Adjustable Wrench Collar Jig

This is the description of Carl Davidson’s “Monkey Wrench Collar Tool.”  My source was the Northeast Blacksmiths Association newsletter, Spring 2012.  The following text is from the article.

“Open the jaws to the thickness of what you want to collar plus 2 times the thickness of the collar material.  With the registration stop set so your collar material is centered over the jaw opening, put the heated collar stock in place.  The squared punch must be the same width as your pieces to be collared.  Work fast, “Strike while the iron s hot.””

The page with photographs is followed by a drawn illustration page with the following text.  “Cut a piece of 1/2” sq. by 1 1/2” long and drill through the center to the size of rod* you will use for the registration rod. *5/32” used.

Cut the piece in half, drill and tap a hole for a socking screw. *6-32 used.

With a piece of scrap rod through both blocks to keep them lined up, braze them in place on the wrench jaws.  Be sure to place the front of the blocks about 1/16” in front of the bar connecting the top and bottom wrench jaw.”

In his case, he added a tang by removing part of the handle and attaching a piece of hard hole sized stock.

I haven’t had the need to collar anything since I came across the article so I haven’t actually tried this tool.  It looks like a good idea and I’ll likely try it when the opportunity arrises.  Note that the collar length must be determined to know where to set the stop so the collar is centered over the jaw opening.

Collar centered over the vise jaw opening.

Collar formed by driving down the mandrel.