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

[d42jeep]

Nice! I haven’t seen those New Britain versions before.
I received an early Christmas gift from Wales. Two sockets and an extension for my rare NAF Philadelphia Manufacturing Company 1/4” drive set. The sockets are quite unique in appearance if anyone has any lying around. At my current rate, I should be able to complete this set by 2030.
-Don

 

[JjKk40]

Nice! I haven’t seen those New Britain versions before.
I received an early Christmas gift from Wales. Two sockets and an extension for my rare NAF Philadelphia Manufacturing Company 1/4” drive set. The sockets are quite unique in appearance if anyone has any lying around. At my current rate, I should be able to complete this set by 2030.
-Don

This is a badass set! You think you'll be able to find everything to complete it?

 

[d42jeep]

Not likely but I remain cautiously optimistic. All of the tools so far have been sent to me by collector friends.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ That was the "mystery fat-shafted spinner" that was discussed here previously, correct? I cannot recall if it's 1/4" or 9/32" drive.
are those sockets machined like that? it seems this is the first time I've seen the sockets for that set.

 

[d42jeep]

It’s 1/4” drive and all the sockets look like that. I think Lugz has the set.

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

Nice!

www.garagejournal.com

My NAF midget sets are 1/4” drive.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ Private Lugnutz mentions in his post that he procured his in an "international trade". I wonder if they were all on the other side of the Atlantic?

 

[d42jeep]

I bought my empty box on US eBay.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

^ That was the "mystery fat-shafted spinner" that was discussed here previously, correct?

Quite literally! (The spinner and sliding tee in Don's set were my flea market finds back in 2018.) The whole saga - and plenty of socket photos, nutshelled here.

I think Lugz has the set.

And OTG.

I wonder if they were all on the other side of the Atlantic?

My set came from odes, whose find solved the mystery, in Newfoundland. They are identical in number and configuration to the Plomb NAF 1108-1 sets. I'm guessing Philadelphia Mfg was a wartime startup that the NAF, HQ in Philly, found locally.

 

[Raineman]

I bought my empty box on US eBay.
-Don

Buying empty boxes (I call them "tins") can be a blessing and a curse all at the same time (and different times).

I've got three different Herbrand tins I'm actively ignoring.

Oh yeah, what is "NAF"?

 

[German Satin]

i also have a thing for 1/4 drive. the compact size and versatility is the appeal i think. anything with screw fasteners (car interiors, around the house etc) is ideal territory for 1/4 drive. one thing i'm not so keen on is the extensions with handles (spinner handles) which are synonymous with 1/4 socket sets ... i prefer to use screwdrivers or nut drivers instead. some lovely vintage examples on display here!

 

[German Satin]

Some billings vitalloy

Billings 1/4 skt set is SUPER nice. Love it. They don't make stuff like that anymore. Quality is self-evident.

 

[Smokeshow69]

It’s 1/4” drive and all the sockets look like that. I think Lugz has the set.

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

Nice!

www.garagejournal.com

My NAF midget sets are 1/4” drive.
-Don

These sets . So cool and very uncommon. I never get tired of seeing them. Do we know if there were 3/8 and 1/2 Naf sets issued by plomb as well?

 

[four.cycle]

RE: The Philadelphia sets

I'm struck by the machining on the sockets. That seems like a lot of extra machine work just to produce a tiny socket - right along the lines of Batco/Newton/King Pressed Steel.
I remember the puzzlement about the "fat shaft" spinner - I just didn't recall the sockets.


(I'm probably a bit dazed after my recent catalog finds, some of which I've been posting this morning.)

 

[d42jeep]

^ That was the "mystery fat-shafted spinner" that was discussed here previously, correct? I cannot recall if it's 1/4" or 9/32" drive.
are those sockets machined like that? it seems this is the first time I've seen the sockets for that set.

Buying empty boxes (I call them "tins") can be a blessing and a curse all at the same time (and different times).

I've got three different Herbrand tins I'm actively ignoring.

Oh yeah, what is "NAF"?

The short version is tools that were used on Naval Aircraft. Lugz scanned the catalog from this document. This is his picture.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Naval Aircraft Factory in Philly. The Navy Aviation Supply Office was also located there and NAF was used as a stock number prefix for naval aviation pieces.

 

[Raineman]

Thanks guys

 

[Provincial]

Believe it or not, the Naval Aircraft Factory actually did make airplanes! The most famous is the N3N biplane trainer, which was the Navy's main training airplane going into WWII. During WWII the NAF also built versions of the PBY scout bomber and the OS2U scout floatplane that were carried on battleships and cruisers.

 

[d42jeep]

I ordered in some pieces to correct and complete my recent Craftsman 1/4” drive sets. Here are all of my 1/4” drive sets that are in clamshells.
-Don
New parts
BE sets


Heritage sets, MDF and Circle H
Newer Heritage and embossed sets
Exterior view

 

[four.cycle]

wow! very nice stuff Don!

 

[saukit]

I can't decide what I like better, the BE or Circle H! Drool worthy for sure!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks. I had some help from JoCo with the BE sets.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

J.C. Penney "Penncraft" (manufactured by New Britain Machine) 1/4" drive SAE socket set. (3/16" - 1/2")
First set is complete.
The other two are incomplete. Let me know if you're interested in something of mutual benefit.




* not shown in photos: I found a Penncraft #3714 1/4" drive 13mm 6-point (shallow) in that mess.

 

[four.cycle]

When I was digging around looking for those Penncraft sets, I found this set of late-production Proto 1/4" drive SAE sockets and drive tools.
All NOS except the spinner. 3/16" - 9/16" 6-point deep and shallow.

