6 Piece vs 8 Piece Tubular Spanner Set: Choose the Size Range Before the Job

6 piece vs 8 piece tubular spanner set comes down to the fastener range you need before you reach into a confined space. Both Blue Spot sets use the tubular format for nuts and bolts that sit too deep for an ordinary open-ended spanner. The compact set covers 8–17mm; the wider set extends that coverage from 6mm through to 22mm. Check the equipment, identify the fastener and choose the range before taking the job apart.

Quick Shop: 6 piece vs 8 piece tubular spanner set

BlueSpot Tubular Spanner Set 8–17mm 6Pcs

The smaller Blue Spot set is the focused option for common metric fasteners within an 8–17mm working range. Its tubular bodies are intended for access where a standard spanner head cannot sit around the fastener.

View the 8–17mm six-piece set

Blue Spot Tubular Spanner Set 6–22mm

Stock code 04308 widens the range at both ends. The current listing names 6×7, 8×9, 10×11, 12×13, 14×15, 16×17, 18×19 and 20×22mm tubular spanners, plus a Tommy bar and carrying case.

View the 6–22mm eight-piece set

6 piece vs 8 piece tubular spanner set: compare the working range

Choose the six-piece set when the fastener schedule is known

The BlueSpot 8–17mm six-piece tubular spanner set makes sense when you know the equipment and the service sizes it uses. If the nuts you expect are all inside that published range, carrying the broader set may add pieces without adding a useful size for the job. That matters when the kit is being kept in a small maintenance bag or assigned to one repeat task.

Do not choose by the outside diameter of the tube or by eye. Measure the hex across flats, check the equipment documentation where it is available, and make sure the selected end sits fully on the nut. A tubular spanner that only catches the corners can round the fastener, especially where corrosion, paint or previous damage has reduced the contact area.

The narrower range does not make this a light-duty substitute for every other spanner. It simply gives access in the dimensions stated on the product page. If the job list includes a 6mm, 7mm, 18mm, 19mm, 20mm or 22mm fastener, the published range already tells you to move to the wider option or another correctly sized tool.

Choose the eight-piece set when wider coverage avoids a return trip

The Blue Spot 6–22mm tubular spanner set is the stronger choice for mixed maintenance calls and older equipment where the exact nut sizes have not been confirmed. The current APM listing identifies paired ends from 6×7mm through to 20×22mm. That extra coverage is useful when a job contains small control or cover fasteners as well as larger retaining nuts.

The named Tommy bar provides the turning input for the 04308 tubular spanners. Pass it through the cross-hole and keep the force controlled. Do not improvise with a long extension to multiply leverage: if the fastener will not move, stop and assess corrosion, thread condition, access and the equipment maker's service procedure. More leverage can damage the tube, nut or assembly.

The carrying case also gives each size a defined position. Before leaving the counter or van, compare the expected fasteners with the set contents rather than relying on the broad 6–22mm description alone. A range does not mean every individual millimetre is available at both ends of every tube; the listed paired sizes are the useful check.

6 piece vs 8 piece tubular spanner set: selection by job

Confined nuts on taps and plumbing fittings

A tubular spanner can reach down around a projecting thread where a conventional spanner has no swing. Start by confirming that the nut and access path are straight enough for the tube to seat properly. For a known 8–17mm fastener, the six-piece BlueSpot set keeps the choice focused. For mixed fittings or an uncertain survey, the eight-piece 6–22mm set gives more options.

Electrical and appliance maintenance

Isolate the equipment, lock off where the procedure requires it, and verify dead before working near electrical connections. A tubular spanner is only the mechanical access tool; it does not provide electrical protection. Check that the tube cannot bridge exposed conductors or damage insulation, and use insulated tools where the task and safe system of work require them.

Repeat servicing versus unknown call-outs

For repeat servicing, build the tool list from the actual fastener schedule and choose the smaller set if it covers every required size. For reactive maintenance, wider coverage can save a return to the van, but it still does not remove the need to identify the fastener. Carrying more sizes is useful only when the right size is selected and seated correctly.

Check the contents before collection

Use the live product pages to confirm the current item details before ordering or travelling. The six-piece product is identified by barcode 5028734043013; the wider set is Blue Spot stock code 04308 with barcode 5028734043082. Supporting product information was checked against public trade listings for the Blue Spot 8–17mm tubular set and the Blue Spot 04308 6–22mm set.

For related kit, browse APM's hand tools and plumbing tools. Match the tool to the equipment rather than treating the widest set as automatic. Known fastener range, working depth, available turning space and the condition of the assembly should decide what goes in the bag.