch like an old timey scale.

[femurat]

I saw something like that in an old tutorial. I liked the idea very much, until I learned the importance of the wrench feedback. I think 2/3 of picking is done with tension wrench feedback.
Cheers

[Comrade627]

If would be interesting to make a wrench that has notches with a slideable weight that stops at each notch like an old timey scale.

Reading this made me think of using some sort of lightweight rod or tube, flattened at the end like a wrench and grooved down the tang/ handle to accomodate a (this is what 3 years in Japan does to you) 50 yen coin as an adjustable weight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_yen_coin

Alternatively, I suppose a normal steel washer would work, the yen would just look more interesting.

[Squelchtone]

If would be interesting to make a wrench that has notches with a slideable weight that stops at each notch like an old timey scale.

Reading this made me think of using some sort of lightweight rod or tube, flattened at the end like a wrench and grooved down the tang/ handle to accomodate a (this is what 3 years in Japan does to you) 50 yen coin as an adjustable weight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50_yen_coin

Alternatively, I suppose a normal steel washer would work, the yen would just look more interesting.

well, that settles it. next time I'm teaching someone how to pick and they ask, but Senpai, just how much tension does one need? All I'll say is 50 yen.

[GWiens2001]

That is a very zen response, Squelchtone.

Use how much tension?
Picking is not difficult
You need fifty yen



Gordon

[smokingman]

These have been around for many years, I used to have one I got from KENCO .
This one is from HPC...http://www.hpcworld.com/px/tensiontools/handsfree/

[Squelchtone]

That is a very zen response, Squelchtone.

Use how much tension?
Picking is not difficult
You need fifty yen



Gordon

I see what you did
content is bleeding over
the two become one

Squelchtone

PS, in the early 90's I was on a BBS that only allowed message posts to be in Haiku form. It was a lot of fun and made you choose words more carefully, like today's Twitter does with the 140 character limit.

[femurat]

These have been around for many years, I used to have one I got from KENCO .
This one is from HPC...http://www.hpcworld.com/px/tensiontools/handsfree/

This is exactly the one I saw! Thanks for posting the link, I was looking for it and gave up

Anyway, I have one of those crocodile and spring photo holder, I'll try if it works for me too.

Cheers

[smokingman]

Just for fun I made one using a magnet that I could stick to the tension wrench and slide farther away from the keyway to add weight. Worked fine.

[Comrade627]

Just for fun I made one using a magnet that I could stick to the tension wrench and slide farther away from the keyway to add weight. Worked fine.

Forum full of brilliant improvisers and fabricators, and this dude uses a magnet. Genius.