{"id":10879,"date":"2021-11-20T10:24:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-20T10:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=10879"},"modified":"2021-11-22T15:14:15","modified_gmt":"2021-11-22T15:14:15","slug":"wrecking-bar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/wrecking-bar\/","title":{"rendered":"Wrecking Bar: A Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A wrecking bar is a tool that has a long metal shaft and various shaped ends depending on its type and use. They come in a wide range of sizes, from under a foot to over 5 feet in length. In this article, we will look at the different types of wrecking bars and their uses, as well as the many names they have been given. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the Difference Between a Wrecking Bar, a Pry Bar and a Crowbar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"what<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In truth, they are all pretty much the same thing with different names<\/a>. A wrecking bar is used chiefly to pry something apart, as does a pry bar. Some types of wrecking bars are used to lever larger heavy objects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crowbars were given the name due to the shape of their end, but the general function remains the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few subtle nuances will become more apparent as we look at the different types below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Wrecking Bar Used for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Primarily they are used to pry things apart. I use them a lot for dismantling pallets or pulling out nails from wood. They are also helpful for jobs like lifting drain covers or leaving out large rocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The different lengths and ends make them more suited to specific jobs. One of my favorites is an alignment bar, also called a sleeve pry bar. These are very long. Ours is around 5 feet and has a thick shaft of about an inch and a half. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are designed to straighten bolts having a pointed end and a flat end that is slightly angled. I use them for starting holes for the wooden posts when I\u2019m repairing a fence or levering logs to get a chain around them when clearing woodland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nail pullers or cat\u2019s claw pry bars are much smaller. They have flat ends with splits that are at a 90-degree angle to the shaft. These are used to remove nails and are very common on worksites. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Use a Wrecking Bar?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All types of wrecking bars are designed to give additional leverage. Depending on the task in hand, one end is placed on the object that needs to be levered, and the shaft is then pushed downwards to produce the force required. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When nail pulling, it can be helpful when removing longer nails to add a block of wood near the nail that you lever the bar against to increase the amount of leverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the bar is being used to make holes, the sheer weight is generally enough to make a hole when the pointed end of an alignment bar is thrust repeatedly into the ground. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I accidentally actually managed to cut straight through the mains water pipe doing precisely this, which was an unfortunate and costly mistake! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are There Different Types of Wrecking and Pry Bars?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is a wide range of bars available. Let\u2019s take a look at some of them here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heavy-Duty Wrecking Bars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These are designed with stronger shafts and ends. The metal is reinforced and can be struck with a large hammer. They come with a wide range of heads, so you can generally find one that is suitable for a specific heavy-duty job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of pry bar is useful where a considerable amount of force will be used that might otherwise break a regular pry bar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gooseneck Pry Bars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although in appearance, a gooseneck pry bar will look almost identical to many other types, the main difference here is the length of the shaft, which is longer. They usually have a forked claw end and a flat prizing end, although this can vary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The additional length is to allow for more force to be given, as the amount of leverage they provide is greater. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their primary use is in dismantling things, such as old interior stud walls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digging Pry Bars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These are similar to alignment bars and are extremely long and straight. They are explicitly designed to dig or remove objects that are embedded in the ground. They can have a variety of ends, but one is almost always slightly spade-like. The other may be a spike or a claw, or even a ball. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rolling Head Bars<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These have two ends with different heads. One of the heads will always be shaped like a hammer, either with a flat tip or a rounded one. Like the gooseneck bars, they are designed to provide a lot of leverage for various jobs around a worksite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Molding and flat Pry Bars <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These are tiny and look more like a paint scraper. A molding pry bar has a specific job, which is to remove molding from cabinets. You\u2019ll find them in the tool kit of decorators, carpenters, and even sometimes car mechanics. Flat pry bars are sometimes a little larger than molding ones but look very similar. They are used for opening things or scraping paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This video shows a few different types of pry and wrecking bars and talks about their uses: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=g7TC2aER96w<\/a>