Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Smokeshow69]

Plomb and Proto LA stuff. Nothing too special but might as well post it. Got a whole bunch of other brand specialty tools that I'm not sure what they are.

IMG_1052 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/119819727@N06/, on Flickr

IMG_1053 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/119819727@N06/, on Flickr

The L shaped wrench is a brake bleeder, the odd looking one with multiple openings is a victor torch wrench. Let me know if you are letting any of that Proto la stuff go!


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[bmwrd0]

Adding to the Plomb hammer fleet:


The tack hammer is an eBay pickup, sadly it is a grind off, but that makes it a working tool. The body hammer I found at a garage sale the other day, and it took me a while to find the plomb logo and model number.

They were on the edges of the square face. It is a 1425 by the way.

 

[r_olson_06]

Plomb and Proto LA stuff. Nothing too special but might as well post it. Got a whole bunch of other brand specialty tools that I'm not sure what they are.
IMG_1052 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/119819727@N06/, on Flickr
IMG_1053 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/119819727@N06/, on Flickr

Very nice. Love that big 3/4" smooth handle ratchet.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[RubiconJK]

Managed to fill a couple holes recently. Thanks to a tip from Roy I was able to pick up the elusive 1731 to fill the Plomb obstruction wrench trifecta! I also recently found my first 4751 ratchet. Amazing how small these are! Shown here next to its big brother a War Finish 4749.

 

[d42jeep]

Congrats on the little guy. Those are so fragile. Cute though!
-Don

 

[r_olson_06]

Managed to fill a couple holes recently. Thanks to a tip from Roy I was able to pick up the elusive 1731 to fill the Plomb obstruction wrench trifecta! I also recently found my first 4751 ratchet. Amazing how small these are! Shown here next to its big brother a War Finish 4749.

Always feels good finishing out a set. Nice job on the 51. They are pretty hard to find!

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[RubiconJK]

Congrats on the little guy. Those are so fragile. Cute though!
-Don

Thanks Don. Fragile is right. Wonder what they were thinking when they decided to make such a small version?

Always feels good finishing out a set. Nice job on the 51. They are pretty hard to find!

Thanks again for the lead Roy.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my Plomb finds at a Stateline, Nevada estate sale today. The 7/8” NAF deep socket is the only size I ever find.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Aviation spark plug socket.

 

[Shelbylex]

Couple of PLVMB from one of my recent purchases after cleanup (wrenches #3 and 4)

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks Don. Fragile is right. Wonder what they were thinking when they decided to make such a small version?

Thanks again for the lead Roy.

No problem.

Here are my Plomb finds at a Stateline, Nevada estate sale today. The 7/8” NAF deep socket is the only size I ever find.
-Don

We must have the same taste in tools [emoji3]. I picked up on this weekend. The first one I have found in the wild. This coupled with the long craftsman ratchet.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[r_olson_06]

For you Plomb heads that are not following the build. Here is a tool board that made for my mid 20s Y Series Socket Set. Just finished last night with the decals.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks good roy!

 

[r_olson_06]

Thanks.
Mondays additions.
1" X 3/4" Adapter. The largest one made by Plomb. Picture taken with a 9/32" X 1/4" adapter.
The 1/4" Flex Spinner from OoB
And a pre 1927 DOE O series.
Also received the 31 3/8" extension from Don.
Thanks both OoB and Don!

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[d42jeep]

Roy alerted me to an eBay lot that included a box that NAF 1147-8 combination wrenches would have come in. The lot also included some 1/4” drive tools that I had a use for. After a convoluted offer process I finally received them today. I was surprised to find that the WF-8 ratchet was 1/4” drive. Some of the other 1/4” drive pieces filled out a couple of sets.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was surprised to find that the WF-8 ratchet was 1/4” drive.

I've had two of the WF-8S 1/4-inch drive ratchets in the past. One was stamped "WF-8" on the face plate, and "S" at the very top of the handle, near the ratchet head. The other was stamped "WF-8" and "S" on the handle. I've never seen one that was made from a WF-8 with the "WF-8" forged-in, or one that didn't have an "S" stamped into it somewhere. I wonder if someone else converted it, after factory.

 

[r_olson_06]

Roy alerted me to an eBay lot that included a box that NAF 1147-8 combination wrenches would have come in. The lot also included some 1/4” drive tools that I had a use for. After a convoluted offer process I finally received them today. I was surprised to find that the WF-8 ratchet was 1/4” drive. Some of the other 1/4” drive pieces filled out a couple of sets.
-Don

That box is nice. Love the logo. Too bad there is was no wrenches inside.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[d42jeep]

A long time Plomb collector who I totally trust had this comment about the ratchet. “I figured that WF8 would be a real 1/4" by the direction of the selector.“
I didn’t press him on the comment. It doesn’t look like it’s been modified but it’s hard to say. I thought that it would be 9/32” drive when I first saw it, that’s for sure. The head shape is a little different than my unmarked 1/4” drive ratchet.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think that's the politest relegation to second place in trustworthiness I have ever gotten.

Seriously though, I'm not sure what your 'long time Plomb collector' means by "real". Assuming he means intentional, from the factory, that is also possible. But there is only one explanation for that. As for it not looking modified, I didn't think the drive plug was ground down. I expected you would report that if that was the case. By converted, I meant someone putting a 1/4 inch drive plug in a WF-8 ratchet. That's what Plomb did in the factory. Took out the WF-8 9/32 inch drive guts, put in guts with a 1/4 inch drive stud, and stamped an "S" on it for special, to indicate that it (WF-8 S) was 1/4, NOT 9/32 inch. The only other explanation, as I alluded to above, in my experience and opinion, is that it was a factory converted WF-8 that they simply forgot to stamp with the "S". Again, it would be the first WF-8S 1/4 inch drive ratchet I have ever seen without one.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Sorry so many spello's. Fixed. I'm on my phone in a PL waiting out a tropical storm flurry.

