My Small But Growing 1/4" drive Socket Set Collection

[Private Lugnutz]

The box, spinner/extension ("SPECIAL"), sliding tee (NM-20A), and six of the sockets (NM-6xx and NM-12xx, the ones nestled with the spinner, satin base, chrome straight walls) are Williams, (and the file is DISSTON),...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...but the sockets in the middle compartment are NONE BETTER C- series! They are spectacular. Classic tapered wall chubsters from the early 1930's made out of Chromium Vanadium but only the "VANAD." would fit!

 

[3baygarage]

That’s a sweet find Lugz. Both nice, older sets. I think Williams used to mark the spinners with a female end Special, and that’s an old one with just the diamond.

 

[Username already in use]

@Private Lugnutz thats a sweet find.

 

[saukit]

Man, did I miss that set on the GS thread? Those NB sockets are sweeet!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, guys. I was thrilled. Finding the right handles and box for the NB sockets might be a challenge. I'm just leaving it alone for now.

 

[gpw_42]

Picked up both of theses sets today, New Britain and SK.

Is there a way to remove the oxidation from the spinner in the New Britain set? The set seems to have dried BLO on most of the pieces (except the small wrenches thrown in). Solid remnants of the decal on the top of the box.

SK set is newer than I usually go for, but has the spinner, and seems to be complete, except maybe a sliding-T. I found the breaker out of the box, someplace else at the sale, and was glad that I already had the box in my bag.

 

[four.cycle]

found this the other night looking for something else.

Montgomery Ward "Speedmaster" 1/4" drive SAE socket set
3/16, 7/32, 1/4, 9/32, 5/16, 11/32, and 3/8 6-points, 1/4 and 5/16 8-points, ratchet, sliding "T" bar, and 6-in extension


(* scrolling down to find the last entry so I could post this, I noticed Private Lugnutz's "New Britain" "C" series 1/4" set above. I found one of those the other night too, and noted that they had really odd part numbers stamped on them. I'll have to dig it out and get some photos of it as well.)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

NOS klein set of sk origin

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Another p&c set popped up.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Some billings vitalloy

 

[AreBeeBee]

Months and months ago, I bought one of those Klein fingertip mini-ratchet drivers with its assorted bits (#65200). Soon I realized that with the 1/4" driver in the set, I should gather a collection of 1/4" drive sockets to keep with the ratchet. It would be stored upstairs in the quick-access tool drawer in the utility room. (This was to be separate from the standard 1/4" drive socket set I have from Craftsman, which lives in its own box in the workshop.)

To put some limits on the collection, I decided it had to fit wholly within a metal box that a Boker folding knife came in — Altoids tins are too small — so the set would run from 1/8" to 1/2" by 32nds. (Possible future addition would be the omitted 1/64" sockets. We'll see if this happens.)

Being a tool collector, the guiding rule in assembling the set was that they had to be found in the big bin of sockets at the local ReStore shop, which had maybe 300 sockets (all sizes & drives) dumped in there. No fair buying new — too easy.

Anyway, the photos show the set (bits, ratchet, sockets, and a P0 Craftsman screwdriver) in the box and all the sockets lined up. Three of the sizes have duplicates. (The three in front are a E5, a 4mm and a 4.5mm.)

The collection currently runs: 1/8, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 9/32 (have 2), 5/16 (2), 11/32 (2), 3/8, 13/32, 7/16, 15/32, 1/2, 9/16.

The 9/16 is outside the limit, but it's in good shape and it fits in the box, so why not?

If you're tempted to do a similar dumpster dive for sockets in a big bin, bring cheater eyeglasses and patience. You'll need both. (Also some hand cleaner.)

 

[four.cycle]

Oldtuleguy - that Billings set is fabulous. I am assuming at least the ratchet is Wright made - are the other pieces Wright made as well?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

thanks i thought it was a neat looking set. looks like all wright to me. i dont think any of it has been used, probably just sat in a drawer for a long time!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

We need a new thread for OTG, though...

My Extremely Large and Growing At Exponential Rates 1/4" Socket Set Collection

 

[Oldtuleguy]

i will just keep cluttering this one up!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Haha! We hope so!

 

[Matt018888]

Wow these are really cool. I have some old sockets with a hex head drive I inherited from my grandfather. I'll have to go back and look at them again.

 

[d42jeep]

We need a new thread for OTG, though...

