Wrench

The Wrench needs no battery and belongs in your belt from day one. It appears in the game's build steps in two ways.

As a build tool, 21 structures require it. Among them are the straight pipe (Pipe (Straight)) and the liquid pipes, the insulated pipe, the Furnace, the condensation and evaporation chambers and the large heat exchangers. It is not used up in the process.

As a deconstruction tool it removes at least one build stage in 250 structures. In 149 of them it is the first stage – the step that gives you the kit back when deconstructing. That is why many devices come apart in two moves: first the cladding with the drill or grinder, then the base device with the wrench.

Which stage needs which tool is shown on every device page in this wiki under "Building and deconstruction".

The Mk II Wrench (tier 2) is listed in the game data as a substitute for the Wrench and can stand in for it everywhere, as can the emergency wrench. What the other tools are for is covered in Tools at a glance: which one you need for what.