twertsy
Well-known member
Without looking at catalogs, I've seen Proto branded examples. I doubt they ever "made" them but certainly may have had them made/branded for them. Same with vises.
Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!
- Thread starter GRX
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Without looking at catalogs, I've seen Proto branded examples. I doubt they ever "made" them but certainly may have had them made/branded for them. Same with vises.
d42jeep
Well-known member
Bill,
The wartime date codes are very confusing and a lot of contradictory codes are always turning up. I got this dark finish 1/4" flex handle yesterday and it has no codes.
-Don
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twertsy
Well-known member
Yes, I have a few tools that have "WtF" codes.
I have a 1/4" rat with an NR code, which I postulate means "not returnable"
I have others but can't think of them off the top of my head. My bet would be that MC is an acronym for some military customer group.
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twertsy
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If the A.C. tools were for the Air Corps, perhaps the M.C. were Marine Corps.?
Certainly makes sense. I'd love to dig up the contracts to see if they specified markings. That'd solve a lot of mysteries I believe.
r_olson_06
Well-known member
I was think the same thing.If the A.C. tools were for the Air Corps, perhaps the M.C. were Marine Corps.?
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RagTopTA
Well-known member
man some Plomb clamps and a Vise would be awesome to find!
oldmantaylor
Well-known member
Yes, I have a few tools that have "WtF" codes.
I have a 1/4" rat with an NR code, which I postulate means "not returnable"
I have others but can't think of them off the top of my head. My bet would be that MC is an acronym for some military customer group.
In the catalog NR is referenced as "Not Replaceable".
d42jeep
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twertsy
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Private Lugnutz
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Double post
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Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
That doesn't work for me, Jason. But I'll explain why and you can draw your own conclusions.If the A.C. tools were for the Air Corps, perhaps the M.C. were Marine Corps.?
First of all, the "AC" tools I think you're talking about were made by Wright, not Plomb. I was the one who first postulated that the "AC" on the Wright tools stood for "Air Corps," but it's important to recognize that it wasn’t as simple as an unsubstantiated guess (i.e., A for Air and C for Corps). I made the postulation based on the fact that Wright had contracts with the US Army Air Forces that coincided with the dates codes we were seeing on the tools, and - this is the key, that those contract numbers, encoded with the contracting agency, all started with "AC".
The "AC" was used as the code for all US Army Air Forces contracts because many contracts in the book (which start in June 1940) pre-date the existence of the US Army Air Forces, which was established - due to a squabble about who had control of strategic bombers, in June 1941. Prior to the USAAF, there was only the US Army Air Corps. In other words, when those early contracts were awarded, they were truly awarded by the Air Corps. When the USAAF was established, and the Air Corps was subsumed underneath the USAAF, the contract numbers did not change. And when the book was published, in late 1945, by the Civilian Production Administration (new, post-war name for the War Production Board), the index accurately indicates that "AC" was the code for USAAF contracts.
Secondly, unlike the Wright "AC", identifying the customer, accompanied by an explicit numerical date code (e.g., "43"), identifying the date of production, the "MC" on Bill's Plomb ratchet (and the “”UC” and “VC” on oldmantaylor’s Plomb tools) most closely resembles the two-digit alphanumeric system that Plomb used as a date code to indicate date of production.
Thirdly, keep in mind that Plomb also had contracts with the US Army Air Forces, specifically with the Air Corps, and its contracting agency was located at Wright Field, which they used in short form ("WF") to indicate the same customer that Wright had. Without any documentation specifying how to mark their tools, it looks to me like Wright and Plomb took different approaches.
Finally, the Marine Corps belonged to the Navy, and Navy contract codes all started with an N. Plomb had several Navy contracts, with Aeronautics (NXSA), Ships (NXSS), and Supplies & Accounts (NXSX). None with the Marine Corps (NOM).
EDIT: For the Jeep guys out there, if you’ve ever wondered how or why Willys used “NOM” as a designator for the MB’s it built for the Marine Corps, that’s why.
