Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Private Lugnutz]

Excellent find(s), Roob!

 

[Etchase]

This roll appears like it is in excellent condition, but is very stiff. If I unroll it further it will surely crack. I have no idea how to deal with this. Heat, chemical? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not to be the defeatist, but not much. I don't have any Plvmb rolls, but I have dozens of others in this era, and they were all either oilcloth (which your example is not) or canvas or other cloth fiber backing impregnated with an artificial leather or leatherette material that was a composite, i.e., stylized form of an early plastic containing absolutely no animal by-products that could be softened and treated and preserved with oils. Once they start cracking, options are limited to slowing further cracking by simply not handling and storing in an environment where it won't get worse.

I've seen people with other, larger products, i.e., purses, couches, car seats, etc, claim that leather repair kits work. These are essentially temporary acrylic paint patches. I've never tried it, and the thought of a roll up bending and unbending just seems to defy the concept.

I'll be curious to hear other opinions.

 

[Outlawmws]

What is the material? Plastic or an early vinyl variant? I'd try setting it in the sun to see if it softens, enough to open and get the tools out? that's not a long term solution though, but you can make a wood block rack for the tools

If leather, (unlikely) my go to is neatsfoot oil. (The real stuff on the mix or fake stuff) yes it will darken the leather, but what's better, dried useless soon to be broken leather, or a darker oiled leather?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Straight mineral oil

 

[Etchase]

It’s not leather. I don’t know how to identify these materials, so I will say leatherette. Lol. I can’t see mineral oil hurting any thing. I’ll try it in a small spot just to make sure nothing bad happens.

 

[Smokeshow69]

It’s not leather. I don’t know how to identify these materials, so I will say leatherette. Lol. I can’t see mineral oil hurting any thing. I’ll try it in a small spot just to make sure nothing bad happens.

Be careful. Try it on the back. This is a plastic/vinyl material. I have a number of proto LA versions of these. They are fairly impregnable to most anything due to their synthetic composition but once they start to harden not much you can do.

 

[Outlawmws]

With something like a tool roll, what is "the back? Its kind of all exposed, one way of another..

 

[RTM]

Here is a find from the Branch 15 Swap meet in Portland a couple of weekends ago. I finally made it to that part of unpacking from my trip. Grabbed this as a Whatzit handful, where 3 of three things were unknown. I saw the Plomb name on it, and figured it would be a fun thing to figure out. Over on the GS thread, Lugz gave a quick ID, and hint at value, thank you sir.

Plomb 4515 Stud Puller came with two wedges 4516 & 4517, which are inserted crossways into the big hole, and then turned with the 1/2" drive, to wedge and unspin the stud. A bit smaller and more elegant than my Wright stud extractor. The ball detent pin holds the two wedges in a storage space between uses. 1939 - 48 per AA

I'm probably never going to use this, so if it means something to someone, give me a holler.

 

[Smokeshow69]

With something like a tool roll, what is "the back? Its kind of all exposed, one way of another..

Ehh, good point. Depending on perspective, the "back" could be rolled into the "front" and more visible. Heck at this point I don't know

 

[Ricky Joe]

Here is a find from the Branch 15 Swap meet in Portland a couple of weekends ago. I finally made it to that part of unpacking from my trip. Grabbed this as a Whatzit handful, where 3 of three things were unknown. I saw the Plomb name on it, and figured it would be a fun thing to figure out. Over on the GS thread, Lugz gave a quick ID, and hint at value, thank you sir.

Plomb 4515 Stud Puller came with two wedges 4516 & 4517, which are inserted crossways into the big hole, and then turned with the 1/2" drive, to wedge and unspin the stud. A bit smaller and more elegant than my Wright stud extractor. The ball detent pin holds the two wedges in a storage space between uses. 1939 - 48 per AA

I'm probably never going to use this, so if it means something to someone, give me a holler.

These are somewhat useful.. it takes a bit of dexterity to work the wedge and drive end simultaneously. They are especially good at removing head studs in flathead engines. Herbrand had a slightly different design, with a square hole for the wedge, which kept it in place a little better. Plomb made the 4515, 4520, and another number, 3/4” drive, I don’t remember the number. I sold mine about a year or so ago.

 

[Etchase]

Not to be the defeatist, but not much. I don't have any Plvmb rolls, but I have dozens of others in this era, and they were all either oilcloth (which your example is not) or canvas or other cloth fiber backing impregnated with an artificial leather or leatherette material that was a composite, i.e., stylized form of an early plastic containing absolutely no animal by-products that could be softened and treated and preserved with oils. Once they start cracking, options are limited to slowing further cracking by simply not handling and storing in an environment where it won't get worse.

