The Vintage New Britain and Associated Thread!
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Sam'sAutoParts
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Catfishdan
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I found this set at an estate sale today. Not sure how old, but I think it's all complete except for the 1/4 inch spinner handle. I think it's a replacement. I only knew Husky as a Home Depot brand. Didn't realize their history with New Britain. 
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Sam'sAutoParts
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Nice find, that appears to be the same case as my Sparta set pictured a couple posts up. My box was repainted yellow at some point in its life, but it was originally red. I believe the Husky, New Britain, and Sparta Sets all came in identical metal cases at one point, Just different branding on the tools and stickers.
Here is a New Britain version I spotted on eBay a few years back, but missed out on.
Here is a New Britain version I spotted on eBay a few years back, but missed out on.
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Username already in use
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Nice looking collection of New Britain tools, Sam!
I recently acquired this 3/4" drive New Britain NH45 ratchet. Works well, but the selector switch is cracked. Doesn't effect the operation of the ratchet though. It still changes direction just fine.
I took it apart tonight and am trying to stick it back together with some JB weld. We'll see how it works out.
Seems like someone used it as a hammer at some point.
I recently acquired this 3/4" drive New Britain NH45 ratchet. Works well, but the selector switch is cracked. Doesn't effect the operation of the ratchet though. It still changes direction just fine.
I took it apart tonight and am trying to stick it back together with some JB weld. We'll see how it works out.
Seems like someone used it as a hammer at some point.
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Oldtuleguy
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Sam'sAutoParts
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Nice looking collection of New Britain tools, Sam!
I recently acquired this 3/4" drive New Britain NH45 ratchet. Works well, but the selector switch is cracked. Doesn't effect the operation of the ratchet though. It still changes direction just fine.
I took it apart tonight and am trying to stick it back together with some JB weld. We'll see how it works out.
Seems like someone used it as a hammer at some point.
Very nice find! I bought one a few years back on eBay, and it’s never made it out of the USPS abyss.
d42jeep
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Off the top of my head, I believe that the lever selector indicates that one is pre WW2. I think that it is assembled backwards as the lever should be opposite the drive side. In wartime images NB ratchets are shown with a shorter selector. Here are my WW2 New Britain 1/2" drive ratchets.
-Don
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Oldtuleguy
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Interesting. I did not know it was that old. Still works good
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Thanks Sam. ***** to hear about your lost ratchet.
Looks like the JB Weld worked really well on the broken selector. Should be good for years of service, as long as no one uses it again as a hammer...
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Oldtuleguy
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four.cycle
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Probably not, unless somebody here has some stashed away somewhere.
I am assuming that's a Kilness-patent unit with the internal snap ring, correct?
You might consider getting another similar unit and cannibalizing the parts.
I am not familiar enough with New Britain to know whether or not tooth counts are the same, or whether one or the other is "dual pawl" or "single pawl", but:
Another member some time back had a similar issue (although I cannot recall the model number he had,) and he got a used NB-made unit from Ebay cheap and robbed the pieces out of it.
Worst thing that can happen is you'll still be looking for a repair kit and end up with an extra 3/8" ratchet.
cheapest I can find quickly:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SPARTA-3-8...631836?hash=item4b1a0d61dc:g:5aAAAOSwfcVULxrL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PENNCRAFT-...345933?hash=item3d4d725e4d:g:KVwAAOSwdjNZC316
I know NB made ratchets for a mess of other outfits, but I cannot remember them all right now.
There are other members here who know the New Britain product line far better than I do.
(* I've dealt with both of those sellers before and they're both A-OK, btw. *)
I am assuming that's a Kilness-patent unit with the internal snap ring, correct?
You might consider getting another similar unit and cannibalizing the parts.
I am not familiar enough with New Britain to know whether or not tooth counts are the same, or whether one or the other is "dual pawl" or "single pawl", but:
Another member some time back had a similar issue (although I cannot recall the model number he had,) and he got a used NB-made unit from Ebay cheap and robbed the pieces out of it.
Worst thing that can happen is you'll still be looking for a repair kit and end up with an extra 3/8" ratchet.
cheapest I can find quickly:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SPARTA-3-8...631836?hash=item4b1a0d61dc:g:5aAAAOSwfcVULxrL
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PENNCRAFT-...345933?hash=item3d4d725e4d:g:KVwAAOSwdjNZC316
I know NB made ratchets for a mess of other outfits, but I cannot remember them all right now.
There are other members here who know the New Britain product line far better than I do.
(* I've dealt with both of those sellers before and they're both A-OK, btw. *)
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Oldtuleguy
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I will pull it apart. Maybe one of my other dead ratchets can donate some parts!
four.cycle
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I just went through the same thing with an old 1/4" drive model, but got lucky and found a Blackhawk brand repair kit on Ebay that worked.
I ran a search on Ebay for " 3/8 ratchet kit " but came up with nothing that looked even close to fitting an NB-made unit.
I ran a search on Ebay for " 3/8 ratchet kit " but came up with nothing that looked even close to fitting an NB-made unit.
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I've been looking for a set of good USA combination wrenches for a while now. And, while this isn't a complete set, it's a good start!
NAPA branded NBM combos (NDM series)
Sizes are 18, 17, 15, 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 Does anyone have any of the missing ones available for sale or trade?
And, from the same seller, I just couldn't leave behind the SAE wrenches. NDF series.
Well, I may have spoken too soon. These look like they were probably made by Easco (Danaher). I can't complain too hard, since they were cheap and USA made.
