Pennsylvania Steel Co. Steelton Pa. Big wrenches.

[wrenchguy]

 I'm working with a guy from there that has access to some drawings and wrenches.
I will be adding to this post in months to come.
I'm hoping the photos will enlarge for better detail.
 

This pallet is 42" square


The top wrench on the pile above is 3' 6 1/4" long w/ 8" opening. Lower wrench in this illustration.


 

Milliken Bros. were erecting another mill to the existing complex during this dates.

[lptools]

Wow!! Thanks for sharing!!

[Yadda]

Wow!! Thanks for sharing!!

+1

[wrenchguy]

Just got 107 year old drawing of piston rod wrenches. The bottom wrench on the pallet above is 1 of these.  Not been able to check its bore yet. We're hoping its size "A",  5' 2 1/2" long & 5" thick.
IMAGE should enlarge for you.  Please let me know if it doesn't.

[ToolManJ]

   wow!!!!!!!!

[wrenchguy]

If everything goes right, These and other wrenches from the mill will be going on engine and tool shows this summer.

[lptools]

Is the truck sagging? Great photo so that the size of the wrench can be appreciated!!

[moparthug]

Looking at these pics make my back hurt. 

[wrenchguy]

Is the truck sagging? Great photo so that the size of the wrench can be appreciated!!

Thats not my truck, but it looks hd enough especially with the load forward of rear axle.
Hoping to get them next week.  First showing will be Cool Spring Lord willing.
http://www.coolspringpowermuseum.org/

[gibsontool]

Hell I'd have to brace up my shop wall before I'd hang that thing up.

[wrenchguy]

Hell I'd have to brace up my shop wall before I'd hang that thing up.

[amecks]

I didn't know Paul Bunyan owned wrenches.

[mvwcnews]

If you get too close to "Rough & Tumble" at Kinzers, PA they might try to talk you out of those.  They have a natural gas pipeline compressor & pumping engine big enough to use tools like that.  The flywheel is 19 ft. diameter.
When I was there 6 years ago they were trying to get a steel mill blowing engine that at one time had been "promised" to them.

[wrenchguy]

I'm now caretaker of 13 pre 1917 wrenches and setting up a display for Coolspring Engine show. They're all from Pennsylvania Steel Co. "Steelton" before Bethlehem Steel took them over in 1917.

This post is about the largest wrench of the group, the 531lb piston retaining nut wrench. It's 61" tall x 26" wide 4 1/4" thick. The bolt is 1 3/4" dia. This one has a 17" bore.
"Rough & Tumble" is being planned.
We can only guess the weight of the nut!!!
Still researching, which engine manufacturer the wrench is for because of the different drawings available in the engineering dept.
Rich, the Steelton guy thinks its a Wm. Tod wrench, but he has Southwark/Porter-Allen drawings.
More to come.

[wrenchguy]

We have come up with a drawing of the steam engine piston retaining nuts.  The top right nut is 18 1/2" diameter, our wrench fits a similar 17"nut.
 The wrench is positioned over the nut with the keyways aligned and then a key was installed. Then the nut was turned using the wrench with what i think is some kind of suspended battering ram in the final tightening.
 I don't know why a hex nut wasn't used. Maybe it couldn't be built that big.
 Hoping to still find out which engine manufacturer the wrench was used with. "Steelton Rich" continues pouring over engineering files/drawings trying to the id the engine.

Wrenches and drawings will be displayed at the Coolspring engine show June 17, 18, 19. http://coolspringpowermuseum.org/

Short video.  https://youtu.be/LJ7UjQhpIwo

Drawing should enlarge for you.