My Extremely Large and Growing At Exponential Rates 1/4" Socket Set Collection

I’m starting to think that he has an obsession with 1/4” drive tools. I’m glad that I don’t have that problem.
-Don

Wartime S-K sets

Wartime completed Walden sets

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I’m glad that I don’t have that problem.

Yeah, you may need something for that Waldenitis. Or an intervention!

 

[four.cycle]

before and after of a little Plomb 1/4" drive SAE set:
4700 ????

 

[CRTDI]

Some billings vitalloy


Very hard set to find.....and this one is super nice. Congrats!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yeah, you may need something for that Waldenitis. Or an intervention!

That is a lot of walden!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

This gambles set is a mix of kreuter sk and gambles marked stuff. Also posted on sk thread recently.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I just snagged this wartime 1/4-drive Snappy set at the flea this morning. Box is in pretty good shape. Tools are all "E" and cadmium finish. Missing a few pieces that will be fun to find.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice find. Worth some money too!
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice find. Worth some money too!

Thanks, Don. Not my first set, but that one is in my second GMTK, now owned by AZ Jeff, so I think I'll probably have some fun getting this one back to completion before I think about flipping.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

All Fellow Midget Enthusiasts,

I know 4.c won't mind if I temporarily hi-jack his thread for a mini-survey, prompted by the recent revelation that wartime Snap-on M-10 (9/32-drive) hinge handles have spring-loaded detent balls for crossbar retention plugged into the end, while wartime Snap-on TM-10 (1/4-drive) hinge handles do not.

I'm interested in empirically identifying other midget (1/4 or 9/32) drive hinge handles with spring-loaded detent balls to retain the crossbar. Vintage 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's only. Please look over your sets one by one. If the hinge handle in it has a crossbar hole with a spring-loaded detent ball in either the bottom or the top of the hole, please put it on a little list by Mfgr's name and model number. If your set has a hinge handle without a crossbar hole, or with a crossbar hole but no detent ball, make note of that, too, please. Thanks.

I am especially interested in Mfgrs I don't have, obviously. If you have a different situation for the same Mfgr/model I have, please include it in your list. If you have the same situation for the same Mfgr/model, there is no need to include it in your list, which will only be redundant, make this excursion longer, and make it harder to go through and compile the data as it comes in. Also, there is definitely NO NEED TO INCLUDE PHOTOS. And posting photos in lieu of a quick list is frowned on. Just look over your sets, look at the hinge handle if it has one, make a note (brand, model number, yes or no...), and then post your notes.

THANKS.

EDIT: The purpose of this survey is to answer THIS AND ONLY THIS QUESTION - Which vintage Mfgrs put spring-loaded detent balls inside the crossbar holes in their midget drive hinge handles?

Below are my notes based on my paltry collection (EDIT: and this will also serve as a running results list)...

Snap-on M-10 (9/32)(prewar) - NO
Snap-on M-10 (9/32)(1945) - YES - top of hole
Snap-on TM-10 (1/4)(1945) - NO
Plomb WF-7 (9/32) - YES - bottom of hole
Plomb 4766 (1/4) - NO
PENENS 1070 (1/4) - NO
Firestone (Plomb) (1/4) - NO
Hinsdale 9/32 - NO
Williams M-42 (9/32) - YES
Williams NM-42 (1/4) - ????
Armstrong NM-42 (1/4) - YES - bottom of hole
Blackhawk 24999 (1/4) - YES
New Britain NM-51 (1/4)(for NM-31 crossbar) - NO
New Britain MUSTANG (1/4) - NO
New Britain Precision-Bilt 9094 (1/4) - NO
Craftsman BE - NO
Craftsman (H) - NO
Craftsman =V= - NO
Walden-Worcester 3117 (1/4) - NO
Bonney V26 (1/4) - NO
Duro-Chrome - NO
SK Carb-O-Mang - NO
SK 40953 - NO
Herbrand - NO

 

[four.cycle]

I don't believe I've ever bothered to look at any of mine that closely.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Me neither until a few hours ago.

 

[Farmer J.]

Britool 'M' series 9/32" set - No hinge handle, no hole, no detent ball.. It does have a sliding T with a cross bar and that has balls at either either end of the sliding bar.
That's another way of preventing the cross bar from falling out of the hole and in to the works of an engine.
Just to be thorough and objective to this survey i have to add this question:
- Do any of the other makers with no detent ball in the hole of their hinge handles have sliding cross bars with the balls in the bar instead?

