Snap on F 710-A broken ratchet

[blackhawk-tech]

Hello friends,
I recently picked up an old snap on F 710-A ratchet from ebay for about 9.50$, the ratchet is in very bad shape, broken tooth, and snapped in half cover plate.
I managed to get a rebuilt kit for the gears but what about the cover plate? Customer service told me they no longer have cover plates for sale and I can either get a new one ( using this as a credit) or keep it that way.
Does anybody knows where can I find one? Or if anybody has a spare cover plate that I can buy from him/her?
thank you

 

[jumbojak]

It's just flat steel, right? Why not make one?

 

[blackhawk-tech]

It's just flat steel, right? Why not make one?

I'm not very savvy with steel working...guess I could but what steel should I use and I need a template, my cover plate is missing all the "upper" part

 

[davethorik]

Did you know it had these issues when you bought it?

 

[blackhawk-tech]

Did you know it had these issues when you bought it?

Yes, I did. However, I was under the impression than when ordering the rebuild kit, the cover plate was included but it is not.

 

[davethorik]

That is unfortunate. Looks like your options are donor ratchet or make one. If your ratchet looks like the Snap-ons I have, it wouldn't make sense to spend that many man-hours matching the figure 8 shape with a custom plate.
Good luck.

 

[jumbojak]

I'm not very savvy with steel working...guess I could but what steel should I use and I need a template, my cover plate is missing all the "upper" part

Ah, missing is more challenging than broken. I would find a piece of flat that's the correct thickness, and make a paper template that fits. There would be trial and some error, but a hacksaw and a file could do it if you don't have more sophisticated equipment available.

A piece of clay - I keep plasticene on hand - is another option. Press the ratchet body on to the clay and use that to draw your template. Then you just have to find the hole locations, drill all three, and tap two.

 

[Wamsutta]

The cover plates show up on eBay from time to time. Right now that have one for a 1/2 inch drive S715.

Another option is to page a collector like snapmom. Send her a PM.

 

[vssjim]

Why not have a tig guy weld it up that way you only deal with refitting from welding not making a whole new plate. These are very common old ratchets so perfect is not that important really just rebuild it so its a old SO ratchet to use as a vintage ratchet when you want.

 

[Wamsutta]

Some of you guys have wild imaginations that cost more than just getting a cover plate.

 

[bonneyman]

Some of you guys have wild imaginations that cost more than just getting a cover plate.

Yeah, we like the challenge!

 

[tym]

Just buy a random asian ratchet on ebay. From what I've read on the internet, and quite a bit here at GJ, all asian ratchets are made in the same factory as snap-on, and they just stamp different stuff on them. You could then switch over the parts to your S.O. one. Or, you could just discard the Snap-on one, and use the new asian one.

I didn't realize Snap-On was an Asian brand.

 

[Handyandy23]

Customer service told me they no longer have cover plates for sale and I can either get a new one ( using this as a credit) or keep it that way.

Curious what did they offer you in 'credit' towards a new one?

 

[Michael_in_DE]

There is really not point to your ratchet. you can't buy the plate. Unless you're awesome, you would be able to make, drill, and tap a new plate, and buying another ratchet that already has the plate for the plate, would put you in the same position you are already in now with the new ratchet. cut your losses, pitch it.