Craftsman BE "plug" ratchet back from the dead . . .

[Jim_No_Garage]

Folks:

Several years ago I bought a tool box that had a 1/2" Craftsman BE "plug" ratchet in it. The ratchet was rusty and locked up. I tried soaking it to no avail so it sat in the toolbox till today.

I saw it sitting there and decided to open it up and see if I could get it working again. The reason it sat so long was that it is riveted shut - no screwed together like the 1/4" companion in the box.

I drilled out the rivet and popped it apart. There was a teaspoon full of powdered rust in the chamber and the pawl was frozen to the cover by rust. I cleaned everything up quickly and reassembled it with an 8mm bolt for now.

It ratchets nicely but it's still UGLY from the rust.

I don't like bolting it back together but I'm not sure I have the ability to rivet it shut again. Any input on sourcing appropriate rivets?

Pic #1 is the "pretty" side of the ratchet - this side was facing up as it lay rusting in the bottom of the toolbox.

Pic #2 is the "ugly" side of the ratchet.

Pic #3 is an image of the internals - still dirty but functioning. I will clean the sprocket better before final assembly.

PS : Any source for a 1/2" plug so I can use this with my vintage Craftsman BE sockets?

Cheers

Jim

 

[Richard Cranium]

It was nice to see the ratchet apart. Glad you got it to work.

 

[bonneyman]

It was nice to see the ratchet apart. Glad you got it to work.

+1

Maybe a carriage bolt or Chicago bolt might suffice?

 

[Cruzan80]

Nail. Hit the end with a small torch for annealing, and then peen down. Used to use roofing nails when the price of copper skyrocketed.

Sent from my VIVO IV using Tapatalk

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Is there such a thing as a Chicago screw large enough to do the job?

Less hassle than finding/installing a rivetand better looking than a conventional bolt.

I'm not a "patina guy" so I'd hit each part of the ratchet with a brass wire wheel on my bench grinder, lube it well and put it back together. I think it would look good.

 

[four.cycle]

If you have a hole large enough for an 8mm (5/16") bolt to pass through, I would think you'd be able to find a threaded fastener with flush heads on both ends that would work. I know they're made, but I cannot recall what they call them.

PS : Any source for a 1/2" plug so I can use this with my vintage Craftsman BE sockets?

I found one this evening for a 3/8" square female drive ratchet, and it was not cheap.
I found two for 1/2" square female drive ratchets, and they are even more not cheap:

Walden Worcester 1135 5-inch 1/2" square male/male drive extension
well used. detent balls both ends.
$17.01 + $3.25 shipping "buy now"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-5-W...245838?hash=item4b090abcce:g:iKAAAOSwaB5XjpPv

Walden Worcester 1109 1½-inch 1/2" square male/male drive plug
used. detent balls both ends.
$29.99 incl. shipping "buy now"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wal...654816?hash=item2ef7e7bba0:g:OR0AAOSwdzVXi9-I

and for those of you reading this who might be in the market for the same item in 3/4" drive:

Walden Worcester 8-inch 3/4" square male/male extension
used. detent balls both ends.
$14.99 + $15.50 shipping OBO "buy now"
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WALDEN-8-EX...773718?hash=item35ea284296:g:U1AAAOSwBLlVVLfO

==

I am still looking for a drive plug adapter (male/male) for 1/4" square drive and 1/4" to 3/8" square drive.

 

[four.cycle]

^ thanks. knew they made them. didn't know what they were called.

 

[Maui]

If you had a lathe handy, you could custom make one that would solve the problem easily.

Maui

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

Or try a carriage bolt re-enlisted as a rivet...file down the corners so it fits in snugly, cut it so maybe a little more that 1/4" sticks out, set the tool down with head of carriage bolt against anvil or any decent chunk of steel. Start tapping the protruding end with a hammer, not too hard...move your blows around outside edge, and strike it in the middle too. You will see the metal moving, carry on adjusting locations of blows to make a reasonable mushroom rivet head. You will find this to be very easy. Best, but not necessary, will be a bolt with unthreaded shank on what you use, but fully threaded ones are easier to find and perfectly OK.
I think any store-bought carriage bolt will be fine...I don't believe they come in aerospace super duper grades!

 

[hemifalcon]

How about just trying to find a metal rivet at the local hardware (NOT big box store) if you have one local.. Play around with trying to heat it up with a torch (mapp may work fine if you don't have acetylene) and buck it like original??

 

[northwoods]

Get some pix from the bay to see just what you want.
Then go to Ace Hardware or another comparable.
You might get lucky.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Wow - this is why I love this place.

All sorts of help with approaches to fixing this ratchet.

I'm going to go to the 2 really good hardware stores this weekend and see if they have something like the Chicago Screw mentioned above. Plan B would be finding an appropriate rivet or bolt to form into a rivet.

I will post again as I wrap this up.

Cheers

Jim

 

[stage20]

an aluminum *** bolt may be an option

 

[four.cycle]

^ I would definitely go with that "*** bolt" deal as opposed to a rivet. That way you can easily get back inside the thing. I don't think the fastener holding the cover plate over the business end of the ratchet needs to be able to withstand some tremendous torque load - it just holds the thing together. Why would an aluminum fastener not work?

 

[davethorik]

Just don't let it corrode, aluminum and steel dont play nice. maybe a small brass machine screw?

 

[four.cycle]

gah! didn't think about that. don't they make those out of brass?

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

I found what I needed today at Hardware Store #2. The ratchet is all buttoned up and back in the drawer with it's brethren. I have a 1/2" plug on the way from a member here.

The look isn't as vintage as I wanted to match the ratchet - but it's reversible in the future if I find something better.

Cheers

Jim

 

[COL911]

Jim, do you need any Craftsman BE sockets? I have some with great patina I got in a box lot that I would let go cheap to a good home.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Jim, do you need any Craftsman BE sockets? I have some with great patina I got in a box lot that I would let go cheap to a good home.

COL911 - Don't get me started . . . You just forced me to go down and line up my BE Sockets and see what I'm missing. If I mix BE and =V= stuff I'm pretty well covered - except that I need a 3/8" BE ratchet and a plug for my 1/4" ratchet - where does it end?

Thanks for the kind offer - I'm good for now - but if I change my mind I'll PM you.

Cheers

Jim

 

[stage20]

i may have a 3/8 BE ratchet. ill have to dig, though.

 

[four.cycle]

"...where does it end?"

It ends when you have every item ever made (in every variant) by every tool manufacturer that ever existed.

Start HERE: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=345229