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Craftsman Speed Spinner Ratchet

Posted by 141drew Posted onMay 8, 2014 at 11:59 AM and filed under Reviews & Features
Updated onUpdated on May 28, 2021 at 11:37 AM


I’m sure the Speed Spinner has been written about before on the forum, but thought I would post mine for the hell of it… They pop up on eBay fairly regularly where they go for pretty insane money – sometimes as much as $200 for a really nice and well kept example. But, I got lucky. I found one at a local pawn shop for $25.

It looked fine, but the ratchet mechanicals were a little out of tune and rebuild kits are seemingly impossible to find. As such, I decided to just take it a part and clean it with some WD-40. The results were beyond what I expected and now I’m left with a very usable little Speed Spinner – great for spark plugs and even better for quickly synching flathead nuts before I break out the torque wrench.

Anyway, enjoy:



 


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J

Jim C.

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That ratchet has been on my "want list" for a while now. I'm still looking for a nice one.

Jim C.
 
3

3baygarage

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Mythology 101: Unit I


Chapter 1: Unicorns

Chapter 2: Cyclops

Chapter 3: Craftsman Spinner Ratchet ranging from .50 to $25 at Pawn Shops & Yard Sales.




I'm going shopping with you guys! 2x the you ****! :thumbup:
 
G

ggoss

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Love it. You definitely ****. [emoji106]

Not sure how I feel about this post though. [emoji53] With you spreading the word, now I'm never gonna find a cheap one on eBay that slipped through the cracks!
 
Z

zkling

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To bad craftsman hasn't brought it back in a fine tooth variant. I'm a bit surprised some of the off shore makers like HF or Kobalt haven't come up with one yet. :dunno:
 
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jerryW

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I passed on one at a swap years ago for $8! I already had one that I bought for $3 and thought at the time $8 was too much!

Still have the $3 one though. Still use it on occasion.



jerry
 
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R

Ryan

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I'm not a tool collector at all... Meaning, I don't have a use for some cool, but unsuable vintage tool. This one gets used quite a bit... It's a wonder no one still makes one.
 
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Outlawmws

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That one is also on my wish list. I have a similar Proto crank ratchet in 1/2 drive I cobbled up out of a military ratchet crank.
 
P

Plombob

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Well... you ****!

I've been looking for one of those rats for 15 years. Never seen one at any price or any condition. I'm convinced it's not real - just an optical illusion.
 
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Flathead Johnny

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omg, last year i happen to find a large box at an estate sale of a tool sales man with about 125 new ones in it for $38......I had no idea of the value, I made metal sculptures creatures out the tools. I used them as the body of caterpillars, spiders and ants, bent wrenched as legs and welded them to it:(
 
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Outlawmws

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Flathead Johnny said:
omg, last year i happen to find a large box at an estate sale of a tool sales man with about 125 new ones in it for $38......I had no idea of the value, I made metal sculptures creatures out the tools. I used them as the body of caterpillars, spiders and ants, bent wrenched as legs and welded them to it:(
Click to expand...

:wtf:

:tantrum2::banhim::soapbox::tard::boxer:
 
Z

zkling

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Outlawmws said:
Flathead Johnny said:
omg, last year i happen to find a large box at an estate sale of a tool sales man with about 125 new ones in it for $38......I had no idea of the value, I made metal sculptures creatures out the tools. I used them as the body of caterpillars, spiders and ants, bent wrenched as legs and welded them to it:(
Click to expand...

:wtf:
Click to expand...

:wtf: Indeed, so just to make sure we are all on the same page Johnny, you found a box with 125, new, speeder ratchets (as pictured above) and you welded them into art? I'm just having a hard time believing this for a few reasons.

Wouldn't you think it was strange to find brand new tools and then just weld them up? I'm afraid to ask, but what else have you welded into art?
 
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drivesitfar

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Nice Ryan. i bet Rich meant he paid $50 each and not $.50 (cents), but if a $1 for 2 of these rare wrenches then even better.

is there a YouTube video showing how to use one of these?
 
S

softailgarage

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Ryan said:
leader.jpg


I'm sure the Speed Spinner has been written about before on the forum, but thought I would post mine for the hell of it... They pop up on eBay fairly regularly where they ...
To read the rest of this blog entry from The Garage Journal, click here.
Click to expand...

Richard Cranium said:
let me be the first one to tell you that you ****. I picked up two at a yard sale for .50 each.... felt great....Rich
Click to expand...

You both ****...it cost me $77.00 for mine. The nice thing is the last one that sold on Ebay went for around $179.00...which makes you guys **** even more.
Rich, you sure about that price?
 
F

Flathead Johnny

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We'll this explains why all the guys would shake their head and mumble I can grind them off and fork over the cash......to the ones that though my past comment was real, I have some snake oil for sale
 
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rubberrodder

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Flathead Johnny said:
We'll this explains why all the guys would shake their head and mumble I can grind them off and fork over the cash......to the ones that though my past comment was real, I have some snake oil for sale
Click to expand...
After that, they can swing by my place for some beach front property I have in New Mexico.
 
M

MetalCutter

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There's one on ebay now with a buy it now price of $120 bucks. I want one but damn not that bad. Not even close.
 
C

chicane

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I don't get it. You would need a heck of a lot of clearance for any particular job for that thing to be even remotely useful. With most of the jobs on my cars the spaces are so tight I am lucky if I can turn my socket a 1/4 of a turn at a time.
 
U

uniballer

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I used to have one but made by bonney, now I have several of those in craftsman. Everytime I see one I buy it!
 
R

Richard Cranium

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Diveitfar, no I printed it correct. I got two of them for .50 cents each at a yard sale, you can look up in last years yard sale blog and see them...Rich..
 
D

drivesitfar

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all right RC i believe you.

i don't give this out hardly ever, but you **** big time. as others have said on a few other items in the past when this award gets thrown out there you actually "stole" them.

I know they would cost some coin if i wanted to buy one and didn't find one in somebody's inexpensive tool box so how do they work? any youtube vids or do you just grab both ends and turn like crazy??
 
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Ryan

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chicane said:
I don't get it. You would need a heck of a lot of clearance for any particular job for that thing to be even remotely useful. With most of the jobs on my cars the spaces are so tight I am lucky if I can turn my socket a 1/4 of a turn at a time.
Click to expand...

It's not the right tool for a tight situation. It's the right tool for tedious situations... Like synching 48 nuts to secure the heads on a flathead ford before you torque them.
 
B

Buckgnarly

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Why not just use a t handle? Just as fast as the spinner handle and more torque than the stub of a handle.
I guess I will join the minority and put this in the Christmas useless novelty category of tools....but somehow got a cult following and now everyone loves it! I could see using Robogrips more than that thing!

I'll go hide now.....:evil::lol:
 
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T

torqueman2002

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Buckgnarly said:
Why not just use a t handle? Just as fast as the spinner handle and more torque than the stub of a handle.
I guess I will join the minority and put this in the Christmas useless novelty category of tools....but somehow got a cult following and now everyone loves it! I could see using Robogrips more than that thing!

I'll go hide now.....:evil::lol:
Click to expand...
For me, it is the novelty of this guy. I agree (speed wrench, rather than T-handle), not that useful.
 
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