# Wonder Bar The Best Tool For Many Applications



## Jordy3738 (Jan 12, 2009)

I have been removing several walls in my home preparing for a kitchen remodel. I am using a "Wonder Bar" a lot. This hand tool has proved to be a very valuable one through the years. 

The first time I ever used one was when I had to raise an Island cabinet that was just a little out out of level. It had a granite counter on it and a built-in microwave installed as well.

Using the Woner Bar I was able to lift the cabinetry corners and place small shims under the toe base to get things perfectly level.

This tool has helped me in many ways.


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## mmtools (Aug 21, 2008)

Have used this to loosen 80 year old double hung windows. Works great!!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Now if someone would just tell me just what is a Wonder Bar??????????????? A picture would be nice.

G


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## Terry McGovern (Feb 5, 2009)

*Pry Bar*

I believe he's talking about one of these, although this is not the Wonder Bar brand...


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

Yup, something about the Stanley design seems to be the most useful and comfortable. They make a super wonderbar but the feel and design just don't feel right.
If I'm doing some "delicate" work, I'll sharpen the ends.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Mort,
Looks like a Malco brand. I have a big wonder bar and also a little teeny one that is about 5-6 " long and less than an inch wide. The big one is for lifting and demo work, the little one comes in handy for removing delicate pieces that you want to save. I usually start with a painter's 5 in 1 tool and then slip the wonder bar in. Just one word of caution on the larger ones, if you are really trying to pry on something, watch how you pull on it. If that tool slips or comes out unexpectantly, you can bang yourself right in the head and do some serious damage. I usually use the tool sideways to lever difficult items. Much more controllable.
Mike Hawkins


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

I have 4 or 5 my self. Its a great tool. After loosing the first one I bought, I figured out why they name it "The Wonder Bar". it because when you set it down you will wonder were you left it.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

Handyman said:


> I figured out why they name it "The Wonder Bar". it because when you set it down you will wonder were you left it.


 
or wonder who grabbed it........ LOL


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

I had almost forgotten about this, I posted this picture once before on here but I am going to do it again being we are talking about Wonder Bars. I drilled a hole in the middle of one of mine and use it to hold a board when I am replacing fascia by my self. Which is how I do it 99% of the time.


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## ironhead (Dec 20, 2008)

Yeah have a few sizes of those my self. It's the best thing since the BFH was invented for demo work. Who ever invented it is right up there with the guy that invented Spandex in my book.


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## Terry McGovern (Feb 5, 2009)

Handyman said:


> I have 4 or 5 my self. Its a great tool. After loosing the first one I bought, I figured out why they name it "The Wonder Bar". it because when you set it down you will wonder were you left it.


By that definition, every hand tool I own is a "Wonder" tool.:laughing:


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## creative novice (Jul 25, 2008)

*usual story..unusual turnout (wonderbar)*

When i was re-doing my kitchen this summer and just about done...new countertop down, nice shiny black acrylic sink installed...while working alone and placing my trim oak 1x6 and crown molding up (to re-vamp what was once the bulkhead and now to be a display shelf) and wanting to have my miters just perfect, i was having trouble holding the oak board in place to measure. it was warped slightly and wanted to spin on me. so i shot a brad into the one end to hold it in place. moved my chair over to the other end to measure......bumped the board, down went my wonderbar....._ nooooooooooooooooooo....._through the dish drainer and a nice pearl sized chip out of the acrylic finish. _ffffffffffffffff!_
After much heartbreak i tried researching repair kits...just needed some gloss black. grabbed the phone book...i know, auto repair for fiberglass will work...made phone call to a repair shop.....*No, you don't want to use these products, could melt your finish...*
I made more calls, more googles...nothing. Wait til Monday...

I called the manufacturer (bought the sink at Lowes)

