Craftsman Socket Set

[bbbarracuda]

This set is on an online auction near me so far bid to $4.25
Any guesses as to if it looks complete, or maybe value?
I know nothing about it, but the price (so far) looks right.
Thanks

 

[Rileysan]

I can't tell if there's a drive plug for that ratchet, but that appears to be the only thing missing. The deep sockets were not originally a part of that set.

That style of 1/2" drive socket box is not very common, and I still don't own one after more than 5 years of collecting vintage Craftsman tools. If that were on eBay, I'd probably bid up to $60 but that would likely fall short of the final hammer these days.

If it's in an auction local to you, I suspect you can get it for much less. But don't go too cheap if you're serious about collecting Craftsman tools. Bid to win!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I only have a few things to add to Brian's post.

That "11-45" forged-in to the shank is a date code, if you're wondering. That style New Britain-made ratchet fits the era, I conducted a survey a few years ago here on GJ with a decent sample size, and they were all made between early 1943 and late 1946.

These and other sets are often found with mixed production codes on the pieces. See the Circle-BE on the hinge handle, and the Circle-H on the ratchet, for example.

They aren't commonly found with different finishes, though. Like the deep sockets, the ratchet (which looks like natural steel) may not be original to the rest of the pieces (which appear to be chromed). I would hasten to add that does not detract or diminish from the esteem of the set. It's not an odd duck, like something made decades later or anything like that.

Nice find! Good luck bidding!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Bit of a mixed set but well worth purchasing if you like it. Craftsman stuff like that seems to be getting more expensive these days, so if you can get it cheap I say go for it!

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Yup. I'd be bidding on that if for nothing more than the box. Good luck!

 

[bbbarracuda]

Thanks for all the info. If you blow the picture up, the drive plug for the ratchet, might be in the lower right under the ratchet? that's the only picture there is so kinda flying blind. I'll be bidding on it and see what happens.

 

[bbbarracuda]

I ended up winning this for $6.00
I think I did Ok
Now for some questions.
The sockets are all BE 7/16 thru 1 1/16 except the largest is a circle H
The breaker bar and both extensions are BE
The ratchet is Circle H
What pieces would have been in the original set?
The deep socket is 13/16 BE, is it original to the set?
The other deep sockets in the original picture were various makers.
Thanks for any info. As you can tell, i really don't know much about these old Craftsman tools.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Congrats! 6$ is a you **** deal. Not sure how much of that is original. Maybe joco or gearwolf would know.

 

[Rileysan]

I ended up winning this for $6.00
I think I did Ok
Now for some questions.
The sockets are all BE 7/16 thru 1 1/16 except the largest is a circle H
The breaker bar and both extensions are BE
The ratchet is Circle H
What pieces would have been in the original set?
The deep socket is 13/16 BE, is it original to the set?
The other deep sockets in the original picture were various makers.
Thanks for any info. As you can tell, i really don't know much about these old Craftsman tools.

It was common to have sets with both BE and Circle-H marked tools, and I would assume that what's in there is original, with the exception of the deep sockets.

Fantastic deal, BTW!

 

[Provincial]

The 13/16 deep socket may have been added for spark plugs.

Did Craftsman offer a dedicated 13/16 spark plug socket with rubber insert at that time? Perhaps if they did, it was just an insert added to a regular deep socket, and that insert was lost/destroyed?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That is a good question. I think the rubber inserts started later. All of my older sparkplug sockets seem to lack them.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Nice find lol. I don’t think the 13/16 deep is original probably added for lug nuts or spark plugs would be my guess.


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