NAPA branded NBM combos (NDM series)
Sizes are 18, 17, 15, 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 Does anyone have any of the missing ones available for sale or trade?
And, from the same seller, I just couldn't leave behind the SAE wrenches. NDF series.
Well, I may have spoken too soon. These look like they were probably made by Easco (Danaher). I can't complain too hard, since they were cheap and USA made.
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jfrey123
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How about at 30 year old (at least) New Britain 26" tool chest top? Grandpa had this for as long as I can remember, and it was old and worn in when I was a kid. It holds the many odd and off repeated sockets he bough throughout the years, has been sitting in my garage for the past 7.
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Oldtuleguy
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I don't see many of those
caesar2001
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ceasar, you're right, it does.
Private Lugnutz
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As first reported in the 2018 Garage Sale thread, I picked up this WWII 14-piece New Britain-made Husky-branded 1/2-inch drive socket set at the flea market this morning, complete in a metal box finished in OD green crinkle paint. All the pieces are caked with an old, yellow, dried-up layer of a preservative oil, probably BLO. Needless to say, as a wartime collector, I was thrilled.
Contents:
- Husky H3183, female, non-reversible, 10" long ratchet, with push-through drive plug, with forged-in markings "J-S" and "11-44" date code
- Husky H2712 5" long extension
- Twelve (12) Husky sockets:
H2700 7/16"
H2701 1/2"
H2702 9/16"
H2844 19/32"
H2703 5/8"
H2705 11/16"
H2706 3/4"
H2845 25/32"
H2707 13/16"
H2708 7/8"
H2709 15/16"
H2846 1"
Contents:
- Husky H3183, female, non-reversible, 10" long ratchet, with push-through drive plug, with forged-in markings "J-S" and "11-44" date code
- Husky H2712 5" long extension
- Twelve (12) Husky sockets:
H2700 7/16"
H2701 1/2"
H2702 9/16"
H2844 19/32"
H2703 5/8"
H2705 11/16"
H2706 3/4"
H2845 25/32"
H2707 13/16"
H2708 7/8"
H2709 15/16"
H2846 1"
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Private Lugnutz
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3baygarage
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A few 1/4 inchers.
Can anyone explain the 20-2195 ? Couldn’t find anything.
View media item 82186
View media item 82187
Can anyone explain the 20-2195 ? Couldn’t find anything.
View media item 82186
View media item 82187
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d42jeep
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Here is my current 1/4” drive set project. I’m missing the 7/16” socket and the sliding tee shown is a very similar Craftsman but I’ll need to find a New Britain version.
-Don
-Don
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RubiconJK
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Found this cool old "None Better" box by New Britain Machine Co today at an estate sale. It is 19" long X 6" W X 3" T. I'm not an avid New Britain guy so I'll be going to Tool Archives this evening to see if I can find a catalog and learn something about this box. It is labeled "No 1041". Anyone know approximate age of it? Thanks.
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twertsy
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I don't know but if love to have that box! Sweet find!
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RubiconJK
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Let me see if I can learn something about it first, but I don't have a problem doing a trade for it if you are really interested. I can send you more pics also.
Private Lugnutz
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What drive size is that socket compartment designed for? It's hard to tell. I'm thinking 40's or earlier with that leather handle.
RubiconJK
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The socket compartment goes from 1" at the most narrow up to about 1 5/8" at its widest. Probably for 1/2" drive? I would think 3/8 or 1/2 drive would work well with it.
d42jeep
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RubiconJK
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Todd,
I looked through the None Better catalog (as well as the other New Britain catalogs) from your site and haven't been able to match up the No. 1041 on my box to a set number or box number. Do you have any other suggestions for sites where I might find additional catalogs to scour? Thank you.
twertsy
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RubiconJK
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No problem. I'll keep looking.
Private Lugnutz
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As first reported on the 2018 Garage Sale thread, I picked up this MUSTANG MS29 1/2-inch square drive piece at the flea market today. It's my third MUSTANG piece (the others being a speeder and a hinge handle), so I figure I should complete a set shortly before I ascend to the Great Big Garage in the Sky.
Oddly, it's a coupler with identical 1/2-inch square female drive ends. Just to be sure I wasn't crazy, I checked a few New Britain catalogs, and as I suspected, this is not a piece commonly found in NB, NONE BETTER, or Husky sets of the same production era. Based on a partial set from Worthpoint that Hexen shared on the 2018 GS thread, the MUSTANG set had a similar, related coupler, with two male ends. Not sure if the MUSTANG sets had standard male-female extensions, but if they did, these couplers would be unnecessary. Strange.
Eventually, I'll have to find something showing a Mustang set and layout. At my pace, it's not urgent.
Oddly, it's a coupler with identical 1/2-inch square female drive ends. Just to be sure I wasn't crazy, I checked a few New Britain catalogs, and as I suspected, this is not a piece commonly found in NB, NONE BETTER, or Husky sets of the same production era. Based on a partial set from Worthpoint that Hexen shared on the 2018 GS thread, the MUSTANG set had a similar, related coupler, with two male ends. Not sure if the MUSTANG sets had standard male-female extensions, but if they did, these couplers would be unnecessary. Strange.
Eventually, I'll have to find something showing a Mustang set and layout. At my pace, it's not urgent.
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d42jeep
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Sam'sAutoParts
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That 1/4” set is a beauty!
Sam'sAutoParts
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I just looked in my 1940 New Britain catalog and didn’t see that box. They show a 1/2” set with a hip top box, but it looks like it had a removable tray.
