Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Capt. Spaulding]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[Rileysan]

Wouldn't those first two be Plvmb Lawsuit grindoffs? Technically Proto, since after they were forced to change the name... Same company in any case.

I know it's been the belief that grind-offs were due to the lawsuit but the practice went on for many years after the lawsuit was settled (I've seen grind-off Proto, Challenger, and P&C tools from the 50s, 60s, & 70s) implying there was another reason - like flawed tools being sold (or given) to employees with no warranty.

Brian

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yup. Too many and too many brands

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I found a few Plomb items at today's swap meet. The midget set was hiding in a drawer of a big Mac combo stack a guy was selling as a package. He graciously sold the little guy separate for $10 as it probably had no impact on the sale of his big ticket item and he forgot it was even in there. Ed.

 

[r_olson_06]

I found a few Plomb items at today's swap meet. The midget set was hiding in a drawer of a big Mac combo stack a guy was selling as a package. He graciously sold the little guy separate for $10 as it probably had no impact on the sale of his big ticket item and he forgot it was even in there. Ed.

Nice picks. If you don't mind me asking. What size is that right angle screwdriver? I didn't know until I got a Plomb board that there is 4 different sizes of them.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

It's a 1/4" Roy. It's marked 36-1/4. Ed.

 

[r_olson_06]

It's a 1/4" Roy. It's marked 36-1/4. Ed.

Thanks. I am still looking for the 35-1/4, 36-3/8, 36-1/2. If you run accross any extras of these let me know and maybe we can do some trading.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[Catfishdan]

I fixed up a 1/4” firestone ratchet that came in the mail last week and took some photos of it with the rest of my plomb family 1/4” and 9/32” ratchets.

L-R: 4751, wf-8 oval head, wf-8 figure eight, 4749, 4749 war finish, wf-8 teardrop head, 4749 “made in” pebble, 4749 “mfd. in” pebble, p&c pebble, Firestone, and a Proto.

 

[RubiconJK]

I fixed up a 1/4” firestone ratchet that came in the mail last week and took some photos of it with the rest of my plomb family 1/4” and 9/32” ratchets.

L-R: 4751, wf-8 oval head, wf-8 figure eight, 4749, 4749 war finish, wf-8 teardrop head, 4749 “made in” pebble, 4749 “mfd. in” pebble, p&c pebble, Firestone, and a Proto.

Awesome lineup!

 

[Outlawmws]

Awesome lineup!

 

[r_olson_06]

I fixed up a 1/4” firestone ratchet that came in the mail last week and took some photos of it with the rest of my plomb family 1/4” and 9/32” ratchets.

L-R: 4751, wf-8 oval head, wf-8 figure eight, 4749, 4749 war finish, wf-8 teardrop head, 4749 “made in” pebble, 4749 “mfd. in” pebble, p&c pebble, Firestone, and a Proto.

Nice grouping.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[stormking]

Excellent!!!!!! catfish

 

[Catfishdan]

Thanks guys. I’m still looking for more. A later pebble with the rounder handle, a wf-8s, a teardrop 4749, a circle u craftsman... Any other variations I’m missing?

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks guys. I’m still looking for more. A later pebble with the rounder handle, a wf-8s, a teardrop 4749, a circle u craftsman... Any other variations I’m missing?

Might be a tru-test racetrack as well. Penens Corp.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[DD T/A]

I’m still looking for more. A later pebble with the rounder handle,

I was under the impression that all of the flat handled pebble rats were plain steel, and the only ones that got chrome were the rounder handled ones. I have never seen a chrome flat until your picture.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here are a few odd balls to look for. Apptly named Speedmaster race track, a completely unmarked (and for some reason strongly magnetized) version, and the elusive batwing selector racetrack.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...my plomb family 1/4” and 9/32” ratchets.

Impressive collection, Dan.

Is the 4751 plated or plain polished steel? Same question on the WF-8 Teardrop.

I’m still looking for more. A later pebble with the rounder handle, a wf-8s, a teardrop 4749, a circle u craftsman... Any other variations I’m missing?

4748 (female reversible, with or without 4752 drive plug)

 

[Catfishdan]

Impressive collection, Dan.

Is the 4751 plated or plain polished steel? Same question on the WF-8 Teardrop.


4748 (female reversible, with or without 4752 drive plug)

Thanks. The 4751 is plain steel. The wf-8 teardrop is chrome oddly enough. Good call on the 4748. That’s a big omission.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The 4751 is plain steel. The wf-8 teardrop is chrome oddly enough.

