Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Rileysan]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Sorry Hoinox 11, I know you had designs on this box and tools but after passing by it several times this year my will power gave out today. Now I need to sort through it and add what I already had to see if I can fill in a few gaps in the set. There are a couple 9/32 drive ratchets and some sockets that fit them in the lot along with a few specialty tools. Mostly sockets and wrenches though. Quite a bit marked LA. Definitely some duplicates. Ed.

I've had the pleasure of looking over that toolbox full of Plomb tools on more than one occasion. Randy's prices are more than fair and I never had the funds to make him a fair offer. Grats on your acquisition!

Brian

 

[Straightgrain]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Real nice box rock crusher. It seems like most of the good PLOMB is hiding out in the Pacific Northwest.

 

[chopper1]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Damn, that's a lot of Plomb! Most look to be in excellent condition.
Good for you, nice pick.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Here are my 2 flea market finds.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Real nice box rock crusher. It seems like most of the good PLOMB is hiding out in the Pacific Northwest.

I think your right and there is probably more Plomb around here than most places. Still not near as easy to find as it was 40 years ago when I took it for granted. One thing in the box that I have never seen or maybe noticed before was a 716 adjustable end wrench marked Proto on one side and Plomb on the other. Must have been from about the time the names changed. Here is a pic of both sides. Ed.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Sorry Hoinox 11, I know you had designs on this box and tools but after passing by it several times this year my will power gave out today. Now I need to sort through it and add what I already had to see if I can fill in a few gaps in the set. There are a couple 9/32 drive ratchets and some sockets that fit them in the lot along with a few specialty tools. Mostly sockets and wrenches though. Quite a bit marked LA. Definitely some duplicates. Ed.

The major plvmb score of the year Really nice box! I am glad someone bought the unicorn box and posted pictures. I have heard about this box but have never actually seen it

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Picked up a couple things this morning. Trying to figure out the markings on the DBE.........They are confusing when you consider when certain markings were supposed to have come into play.

 

[r_olson_06]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Picked up a couple things this morning. Trying to figure out the markings on the DBE.........They are confusing when you consider when certain markings were supposed to have come into play.

Think it is whitworth? With an SAE conversion. I know I have seen a couple on eBay with the similar markings possibly military?

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[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Think it is whitworth? With an SAE conversion. I know I have seen a couple on eBay with the similar markings possibly military?

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I'm not up on Whitworth sizing but I thought they were bigger openings than SAE. I'm truthfully not sure. Oh, I also stumbled on these today......an entire box still coated in Cosmoline!!

 

[r_olson_06]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I'm not up on Whitworth sizing but I thought they were bigger openings than SAE. I'm truthfully not sure. Oh, I also stumbled on these today......an entire box still coated in Cosmoline!!

Never seen them before I am assuming left over military items? How many are in there and are they all the same?

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[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Never seen them before I am assuming left over military items? How many are in there and are they all the same?

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There's 24. They were at a booth at the flea. Yes, all the same. They are 1953 military and just might help with dating LA era stuff once I get all the cosmoline off one.

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[r_olson_06]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

There's 24. They were at a booth at the flea. Yes, all the same. They are 1953 military and just might help with dating LA era stuff once I get all the cosmoline off one.

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That should help alot having a positive date system

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[Provincial]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Twertsy, that label only shows the date that the breaker bars were packed, not the purchase or manufacturing date. I have seen a lot of WWII stuff (not just tools) that was repacked in the early 1950's. I believe that about that time the military decided that another large war was not imminent, and picked out items that might come in handy in the future. These items they packed for long-term storage, and a lot of the other stuff was scrapped or surplused off.

Note: by 1953 Plomb had gone away and the company name was Proto. The label indicates that the company name is Proto, but the tools are stamped Plomb, which means that they were made many years before.

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Twertsy, that label only shows the date that the breaker bars were packed, not the purchase or manufacturing date. I have seen a lot of WWII stuff (not just tools) that was repacked in the early 1950's. I believe that about that time the military decided that another large war was not imminent, and picked out items that might come in handy in the future. These items they packed for long-term storage, and a lot of the other stuff was scrapped or surplused off.

Note: by 1953 Plomb had gone away and the company name was Proto. The label indicates that the company name is Proto, but the tools are stamped Plomb, which means that they were made many years before.

The tools are stamped Proto LA, which is correct. Made by Plomb Tool Co., which is correct for 1953 (only the name on the tools changed in March of '50). They were still made by Plomb Tool Co. until '57 when they changed to Pendelton Tool Industries.

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[Oregon rock crusher]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Picked up a couple things this morning. Trying to figure out the markings on the DBE.........They are confusing when you consider when certain markings were supposed to have come into play.

