When you're in the waterworks industry, it's important that you have high-quality tools to get the job done. Unfortunately, though you'd think something as simple as a gate valve wrench would be simple, this often isn't the case. Whether you're working in tight quarters that make it difficult to turn your wrench or have to deal with poor-quality wrenches that leave you in a lurch as they slip and deform around the gate valve, having the right tool for the job makes all the difference between being able to get the job done quickly and efficiently and having to spend time looking for something that might work in a pinch. Here's a quick look at how having the right tools for the job can help you get the job done more effectively and efficiently, along with not damaging any valves or fittings.

Ratcheting Gate Wrenches

When you're in close quarters or have to deal with obstructions, space is at a premium, and having tools that make it easier to get the job done quickly. But what if there was a better option instead of having to complete the circle, busting your knuckles on the close surroundings or reset the gate wrench every single time you hit a stopping point? One option to consider is adding a ratcheting gate wrench to your water utility's toolkit. This tool allows you to more easily get the valve turned. Instead of constantly resetting your gate wrench, you can simply use the ratcheting action of the wrench to turn the valve.

However, many gate valves have a specific number of turns to achieve to open or close the valve. That can be really tough when you're constantly resetting or fighting with the closed-in space you have to work in. On the ratcheting gate wrench, the stamped mark on both the steel or aluminum wrench handles as well as on the shaft makes the task of keeping track of your turns easier. It's also available with an optional swivel nut, which makes it perfect for those gate valves that were installed in a less than perfect position.

Telescoping Gate Wrenches

How many water utilities have their gate valves all at the very same depth? Though it would be nice, most gate valves fall at a wide range of different depths, making them a pain to get to without having to cycle through a constant stream of extension stems to get to the right depth. Then, once you've finished with one valve, the entire process has to start out all over again, several times as you work through your daily task list.

When you use our telescoping gate wrenches, you won't need to constantly change out the extension stems. The wrenches are available in adjustable lengths from 4' to 8' long and from 6' to 10' long. The positive stop prevents the extension piece from falling off while the thumb screw holds it in place at the correct depth. It's also available with a folding handle option to allow for easy storage, packing and shipping.

Standard Gate Wrenches

There are many sources where you can find gate valve wrenches, but that doesn't mean that you're getting a quality tool. It's fairly common for gate valves to fall apart because they're designed by companies that supply tools to homeowners and a range of lightweight, short-term usage options. However, that doesn't mean that those tools will hold up to the beating that daily use with a water utility's work crews.

At New Concept Tools, even our standard tools provide high quality construction and long term durability that will keep them in operation for years after their lighter weight counterparts have fallen by the wayside. We use 1" Schedule 80 steel pipe in our shafts with a heavy duty arch at the end and a 2" fixed or swivel square socket end, ensuring you'll never have to worry about it breaking under normal use.

Extension Stems

Of course, sometimes you just need a bit more depth to reach a gate valve, but with many water utility extension stems, there's a great risk that you might end up losing the extension when it falls off and falls into the service hole or fails to work well, frustrating your crew. This makes it harder for them to get the job done effectively and slows down your crew's work flow.

When you need just a little more depth to reach a gate valve but aren't ready to compromise on the quality of your tools, you'll find our extension stems an excellent addition to your water utility's tool kit. We manufacture our extension stems using Schedule 40 steel pipe and a centering ring to keep it aligned inside your valve box, making it easy to operate and maintain to keep it operating effectively for years.

Accessories

Want to DIY your tools? Sometimes you need a very specific tool, ending or option to work with your existing tool set, Whether it's specific nuts to weld onto your own pipe, sockets to add to your wrench or other customized modifications that would make your crew's job easier in the field, there are a wide range of options that you can pursue, but only with a supplier who understands how water utilities work and their needs.

We offer top and bottom nuts for you to weld onto your own pipe, sockets for creating your own wrench and opening direction plates to prevent valve damage, all out of the same high quality materials we use to create our tools. All our wrenches and accessories are available in aluminum for light weight applications and 304 or 316 stainless steel. Because we focus on a wide range of fabrication and customization options, we can help you develop the perfect tools to deliver quality performance for many years to dome.

Unlike many manufacturers, we make our gate valve wrenches out of high-quality steel and aluminum, assuring that they will provide years of reliable service for you and your department. If you have questions or need additional information about any of these gate valve wrenches or accessories, please feel free to contact us today. At New Concept Tools, we've been developing high-quality tools specifically for the waterworks industry for nearly 40 years.