A standard metric M6 nut will be 10 mm across the flats, a 1/4″ UNC is just under 11mm and a 1/4″ BSW just over 11mm. Attempting to use the incorrect (oversize) spanner could cause the spanner to slip, rounding off the edges of the hexagon.

by British Engineer Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803 - 87). It is used in many types of engineering throughout the world,What Size Spanner do I need ?” is a common question. Theimmediate answer is another question: “ What type of thread does your nut and/or bolt have?” As you can see, it is best to know the thread type of the nut and then choose the spanner size that will then give the best fit. Once you know the thread type and size of the nut, then it is simple to look up the correct spanner size. Just to mix things up a little; for nuts and bolts with BSW or BSF threads, you will need a spanner marked with the diameter size of the thread e.g. a 1/4″BSW or BSF nut or bolt would require a spanner marked 1/4″BSW. METRIC These are the original, 19th Century, coarse-threaded industrial bolts designed to hold locomotives together. Because of their coarse pitch, they are more prone to vibrating loose, so are little used on motorcars. Except for threading into aluminum (e.g. crankcase studs), where a coarse thread is less prone to stripping than a fine one. It turns out that, except for 1/2" (where the British use 12 threads per inch (tpi) and Americans use 13 tpi) the thread pitches for the rest are the same as for American Unified Coarse (UNC). However, the thread form is different; Whitworth = 55 degrees; UNC = 60 degrees. In spite of this, mismatched nuts and bolts mate nicely, so you're likely to find UNC bolts or studs where BSW should have been.

You should also be aware that the size given to any nut or bolt is relevant to the thread type and size. A metric M6 nut for example means the measurement ‘d’ shown above is approx. 6mm and this ‘M6 – 6 mm’ measurement bears no resemblance to the distance across the flats, or the spanner size required.Whitworth and BSF spanner markings refer to the bolt diameter, rather than the distance across the flats of the hexagon (A/F) as in other standards. Confusion can arise because each Whitworth hexagon was originally one size larger than that of the corresponding BSF fastener. This leads to instances where for example, a spanner marked ​7⁄16 BSF is the same size as one marked ​3⁄8 W. In both cases the spanner jaw width of 0.710 in, the width across the hexagon flat, is the same. SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers (American Standardoriginallyestablished for the automotive industry) For example, a ½” fastener fits a spanner with a ½’’ head. Metric fasteners often use a different sizing system to metric spanners, which could cause confusion, as the fastener size relates to the thread size rather than the head size. Metric Size All of these spanners can be used for different professional and DIY tasks and each has their own benefits.