Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[d42jeep]

As far as I can tell, some are and some aren’t. Some have the groove and some don’t. The pictures of the marked examples were sent to me by a long time Plomb collector. I wish they were mine!
-Don

 

[r_olson_06]

As far as I can tell, some are and some aren’t. Some have the groove and some don’t. The pictures of the marked examples were sent to me by a long time Plomb collector. I wish they were mine!
-Don

That is a sweet example. The other pin handles I noticed had the pinched end.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3055, 3060, 3061, 3062, 3070

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I know the cats show them marked but are they? I have seen a few eBay auctions with some 1/4 and 9/32 bars with the pin handles and they do not appear to be marked. They could be replacements however.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3055, 3060, 3061, 3062, 3070

I have had a a hard time finding those. I don't even know if they were marked

 

[mustangSR70]

Got this a couple days ago, looks like new. But I wonder who Ted Laher was/is. I googled it, there are Proto versions with his name too. Anybody ever heard of this name? Oh, paid less than $20 for it.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Maybe a dealer? Area sales rep?

 

[mustangSR70]

Maybe a dealer? Area sales rep?

Didn't even think about it till now, taking a gamble Ted was in the L.A. area, I looked in the 1942 L.A. City Phone directory, there's a Theodore Laher listed as being an auto supply wholesaler, makes sense.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice research!

 

[RagTopTA]

I have had a a hard time finding those. I don't even know if they were marked

I found a Plomb socket at a swap meet that still had a pin handle in it. I isn't marked. Ill find it and post a couple pics. I think I found it in a catalog and it had the pin handle with this socket originally.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

No wonder they are hard to find

 

[bmwrd0]

I have never seen a Plomb marked one, but I buy them whenever I find any Pin Handle and see it they fit anything. I do have one marked Grey and one marked Bonney.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't remember who among you guys were in the conversation or not, but just in case you weren't, we had a thread here on GJ relatively recently that broke out in to a cross- or tommy-bar discussion - how they are almost always missing from found sets, how it's always a good idea to pick them up when found loose, and how their diameter sizes are relative to the drive size and the size of the hole in the hinge handle or extensions they are meant to fit, but often vary among mfgrs even for the same drive size.

In that thread I posted a table GJ'er Tin Medic developed for some of us on a WWII collecting site providing data on the diameter sizes by brand. That was based on found examples. Now I'm thinking maybe that should be expanded into indicating whether they are marked or not, and if so, how. Some (e.g, Duro-Chrome) are, many (e.g., Craftsman BE/(H)) aren't. It's interesting that some Plomb pin handles have shown up marked. I, too, have never seen one before.

I also provided some results of catalog research I had done on cross-bars for several brands.

Link to my post on that thread is here.

 

[MR.X]

Sorry, no pin handle news but I did find this keychain screwdriver, you can barely see it under the hammer head with no handle.

 

[tin medic]

I don't remember who among you guys were in the conversation or not, but just in case you weren't, we had a thread here on GJ relatively recently that broke out in to a cross- or tommy-bar discussion - how they are almost always missing from found sets, how it's always a good idea to pick them up when found loose, and how their diameter sizes are relative to the drive size and the size of the hole in the hinge handle or extensions they are meant to fit, but often vary among mfgrs even for the same drive size.

In that thread I posted a table GJ'er Tin Medic developed for some of us on a WWII collecting site providing data on the diameter sizes by brand. That was based on found examples. Now I'm thinking maybe that should be expanded into indicating whether they are marked or not, and if so, how. Some (e.g, Duro-Chrome) are, many (e.g., Craftsman BE/(H)) aren't. It's interesting that some Plomb pin handles have shown up marked. I, too, have never seen one before.

I also provided some results of catalog research I had done on cross-bars for several brands.

Link to my post on that thread is here.

I have updated that chart to include the pin handles specifically. I will dig it up and post it.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some pictures of various pin handles I took during the study Lugz and Tin refer to.
-Don

 

[ssdave]

I had about 10 newer pin handles stamped Proto a few years ago that I got in a lot. I sold them on ebay, as I recall there wasn't much of a demand, I got $3 or $4 apiece out of them, and that was when I could ship them for $3. I probably have a few of them left someplace, I stopped selling them when the interest seemed to be gone as evidenced by lack of sales.

I never see Plomb marked ones, or Craftsman, as I see people looking for.

 

[d42jeep]

They are only important if you are trying to complete a set. I imagine that most people have no idea what they are. Since it looks like it’s going to be difficult to find one for my sets I decided to make up some similar placeholders. I found a couple of bars that were the correct diameter, found the center point and chucked them up in the drill press. I pressed a hacksaw against the spinning bar and cut in a small groove. I then used a three square file to widen the groove a bit. Here are the results. The first three pictures are for the 1/2” drive set. The next is for the 3/8” drive set. The last shot is an original Plomb 3/8” drive pin handle.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

They are only important if you are trying to complete a set. I imagine that most people have no idea what they are. Since it looks like it’s going to be difficult to find one for my sets I decided to make up some similar placeholders. I found a couple of bars that we were the correct diameter, found the center point and chucked them up in the drill press. I pressed a hacksaw against the spinning bar and cut in a small groove. I then used a three square file to widen the groove a bit. Here are the results. The first three pictures are for the 1/2” drive set. The next is for the 3/8” drive set. The last shot is an original Plomb 3/8” drive pin handle.

