How to Make a Gas Wrench

Locate the gas shutoff valve for your home, which is typically located outside with the gas meter. Contact your gas supplier if you are unsure of where this is or cannot find it. Measure and record the width of the turning part of the valve that turns the line on and off.

Draw a line 12 inches from one end of a 1/8-by-2-inch aluminum bar with a marker, and spray cutting fluid over the line. Cut along the line with an abrasive saw to produce a 12-inch length of aluminum bar. This will be the body of the gas wrench.

Draw a rectangle 1 inch from one end of the bar that’s the same height as the part recorded in Step 1, and twice the height in length. Draw it so that the space inside the lines has the same dimensions as the rectangle, as you will be cutting along the lines created by the marker. Ensure that the rectangle is perfectly square.

Spray cutting fluid over the rectangle from Step 3, and carefully cut along one of the sides with an abrasive saw. Be careful not to cut too far, or else the cut rectangle will be too large. Continue to do this for the other three lines, spraying more cutting fluid when necessary.

File the cut areas inside the rectangle with a wide metal file. This will remove any cutting imperfections and smooth out the inside of the wrench.

Wrap the middle of the aluminum bar with grip tape, slightly overlapping previous strips as you go. Continue to wrap until the bar is wrapped with enough grip tape to cover the palm of your hand. This will provide you with a much firmer grip when handling the wrench.