Exhausted my search engines

jusridin · Jan 8, 2018

So I picked these fellas up the other day and have came up with exactly zero info on what they are. Obviously sockets of some sort but they are definitely not of the norm.
They are a 3/4 Male hex drive. Most have holes all the way through. All of them have the band around the bottom. (Possibly a locking mech?)
Any info or tips on searches would be greatly appreciated

Packard V8 · Jan 8, 2018

No idea who made them, but the square sockets are not common and very handy to have sometimes.

jack vines

Musicinabottle · Jan 8, 2018

Packard V8 said:
No idea who made them, but the square sockets are not common and very handy to have sometimes.

jack vines

For driving taps?

ssdave · Jan 8, 2018

Used with one of those old flat ratcheting wrenches to make an offset ratchet. The groove in the top is for an o-ring, to hold them into the wrench. At least, I've seen similar ones that had that purpose.

The hole in the back is an interesting anomaly, would be great for use with a pin in a mill or drill press to hold the socket to keep it from tipping. I do that with taps, particularly small ones to keep them straight and help avoid binding and breaking them. So, the idea of tap driving might have some merit.

softailgarage · Jan 8, 2018

pass thru sockets?

Old Man Roger · Jan 8, 2018

They kind of look like my pass through sockets.

[EDIT] Guess I looked at the pictures too long before posting..lol

bill300d · Jan 8, 2018

Low profile sockets. I don't know if they still do but S/O used to make a similar set for front end work. The ratchet had a double flex handle.

jusridin · Jan 8, 2018

The only thing I have found in my research was snap on oil field specialty sockets that were even close to the same. Still haven't found anything with 3/4 drive though.

Old Man Roger · Jan 8, 2018

jusridin said:
The only thing I have found in my research was snap on oil field specialty sockets that were even close to the same. Still haven't found anything with 3/4 drive though.

This is a 1/4 drive set but it's the same concept.

https://store.snapon.com/Low-Profil...rofile-12-Point-12-pc-3-16-9-16--P738170.aspx

jusridin · Jan 8, 2018

Old man I think your on to something

Old Man Roger · Jan 8, 2018

jusridin said:
Old man I think your on to something

I have the 3/8 snap-on set, they have the o-ring like ssdave mentioned earlier. Mine are all pass through.

rustyzman · Jan 8, 2018

The basic design looks a lot like the front end alignment sockets from Snap On, Mac, etc. Not sure if they still make them. Kind of a low profile setup.

Bill300D beat me to it.

Private Lugnutz · Jan 8, 2018

That's why I asked you if they had through holes when you first posted them in the Hinsdale thread.

Based on the primitive vintage, the drive size (3/4-inch hex) and the fact that they aren't marked with anything but opening sizes, they may belong to one of the mfgrs that made early pass through ratchets and sockets for big industrial construction projects (silos, bridges, etc), such as Chicago Mfgring, Demuth, Pokorney, etc. Chicago used cast iron, so probably one of the others.

Here’s a link to a Demuth ratchet and socket found last year.

cheesehead2 · Jan 8, 2018

Private Lugnutz said:
That's why I asked you if they had through holes when you first posted them in the Hinsdale thread.

Based on the primitive vintage, the drive size (3/4-inch hex) and the fact that they aren't marked with anything but opening sizes, they may belong to one of the mfgrs that made early pass through ratchets and sockets for big industrial construction projects (silos, bridges, etc), such as Chicago Mfgring, Demuth, Pokorney, etc. Chicago used cast iron, so probably one of the others.

Here’s a link to a Demuth ratchet and socket found last year.

Quite a few years back. 40s,50,s Chicago Pneumatic made 1/2 and 3/4 hex female in what they called Close corner drill/nut runner. Sockets like those were used and final torque was made with torque wrench. Handy where a regular impact was to large. Awful tough on the arms and shoulders.
Yes the CP sockets had tension rings in those grooves .Hope this helps some.

Private Lugnutz · Jan 8, 2018

For comparison... I forgot I had this Chicago Mfg & Distributing Co set. Very early (1914-1920's) pass through. The forged-in "S" and "H" next to the size on the sockets is to distinguish "Square" and "Hex" service openings, respectively. One of the fasteners on the ratchet was replaced at some point, obviously. These are 1-inch hex drive. I suspect farm or railroad work. These are much more primitive than yours.

jusridin · Jan 9, 2018

You never disappoint Lugz!
That's a very cool set you have. Thanks everyone for the help on this one. You guys are the best!

Ole Slewfoot · Jan 9, 2018

Alloy Artifacts has this 3/4 drive example from the '50s, and I'm pretty sure they offered it in the L712 removable head style as well.

3baygarage · Jan 9, 2018

Well, I searched everything I could think of too, and came up empty on these sockets.

Are there some 32nd inch sizes I see in there? That would make them older than I thought.

At first I was thinking lineman/utility socket set but aren’t spline drive like the Lowell,Reed, etc.

jusridin · Jan 9, 2018

3bay there are 32nds in there and square sockets. I too continue to look and look. Everyone in prior post has renewed or given me something else to investigate. Not having a mfg. Will make this a interesting journey.

3baygarage · Jan 11, 2018

Aha! They are Billmont brand, by Edgar C. Guthard Co..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1919-Billmont-Socket-Set-Ratchet-Wrench-Set-in-wooden-case/183013143997?hash=item2a9c6ef5bd:g

BYAAOSwLUpaV-NF

Private Lugnutz · Jan 11, 2018

That's nice work, 3eeb. The only thing memorable about Billmont to me is that strange angle-head driver they made with the branding on the end. I didn't even know they made a set with a ratchet.

EDIT:

Jusridin,

There is another Billmont set with the angle-head driver on fleaBay, and that sale includes picks of the sockets out of the box.

3baygarage · Jan 11, 2018

Private Lugnutz said:
That's nice work, 3eeb. The only thing memorable about Billmont to me is that strange angle-head driver they made with the branding on the end. I didn't even know they made a set with a ratchet.

EDIT:

Jusridin,

There is another Billmont set with the angle-head driver on fleaBay, and that sale includes picks of the sockets out of the box.

Yeah, I happened to see the set and quickly realized it was them. Knew I recognized the sockets, but it’s been quite some time since I last saw them or the ratchet.

The angled Billmont Master Wrench seems to be a bit more common.

jusridin · Jan 12, 2018

Super impressed, I've seen a lot of tools and never heard of billmont.
Thanks 3bay and everyone else who helped!

Exhausted my search engines

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Attachments

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member