_Blah blah blah..I was doing this... and then and it went thru.... and i need a repair kit._
*We don't make a repair kit. Sorry. *
*But, we will send you a new one. Our products are guaranteed.*
_What? oh, you must of misunderstood. this was not a defective product, I was still remodeling, we just put the sink in about 5 days ago and it was my fault..._
_*that's ok, we know things happen, your sink was only a few days old...We'll send you a new one. BUT *_
{Oh no, here comes the but...shipping will be astronomical, }
*But when you get the new one, which will be on thursday by courier we want you to take it out of the box and *
{here it comes, it is too good to be true....oh no...replace it right away....all those faucet fittings husband tightened so tight ...he's away and will be for awhile ...and the drain pipes he cursed and took forever to do, he's gonna be mad......and what about shipping costs....here it comes....}
*But when you get the new one, which will be on thursday by courier we want you to take it out of the box and make sure it is the right one and then take the box and*
{here it comes, oh shoot...}
*then take the box and put your old one in it and take it*
{here it comes...}
*put your old one in it and throw it out,*
_What? did u say throw it out? you don't want it back? _
*Just throw it out and forget about it, oh yes, we do want*
{here it comes...oh, no, a fortune for shipping....?}
*we do want you to send us a copy of your receipt.*
_That's it? You don't want anything else? no shipping? no old sink? But it was my fault? _
*That's ok, you were honest about the cause, we don't want anybody having their mistakes facing them everyday from our product. *
_Really? I didn't think there were any manufacturers out there anymore who would do anything like this! Thank you! wow!_
*Just remember to throw out the old one and forget it! Have a good day and if you have any problems call us back....:yes:*



Now, i really *WONDER* are there any other building suppliers out there like this left? julie


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## Rob (Oct 31, 2006)

Yeah, that kind of service happens everyday to me.:no::no::no:
If that would have been me, I would have punched 38 different numbers to finally get some character in Bangladesh who says his name is Harold.
Good to hear some good news for a change. This is part of what keeps a company in business.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

This tool is a favourite with burglars. We tend to call it a 'jemmy' or crowbar.
johnep


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## creative novice (Jul 25, 2008)

*wonderbar and my sink*



Rob said:


> Good to hear some good news for a change. This is part of what keeps a company in business.


 
.....i am told it doesn't matter what the business does, it is what the key punchers _say _they have done for the financial _quarter. the quarterly report...... profit and loss for the quarter for the stock holders _....I wonder how businesses survived before the influx of all the 1980's and on new business practices. Surely they could not have grown on good common sense and keeping your customer happy and making repairs as needed.......


Enuf politics for me.....

THE COMPANY THAT MADE MY SINK AND WAS SOOO GOOD TO ME WAS DEKOR:yes:


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

We have 3 sizes of those bars. That big 'un is a real bull when it comes to Demo. I love it. 
Got a cat's paw, too. Guess it's ok for pulling nails. Too light for an anchor. Should just feed a tree with it.


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## wonderwoman (Feb 11, 2009)

Gene Howe said:


> We have 3 sizes of those bars. That big 'un is a real bull when it comes to Demo. I love it.
> Got a cat's paw, too. Guess it's ok for pulling nails. Too light for an anchor. Should just feed a tree with it.


I've always known the tools pictured, as pry bars, or 'that one'. We used a 4' yellow steel bar like that to force boards when nailing decking, that's what I thought a wonderbar was. What is a cats paw? haha, really, what is it?


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Well WW, mine is an 18" iron octagonal bar about 3/8 thick with an oval shaped "Paw" on each end. One is at a 90 to the bar and the other is just almost in the same plane as the bar. The "Paws" have slots in them to facilitate pulling nails. They are DEFINETLY single purpose tools. Not heavy enough for an anchor or weapon and not really great at pulling nails. Beats me why I haven't used it in a concrete pour or fed a tree with it ages ago. It's probably the most uselsess tool I own....and a 68 years of age, that's saying a lot!


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## wonderwoman (Feb 11, 2009)

Gene Howe said:


> Well WW, mine is an 18" iron octagonal bar about 3/8 thick with an oval shaped "Paw" on each end. One is at a 90 to the bar and the other is just almost in the same plane as the bar. The "Paws" have slots in them to facilitate pulling nails. They are DEFINETLY single purpose tools. Not heavy enough for an anchor or weapon and not really great at pulling nails. Beats me why I haven't used it in a concrete pour or fed a tree with it ages ago. It's probably the most uselsess tool I own....and a 68 years of age, that's saying a lot!


Well I've known a few useless tools in my life and might I add, you my friend, are NOT one of them. I suppose we were both asleep as to not mention I eat wonderbars for breakfast or when an energy boost is needed.

I'm sure the inventor didn't think it was useless when taking orders & countin de monet $$

I suppose you could cut the 'paws' off and mount them on key rings and call them "lucky cat paws":clover: Kick back, take orders and save de monet$$ to buy real tools. Appease the _green crowd_ and sell 'em as 100% recycled. Just a thought.


