montanafordman
Well-known member
More tools passed down, early proto/plomb tool boards and more!
Hello everyone... Just thought I'd share the latest I received from the family, This one with a surprisingly cool story! (sorry its a bit long) I'll try not to confuse or overcomplicate this but here's a shot at the back story...To start, both of my grandfathers (mom and dad's parents) lived in rural northern Montana and farmed there. My mom's dad was killed by a reckless(and probably drunk) driver before I was born and my Dad's dad passed away a few years ago. I've been fortunate to inherit some tools they both used on their respective farms in recent years. I have many memories with my Dad's dad but none on my mom's side other than working that farm growing up with my parents and uncle's who took over. Now owning many of the tools we used, and my grandfathers owned is a cool connection to my farming roots and a connection to a grandfather I admired and one I never knew.
My mom's parents and my dad's parents lived near, and in two different towns 6 miles apart. These were townships that were so small you'd miss them entirely if you blinked while driving by on highway 2. I knew that my mom's grandfather (my Great grandfather) owned a hardware store in the town my dad grew up in (but six miles away from where my mom and her family lived). I also knew my great grandfather died of a stroke when my mom was fairly young (1960) and that his hardware store burned down not long before that. My mom still has some blank carbon copy receipt books with my great grandfathers letterhead on it. I hope to get some copies of those as well! I inherited a nice condition pre 64 Winchester model 70 30-06 from my grandfather that he had supposedly purchased at his dad's hardware store. I also inherited a Plomb Toolmobile and some Plomb wrenches that I thought might have come from there but after my latest acquisition I'm sure of it!
This last summer I visited my grandmother (Dad's side) and went to the garage to hunt for some Ford Model A parts ( I inherited a 31 Model A too...
) and noticed in the corner some Proto Toolboards nailed to the wall above his workbench. They didn't have any tools hung on them, but I wondered if they might have come from my great grandfathers hardware store that had been in the same town many decades earlier?? I couldn't fathom how else or why my grandfather would have obtained them and they looked old and dirty. It was dark in there and I was on a time crunch to visit other family 300 miles away so I wasn't able to take much of a look but later told my dad about noticing them and told him I was interested in having them. "sure" he said so when he came out a couple weeks ago to visit he brought them!
After taking a close look you can definitely tell they were in a fire. There are silhouettes from wrenches on the board, yet I don't think my grandfather ever put anything on them, or not filled it completely anyway, and its not dirt that will wipe off. It looks like there is some blistering from the heat as well. My grandfather was the sort that would help anyone and literally give you the shirt on his back so I'm sure when the store caught fire he helped clean up and probably wound up with the tool boards. Remember this is my Dad's dad, and the store was owned by his future daughter-in-Law's grandfather. (almost sounds incestuous lol)
My Dad brought two out, and apparently there are two more he didn't have time or space in his vehicle to retrieve at the time so I'll probably get the others someday. Anyway on to the pictures!
Some of the wrenches shown on the board I have bought, and some came from both grandfathers. I plan to surf the swap meets and ebay to fill in the rest. One board is double open end, ignition, and tappet wrenches - and the other is punches, chisels, etc.
I'm curious if there is a safe way to clean these a little? They do have a neat look though that I'm sure is smoke and fire related. They certainly show their age! I plan to give some of the wrenches an evaporust and polish treatment though, they will clean up nicely.
These are some proto wrenches my grandfather (mom's side) owned that reside in his old Toolmobile. I never had the chance to meet him so this is kind of a cool way to connect. I'd bet he would smile knowing his grandson that he never met is using them today on an old Model A passed down through his son-in-law.
A sneak peak at some other goodies in the Toolmobile.
One of my favorite inherited tools is my grandad's long 1/2" SK ratchet.
My Dad also brought out this craftsman -V- 3/4 socket set. About the only application I can use it for is pulling the hub and axle from my model A because the puller uses a 1-1/2 bolt. Never hurts to go big though! I'm hoping to get and restore an old ford tractor from the farm someday and I'm sure this could get more use then. I'm sure I'll find excuses to use it once in a while, its just too cool otherwise! It's interesting I was in sears the other day, and picked up the new Chinese version, and it wouldn't even freewheel/ratchet in one direction and just locked up when trying to turn it by hand. This one is nice and smooth..
