Indestro 53/64" Socket

[humber2]

Thank-you for posting these details as I never knew why SO thought important to quote a reference throughout the catalog I use.

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

Well, now I am more curious than ever, because the 1975 version (GGG-W-641E)...



...does not include min max for detachable socket openings...



Oddly, it did for fixed socket wrenches, whether were on an offset handle...



...or a Tee handle.

Hey thanks. I see what you mean, that the machinery handbook is for fastener specifications, and not necessarily specifications for tooling to fasten and unfasten fasteners. There is the GGG-W-641E SPEC but manufacturers didn't necessarily have to follow it?

I found some pictures of the whitworth sockets, the catalogs and what is stamped on the socket makes things very confusing.

Hinsdale stamped their Whitworth sockets with the fraction inch numbers that, i.e. "45/64"


Hopefully @humber2 can measure it to see if it is actually machined to 45/64 " or 3/8 W. It might actually be 45/64 " opening.

The Blackhawk whitworth sockets were stamped with the equivalent maximum opening in term of inches as a decimal number

Note the ".920" stamped on it. This is despite the catalog advertising it as having an opening of 15/16 ". I've asked the owner of the socket to measure the opening to see if it's 0.920 " or 15/16 ". See what happens with this. It may be a true Whitworth sized socket. If the width across the flats for 1/2 W is 0.920 ", than 0.920 " is likely the minimum opening for the socket.

The snap on Whitworth sockets are very common and collected, being snap on and all

They are stamped with the worth sizes in this case "1/4 W" and the catalog states that the normal opening is the maximum for the given Whitworth size, in this case .525 ". These sockets may be true whitworth sized sockets.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thank-you for posting these details as I never knew why SO thought important to quote a reference throughout the catalog I use.

You're welcome. It was very common and popular for hand tool mfgrs supplying the US govt to include the Fed Specs in catalogs in the late 40s and 50s. That persisted well into the 70s. Not just wrenches, all tools.

There is the GGG-W-641E SPEC but manufacturers didn't necessarily have to follow it?

Yes, they did. Not sure what gave you the impression otherwise. GGG-W-641 was published in 1943. GGG-W-641A in 1946. And so forth. GGG-W-641E was 1975, as I said and as it shows in the title block.

The Blackhawk whitworth sockets were stamped with the equivalent maximum opening in term of inches as a decimal number

You must have missed me saying that here...

It should be noted that actual examples of Blackhawk Whitworth sockets have the sizes stamped on them in decimal inches. I don't know if that was merely artificially instructional (i.e., 'use this socket for its corresponding Whitworth bolt') and I don't recall if I ever asked my colleagues or Dave455 (or anyone else with Blackhawk Whitworth sockets) to measure the AF service openings.

I have asked a couple friends who have them to measure. So we might get a smattering of data.

They are stamped with the worth sizes in this case "1/4 W" and the catalog states that the normal opening is the maximum for the given Whitworth size, in this case .525 ".

Yes, as noted. GJ member and Snappy collector extraordinaire snapmom took a few measurements for me.

She used two different eras, production from the 1970's (with very little use) and production from the 1940's (with significant use).

Socket | 70's | 40's | Cat Spec
5/8w | 1.111 | 1.116 | 1.100
3/4w | 1.309 | 1.311 | 1.300
9/16w | 1.021 | 1.023 | 1.010
1/2w | 9.28 | 9.30 .| 920

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Funny how a Whitworth tutorial and deep dive broke out on this poor forlorn Indestro spark plug socket thread.

 

[Stubby1743]

These two charts are taken from "Workshop Technology" Part One by W A J Chapman 4th Edition 1962.




Using the two charts, a direct comparison can be made between the across the flats dimensions of Whitworth nuts and bolts (given in decimal inches in the first chart) and their closest fractional inch equivalent as shown in the second chart.

 

[YoshiMoshi3]

You're welcome. It was very common and popular for hand tool mfgrs supplying the US govt to include the Fed Specs in catalogs in the late 40s and 50s. That persisted well into the 70s. Not just wrenches, all tools.

Yes, they did. Not sure what gave you the impression otherwise. GGG-W-641 was published in 1943. GGG-W-641A in 1946. And so forth. GGG-W-641E was 1975, as I said and as it shows in the title block.

You must have missed me saying that here...

I have asked a couple friends who have them to measure. So we might get a smattering of data.

Yes, as noted. GJ member and Snappy collector extraordinaire snapmom took a few measurements for me.

She used two different eras, production from the 1970's (with very little use) and production from the 1940's (with significant use).

Socket | 70's | 40's | Cat Spec
5/8w | 1.111 | 1.116 | 1.100
3/4w | 1.309 | 1.311 | 1.300
9/16w | 1.021 | 1.023 | 1.010
1/2w | 9.28 | 9.30 .| 920

Sounds like snap on was true Whitworth openings.

Yea some of the whitworth sockets made in america, may have actually been Americanized. Like the 53/64 Hinsdale spark plug socket, and if truly 53/64 " a good source of x/64 sockets. Hopefully @humber2 has a caliper and can let us know.