Not often you see both the bolt size and the sae nut size that fits it stamped on a wrench. Of course a lot of older wrenches were often stamped merely with the bolt size which nowadays is not intuitive. Ed.

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I posted this in the DBE thread also.

Here's another oddball, which I'll also post in the Plomb thread. Markings (triangle O and "Made in U.S.A.") would suggest post '33. USS size markings would suggest pre-1928. Then, we have "Patent Pend." stamped into the reverse. Any ideas??

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Kind of neat that you have both the wrench with SAE bolt and nut sizes and now the wrench with the bolt size and USS wrench size given. Now when we think of SAE it is simply a fine thread and USS is the coarse thread for any size bolt or nut. Both standard size 5/8" nuts would take a 15/16" wrench. Heavy hex nuts in 5/8" size take a 1-1/16" wrench. On the other end 3/4" sae nut takes a 1-1/8" wrench but the Heavy hex nut (old USS std) is 1-1/4" across the flats. Ed.

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Kind of neat that you have both the wrench with SAE bolt and nut sizes and now the wrench with the bolt size and USS wrench size given. Now when we think of SAE it is simply a fine thread and USS is the coarse thread for any size bolt or nut. Both standard size 5/8" nuts would take a 15/16" wrench. Heavy hex nuts in 5/8" size take a 1-1/16" wrench. On the other end 3/4" sae nut takes a 1-1/8" wrench but the Heavy hex nut (old USS std) is 1-1/4" across the flats. Ed.

Thank you for that explanation Ed. I for one like learning about such things.

Now, in terms of the markings; the Triangle O didn't get put on tools until 1933. USS markings went away circa 1927, yielding to SAE standards. Lastly, we've found very few patents assigned to Plomb, and this isn't one of them. Makes me want to hunt for it but I'd need a timeframe to start with. Otherwise, your searching through thousands of results one at a time. Of course, it may never have been awarded.

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[wrenchr]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Not sure if I posted this one on this thread. I found this at a fleamarket for $15.00
Never used just some surface rust.

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Not sure if I posted this one on this thread. I found this at a fleamarket for $15.00
Never used just some surface rust.

Nice!

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[DD T/A]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Is this wrong

So this has me surprised, very cool. One of the first tools I bought at a swap meet was a tool very similar, just a couple numbers away, and cooler yet the same year of manufacture.

I have never seen another similar example of a chromed Plomb wrench in 3.5 years of hunting--ever. One post suggested they were chromed by owners customizing their tools...but I don't buy that. All I know is it looks beautiful, one of the finest tools I've ever owned. Now if only I could find the rest.


Tool is stamped with 1H; August 1941 (?)

 

[Impala64]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Not mine saw it on the internet

 

[chopper1]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I know someone that's going to piss his pants when he sees that.

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I know someone that's going to piss his pants when we sees that.

https://tularepawnandjewelry.com/products/plomb-tools-neon-clock

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[SilverDeck]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I've always been very curious to know how Plomb tools compared price-wise with Snap-On tools, especially in the early post-WWII era when the pebble-texture Plomb tools were being produced. I have always speculated that in their day, Plomb tools were pretty highly regarded and were priced sufficiently high that their target audience were primarily professionals and industrial users. It would be interesting to do a catalog price list comparison on some sample tools from the same year in both the Plomb and Snap-On catalogs to see how comparable the two were on price. Anyone have other thoughts on this that they would care to share?

 

[Rileysan]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I've always been very curious to know how Plomb tools compared price-wise with Snap-On tools, especially in the early post-WWII era when the pebble-texture Plomb tools were being produced. I have always speculated that in their day, Plomb tools were pretty highly regarded and were priced sufficiently high that their target audience were primarily professionals and industrial users. It would be interesting to do a catalog price list comparison on some sample tools from the same year in both the Plomb and Snap-On catalogs to see how comparable the two were on price. Anyone have other thoughts on this that they would care to share?

The question of price is not likely affected by the quality, but rather availability. Plomb tools were sold in hardware and automotive stores throughout the country. In contrast, we know Snap-on as a truck brand (marketed and delivered directly to the profession) - which drastically affects the price.

Taking the marketing strategies into consideration, the prices were not likely similar.

What I can't answer is when Snap-on began servicing customers directly at their shops or if they ever sold in stores. If the latter never happened, then you're left trying to compare apples to oranges.

Brian

 

[SilverDeck]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

The question of price is not likely affected by the quality, but rather availability. Plomb tools were sold in hardware and automotive stores throughout the country. In contrast, we know Snap-on as a truck brand (marketed and delivered directly to the profession) - which drastically affects the price.

Taking the marketing strategies into consideration, the prices were not likely similar.

