Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Very nice! Clean. Cleaner than the silverware utensils they were using in the cafeteria!
Bell system
- Thread starter Shelbylex
- Start date
d42jeep
Well-known member
I cleaned up these formerly rusty Crescent Bell System diagonals that I found yesterday. An overnight in the evaporust made a big difference.
-Don
-Don
S-K Tool Fanatic!
Well-known member
Are they supposed to have that chunk missing out of the cutting edge? Because I think I have a crescent pair with a chunk missing like that.
Old Radar
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^^^ Designed to slice the sheath from around the wire.
S-K Tool Fanatic!
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Got this for less than a dollar awhile back.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
WilliamT081423
Member
My grandaddy was a Bell System employee from maybe 1940 or '41 until some time in the early 1980s, maybe until just before the big Ma Bell breakup. He started out as a lineman and troubleshooter, and worked his way up to engineering. I have more than a few of his "Bell System" marked tools, many of which are still in usable condition. The way I understood it, the troubleshooters would be issued a toolkit, and from time to time there would be updates to the tools, and replacements if it were decided that something was aging and needed replacement. They got to keep the old stuff, most of which was still in decent shape.
One thing I *don't* have are any of the green pills. There are some days when those would have come in handy.
RTM
Well-known member
Recent acquisition in an auction box lot, a Bell Systems by Bridgeport screwdriver. Nothing exciting, will need to look up the spec number soon, see if it goes in my roll. It’s a smaller one, OAL 7-1/8” 3/16” tip on a 3” blade. What looks like a fiber washer between the ferrule and the blade.
Think it is this one in the 1950 catalog, right handle shape, minus the grooves, plastic washer. New No. 92 Matchless.
Think it is this one in the 1950 catalog, right handle shape, minus the grooves, plastic washer. New No. 92 Matchless.
Bridgeport Mechanics Tools and Specialties : Catalog No. 53 : Bridgeport Hardware Manufacturing Corp. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
54 p., illus., 27.9 cm, trade catalog
archive.org
American Iron
Well-known member
Picked up this nice original Stanley Bell System linesman hammer. Love the shape with a lot of weight in the nose of the striking face.. These seem to have used a very high quality steel that doesn't pit or mar. Have redone several that were rusty and all they needed was a quick cleaning. No pitting..
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Nice find, and I agree with you about the shape of the head. The neck and poll seem inordinately robust!
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
Old Radar
Well-known member
I love those North Bros./Stanley Yankee 2101 braces! I have four of them.
Figured this belongs here, too.
Bell System Stanley Three-Pound Driving Hammer
"Driving Hammer is a three-pound hammer having a striking face on one end and a straight peen in the opposite end of the head. The head is provided with a hole to facilitate straightening pole steps. It is intended for use by construction and installation forces in driving the heavier nails, lag screws, etc." As stated by Bell System Practices.
Pre-1960 it was a Lineman's Hammer. Wondered about the reason for the hole.
Bell System Stanley Three-Pound Driving Hammer
"Driving Hammer is a three-pound hammer having a striking face on one end and a straight peen in the opposite end of the head. The head is provided with a hole to facilitate straightening pole steps. It is intended for use by construction and installation forces in driving the heavier nails, lag screws, etc." As stated by Bell System Practices.
Pre-1960 it was a Lineman's Hammer. Wondered about the reason for the hole.
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Bell System General Machine Products Pressure Testing Wrench (Armstrong Bros. Tool Company)
<Edit>
BELL SYSTEM PRACTICES
Outside Plant Construction and Maintenance
SECTION 685.149.1, Issue 1, June, 1954
AT&T Co Standard
2. DESCRIPTION
2.01. Opening; Uses
<Edit>
BELL SYSTEM PRACTICES
Outside Plant Construction and Maintenance
SECTION 685.149.1, Issue 1, June, 1954
AT&T Co Standard
2. DESCRIPTION
2.01. Opening; Uses
1-3/16-inch; (a) Cylinder connection nut of pressure
testing regulator and (b) B Freon Adapter.
1-1/8-inch; (a) B Cylinder Connector.
11/16-inch; (a) Hose connection nut and (b) B Gas Regulator.
2.02. The 13/16-inch and 7/16-inch openings of the B Regulator Wrench were originally provided for use on acetylene cylinder connections but a special wrench is now furnished with the torch. Both B and C regulator wrenches have openings that can be used on the regulator and hose connections of the B propane furnace.Attachments
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Yeah, without the Bell bible description, I would've guessed for hanging. Very interesting.
NoahG
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Love it! Thanks for posting.
Until AT&T changed it. No job is so important and no service is so urgent that we cannot take time to perform our work safely and in an environmentally responsible manner. Still cool… I should have saved some of stickers we had in our vans.
southalabama
Well-known member
Looking back now wish dad had of brought more Bell System garbage home and I’d taken pics but back then was only film cameras.
jeffmoss26
Well-known member
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S-K Tool Fanatic!
Well-known member
Not quite as cool as you but still neat I think, no head gear left though.
southalabama
Well-known member
Cool video.
S-K Tool Fanatic!
Well-known member
I saw that the other day, it’s pretty interesting. He is wearing a hard hat like the one I posted.
four.cycle
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Old Radar
Well-known member
This is very dangerous. Everyone on GJ knows the process (and often heartache) of buying a partial set of vintage tools and how we strive to find period-correct replacements for every missing piece from crossbars to the correct case or chest. Can you imagine the effort involved to not only restore the van to its former glory, but to outfit it with the proper tools and accessories that would make it ready to send on it's daily rounds? And I thought assembling a GMTK would be tough!
Now--who's going to be bidding when the guy puts it on the auction site??
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I guess I'm not understanding where a tack hammer is useful for Bell techs? How much upholstery do they do?
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Seems like even a smaller BP hammer would be a better tool for that. Tack hammers have very small faces...
The hammer I am referring to is the small sledge type hammer with a pointed end. The second one in from the right, between the upholstery hammers and the body hammer.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
I would think that would be useful in any situation where I use a tack hammer, which is when I do not want to marr the surface of whatever I am tapping a brad into. If it's really precise, sure, I will get it so far and use a nail set to seat it lower than the surface. But often I will just a tack hammer. If it's anything they don't want to dent the **** out of, I can see it.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
OK; "Second tack hammer from the right" was not what I was looking at...
I don't think his "tack hammer" fits that catagory!
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
HAHA! No. I didn't see his qualifying post until after I replied. But he didn't call it a "tack" hammer, you did. I was looking at the two on the left.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Here are some excerpts from a reference inside that link to all kinds of Bell System manuals and technical references @RTM posted years ago (see post #514)...
As I suspected, even though I was talking about the wrong hammer, riveting hammers were in their inventory.
@NYBODYMAN - I think your hammer could be an earlier example of Hammer-B on the next page...It's not exact construction, but the same idea. Large striking face and smaller, tapered (your term, "pointed") striking face.
As I suspected, even though I was talking about the wrong hammer, riveting hammers were in their inventory.
@NYBODYMAN - I think your hammer could be an earlier example of Hammer-B on the next page...It's not exact construction, but the same idea. Large striking face and smaller, tapered (your term, "pointed") striking face.
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Outlawmws
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Sorry. I missed that. Yeah, that's not what I think of as a tack hammer.
southalabama
Well-known member
Makes me sick now of all the old Bell System stuff dad trashed. As we continue to clean his shop two years after his passing I inspect everything for BellBell System "D" boxes 8-1/2" x 2-3/4" x 1-1/2"