 

[four.cycle]

wow! were on page 40?!?!?!

Just arrived today - this fabulous NOS Globemaster 5957 9-pc 1/4" drive SAE socket set, carefully crafted by master Japanese artisans from the finest grade of cheese in the galaxy.



Globemaster 5957 9-pc 1/4" drive SAE socket set (Japan)

* the blue masking tape sticking out of the ends was applied by the previous owner to keep the sockets from falling out.
* the graphics on the front face of the package cause me to think this set is possibly late production Globemaster.

Globemaster / Globemaster, Houston, TX 77055 / primarily a repackager, not a manufacturer. some products were U.S. made. much of the product line was imported from Asia and other countries /

 

[d42jeep]

Wow, a Globemaster aficionado. Don’t be surprised if a few more random Globemaster tools magically show up in your PO Box.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The packaging is like new on that set! I enjoy the occasional globemaster set...

 

[bmwrd0]

I always got the feeling that much of Globemaster was purchased for the guy who doesn't work on his car. It was something a wife or child would buy for "the guy who has everything"

 

[four.cycle]

The packaging is like new on that set!

It is, and that's the reason I grabbed it less than an hour after it was listed.
I just got my magnifying glass out and took another look, and it appears the 7/16" socket was used, but not much.

Wow, a Globemaster aficionado.

Not so much Globemaster per se - it's more a weird fascination with the cheap, cheesy, and utterly useless offerings of companies like Globemaster, Zomax, Oxwall, and Steelcraft. While some of their items did actually work quite well, most of them only serve to remind us of the useless kind of **** we saved our nickels to buy off the "Any Tool 99 cents!" tables when we were kids.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I always got the feeling that much of Globemaster was purchased for the guy who doesn't work on his car. It was something a wife or child would buy for "the guy who has everything"

Another awesome benefit of globe master is they have the uncanny ability to hide themselves in the bottom of bins at the swap meet but never in their pouch. I see them through a pile of junk in the dark so I bend down and dig through the entire pile thinking it is a brand I actually collect only to be severely disappointed

 

[bobg03]

Thank y'all for sharing these pictures.. My father was a WWII Naval Veteran, who worked on a motor launch. He had all kinds of this stuff around when I was a young lad and of course I never saw the value in holding onto these. It was such a simpler time with all the basics in a tin, no 285 piece tool sets....LOL
The ol' man did drive me tho to get my first SK socket set in the green metal tin when I was 12YO. I purchased it with paper route money and altho the metal box is long gone I am sure some of the original tools are buried somewhere in my garage.

 

[four.cycle]

A little Husky 2276 11-piece 1/4" drive SAE socket set: 1/4" - 7/16" sockets and a breaker with tommy bar. That's it. Something tells me this is how it came originally, but I don't think we have catalogs.
The tommy bar does have a detent ball at one end.

Husky 2276 11-piece 1/4" drive SAE socket set

Husky 2276 11-piece 1/4" drive SAE socket set

 

[d42jeep]

On Thursday I picked up a partial Craftsman 1/4” drive set with a rare crossbar and an even more rare intact red plastic insert. I used the insert with an undamaged box and added =V= tools.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

On Thursday I picked up a partial Craftsman 1/4” drive set with a rare crossbar and an even more rare intact red plastic insert. I used the insert with an undamaged box and added =V= tools.
-Don

Is the cross bar marked Don? Nice find on that as well as the uncracked insert!

 

[d42jeep]

No markings on the bar, just a ball on one end.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

No markings on the bar, just a ball on one end.
-Don

That’s how they normally are. They made a short run of marked bars but those are not real common. I do own one

 

[d42jeep]

This mixed set arrived from an eBay seller yesterday. The Walden box has faint FSN markings and mostly black oxide sockets, missing a couple. I couldn’t resist bidding on it since it came with a Chrome Alloy (Brazil) 1/4” drive ratchet made by S-K.
-Don

 

[bryanrj]

This mixed set arrived from an eBay seller yesterday. The Walden box has faint FSN markings and mostly black oxide sockets, missing a couple. I couldn’t resist bidding on it since it came with a Chrome Alloy (Brazil) 1/4” drive ratchet made by S-K.
-Don

I have the same Stevens-Walden box, paint is a forest green. But only two or three of the sockets that are black oxide are Walden. None have Stevens. The other black oxide are Walden-Worchester, and there are a few chrome sockets too. In my set is the 3150 ratchet and the T-bar.

 

[MisterEd]

From the Department of Redundancy Department

Posted these Mustang Sockets and the Small Flex Handle elsewhere last week, but they seem to fit here also since New Britain is often mentioned in the Thread:
MM606, 3/16
MM607, 7/32
MM609, 9/32
MM808, 1/4
MM610, 5/16
MM611, 11/32
MM810, 5/16
MM612, 3/8
MM812, 3/8
MM614, 7/16
MM50, Flex Head

 

[MisterEd]

The other four Sockets and the Extension are no-names, left to right:
3/16
7/32
7/16, 2807 -D-
5/16, 10, CHROMIUM VANADIUM

The 6 inch extension just looks like it needs the 3/16 attached. The Extension is missing its ball.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...since New Britain is often mentioned in the Thread:

There are a few MUSTANG sets in this thread, too, including mine. If you search the thread, you'll find them.

The other four Sockets and the Extension are no-names, left to right:
3/16
7/32
7/16, 2807 -D-
5/16, 10, CHROMIUM VANADIUM

The Extension was made by the Philadelphia Manufacturing Company. It was very likely part of a WWII Navy set. If you search this thread you'll find a few sets. The 7/16" 2807 and the 5/16" CHROMIUM VANADIUM were made by Duro-Chrome/Indestro.