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## wonderwoman (Feb 11, 2009)

creative novice said:


> Now, i really *WONDER* are there any other building suppliers out there like this left? julie


Congratulations Julie!!! You are officially an honorary Wonder-woman! 
Those kinda businesses are out there. Mainly the mom-n-pops; they are a rare breed for sure, but they still know the value of a handshake, and a payment on Tuesday for a hamburger today kinda mentality. The big stores seem to forget their customers are _people_ and not just numbers. Good point, Thanks for reminding us good business practices still exist.

*There are your Kudos 'DEKOR', other vendors take note!*

Heather


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

wonderwoman said:


> Well I've known a few useless tools in my life and might I add, you my friend, are NOT one of them. I suppose we were both asleep as to not mention *I eat wonderbars for breakfast or when an energy boost is needed.*
> 
> I've been *in* a few. Never ate one.
> 
> ...


That "A" word is not in my vocabulary nor, a part of my political philosophy. :gun_bandana:


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## wonderwoman (Feb 11, 2009)

Gene Howe said:


> That "A" word is not in my vocabulary nor, a part of my political philosophy. :gun_bandana:


Holy Crap! I didn't use the 'A' word, didn't type a # or * or nuttin!
You talking 'A' word= appease? Political view meaning tree hugger? I knew you didn't hug trees the moment you said you wanted feed them metal cat paws, I mean _lucky_ cat paws.

P.S. I think Jack is in here, I told him to speak to his twin brother more often.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

"Appeasement"...I don't do it, nor do I recommend it. I'm sorta one way like that.:shifty:


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Gene Howe said:


> Well WW, mine is an 18" iron octagonal bar about 3/8 thick with an oval shaped "Paw" on each end. One is at a 90 to the bar and the other is just almost in the same plane as the bar. The "Paws" have slots in them to facilitate pulling nails. They are DEFINETLY single purpose tools. Not heavy enough for an anchor or weapon and not really great at pulling nails. Beats me why I haven't used it in a concrete pour or fed a tree with it ages ago. It's probably the most uselsess tool I own....and a 68 years of age, that's saying a lot!


Gene I believe the tool you have is called a Cats Claw. If you don't do a lot of remodeling, you wont use the tool very much. It's one of those tools that take up room in your tool box and are worth there weight in gold when you need it. In my line of work I use mine a few times a month.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Handyman said:


> Gene I believe the tool you have is called a Cats Claw. If you don't do a lot of remodeling, you wont use the tool very much. It's one of those tools that take up room in your tool box and are worth there weight in gold when you need it. In my line of work I use mine a few times a month.


Could be, Handyman. I just used the nomenclature the that gave it to me had used. He didn't like it, either!

The problem I have with it is that the "paws" are so thick that I can't get under a nail head nor can I use it as a pry bar to separate two pieces.
Maybe I'm not using it right? I'm still hanging on to it....dunno why.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Whatever these lovely little prybars are called, I was using mine yesterday to pull off some old siding, and remove the nails, and it works a treat.

Gerry


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## TheRecklessOne (Jul 22, 2008)

Cat's claw..I call it a cat's paw...Some terms are regional I think. If a nail's head is in the wood really tight you actually hammer the "paw" into the wood to drive it under the nail. 

If you're framing or dealing with something that won't be seen or can fill in easily that's how the cat's paw/claw/sabre tooth tiger extractor/whatever you want to call it works. If you're pulling trim or something trim bars should be used with blocks of wood to pry against to pull the piece and the nails should be pulled from the back using end nippers. IMHO...

:thumbsup:


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

TheRecklessOne said:


> Cat's claw..I call it a cat's paw...Some terms are regional I think. If a nail's head is in the wood really tight you actually hammer the "paw" into the wood to drive it under the nail.


I can't drive this thing under a nail head. The the paw/claw/talon/foot is too thick. the front edge is oval with no edge to it and there is no striking surface where the bar is bent. I need a better hammer, and a better aim, I guess.


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## Garibaldi (Mar 2, 2009)

When you're looking for a serious demolition tool, try one of these http://www.artillerytools.com/shop/


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## Steve Clardy (Oct 20, 2007)

I keep 4-5 of various bars in my job site tool box.
1-2 in the shop, and a few that I wonder wth they are at.


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## Jordy3738 (Jan 12, 2009)

Used mine to tear down plaster ceilings and remove baseboards today.


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