I must say.... I've been blessed... Having just a sister and no cousins on one side of the family helps too...
Hello everyone... Just thought I'd share the latest I received from the family, This one with a surprisingly cool story! (sorry its a bit long) I'll try not to confuse or overcomplicate this but here's a shot at the back story...To start, both of my grandfathers (mom and dad's parents) lived in rural northern Montana and farmed there. My mom's dad was killed by a reckless(and probably drunk) driver before I was born and my Dad's dad passed away a few years ago. I've been fortunate to inherit some tools they both used on their respective farms in recent years. I have many memories with my Dad's dad but none on my mom's side other than working that farm growing up with my parents and uncle's who took over. Now owning many of the tools we used, and my grandfathers owned is a cool connection to my farming roots and a connection to a grandfather I admired and one I never knew.
My mom's parents and my dad's parents lived near, and in two different towns 6 miles apart. These were townships that were so small you'd miss them entirely if you blinked while driving by on highway 2. I knew that my mom's grandfather (my Great grandfather) owned a hardware store in the town my dad grew up in (but six miles away from where my mom and her family lived). I also knew my great grandfather died of a stroke when my mom was fairly young (1960) and that his hardware store burned down not long before that. My mom still has some blank carbon copy receipt books with my great grandfathers letterhead on it. I hope to get some copies of those as well! I inherited a nice condition pre 64 Winchester model 70 30-06 from my grandfather that he had supposedly purchased at his dad's hardware store. I also inherited a Plomb Toolmobile and some Plomb wrenches that I thought might have come from there but after my latest acquisition I'm sure of it!
This last summer I visited my grandmother (Dad's side) and went to the garage to hunt for some Ford Model A parts ( I inherited a 31 Model A too...
) and noticed in the corner some Proto Toolboards nailed to the wall above his workbench. They didn't have any tools hung on them, but I wondered if they might have come from my great grandfathers hardware store that had been in the same town many decades earlier?? I couldn't fathom how else or why my grandfather would have obtained them and they looked old and dirty. It was dark in there and I was on a time crunch to visit other family 300 miles away so I wasn't able to take much of a look but later told my dad about noticing them and told him I was interested in having them. "sure" he said so when he came out a couple weeks ago to visit he brought them! After taking a close look you can definitely tell they were in a fire. There are silhouettes from wrenches on the board, yet I don't think my grandfather ever put anything on them, or not filled it completely anyway, and its not dirt that will wipe off. It looks like there is some blistering from the heat as well. My grandfather was the sort that would help anyone and literally give you the shirt on his back so I'm sure when the store caught fire he helped clean up and probably wound up with the tool boards. Remember this is my Dad's dad, and the store was owned by his future daughter-in-Law's grandfather. (almost sounds incestuous lol)
My Dad brought two out, and apparently there are two more he didn't have time or space in his vehicle to retrieve at the time so I'll probably get the others someday. Anyway on to the pictures!
Some of the wrenches shown on the board I have bought, and some came from both grandfathers. I plan to surf the swap meets and ebay to fill in the rest. One board is double open end, ignition, and tappet wrenches - and the other is punches, chisels, etc.
I'm curious if there is a safe way to clean these a little? They do have a neat look though that I'm sure is smoke and fire related. They certainly show their age! I plan to give some of the wrenches an evaporust and polish treatment though, they will clean up nicely.
These are some proto wrenches my grandfather (mom's side) owned that reside in his old Toolmobile. I never had the chance to meet him so this is kind of a cool way to connect. I'd bet he would smile knowing his grandson that he never met is using them today on an old Model A passed down through his son-in-law.
A sneak peak at some other goodies in the Toolmobile.
One of my favorite inherited tools is my grandad's long 1/2" SK ratchet.
My Dad also brought out this craftsman -V- 3/4 socket set. About the only application I can use it for is pulling the hub and axle from my model A because the puller uses a 1-1/2 bolt. Never hurts to go big though! I'm hoping to get and restore an old ford tractor from the farm someday and I'm sure this could get more use then. I'm sure I'll find excuses to use it once in a while, its just too cool otherwise! It's interesting I was in sears the other day, and picked up the new Chinese version, and it wouldn't even freewheel/ratchet in one direction and just locked up when trying to turn it by hand. This one is nice and smooth..
I must say.... I've been blessed...
Having just a sister and no cousins on one side of the family helps too...
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