Tightening locknuts with hammer and screwdriver-dog rough or not?

[briwire]

I had a job recently where myself and an apprentice had to gland and terminate a 50mm SWA cable in a panel. I put the locknut in a vice and filed V shaped notches in the 6 leading edges. The apprentice was curious as to what I was doing. As we installed it, I got my trusty old screwdriver out and hammered the locknut tight as my assistant held the gland with his stillies. On completion, he said that it was dog rough, but so difficult to tighten with gland nut pliers. I would be interested to now what others think.

 

[westward10]

Whilst this may be considered an "old skool" (forgive me for quoting that) method it is hardly showing your apprentice professional methods.

 

[Skys]

Worked with lots of different electricians over the years and most have used this technique at some point me included. You after do what is required sometimes to get the job done and the gland tight. The proper technique is not always available.

 

[davesparks]

Rough as hell in my opinion, I've never found it necessary to hammer a nut tight. Sometimes when undoing a nut or lock ring a few taps are necessary to break it free, but not suitable for tightening.

If you can't tighten it properly with the tools you have then maybe it's time to invest in better tools.

 

[Dustydazzler]

A hammer is for hammering nails and a screwdriver is for screwing screws.
Neither should be needed to do up a locking ring nut, that is what a spanner or grips are for...

 

[brianmoooore]

a screwdriver is for screwing screws.

Plus about a dozen other things.

 

[nicebutdim]

Plus about a dozen other things.

The multi tool before multi tools were invented.

 

[pc1966]

Gland nuts are a pain as they are rarely a "standard" spanner size anyway, as well as being larger than most folks spanner sets (unless they work on trains, tractors, etc).

So you almost certainly need either one of the very wide jaw adjustable spanners (often sold for plumbing work) or a slip-joint style of pipe wrench to get a proper grip.

This sort of idea:

Superwide Jaws Adjustable Wrench

Multiple uses in plumbing and heating, particularly useful on plastic waste fittings. Jaw capacity 68mm, jaw depth 55mm.

www.toolstation.com

 

[littlespark]

Gland locknuts tend to be thinner than a regular nut for getting a standard pair of adjustables on them. But you have to persevere.

Tightening with a screwdriver is going to make removal in the future damn near impossible…. Even using the same method!

 

[Marvo]

We had a similar thread not so long ago Spanner Or Grips what do you use ? - https://www.electriciansforums.net/threads/spanner-or-grips-what-do-you-use.208472/#post-1832641