Tappet Wrenches Only: History, Use, and Examples!

[Private Lugnutz]

If you're thinking what I was thinking (a PO lost the 202 and replaced it with a 201...), you'd be as wrong as I was! Apparently, there wasn't a 202. Maybe it's like the 13th floor.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I LOVE this set. I found a few other catalog references, all from the early to mid 1920's, and they all indicate a mottled finish. These weren't mottled. Or burnished nickel. And it's not the same chalky black parkerizing on their sockets. They appear to have been painted, probably black japanned, most of which has worn off on all but one of the 201's, which would be consistent with other end wrenches. The catalogs all indicate a canvas roll-up that is not this shape, either. So I suspect these are late 1920's.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I was watching that set and was absolutely baffled when I watched the auction end with no bids. Sooooo glad you grabbed that thing - I knew when I saw it that it would fit right in there in the Lugzonian!
Very cool set!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I knew when I saw it that it would fit right in there in the Lugzsonian!

Funny you should mention that. The Curator has a dilemma. Does he display it in the "Mossberg Wing" with the No. 14 socket set, the No. 82 Professional socket set, the T handles, and the No. 600 Salesman Sampler? Or does it go into the Tappet Wrench rack with the complete Herbrand and Bonney rollups, the complete Plomb set begging for a pouch, the near-complete Vlchek and Duro, and the loosey-goosey orphans? Decisions, decisions. It's a "good problem" as curators and coaches with two many point guards like to say.

 

[d42jeep]

^ I was watching that set and was absolutely baffled when I watched the auction end with no bids. Sooooo glad you grabbed that thing - I knew when I saw it that it would fit right in there in the Lugzonian!
Very cool set!

I didn’t know that you had sent the listing to Lugz, but when I saw it I had to pass it along as well. It was so perfect and covered so many bases. He owes each of us a rusty tool as a finders fee.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

He owes each of us a rusty tool as a finders fee.

Funny, but not going to happen! Not because I'm ungrateful. Because it is a precedent that would only increase the amount of "hot tips" in my PM and email inboxes by manifold!!

 

[four.cycle]

 

[outofbounds]

I may have posted most of these on the Armstrong thread, but also at home here I suppose. This grouping contains the only 15/16" x 1" tappet wrench I've ever seen......

 

[Private Lugnutz]

This grouping contains the only 15/16" x 1" tappet wrench I've ever seen...

It may be the first one on this thread. I'd have to double check. I know I don't have any. If you look at the charts I posted on page 1 it lists a few vehicles that took them, but they're very obscure, and that was the 30s. Armaloy is a postwar brand and I have no idea what the application would be. Vlchek made them (No. 96) in that era, too, apparently, according to the catalogs, but I have never seen one.

 

[leg17]

Williams 1096 is 15/16 x 1".
See post #72 this thread.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks.

 

[LesserSon]

My postWar Bonaloys greatly expanded with a USPS delivery this afternoon.
L-R: 426A(13/16x7/8)x2, 425A(11/16x3/4)x3, 425(3/4x13/16), 424A(5/8x3/4), 424B(9/16x5/8)x2, 422(1/2x9/16), 420A(7/16x1/2), 420(7/16x17/32).

Also noted that though the model numbers of this style are identical from Chrome Vanadium through Bonaloy, the Bonaloys are 1-1/2” longer. The three in this pic are all 422, but the preWar CV and the July 1945 nonspecific alloy are identical dimensionally at 8”, whereas the postWar Bonaloy is 9-1/2”.
Curious if preWar Bonaloy tappets exist, and if they are 8” or 9-1/2”?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Curious if preWar Bonaloy tappets exist, and if they are 8” or 9-1/2”?

Off the top of my head, I don't recall seeing the BONALOY brand used on any wartime wrenches other than box and combo. I could be wrong. I am almost certain they didn't apply it to open end engineers' wrenches until after the war, and my hunch - and it's just a hunch, is that holds true for open end tappet wrenches as well. But I could be wrong.

 

[saukit]

A few recent pickups: Blue Point LST2022, Craftsman that aren't marked with a model like the others I have, VlChek 1A1442 ?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

VlChek 1A1442 ?

It's a Caterpillar wrench. See humber's (#95) and mine (#99) for more.

 

[saukit]

It's a Caterpillar wrench. See humber's (#95) and mine (#99) for more.

Cool, thanks for the info! I'll check those other posts out.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

What appears to be a home-made mated pair of Armstrong tappet wrenches. Took them apart for cleaning. They did a great job! One has been opened up a little to make it a different size

 

[d42jeep]

I found this unmarked tappet wrench on Friday. Who made it?
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Even if it didn't have the sideways oriented forge number on the shank I would have to guess Vlchek based on the shape of the heads, but that number seals it, I think.

 

[Provincial]

I agree.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are the long C Craftsman tappet wrenches that I currently have if anyone needs one or more to fill out a set.
-Don

 

[humber2]

Blue Point and Snap on British standard / Whitworth tappet wrenches.

Showing the two BP Styles I have.

WTA910 date code 5 being 1/4W - 3/16W

WST96A being the smallest at 3/16W - 1/8W

 

[snapmom]

Showing the two BP Styles I have.

WTA910 date code 5 being 1/4W - 3/16W

WST96A being the smallest at 3/16W - 1/8W

Have not seen a 96A

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up two Herbrand script era SOE LT-** series tappet wrenches at a used tools emporium yesterday, an LT-12 (1/2") and an LT-13 (9/16"). See Pic 1.

If you go back to page 1, post #10 on this thread, you'll see that I posted an LT-14 (5/8") previously, found several years ago.

As you fellow scroungers know, patience, perseverance, and a little luck is the name of the onesy-twosy game - and in this case, it was quite literal

I have three of the six sizes Herbrand made in this style now (see Pics 2 through 5), and I will be looking for the LT-9 (3/8") -11 (7/16") and -15 (11/16").

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I pulled these two Armstrongs out of the same place. Something tells me this set will be harder to complete. But they are some handsome wrenches in the rarer 15* x 22-1/2* angle style. The forged-in lettering is very appealing.

 

[c1504]

Those are super cool! I haven’t seen armstrongs like that before

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That makes two of us! You noted same opening size on both ends, right? I think only Bonney and Blue-Point were doing that. Barcalo was making the asymmetrical 15* x 22-1/2* but different openings, and Billings was making 22-1/2* x 22-1/2" different openings.

Slightly different production eras (but I'm going to ignore that!), I think, with the size marking (inches " and none) and the 'Armstrong-Vanadium' and 'Armstrong' (even though it's also Chrome-Vanadium).

 

[c1504]

I didn’t notice until you pointed that out. That is weird. I think it is so neat that there were so many differences between brands when it comes to tappets

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I picked up a partial Bonney No. 412 set at the flea this morning. I have a complete set in original pouch (post #52, page 2), but these are un-leave-behind-able.

 

[saukit]

Here's a little set of Herbrand tappets, I use the term loosely as while there are H-1 through H-4 represented, 2 are Van-Chrome and the other two Vanadium.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this mystery tappet wrench at a yard sale. I figured that I would see a brand after cleaning but no dice, it just remained kind of unattractive. It’s up for grabs if anyone recognizes it and wants it.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

A pair of recent finds. Plomb and Herbrand.

 

[Username already in use]

Found that Tappet wrench yesterday at the flea. Any interest in a duplicate?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any interest in a duplicate

Heck yeah! Tappet wrenches are one of the only places where it's ideal to have two! Koinkidinkilly, I just picked up a trade item for you. A CORNWELL offset screwdriver for your box. 30s. The unique kind that looks almost like a clay modeling tool. See GS thread, Lugz 2022_30. Or wait a week. I'm still on road. Wilk post more photos on Corny thread next week.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a Powr-Kraft tappet wrench that I just received from Roy.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

I snagged this pair of 1/2" CORNWELL tappet wrenches. One is about twice as thick as the other one.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Interesting. The thinner one on the jam nut, I suspect.

 

[MadeinCanada]

Blue-Points XL-186 Heavy Duty Tappet Wrench. Approximately 14" overall length.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice one. You and Unaiu are starting to make me wonder who has the longest one on the thread. (Cue the inevitable **** jokes! )

But seriously, I am wondering. My hunch is it will be one of the SOE types. My NB NDF is also 14" OAL and listed that way in the cats. I'll have to search or page through and see if anyone has posted one longer than that.

 

[Ricky Joe]

.