What I can't answer is when Snap-on began servicing customers directly at their shops or if they ever sold in stores. If the latter never happened, then you're left trying to compare apples to oranges.

Brian

You may be right. I'm trying to figure out why there seem to be so few Plomb tools in certain parts of the country (outside the Pacific Northwest, California, and anywhere else that had large military or industrial production) during the time when Plomb Tools were available. Not many Nebraska farmers seem to have ended up with Plomb tools in their tool boxes and I'm trying to figure of if that was due to availability, price, or a little of both. Plomb Tools occasionally turn up here but usually seem to have had some connection to someone who either worked in the automotive industry (repair, etc.) or wartime industry.

 

[chopper1]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

https://tularepawnandjewelry.com/products/plomb-tools-neon-clock

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I 'bout crapped my pants when I saw that price!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Not mine saw it on the internet

Wow, I now need a new clock for the garage Didn't even know they made these but makes sense for advertisement. Wonder what else they made over the years ???

 

[twertsy]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Wow, I now need a new clock for the garage Didn't even know they made these but makes sensor for advertisement. Wonder what else they made over the years ???

I highly doubt that's real Plomb paraphernalia. My bet is someone had it made. I have a cobra neon in my shop I had made.

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[drivesitfar]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

ALL: i loved that clock until i saw the $5,000 price tag.

SD: not sure exactly why Plvmb is more available in the PNW, but they were located in California so that is why they seem to have a lot of them. in pre WWII times and BIG DEPRESSION era when PLVMB was at their peak as far as quality i bet since SEARS didn't market them they were just local sellers. some tools migrated across the country as users moved is my guess.

as far as pricing compared to Snap On now since Snap on is still in business and giving warranty and some service their name is still a lot more popular and priced higher. i rarely even try to buy Snap on cause i know a collection would cost maybe triple what another similar quality set would cost in maybe Blackhawk, Plvmb, Proto or even old Craftsmans.

not sure i answered your question, but if you look at sales on Ebay and auctions you'll confirm where i'm headed.

Also for not having much access to PLVMB you sure have a nice looking pegboard full of them.

WrenchR: very cool find.

 

[Brorex]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Found these in a toolbox a neighbor give me a while back and I hadn't went through

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[Rileysan]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

You may be right. I'm trying to figure out why there seem to be so few Plomb tools in certain parts of the country (outside the Pacific Northwest, California, and anywhere else that had large military or industrial production) during the time when Plomb Tools were available. Not many Nebraska farmers seem to have ended up with Plomb tools in their tool boxes and I'm trying to figure of if that was due to availability, price, or a little of both. Plomb Tools occasionally turn up here but usually seem to have had some connection to someone who either worked in the automotive industry (repair, etc.) or wartime industry.

My best guess is that Plomb had limited market exposure. Until the Interstate highway system was built in the 50s & 60s, there was no fast way to ship parcels around the country. I would imagine that salesman didn't waste much time trying to sell to mom & pop hardware stores far away from the beaten path. Outside of the major population centers in plains states, there just wouldn't be much of a market for non-regional tool brands. Or so I posit ...

Brian

 

[r_olson_06]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!


Finally completed my 12xx series. The last and largest of the set arrived in the mail today. A plomb 1246.

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[Brorex]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Finally completed my 12xx series. The last and largest of the set arrived in the mail today. A plomb 1246.

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Nice collection

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[drivesitfar]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

olson: Nicely done!!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

Very nice!! Nothing like the feeling of completing a vintage set.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

My best guess is that Plomb had limited market exposure. Until the Interstate highway system was built in the 50s & 60s, there was no fast way to ship parcels around the country. I would imagine that salesman didn't waste much time trying to sell to mom & pop hardware stores far away from the beaten path. Outside of the major population centers in plains states, there just wouldn't be much of a market for non-regional tool brands. Or so I posit ...

Brian

Plomb advertised in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines back in the day so they did have some national exposure, but I think you're probably right about their actual distribution system. Here in Minnesota they are pretty uncommon.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

I am not sure what to make of this 3/4" drive Proto ratchet. It is a female 5649 reversible ratchet but Hex rather than square drive. Came with a matching 5663 S adapter / extension. I've spent an hour or so e-searching but haven't found this type anvil adapter. Anyone have one of these? Ed.

 

[drivesitfar]

Re: ~ Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

ORC: that is very cool. i have that style in cheaper other set brands, but not a Proto/Plvmb. nice find for sure.

also saw you got that cool Plvmb box loaded with stuff. we might have to meet to do some trading if you have doubles and triples of stuff i need an vise versa cause i do have a few. nice buy and i almost wanted that lot just for the green Plvmb box.