Thanks.

Unless it was complete happenstance, it looks to me like you were going for chronological order, left to right, in your layout, which I admire. It is an interesting and not trivial little critical thinking exercise for any Plomb collector faced with that many ratchets in one place whose mind naturally wants to sort them that way!

I could be wrong, but I find myself wanting to move your WF-8 Teardrop to the left of the 4751. And I would then put the 4749 (and the 4749 WAR FINISH, if only to keep them together) to the right of the 4751, to the left of the WF-8 Paddle Oval and Figure-8.

I think the WF-8 Teardrop may actually be the oldest ratchet in your "Mighty Midget" collection. I know that "WF" tools are largely associated with the war, for obvious reasons, but Plomb had two contracts with the USAAF (i.e., Wright Field) before the war started, in 1940 and 1941. A WF-8 Teardrop matches the design (and dies and tooling, etc) of the 4748 and 4749 Teardrops being made at that time.

The 4751 “Miniratch” was added to the Plomb lineup in Catalog 19, some time in late 1941 or early 1942. It was discontinued in Catalog 19-A due to WPB Limitation Order L-216. I think yours was made after chrome-plating was banned (late 1941/early 1942), but before May 1943, when L-216 kicked in.

Again, I could be wrong. As I said, it's a challenging lineup and exercise! Thanks for posting it.

 

[Project 2501]

I fixed up a 1/4” firestone ratchet that came in the mail last week and took some photos of it with the rest of my plomb family 1/4” and 9/32” ratchets.

L-R: 4751, wf-8 oval head, wf-8 figure eight, 4749, 4749 war finish, wf-8 teardrop head, 4749 “made in” pebble, 4749 “mfd. in” pebble, p&c pebble, Firestone, and a Proto.

Whoa!!!!
Black oxide ratchets?? Is that what im looking at?

 

[r_olson_06]

Chipping away at the Crowfoot set. Picked up a set of 8 which now puts me 2 away from a full set (minus the 15/32") that Mr X found. Still looking for a 1/2" and 1-1/4". Hit me up if you have one you are willing to part with.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[germaneighter]

Plumb 6734
I picked this up recently at an estate sale. ($1.50) Had no idea what it was for. Looked it up and saw it is a valve adjusting tool....possibly for VW/Porsche? Can someone explain how it works?
thanks

 

[d42jeep]

It’s for adjusting valves on OHV engines. You put a socket on the tool the size of the jam nut, loosen the jam nut, adjust the slotted adjuster to give the correct valve clearance and tighten the jam nut. Hopefully you will be using a Plomb feeler gauge during the procedure.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have never seen one before - or had a reason to look at the catalog page (thanks, Don!) That was very clever of Plomb to put a square drive stud above the screwdriver! I have a Hastings (OEM unknown) and a New Britain version of this tool where the spring fed screwdriver goes through a 12-point box end opening. And there is a different size 12-point box end on the other end of the hinged handle. You can swing either end over the adjusting screw depending on the size of the check nut. Then turn the knob left or right for opening or closing the gap like the Plomb. But you only get those two 12-point openings. With the Plomb version, it's unlimited with a socket. Although I wonder if access becomes an issue.

EDIT: Here is a Hastings...

 

[RubiconJK]

Thanks guys. I’m still looking for more. A later pebble with the rounder handle, a wf-8s, a teardrop 4749, a circle u craftsman... Any other variations I’m missing?

Catfishdan I'm sending you a PM.

 

[RubiconJK]

Grateful to have received a 5480 speeder from d42jeep recently and thought I'd take a pic of my 54XX set sans duplicates. I've not really been trying to complete any one of the catalog 1/2" drive sets, and instead just trying to have as diverse a set as possible and try to add any other pieces whether parts of listed sets or not. I'm likely to now split this grouping up as I've realized that I have a fair number of Los Angeles marked pieces so I may try to go for both a LA and post LA set. Have also always wished I knew why the PO put the marking on the outside of this box, but have to wonder if they were keeping their WF stuff in it. This grouping includes:
5414 - 5440 12 pt sockets
5340 - 5353 12 pt deep sockets
5449 ratchet both round handle and pebble versions
5460 2 1/2" ext
5461 5" ext
5463 10" ext
5464 18" ext
5466 & 5468 round handle hinge handle
5470 universal jt
5485 sliding t bar
5486 ell handle
5453 1/2" M X 3/4" F adapter
5432 S 8 pt socket

 

[d42jeep]

Looks good. Mine kind of looks like that when I add all the extras. It’s getting kind of heavy. I added a 5444 drag link bit that’s not in the picture. I’ll have to be careful not to break them since they are non-replaceable under warranty.
-Don

 

[RubiconJK]

Looks good. Mine kind of looks like that when I add all the extras. It’s getting kind of heavy. I added a 5444 drag link bit that’s not in the picture. I’ll have to be careful not to break them since they are non-replaceable under warranty.
-Don

Thanks Don. Know what you mean! If I put everything in the box just so (except the 5468 hinge handle), I can still barely get the lid closed and latched.