I took some pics anyway, the sockets are some 'BA' sizes and some 'AF', an one of the tiny ones has been ground square for use as a 1/4" adaptor, the walls are so thick on these!
Sorry Lugz, for the extra question and including the pics!

 

[four.cycle]

- Do any of the other makers with no detent ball in the hole of their hinge handles have sliding cross bars with the balls in the bar instead?

Without going out into the garage and digging stuff out: short answer is yes. Some of them have a small detent ball on the "cross bar" (aka "Tommy bar"), which is (to the best of my understanding) usually a 5/32" diameter rod of hardened steel.
My late step-father's old Craftsman =V= set is like that, as well as an earlier "Circle H" 1/4" set.

That's not to say they were all like that. I have examples of several different brands, but honestly I really never paid much attention to the details Private Lugnutz's query is about - which is an interesting one.

S-K (Sherman-Klove) used a monstrous cross bar (5/16" diameter?) but the one I just sent to Don didn't have any detent ball - it was just knurled at one end. (And I don't believe there was any detent ball at all in that earlier 40953 (knurled pattern) breaker.)

That "Britool" set is pretty fabulous
People asking questions here is the only way we'll learn anything.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Well, I knew this would be like herding cats, but I didn't think it would be like herding cats right out of the gate by two guys who are normally very good at following directions!!

Britool 'M' series 9/32" set - No hinge handle,

Thanks, J, and cool set (I have a very similar Super Chrome ATHOL set made by Heath & Pond, see post #616) but it also has no hinge handle whatsoever, and if there is no hinge handle, it's outside the parameters of my interest.

It does have a sliding T with a cross bar and that has balls at either either end of the sliding bar.
That's another way of preventing the cross bar from falling out of the hole and in to the works of an engine.
Just to be thorough and objective to this survey i have to add this question:
- Do any of the other makers with no detent ball in the hole of their hinge handles have sliding cross bars with the balls in the bar instead?

short answer is yes. Some of them have a small detent ball on the "cross bar"

And some crossbars also just have a little pinch in the bar on one end, which also creates a stop, preventing it from sliding out in that direction. But none of the crossbars in the interchangeable era are captive (two balls, two pinches) and crossbars with one detent ball or one pinch can fall out the other way.

However, I am not interested in an exhaustive list of 'Ways in which Mfgrs Kept Crossbars in a Crossdrilled Hinge Handle holes.'

I'm only interested in answering this question: Which Mfgrs put spring-loaded detent balls in the crossbar holes of their midget drive hinge handles? I suppose I could've just asked it like that, but open-ended question usually prompt vague results.

Thanks for your input. I edited the running list in post #1,469.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Lugz is referring to detent ball inside the crossbar hole in the breaker itself, for anyone not clear on that

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugz is referring to detent ball inside the crossbar hole in the breaker itself, for anyone not clear on that

I was really hoping you and CRTDI would go through your sets, Otg, particularly the Mgfrs I have not included yet. So far it's just Snap-on, Plomb WF-, and Armstrong that have the detent. I'm guessing there might be some versions of the Plomb 4766 that had one, because I see 4766PH crossbars ("pin handles") with a recess in the middle for the ball to ride in. I am also guessing Williams, because Armstrong and Williams are always similar. but my NOS electrical set has no hinge handle and that's the only set I have. Ditto my Blackhawk set. No hinge handle.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I don't think it was common on midget stuff. The snapon 9/32 drive was preferred by the airforce, so as you noted it keeps the crossbar from falling out.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Definitely not common. I was surprised to see the Armstrong, though. Please humor me, take a few minutes, and go through your sets. We might be surprised again.

 

[d42jeep]

I’ve seen S-K with the balls in 1/2“ and 3/8“ drive but I haven’t seen any on the 1/4” drive, with either the 5/16” or 1/4” crossbars. That includes prewar, wartime and postwar. I suppose it’s possible that the manufacturers might have made grooved crossbars without having the ball in the handle if they were using a modified version of their sliding tee handle.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...but I haven’t seen any on the 1/4” drive

Thanks, Don. I only have the Carb-O-Mang and Brazil sets. I will mark SK as a NO in general.

 

[d42jeep]

Even though you are spoiling my fun by saying no pictures, I’m giving all of my 1/4” Duro and Indestro a no. Four.cycle has a lot more Indestro than I do to look through, however.
-Don