GJ Challenge: All Canadian tool set?

[lbgradwell]

My window scraper is made here in Canada somewhere.

Richard? Quebec.

 

[RRmech]

I bought a lot of Gray Tools years ago, when a Canadian-born co-worker retired.
Mostly larger combination wrenches, and a 1/2" drive SAE socket set.

Steve

 

[superautobacs]

Another Canadian tool maker: MaxTech Manufacturing Inc. in Ontario/Quebec.
http://www.maxtech-mfg.com/index.php

I know they supply to Home Hardware and Canadian Tire--mostly screw/hex driving tools.

EDIT: With the exception of the screwdrivers, I verified that the hex keys/drivers and their drilling accessory kits are manufactured and assembled in China/Taiwan.

 

[lilredex]

Hi all, was looking around for other things and found this thread. Pictured are some of my Cdn. tools. The ETF pliers, I remember buying from a neighbourhood hardware store in 1955, when I lived in Edmonton. (That was with money earned from delivering the Edmonton Journal) That is an old Fuller screwdriver from the past (Also lived down the road from Fuller who were located on Hymus Blvd. in Pte. Claire, Que.) And, Cluthe awls (from Active Surplus [I think] here in Toronto) in the early eighties. I also have a set of combination wrenches made by Gray (3/4" to 1 1/4") that I bought in 1960 at a discount while working at Taylor, Pearson and Carson's machine shop in Edmonton. Those wrenches are a utilitarian line, no guarantee, look the same as the regular Gray line, but the actual "Gray" name has been omitted.

Frank

 

[superautobacs]

lilredex, thanks for reminding me about ETF; I need to go back to that pawnshop and get a couple wrenches that I left in my little corner "stash".

So I guess the old multi-bit Cluthe screwdrivers I've seen are in reference to the inventor Gary Cluthe himself. And now there's a connection with Duron Plastics in Waterloo, Ont., that produces the Retract-A-Bit screwdriver that you see at Home Hardware now.

 

[Packard V8]

Two and a half pages into this thread and no one has come up with the obvious insult:

GJ Challenge: All Canadian tool set?

"All Canadians are tools, eh, mate?"

thnx, jack vines

 

[VSERIES]

Picked up some Gray Canada screwdrivers at a yard sale this weekend. 4 for a buck. Not sure of the vintage.

Same yard sale I bought an old Beaver table saw for $20. Heavy cast iron brute. Mfg in Guelph Ont back in the 50's prior to being taken over by Rockwell.

I grew up in Barrie Ont. and there was a Lufkin plant there. It was later Cooper Standard. Are they Stanley now? Any time you had a tape measure break you could walk in to reception and they would hand you a replacement no questions asked.

 

[lbgradwell]

I grew up in Barrie Ont. and there was a Lufkin plant there. It was later Cooper Standard. Are they Stanley now?

Nice deals...

Nope; Cooper still.

 

[Red'n'WhiteRebel]

Oddly enough, my first look at this thread comes on the same day that I snap my Herbrand breaker bar at the swivel. It did last 20 years though. It was made in Canada. They used to sell mobile , like Sn. On. Hope you all had a good Queen Vicky day.

 

[lilredex]

.

Same yard sale I bought an old Beaver table saw for $20. Heavy cast iron brute. Mfg in Guelph Ont back in the 50's prior to being taken over by Rockwell. (Quote)


If you are a member, please post some info on that new find on www.owwm.com so we can all see the one you found........may be the one I sold twenty years back.

 

[lilredex]

A few more Canadian made tools.

1) Snap-on from 1958

2) Gray-- the second from the top is from the no name Gray wrenches mentioned earlier.

3) Proto from the sixties and a Gray ext.

4) Gray set from an eighties garage sale.

 

[VSERIES]

lilredex,

The older guy I bought the saw from bought it used around 1969. It's the 2200 model. I've been lurking at owwm.com for awhile now. Great site, lots of info. I plan on joining. Found a great pdf manual for my saw there.

If we can go back further then the 60's I could use my Henry vice for a strictly made in Canada tool set.. Made in London Ont. There is a blurb on the company on the owwm site.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

all my tools are from wisconsin

 

[VSERIES]

Here is a pic of the Gray Canada screwdrivers I picked up on the weekend. I also included a pic of the other 3 I bought. A made in Canada Stanley as well as a Proto and S-K. $1.75 for all 7. My first time uploading pics so hope it worked.

 

[lilredex]

lilredex,

The older guy I bought the saw from bought it used around 1969. It's the 2200 model. I've been lurking at owwm.com for awhile now. Great site, lots of info. I plan on joining. Found a great pdf manual for my saw there.

If we can go back further then the 60's I could use my Henry vice for a strictly made in Canada tool set.. Made in London Ont. There is a blurb on the company on the owwm site.

Missed your post, sorry was away from the ship. I think your vise would qualify as a CDN tool here and would be welcomed also over at OWWM because it appears to be One-of a-Kind. Like to see a picture. That is exactly why I got the owner's permission to post that Henry shaper. I saw it on Kijiji and resisted buying it..............got too much stuff already. Heard from the guy who bought it, he said he would re-post some OWWM stuff, but haven't seen anything yet.

http://owwm.com/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=8985

If you plan on using your Beaver 2200, you'll find that sawdust jams in the blade tilt and height screws.....most annoying. The solution is to make some saw cuts in the nuts, so the nut cleans out the threads rather than trying to climb on top of the sawdust. If already done.........could be my saw.