-Don

Don, I think you are right when you say that most people don’t know what they are. I think most of them where destroyed over the years as people used them as drifts or abused them. Especially the unmarked ones !


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[d42jeep]

Don, I think you are right when you say that most people don’t know what they are. I think most of them where destroyed over the years as people used them as drifts or abused them. Especially the unmarked ones !


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

For sure. I saw an eBay listing yesterday where the poor pin handle had been bent almost 90 degrees. Here are some I’ve picked up various places.
-Don

 

[DD T/A]

I learned the hard way that T-bars are apparently not mad from the same hi-strength bar stocks as legitimate breaker bars and ended up bending the **** outta a Craftsman when trying to break a differential yoke nut.

Those little bars are more than likely just not as useful and were bent or simply thrown out for more useful stuff.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Bent, used for punches, lost. The Rodney dangerfield
Of tools! No respect.

 

[RagTopTA]

This came together at a swap meet. The pin handle fits perfectly in the sockets hole, and has the same finish. No plomb marking or any on the pin handle though.

 

[d42jeep]

This came together at a swap meet. The pin handle fits perfectly in the sockets hole, and has the same finish. No plomb marking or any on the pin handle though.

Looks good to me. Even though every other tool in my 1939 Challenger set is marked and dated, the pin handle is unmarked.
-Don

 

[RagTopTA]

Looks good to me. Even though every other tool in my 1939 Challenger set is marked and dated, the pin handle is unmarked.
-Don

Only one I have... Its living in the big plomb box either way!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Only one I have... Its living in the big plomb box either way!

You may think about treating it with some scientifically treated petroleum for any clean up efforts needed ?


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[RagTopTA]

yea everything needs a little love atm...

 

[d42jeep]

Here is some of the Proto I found at estate sales yesterday along with a short Plomb Chrome plated extension for my postwar 3/8” drive set.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

I can finally quit whining about not having a Plomb toolbox for my loose tools. This 9989 came from a seller in Oregon via eBay. A little pricey but not in bad shape. I’m hoping that this ratchet will fit inside.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

I can finally quit whining about not having a Plomb toolbox for my loose tools. This 9989 came from a seller in Oregon via eBay. A little pricey but not in bad shape. I’m hoping that this ratchet will fit inside.

-Don

Ohhh! Nice early box with the square corners! And I like the 4751 nr! Did you get any screwdrivers with it ? When I got mine, it came with a boatload of screwdrivers [emoji51]

All kidding and jesting aside, that chest looks to be in very good shape !


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[d42jeep]

Ohhh! Nice early box with the square corners! And I like the 4751 nr! Did you get any screwdrivers with it ? When I got mine, it came with a boatload of screwdrivers [emoji51]

All kidding and jesting aside, that chest looks to be in very good shape !


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thanks. I added some screwdrivers along with some other tools. I can no longer lift it up.
-Don

 

[tin medic]

Don, do you have the tray?

 

[d42jeep]

No. It didn’t come with one when I got it. I saw that there was one when I checked the catalog.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

There is a little tray but it's a simple one. You could easily make one.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Thanks. I added some screwdrivers along with some other tools. I can no longer lift it up.

-Don

Boy, that box looks great! Are you going to line the bottom with cork ? Over on the pressteel tool box thread that I started, we are having a discussion about it. I will be putting cork in mine and getting rid of the modern, cheesy foam perforated liner


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[d42jeep]

Boy, that box looks great! Are you going to line the bottom with cork ? Over on the pressteel tool box thread that I started, we are having a discussion about it. I will be putting cork in mine and getting rid of the modern, cheesy foam perforated liner


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

I just threw the tools in before I even thought about it. In my modern boxes I use the crappy Chinese Craftsman foam liner. I think the cork looks nicer. I also like the felt in my Kennedy boxes.
-Don

 

[RubiconJK]

I can finally quit whining about not having a Plomb toolbox for my loose tools. This 9989 came from a seller in Oregon via eBay. A little pricey but not in bad shape. I’m hoping that this ratchet will fit inside.
-Don

Congrats on the box Don! Looks like it is in really great shape.

 

[Catfishdan]

Glad you finally found one Don! Your tools look good in there. Plus it gives me hope there might be one left out there for me...

 

[Catfishdan]

Here's my weekend plomb finds:
-5285 sliding t
-1212 chrome combo
- 5214, 5220, and 5222 sockets.

I thought I found a rare undiscovered plomb socket until I realized it was a 5220 fused into a 5222. Maybe it's accidental, or maybe someone home made a deep socket. Either way, I don't think they'll ever come apart.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[r_olson_06]

Got some big items check off the list. First a big Bertha sourced from the bay. Needs a little cleaning but works great.
Next an 8185 to complete the DBE offset series and of course it was stamped on the wrong side.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3055, 3060, 3061, 3062, 3070

 

[four.cycle]

I just want to make sure all of you gentlemen are aware of this set recently offered up:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Its-Plomb-...h=item286c866360:g:hxYAAOSwteFb285u:rk:1:pf:0

it's only up to $103.50 now, but there's three days to go yet on the auction.

great seller. one of the very few truly honest Ebay sellers I've dealt with.
here's the "feedback" he posted on my last purchase from him:

[QUOTE="crystalmechanic, in his 'Ebay feedback']"I am so glad I found a sucker to take this thing off my hands!"[/QUOTE]

 

[d42jeep]

He’s an honest seller, funny and a great guy. He polished up a set of really ugly formerly painted and rusted Plomb sockets I had. Here is the before and after.
-Don