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r_olson_06
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Smokeshow69
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Picked these up today. I offered the guy $20 but he said that was too much and told me that was too much and said he was happy with $10. I usually stop in his store about once a week and he treats me very well.
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I will be the first to say you **** !
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Damn, I never find a deal like that. Nice score!Yeah, I was just thinking out loud. Probably something more simple like someone just put the wrong letter on the die that day.
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
Roger. I saw the interrogative "Dunno'.
Just adding my thoughts for context.Could be. With oldmantaylor's "UC" and "VC" tools, though, I'm thinking the whole code might not be quite as cracked as it's thought to be yet? I'd have to re-visit the whole subject before saying anything else.
twertsy
Well-known member
I agree Greg. There are a lot more bugs in the water than when I started that effort. Perhaps a revisit when I get back up north is in order.Roger. I saw the interrogative "Dunno'.
Could be. With oldmantaylor's "UC" and "VC" tools, though, I'm thinking the whole code might not be quite as cracked as it's thought to be yet? I'd have to re-visit the whole subject before saying anything else.
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jimkinney
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r_olson_06
Well-known member
d42jeep
Well-known member
I picked up this KC marked Plomb 1/4" drive ratchet to upgrade my 1/4" drive set and as a bonus it came with a 1/4" drive flex handle.
-Don
-Don
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Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
I forgot to bid against you
d42jeep
Well-known member
Thanks! I wondered why the price was so low.
-Don
-Don
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Ratchet.
Well-known member
My latest finds,
View media item 74159
View media item 74158
4751 1/4" drive ratchet, been after one of these for a few years now and this one is in excellent shape.
appears to have been polished by a previous owner, (were these bare unfinished steel originally?) but looks good all the same.
This one is a bit to rare and fragile to be a daily user, unlike the 4749 i have, so will mainly be kept out of the way.
View media item 74157
A 1941 dated 5420 5/8" socket, first 1/2 drive socket I've found other then the deep 7/16 whitworth one i got a while back (not sure if I've posted pics of it?)
this came in a mixed job lot of interesting old, mainly USA made sockets i got.. which i mostly bought for this socket, and a New Britain era craftsman socket in it.
View media item 74160
Lastly, a 1/2"-7/16" whitworth double open end wrench.. which appears to have never been used, presume this is a war era wrench due to the due to the lack of date code, and non chrome finish
Interesting that all the whitworth size wrenches and sockets I've seen/own have no model number on them, which makes me think were they were only ever made under military contract, presumably for British army, or for use on British built equipment/vehicles?
Alloy artifacts doesn't seem to mention them at all, do they show up in the US often?
I have also found a bunch of other early plomb wrenches for sale, including some odd/uncommon sizes, currently justifying the cost of them to myself... (almost £100 for 13 wrenches inc some WF series and whitworth ones.. a bit on the high side maybe?)
View media item 74159
View media item 74158
4751 1/4" drive ratchet, been after one of these for a few years now and this one is in excellent shape.
appears to have been polished by a previous owner, (were these bare unfinished steel originally?) but looks good all the same.
This one is a bit to rare and fragile to be a daily user, unlike the 4749 i have, so will mainly be kept out of the way.
View media item 74157
A 1941 dated 5420 5/8" socket, first 1/2 drive socket I've found other then the deep 7/16 whitworth one i got a while back (not sure if I've posted pics of it?)
this came in a mixed job lot of interesting old, mainly USA made sockets i got.. which i mostly bought for this socket, and a New Britain era craftsman socket in it.
View media item 74160
Lastly, a 1/2"-7/16" whitworth double open end wrench.. which appears to have never been used, presume this is a war era wrench due to the due to the lack of date code, and non chrome finish
Interesting that all the whitworth size wrenches and sockets I've seen/own have no model number on them, which makes me think were they were only ever made under military contract, presumably for British army, or for use on British built equipment/vehicles?