 

[MR.X]

.... I'm likely to now split this grouping up as I've realized that I have a fair number of Los Angeles marked pieces so I may try to go for both a LA and post LA set..... This grouping includes:
5414 - 5440 12 pt sockets
5340 - 5353 12 pt deep sockets
5449 ratchet both round handle and pebble versions
5460 2 1/2" ext
5461 5" ext
5463 10" ext
5464 18" ext
5466 & 5468 round handle hinge handle
5470 universal jt
5485 sliding t bar
5486 ell handle
5453 1/2" M X 3/4" F adapter
5432 S 8 pt socket

What year is that 1 3/16 socket?

 

[d42jeep]

I see why you ask. It looks like it tapers in at the broach end, almost like an S-K socket.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a variety of 1-3/16” Plomb 1/2” drive sockets. The first is a War Finish one I sold to Todd on eBay some years back, if I recall correctly. The next shot shows a wartime socket on top, a 1938 LA socket and a chrome postwar socket on the bottom. The 1938 socket has been added to Roy’s collection. The last shot shows the one in my keeper set.
-Don

 

[MR.X]

Thanks. Yeah, it does stand out. I'm not really big on set making but I did get it in my head to put together a complete run of 1/2" drive DD or D Plomb sockets plus the oldest I could find in those sizes ( 29/32 and 1 3/16 ) that weren't offered that early. So basically 19 of the 21 in my run are 31 or earlier and then my 29/32 is a 1937 and my 1 3/16 is a 1938 like the one I asked about. I think that's about as early as those came but I'm no expert.

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks. Yeah, it does stand out. I'm not really big on set making but I did get it in my head to put together a complete run of 1/2" drive DD or D Plomb sockets plus the oldest I could find in those sizes ( 29/32 and 1 3/16 ) that weren't offered that early. So basically 19 of the 21 in my run are 31 or earlier and then my 29/32 is a 1937 and my 1 3/16 is a 1938 like the one I asked about. I think that's about as early as those came but I'm no expert.

I remember a picture of that. It was quite impressive set.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[MR.X]

Thanks. Realistically, I don't foresee being able to upgrade it....unless there's something I don't know or without expanding it to include 8 points or something like that,..I think it's done.

 

[RubiconJK]

What year is that 1 3/16 socket?

I see why you ask. It looks like it tapers in at the broach end, almost like an S-K socket.
-Don

Thanks. Yeah, it does stand out. I'm not really big on set making but I did get it in my head to put together a complete run of 1/2" drive DD or D Plomb sockets plus the oldest I could find in those sizes ( 29/32 and 1 3/16 ) that weren't offered that early. So basically 19 of the 21 in my run are 31 or earlier and then my 29/32 is a 1937 and my 1 3/16 is a 1938 like the one I asked about. I think that's about as early as those came but I'm no expert.

Here is another photo. It is a "round O" 4A, so early 1934.

 

[Outlawmws]

Looks good. Mine kind of looks like that when I add all the extras. It’s getting kind of heavy. I added a 5444 drag link bit that’s not in the picture. I’ll have to be careful not to break them since they are non-replaceable under warranty.
-Don

I've busted or bent the drag link sockets before. (but not Plvmb) and have seen any number that died in the line of duty. so I'm not surprised.

 

[bmwrd0]

So I picked up an oddity (at least I think so, you are free to disagree) today. A half inch WF ratchet, with no Plomb marking but it has I&V on the front

No idea who or what this refers too, as it was an estate sale at a house.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Is the WF-38 marking on the other side?

 

[r_olson_06]

So I picked up an oddity (at least I think so, you are free to disagree) today. A half inch WF ratchet, with no Plomb marking but it has I&V on the front

No idea who or what this refers too, as it was an estate sale at a house.

There was another one of those that showed up a few years ago. Last spitballing session lead to a maybe Industrial Vocational.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,

 

[bmwrd0]

Is the WF-38 marking on the other side?

Yes, in the same point font and in a similar raised panel.