 

[american lockpicker]

Bump... I have a tool that is Canadian Made, I'll put up pics later.

 

[vstoyko]

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/rms_anniversary.html

 

[superautobacs]

Since this is back up top, I can share a few pictures of the Richard prybars that I have:

I'm in the hunt for one of their long straight tipped versions.


Here are some Will screwdrivers:

I actually really like the handle profile of these stubbys and wish other companies design theirs similarly.

I've got some vintage Cluthe interchangeble screw stick socket drivers, file handles, and some recently produced funnels and containers. I'll try to take photos of them, along with all the Dreadnaught/Gray wrenches.

 

[american lockpicker]

Heres my Craftsman made in Canada multibit screwdriver. The bits that are in it are made in taiwan though.

 

[superautobacs]

Lockpicker,

I have the original Autoloader in blue colour. It works pretty well and is handy to have in the kitchen drawer.

 

[american lockpicker]

Any chance of a pic or link. Also I should mention I bought the above tool only because it was made in Canada which is very rare to see these days. I seem to remember my grandmother having a few Canadian screwdrivers(Fuller and a "Canadian Made" one) I'll get pics the next time I'm at her house.

 

[matthew]

Here are some Will screwdrivers

Don't recall ever seeing or hearing of Will screwdrivers, but those look really famililar. About 15 years ago my father started out my tool collection, among which was a set of these (I think we can safely say they were made by Will):

 

[lbgradwell]

Any chance of a pic or link.

Those Autoloader screwdrivers are made by Franklin Tool Company. In fact, if you take out the little bits, they will likely have "FTC" stamped on them...

They are re-branded for several retailers.

http://www.sicomindustries.com/tool_division.htm

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443249877&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672892&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1172554312902

http://www.leevalley.com/gifts/page.aspx?c=2&p=50619&cat=4,104,53212&ap=4

http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Tool-AL03US-Autoloading-Screwdriver/dp/B000F0EL46

 

[lbgradwell]

Don't recall ever seeing or hearing of Will screwdrivers, but those look really famililar. About 15 years ago my father started out my tool collection, among which was a set of these (I think we can safely say they were made by Will):

Yes, the old Mastercraft screwdrivers were made by Will.

I'd love to know what happened to that company; it's like they just disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving no trace!

I've looked for info several times and have never found a thing...

 

[american lockpicker]

I picked these up today for $5.95 USD plus tax. The handles smell funny...

 

[superautobacs]

I tend to categorize those Fuller screwdrivers as cheap alternatives.


Here's my favourite ratcheting screwdriver that I've been using. It's a Megapro. Its racheting is precise and smooth, and the rotation selector is firm and direct (best I've felt, and I've tried the common SO/Williams/Bahco, SK/Facom/Bost and KTC brands). The shaft has minimal play, provides adequate grip, and a good selection of double-sided bits that are securely mounted on a rotatable shaft.

 

[american lockpicker]

How much does one of those cost and where(website) can I find one at in the states?

 

[superautobacs]

Here's their website: http://www.megapro.net/products/index.php

I bought mine for $30 CAN. I know Amazon is one place that sells them: http://www.amazon.com/Megapro-Cushion-Grip-Ratcheting-Driver/dp/B0012J3PFK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1266087750&sr=1-1

 

[american lockpicker]

Besides holding more bits how does it compare to the Snap-on one?

 

[vssjim]

I thought that most of the Gray stuff was still made in Canada, are the screwdrivers they sell not Canadian. If so wy wouldn't and all Gray set other than the gearwrench type stuff they sell be all Canadian?

 

[Projeff]

The yellow handled screwdrivers marked "Gray Canada" are made here. Others are made in the US and some are made offshore. Look for "Gray Canada" on their tools for the Made in Canada stuff.

 

[arkangel06]

Warning Can pro tools are made in tiawan...

 

[big red]

i figured they were made over seas

 

[big red]

Can pro tools

 

[superautobacs]

Besides holding more bits how does it compare to the Snap-on one?

I have two Williams/Snap-on phillips head screwdrivers (ACR tips) and the profiles are horrible when compared with the Taiwanese-made tips contained in the Megapro. But we all know SO is notorious for having poor quality standards.

If you want to compare the handle to the most common hard-handled ones, the Megapro will offer you more torque. I think the Megapro handle diameter is a tad larger than the SO.

The backstroke on the Megapro is lighter than the SO mechanism, and it just sounds more "quality". The sound part is subjective though, but I just think the ratcheting feel is more precise....if that makes any sense.

There's no knurling on the Megapro shaft, but that doesn't really bother me.

Hope that helps.

 

[rocco]

i was at HD last week and this thread made me go into the screwdriver section - they had this set on sale for 10.00$, couldn't leave it there.

 

[superautobacs]

Here's a neat little vintage Cluthe product.

The hollow shaft blades are 1/4" and 3/16".

 

[caper150]

I'll have to go through my toolbox, 80% of my wrenches are Mastercraft from Canadian Tire

 

[american lockpicker]

Why doesn't Fuller mark their tools Made in Canada, Canadian Made, or Canada?

 

[arkangel06]

Why doesn't Fuller mark their tools Made in Canada, Canadian Made, or Canada?

only fuller screwdrivers (the standard not the pro) are made in Canada well assembled in Canada...