Alloy artifacts doesn't seem to mention them at all, do they show up in the US often?
I have also found a bunch of other early plomb wrenches for sale, including some odd/uncommon sizes, currently justifying the cost of them to myself... (almost £100 for 13 wrenches inc some WF series and whitworth ones.. a bit on the high side maybe?)
Provincial
Well-known member
Ratchet, the US Army Air Force flew some Merlin-engined aircraft, like the P-51, and needed Whitworth tools to work on them. The Merlin wasn't planned to be a US-operated engine, and my guess is that the USAAF scrambled to provide tools when they did become operational. Later, the supply train caught up, and Snap-On (and perhaps others) made tools for this application. Plomb may have been called on to provide Witworth tools early, and perhaps kept making them.
The US may have used other British equipment and had to have tools to work on them. Military vehicle collectors in the UK should be a good resource to investigate this.
The US may have used other British equipment and had to have tools to work on them. Military vehicle collectors in the UK should be a good resource to investigate this.
r_olson_06
Well-known member
Are those 1" drive with the female insert.Do I even add some pics to this thread?
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r_olson_06
Well-known member
Here is my only plomb of the week. A Firestone 3/8" breaker bar. Now at home with the other plomb, firestone, and s.r. 3/8 items.
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Provincial
Well-known member
I picked up some Plomb this weekend at a garage sale and a flea market.
Keeping track of cost was not possible, since everything was in mixed lots. None of it was expensive. I do know that the socket box cost $10.00.
The socket box was sold by that same man that sold me the two USA DBE wrenches, an 1140 and an 1151. The painted 1228 USA combo came from the garage sale. The pebble combos came from a garage sale and different vendors at the flea market. The 1224 came from the garage sale. The 078 DOE came from the flea market, same vendor as the 1218 pebble.
The second photo shows the inside of the socket box and all the wrenches that came with it, many not Plomb. The box is green (Olive Drab?) and the sticker for the set number has no markings, so the box probably wasn't part of an official set. In fact, it looks unused.
Keeping track of cost was not possible, since everything was in mixed lots. None of it was expensive. I do know that the socket box cost $10.00.
The socket box was sold by that same man that sold me the two USA DBE wrenches, an 1140 and an 1151. The painted 1228 USA combo came from the garage sale. The pebble combos came from a garage sale and different vendors at the flea market. The 1224 came from the garage sale. The 078 DOE came from the flea market, same vendor as the 1218 pebble.
The second photo shows the inside of the socket box and all the wrenches that came with it, many not Plomb. The box is green (Olive Drab?) and the sticker for the set number has no markings, so the box probably wasn't part of an official set. In fact, it looks unused.
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r_olson_06
Well-known member
Here is my only plomb of the week. A Firestone 3/8" breaker bar. Now at home with the other plomb, firestone, and s.r. 3/8 items.
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thehorse13
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thehorse13
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Rileysan
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r_olson_06
Well-known member
Rileysan
Well-known member
CL ad that was listed for only a few minutes when I arrived home this afternoon.
The seller has had it in his shop for many years and due to an increase in his lease costs, he's having to move. He selling off any non-essential items which included this. It cost me $50.
Brian
RagTopTA
Well-known member
holy cow.. you know my box would fit righ on top of that right? well done!
RagTopTA
Well-known member
Man!! thats so awesome to see! My grandfather came back after WW2 and opened an auto parts buisness in small town. My dad grew up qworking there as did my brother and I. We had the proto version of that hammer that was used out back in the tire and exhaust shop for 45 years. Today it hangs on the wall with the rest of our tools! Heres pics of it!
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Smokeshow69
Well-known member
I can't believe you found one and also can't believe it has the piston rack and keys with it! I literally searched craigslist for plomb this afternoon around 1pm... I used to think I got some good deals but I don't hold a candle to the craigslist ability of Rileysan! Nicely done... However I think you should send it my way and reunite it with its other pressteel siblings [emoji23]
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