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Markings on old spanners

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Markings on old spanners

Postby HappyHacker » 25 Sep 2018, 20:16

I have acquired a number of old spanners Whitworth, BSW, BSF. Some of them also have other markings one is the AF size in 1/100s inch and the other is UH which I have never heard of and cannot find info on. I am hoping that someone on here can enlighten me.

Examples:
7/8 AF, 1/2 UH, 88 AF
3/4 UH, 1 1/4 AF
7/8 AF, 1 7/16 UH

Thanks
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby 9fingers » 25 Sep 2018, 22:11

The only time I've seen UH used in the context of bolts is in the dimensioning of bolts where UH is the length of the bolt "Under the Head" ie the way it is normally defined.
Similarly OA is used for "Over All" length to include the head height.
Of course this would have no bearing on the spanner size for the head so I am as confused as you.

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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby Malc2098 » 25 Sep 2018, 22:39

I always understood AF to represent 'American Fine'.

(although it was colloquially called 'across flats')
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby tracerman » 25 Sep 2018, 23:59

I always thought AF referred to " American Forces " and was their useful attempt at standardisation which they brought over with them during WW2 . My Ford Anglia and Cortina were AF which I assumed was the US influence .
Never heard of UF .

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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby selectortone » 26 Sep 2018, 13:51

All is revealed here.
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby Malc2098 » 26 Sep 2018, 14:03

Yay! :eusa-dance:
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby 9fingers » 26 Sep 2018, 14:17

Sadly the link does not seem to reveal an answer to the main question which was the meaning of UH on spanners.

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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby Woodster » 26 Sep 2018, 14:28

When I was a mechanic AF stood for “across flats” and actually applies to both metric and imperial spanners although the term AF was not actually used in practice very often and only for imperial spanners.

The term “AF system” is mentioned several times here:

http://classicmechanic.blogspot.com/201 ... chart.html

Bolt sizes like British Standard Whitworth confuse things but you can still usually deal with the fasteners once you know what the Across Flats size is but failing that look for a BSW spanner that looks about the right size! :lol: A slightly further confusion is that some metric thread fasteners can have more than one across flats head size. ;)

When I worked as a Ford Mechanic the most common spanners and sockets needed were: 10, 13, 15, 17 and 19mm.

Some manufacturers, possibly including Ford these days, now require 12, 14 and 16mm tools amongst others.

I hate to imagine what the Americans are using these days ...
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby HappyHacker » 26 Sep 2018, 14:54

selectortone wrote:All is revealed here.


Unfortunately not quite all :) It did not mention the original Whitworth which has larger heads then the BSW by one size. I have some of the original Whitworth sizes in the ones acquired.

It is not obvious if the UH is an original manufacturers size or has been stamped on later, it looks different to the manufacturers but is stamped on spanners from two manufacturers.
Attachments
IMG_20180926_143431113.jpg
Example spanner with UH
(289.77 KiB)
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby Robert » 26 Sep 2018, 16:01

more guesswork..

a 1/2 whit threaded bolt has a head size across flats of 0.82 inch according to my machineries handbook so a 7/8" AF (0.875")spanner would have 0.055 inch clearance fit

a 3/4" bolt has a 1.2 inch AF head. 1 1/4" AF spanner is 1.25" so 0.05" clearance fit.

a 7/8" bolt has a 1.3" AF head. 1 7/16 is 1.4375" so 0.14 clearance.

0.05 seemed like too much so the theory falls apart with the largest size.

I just checked the bolt head AF sizes for UNC bolts and the sizes all tie up for those - head AF matches UH (thread) diameter on all three.

Do they say whitworth?
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby HappyHacker » 26 Sep 2018, 18:51

I think I have found the answer.

Going through some more in the box, there was one that just used the letter U and had the word Bolt alongside it. None of the spanners with a U were Whitworth or BS all were AF sizes.

Looking at one with 3/4 AF it had 1/2 U as well. Looking up UNC sizes a 3/4 AF nut will have a 1/2" diameter bolt.

So I am assuming it is the UNF/UNC bolt size which I think is used as the size.

Having just read Roberts reply he was ahead of me there, this is what happens when I have to stop and get my wife from the station, not helped by her giving me an arrival time of an hour earlier than actual arrival!

Many thanks to all of you, while we do not know what UH stands for we do know what it means.

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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby firedfromthecircus » 26 Sep 2018, 18:51

selectortone wrote:All is revealed here.


The link incorrectly states the U in UNF/UNC as united when it is unified which was Americas attempt at standardisation.

Woodster wrote:
I hate to imagine what the Americans are using these days ...


Until recently I was employed as a mechanic at a golf club and most of our machinery was of American origin. The vast majority of fasteners were imperial but there has been a move towards metric. Whether that is due to using parts from other countries I am not sure, but it can be awkward when a single machine has both imperial and metric fasteners. Not so bad for me as I could read the head of a bolt, but trying to make sure greenkeepers were using the correct spanner kept me on my toes. 15mm (a popular size for some reason) does not have a suitable imperial equivalent!

In response to the OPs question, I was hoping someone would have an answer. Despite working on old Brit bikes, American grass cutting machinery and all manner of modern European and Japanese stuff I have ever come across UH. Mechanics of yore did have a habit of putting identifying marks on their tools. Could these marking be someones initials?
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby HappyHacker » 26 Sep 2018, 19:10

The UH was definitely not owners initials. It is interesting that most of the spanners marked UH or U also had the AF size in 1/100s of an inch as well as the normal inch AF notation.
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Re: Markings on old spanners

Postby Woodster » 26 Sep 2018, 20:07

I wonder if “Metrinch” fit BSW?! :lol:

https://www.directsupplyukltd.co.uk/metrinch-tools/c106
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