Pawn Shop Haul, odd SO socket

[Jeremy77]

Picked all these gems up for 7$ at a local pawn shop. Had to dig a bit but I feel it was worth the effort. SK, Proto, U.S. Craftsman and the one SnapOn socket. Klein tape, Channel Lock cutters and a #3 philips. The SO socket is 1/2 drive with the following # 11/16 NAF 110 11 USN. I read where similar models were used for airplane maintenance. Does anyone have any info on this particular socket?

 

[Jeremy77]

Sorry about jamming the pic into the middle of the post.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Hey man, welcome to the forum! It is pretty hard to see the socket you are talking about. Any chance of taking some pictures of it by its self and then posting them?

 

[lbgradwell]

Does anyone have any info on this particular socket?

Well, not on that particular socket, but such tools were once the property of the United States Navy's Naval Aircraft Factory.

 

[bdk1976]

ducksface - can't speak for the OP, but I pick up random lots of tools, especially sockets, all the time...whenever I can get the high quality stuff cheap. After a while you can make some pretty decent sets out of them and (if need be) sell off what you don't want/need.

I do have a catchall bucket of foreign **** that I use if I need to make/modify a tool for a specific purpose, etc.

 

[3baygarage]

There's a section on those sockets at Alloy Artifacts near the end of the linked page. Not much info but looks like something for Pratt-Whitney Aircraft. Everone seems to think they are spark plug related. I have the one with the strange rotating ring built in.

https://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/snapon-bluepoint-tools-p4.html

 

[twertsy]

I always wonder, and have decided to finally ask;
Where in the big plan of things do random handfuls of random tools fit?
Do they go in a big catchall five gallon bucket?
How do you track them for use?

Here's what I do Duck. I have a pretty big shop, with a bunch of boxes "strategically" positioned around the shop. Each box has, as a minimum, full sets of all SAE 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive sockets (with all the stuff like adapters, ratchets, etc.), 1/2" drive 8 point sockets, standard and ratcheting wrenches, DBEs and DOEs, and a full set of screwdrivers. Brands don't really matter as long as they're USA made. I have various sets of S-K, Bonney, Williams, Wright, Proto, Thorsen USA, P&C, Easco, etc., some new but most of the new is in the "main box" and the rest have older sets that I've accumulated.

My spares, of which I have TONS, are all in one box and I frankly use those for trading with folks on GJ, GG, and in person in order to fill holes in sets I'm trying to complete. The only thing I keep in "buckets" is wrenches I don't know who made. I have 2 big boxes of those "Made in USA" wrenches where I can't determine the manufacturer.

Then there's the collection(s). It was a huge help procuring those Proto display boards because they freed up a ton of box space. So, Proto collection is hanging for the most part. I have a Blackhawk double stack that is currently stuffed full of Bonney, until I find and procure a Bonney double stack. My Proto / Challenger extras are occupying the Proto Tool Mobile currently. The rest of the extras are neatly displayed in my newly acquired Proto roll cab. I am however rapidly approaching maximum density..........we'll see where I go from here!

 

[MShaw]

The NAF Is definitely the Naval Aircraft Factory located in or near Philadelphia. When I worked in defense manufacturing we still used some of their specs although the organization went belly up not too long after the end of WW2

 

[Jeremy77]

Thanks for the info on the SO 11/16. As to random sets, I usually assemble an entire set on a rail. Then I keep a set in the house, in my truck, the wife's car etc. I like the "hunt" myself. You'd be surprised at how many loose U.S. made quality sets can be found. If I find a tool box full of good sockets, I'll usually offer the shop 15$ or 20$ for the whole box, pick out what I want need then sell the rest of the tools/box at a yard sale. My 4 yo son gets the import sockets for his box to lose, play with etc.

 

[Jeremy77]

May need to try and build me a set of USN SO's. Although that's the first of those I've come across. It's very worn though and is really loose when attached to all of my 1/2 inch drives. Appreciate the story and pic guys!