Short version, Don, is only two explanations I can see. The factory forgot the "S", or someone else, who would have no reason or compunction to mark it differently, converted a WF-8.

 

[bmwrd0]

Roy alerted me to an eBay lot that included a box that NAF 1147-8 combination wrenches would have come in. The lot also included some 1/4” drive tools that I had a use for. After a convoluted offer process I finally received them today. I was surprised to find that the WF-8 ratchet was 1/4” drive. Some of the other 1/4” drive pieces filled out a couple of sets.
-Don

I passed on that as I thought it would be a 9/32 ratchet also. I am glad to see it went to a good home!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not so fast, Lugz! I did think of a third possibility, related to the WF-8 marking being forged in. Maybe it's the 1/4 version of the WF-21's we see. Postwar. Meant to be 1/4 drive, AND meant to not have an S, when a distinguisher/qualifier wasn't needed. But that's based on me never seeing a WF-8 S that had the WF-8 forged in. Anybody else ever see one?

 

[RubiconJK]

My opinion is that the reason the "long time Plomb collector" made the comment figuring it was 1/4" due to the direction of the selector is related to it being incorrectly reinstalled after the conversion from 9/32 to 1/4. As far as Don's observation to the head shape differences, I've seen both the "figure 8" and "oval" shaped heads in WF8 ratchets and seems like we had a comparative conversation in this thread a few years ago about this. Lugz to your question, I've also not seen a WF8 forged handle that was 1/4" (other than one or two that were converted). Cool box that came with your purchase Don!
EDIT: Never mind I now see that the new ratchet is the marked one with the selector in correct direction. However I still stand by my converted theory.

 

[Username already in use]

Just for comparison purposes. Here are my 2 WF8-S ratchets. Both have the oval cover plate.

 

[d42jeep]

Not so fast, Lugz! I did think of a third possibility, related to the WF-8 marking being forged in. Maybe it's the 1/4 version of the WF-21's we see. Postwar. Meant to be 1/4 drive, AND meant to not have an S, when a distinguisher/qualifier wasn't needed. But that's based on me never seeing a WF-8 S that had the WF-8 forged in. Anybody else ever see one?

I’ve never seen one but I think it’s a workable theory. Obviously my expert had seen one at some point. Although I usually pass WF tools along as fast as I find them, I think that I might hang on to this one. The handle seems to be in the same location as Usernames examples although the plate is different.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

For you Plomb heads that are not following the build. Here is a tool board that made for my mid 20s Y Series Socket Set. Just finished last night with the decals.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

There is a man that still has wall space!

Looks good!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

WF-8's definitely came with both Figure 8 and oval face plates. I don't know about WF-8S's.

I'm not understanding the ID value of the selector being in the correct position. The key question for me remains whether or not WF-8 ratchets (actual 9/32 drive) ever had a forged-in "WF-8" marking. Or if they were all stamped. That was my question. Anybody ever seen one anywhere? If not, that is the ID key. Even if the selector was installed upside down because someone took it apart to lube it, etc.

Maybe you can share our thinking with the guy, Don, and see if he is tracking, and if he can confirm.

 

[RubiconJK]

Here is a link to a discussion from 2018 on the WF-8 forged marking on a ratchet that Ole Slewfoot had found that he says was "native 1/4" and the second link to my reply to him at that time.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7584015&postcount=5330
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=7586707&postcount=5331
Since Don's is at least a second example, I stand corrected on my previous position of his being converted. Yet another curious variant!

 

[Provincial]

UAIU's two wrenches have three rivets around the selector. Don's has only one. Opinions?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here is a link to a discussion from 2018 on the WF-8 forged marking on a ratchet that Ole Slewfoot had found...

Thanks for the legwork, Roob!

I was thrilled to find a consistency in my thought processes....

My hunch is there is either a faint "S" on it somewhere (I have had them from early production, before the "S" was a suffix to the "8") or it's post-war, and, like all those post-war Plomb and even some Proto WF-21's and WF-38's out there, not for any Wright Field contract, they just sort of adopted the number through re-using the dies and blanks etc., and put a 1/4-inch drive plug in it.

Not too thrilled to have ZERO recollection of this first exmple or my analysis when it was only two years ago!!!!

 

[Outlawmws]

Yeah, what's that about memory being the second thing to go? - I don't remember...

 

[Username already in use]

UAIU's two wrenches have three rivets around the selector. Don's has only one. Opinions?

Only one ‘rivet’. The other two that you see are where the dogs attach to the cover plate.

 

[d42jeep]

Not too thrilled to have ZERO recollection of this first exmple or my analysis when it was only two years ago!!!!

Welcome to my world,
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Only one ‘rivet’. The other two that you see are where the dogs attach to the cover plate.

But they still don't show on Don's wrench.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Tool mobile in graham Washington for sale on eBay. The seller listed it for local pickup but maybe someone can talk them into shipping ?



Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Thats got roy written all over it!

 

[r_olson_06]

Haha. I seen it as well. A bit too far out for me and shipping would push this one too far out for me.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[Smokeshow69]

Haha. I seen it as well. A bit too far out for me and shipping would push this one too far out for me.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

If I was close I would volunteer to buy it and crate it for you but that is a bit far for me to drive


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Yup maybe 200-300 if you could get them to take it to the crate and ship.

 

[r_olson_06]

If I was close I would volunteer to buy it and crate it for you but that is a bit far for me to drive


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

Thanks Smoke. I appreciate the offer.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench