Recent content by Voda2000

I also noticed mine has no patent dates cast into it where it seems a lot of them did.

I was told a few posts earlier that 342 are casting numbers? How late were the non “R” models made? The date doesn’t really matters too much, I was just curious. I’m planning on using it either way. Also, I was able to get the jaws within 0.006” with a file and will probably go a little...

I think I found the date stamp on mine: Looks like 110 so Jan 1910?

I should have clarified I wasn’t planning on attacking it with a file. I had seen a method where the jaws are coated in dye makers blue and then a file is lightly clamped in the vise and pulled out slowly. Slowly repeating and in this way the most I would removed would be 0.0125” off each jaw...

Thanks, good to know. It the effort of not destroying the stamps any suggestions on removing the paint? Normally I would wire wheel it but sounds like they might get rubbed out?

Yup you are right. Darn wasn’t quite a good a deal as I thought it would be 😞. I guess they did an ok job with it. Jaws are out by about 0.025”. I don’t have access to a large enough mill so I’m tempted to try and true the jaws up with a file by hand but open to any ideas. I’m only in...

I just picked up this 104 today for a song. I think if I’m reading the date code correctly it’s from March 1942. Compared to what some others have posted the date marks seem really clear. The red paint looks like it was done with a brush so it surprised me that I could still read the stamps...

Thanks. I just measured it and it look like the gear is 1-3/16” the inner ring is 7/8” and the pawl is 11/16. I didn’t knock the pawl out yet.

Thanks. I don’t think it would bother to cut up a good ratchet to fix this. I might look at having a small weld done and then recut the teeth.

I acquired this old Gray ratchet a while back and it only works in forward, not reverse. I took it apart and a couple of ratch teeth are chipped. Also the pawl for the reverse is chipped. I had contacted Gray about a rebuild kit but they said this has been out of production since the 1950’s...