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Owatonna Tool

Apache3057

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May 20, 2016
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Location
South Jersey
Just wanted to share this. One of my favorite wrenches. I don't see a lot of them in my area.
 

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jakemac

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May 21, 2013
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New England
Saw an OTC slide hammer/puller two weeks ago while making a CL pickup south of Boston.
It had a screw on the end for pulling dents.
 

2oolhound

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Dec 18, 2010
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BC Canada
I had an OTC 8" bearing splitter that was top notch. I have a long pry bar/alignment bar of theirs as well that is really nice.

I once heard they supplied some pullers to snap-on for a period.

Here is a pdf of a 2005 puller catalog from their prime. Unfortunately they are manufacturing some tools in china now. The catalog is a great resource.

https://www.otctools.com/sites/default/files/mechanical_parts_catalog_8-29-14_0.pdf
 

Modern Garage

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Mar 26, 2015
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583
Location
Southern Minnesota
I'm forty miles from Owatonna but the handtools are thin on the ground around here too although I have found very few at garage sales. As you've seen in the catalog the pulling tools were the real meat and potatoes before they got started in electronics.
Joe
 

racinfarmer

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Feb 6, 2012
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Location
Minnesota/Utah
I have a lone H-160 roto ratchet. I paid the tidy sum of $1.50 for it. Probably one of the favorite tools I own.

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Username already in use

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Sep 4, 2015
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Location
Ohio
Man, that OTC box is sweet! :drool:

I've managed to find a few OTC tools over here in Ohio. My best find was this mostly complete set of OTC 1/2" drive tools. I believe the sockets were made by Wright.

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Private Lugnutz

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The Authentic Jersey Shore
Here's a breaker bar I have.
That's the same 1/2-inch drive hinged handled I mentioned that I had in my first post, Sunset, made in the 1930's and wartime. Not sure when they went to a round shank. It's "famous" among WWII collectors. I've posted this before, but here it is depicted in a 1944 GMTK manual...

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I've managed to find a few OTC tools over here in Ohio. My best find was this mostly complete set of OTC 1/2" drive tools.
That looks like a mix of vintages to me, Jason. The sockets and hinged handle look like they go together (late 40's early 50's?). I am positive that the extensions and the sliding tee are wartime. Not sure about the ratchet. Thoughts?
 

Username already in use

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That looks like a mix of vintages to me, Jason. The sockets and hinged handle look like they go together (late 40's early 50's?). I am positive that the extensions and the sliding tee are wartime. Not sure about the ratchet. Thoughts?

Yes, I suspect you're right. Feels like immediate post war to me with the mix of finishes. Or perhaps there was enough production over-run that there was surplus of the un-plated tools that lasted into the late 40's? I don't know how long they made that roto ratchet, but it's also un-plated.
 

thehorse13

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Mar 15, 2015
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Location
Jefferson County, WV
I see Owatonna partial socket sets at the local flea market here in the mid Atlantic region. I came across a few loose 1/2" drive sockets this past weekend. The asking price was 1 dollar each.
 

d42jeep

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Oct 22, 2014
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Northern California
I took a picture of the sockets I picked up yesterday. They look a little older than Username's examples.
-Don
 

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Apache3057

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May 20, 2016
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South Jersey
Its amazes me that these tools survive. People today seem to be a throw away generation and have no idea what stories these tools could tell. Were they used during the war? Fixed equipment in the rain? Or serviced a farmers tractor in the barn. Does the generation today even know how to put a socket on a ratchet?
 

Cruzan80

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Jul 22, 2015
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Location
Denver, CO
Broad brush much? Several of us are younger, and obviously have an interest in these. What next, Get off my lawn?

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Cruzan80

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Denver, CO
Sorry, long day. Obviously read more into it than intended. Let's agree to move on. Is the consensus that Wright produced the sockets?

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r_olson_06

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Feb 12, 2012
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4,084
Location
SD
Damn gotta love people who throw a generation under the bus hopefully I don't get that way when I get older but who knows I have a few years until I hit the big 30. And yes I love that roto. I have one in my collection as well.

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r_olson_06

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Feb 12, 2012
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Location
SD
Picked up this ancient this weekend. Thought is was snappy or MTF but to my surprise it was OTC. Anyone have info on this socket?
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d42jeep

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I found an OTC wrench at an estate sale today. First OTC wrench I've found.
-Don
 

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Private Lugnutz

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Anyone have info on this socket?
Looks exactly like the sockets in the 1930 catalog.

Here's another oddball OTC tool I dug out. Haven't found a use for it yet.
That looks like a cylinder head wrench. The end with the female square opening would be for a 1/2-inch drive handle. But they're usually box ends and that's a big nut and a very close sweep, so I don't know. Maybe for a tractor. Easily 90% of OTC's business was tractor service sets.
 

Oregon rock crusher

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Jun 28, 2016
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West of Salem
I've got a few OTC hand tools mixed in with my users but most the OTC stuff I've worked with was more equipment related. A flare nut wrench was the first thing I found to grab for a pic. Ed.
 

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B.S.A. (ret.)

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Mar 3, 2017
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416
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Central Connecticut
Never saw so many Owatanna tool varities. Back in the early '70's, I purchased a couple of distributor wrenches (1/2" & 9/16") that I believe are marked oTc. I'll have to check when I get home tonite to be sure. haven't used one of those in YEARS!
 

disston

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Oct 1, 2012
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943
Location
Silver Spring, Md
I am a big fan of OTC tools. Have many but they are spread around with my other tools so I will try to post more when they surface. Here is a 3/8 drive deep socket set that I recently got. Because it is missing the 9/16 socket I guess was why the price was cheap. I'd really like to find the missing socket if anybody has one to sell or trade. I'll post this in the Wanted section later too.

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The set goes from 3/8 to 13/16. In 1/16 increments. Maybe it should also have a 1" piece also?
 
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Private Lugnutz

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I was happy to add this strap wrench, chain type, to my OTC collection this morning, even though I suspect it's a little more modern than I normally collect. EDIT: Or at least it doesn't look like a wartime marking.
 

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skruft

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May 9, 2011
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759
I have a set of the OTC wrenches that have swiveling sockets at either end - not sure of the proper name. I think those are the only OTC I have.
 

2oolhound

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Dec 18, 2010
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BC Canada
I have a set of the OTC wrenches that have swiveling sockets at either end - not sure of the proper name. I think those are the only OTC I have.

Saltus is the current name for those socket wrenches.

Nice torque wrench Disston, that thing is mint! I want it!

Lug, I've got to check the maker but I have an identical looking chain wrench.
 

Dagny

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Jul 25, 2014
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Northern Wi.
37 years ago I ordered a bearing splitter and puller from a s-k catalog they are marked OTC.
 

d42jeep

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Oct 22, 2014
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Location
Northern California
Here are a few OTC chisels and punches and a 5/8" socket.
-Don
 

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