REVIEW β A few months back, I reviewed Titanerβs TiSpanner 2.0, a neat little EDC tool. I loved it and had only one wish: βI want one about 3X larger for bigger projects!β It seems the Gadget Goddesses were listening and have granted my wishβalmost. The Titaner TiSpanner 3.0 is larger and more capable, but itβs not quite 3x the size. I was sent one to review, so letβs see how it is.
β¬οΈΒ Jump to summaryΒ (pros/cons)
Price: $85.00 and up
Where to buy: Kickstarter
What is it?
The TiSpanner 3.0 is a multi-tool that incorporates a 2β wide spanner wrench, measurement caliper, nail puller, bit driver, and more.
Whatβs in the box?
Just the TiSpanner 3.0 in a plastic sponge-lined carrying case. The two-sided bit is included.
Tech specs
- Adjustable Spanner/Measurement Caliper
- Nail Puller/Pry bar
- Bit holder with bit storage
- Tungsten Impact Head/Window Breaker/Box Opener
- Bottle/Jar Opener
- Fingernail File/Knife blade dresser
- Phone Stand
Design and features
Shaped roughly like a Monkey Wrench from your dadβs plumbing tool kit, the TiSpanner 3.0 is 3β long with jaws .375β thick and .625β deep. There is a thumbscrew that adjusts the size of the opening. The jaws are very solidly mounted. There is no play or mushiness to the mechanism.
The parallel jaws can act as a measurement caliper up to their max width of 2β, thanks to the precision etched markings along the handle and the little marker that tracks up as you change the size of the opening with the knob.
The top jaw of the device is forked and tapered, and can be used to remove nails, as well as general prying tasks. The opposite side of the jaws is angled for opening bottles and cans.
On the βinsideβ of the handle is a diamond strip that can be used as a file or to dress blades. I have been sold on diamond files since stealing my sisterβs Diamond Deb fingernail file when I was assembling my metal Model T model as a kid. (Yes, I replaced it with my paper route money. Iβm not a complete monster! Reading the linked article, I should pull the ones from my tool kit and see what theyβd fetch on eBay! I still have 2-3 that I use regularly.)
Opposite this insert is a trough with two magnets embedded. The magnets hold an included two-sided bit that is flat in the center and .0625β in diameter on each side. One is a Phillips and the other is Torx. The lower jaw of the TiSpanner 3.0 has a magnet embedded so that you can place the bit there, tighten the jaws, and have a great offset driver. If you have larger bits, they will also fit and be held. They arenβt quite as stable, because they donβt have the tapered body, but they work well.
On the tail of the wrench, when the jaws are fully closed, is a pointed piece that can be used to open packages or break glass in an emergency. There is also a polished stainless steel lanyard hasp. Weighing in at 1.65 oz/47 g, youβll never notice this little guy hanging around your neck until you need him.
Performance
As noted with the review of the earlier, smaller TiSpanner 2.0 multi-tool, youβd think this was a toy, but youβd be wrong. The week I got it, I had to change out the power cord for a dryer in my new house. (Donβt even get me started on this subject β Iβm still irritated about it, and Iβve known the insanity of dryer plugs since having to get one for my daughterβs dryer in 2010! Yes, I can hold a grudge.) While it was perched on the lift gate of the moving truck, several of us worked to open the access panel, remove the three screws and the stress collar and replace the power cord. The tolerances are very tight, and large man-hands didnβt help. A tiny wrench that fit into small spaces where my Knipex water pump pliers didnβt was suddenly a very valuable item. The jaws are easy to adjust and hold their setting, and they are solid and square. Pliers usually have jimping or grooves that make the connection to parallel bolt surfaces less secure. Needless to say, the guys helping me move were more than impressed by the performance. They had kinda chuckled when I brought out my mini tool kit, but all were impressed by the performance of the TiSpanner 3.0 and said so.
Final thoughts
Small precision tools are a must-have for a Gadgeteer. I have a whole kit of them, housed in a βbonus giftβ pencil case I was sent when buying a bag at Waterfield. I donβt carry pencils and pens anymore, but the waxed canvas of this pouch is perfect for my mini tools!
If you havenβt yet started an EDC collection like this, I highly recommend it. And the just-launched TiSpanner 3.0 multi-tool would be a great cornerstone for it. I still also recommend the TiSpanner 2.0 as well. You can thank me later.
What I like about the TiSpanner 3.0
- Solid build and mechanics
- Good size for precision jobs
- Magnetic attachments are very strong
What Iβd change
- Nothing
Price: $85.00 and up
Where to buy: Kickstarter
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Titaner and the company did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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