I've seen people with other, larger products, i.e., purses, couches, car seats, etc, claim that leather repair kits work. These are essentially temporary acrylic paint patches. I've never tried it, and the thought of a roll up bending and unbending just seems to defy the concept.

I'll be curious to hear other opinions.

What is the material? Plastic or an early vinyl variant? I'd try setting it in the sun to see if it softens, enough to open and get the tools out? that's not a long term solution though, but you can make a wood block rack for the tools

If leather, (unlikely) my go to is neatsfoot oil. (The real stuff on the mix or fake stuff) yes it will darken the leather, but what's better, dried useless soon to be broken leather, or a darker oiled leather?

Straight mineral oil

Be careful. Try it on the back. This is a plastic/vinyl material. I have a number of proto LA versions of these. They are fairly impregnable to most anything due to their synthetic composition but once they start to harden not much you can do.

With something like a tool roll, what is "the back? Its kind of all exposed, one way of another..

I have no solution to this problem. I predictably cracked it a bit trying to unfold it slowly and steadily. By that I mean on a pace that would take 5 minutes to unfold. I was able to get it reasonable flat with only a couple of pin holes along the flap fold by very very slowly unfolding it with gradually increasing weights flattening the roll out. I did this over about a 12 hour period. It is still stiff as a board but you can manipulate it a bit over a period of hours. I also tried a heavy application of Mineral oil overnight, which didn’t seem to penetrate the surface at all, but didn’t hurt anything either. Would be useful for cleaning it I suspect. If plomb punches got the respect the Mona Lisa does, we would have a solution. When I say it’s stiff, I mean enough to support its own weight and maybe a punch or two horizontally .

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Welcome to the Agony of Defeat club!

I also tried a heavy application of Mineral oil overnight, which didn’t seem to penetrate the surface at all, but didn’t hurt anything either.

Zero animal by-product molecules for the molecules in the oil to affect. Mineral oil, baby oil, and hundreds of special car and home interior market products claiming to soften vinyl or naugahyde etc are selling a smell and a wet, smooth, supple surface for your hands to convince your brain it's doing something. False hope. It's plastic! Thin amazingly flexible plastic clinging to cloth, but plastic.

I like your own heat idea, actually. To temporarily handle it. I believe that might begin to have a softening affect for a few minutes. But days, weeks, and years of ambient temperature are going to stiffen it in the closed position again.

 

[Old Radar]

I like your own heat idea, actually. To temporarily handle it. I believe that might begin to have a softening affect for a few minutes. But days, weeks, and years of ambient temperature are going to stiffen it in the closed position again.

Exactly right. A judicious application of blow dryer heat will warm it enough to be temporarily "supple", but unless you block it flat, it generally reverts to it's former condition. Even after blocking, most will tend to curl again unless the process is periodically repeated.

 

[Arne73]

Since it is vinyl or plastic you might try immersion in hot water.

 

[JohnDeere]

I got this for 5$ at the flea market and it was missing the spring and the correct screw. I also got a 3/8 wrench for a 1$
I made a new screw and hit in with a light wire wheel and fluid film to save the “patina”
I believe it to be a 1937 vintage.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice plombaloy. Here's a plomb da9 drive plug I got in a tool lot

 

[Smokeshow69]

Nice plombaloy. Here's a plomb da9 drive plug I got in a tool lot

Oh heck yeah! Nice find. Did you know this was in that lot?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

No just found it today

 

[d42jeep]

I got this for 5$ at the flea market and it was missing the spring and the correct screw. I also got a 3/8 wrench for a 1$
I made a new screw and hit in with a light wire wheel and fluid film to save the “patina”
I believe it to be a 1937 vintage.

The Plomb adjustable was made in the newly acquired Danielson factory and was made in 1947. Prior to that Plomb adjustables were sourced from Utica.
-Don

 

[JohnDeere]

The Plomb adjustable was made in the newly acquired Danielson factory and was made in 1947. Prior to that Plomb adjustables were sourced from Utica.
-Don

Thanks for the info!

 

[Etchase]

The date isn’t the easiest to read, but it’s not a 7,8, or 9 in my opinion, so it must be a 6. I read it as a 5 at first glance.

 

[JohnDeere]

Looks like 5 or 8 to me.

 

[d42jeep]

The Danielson factory purchase didn’t happen until 1946 so the only possible dates are late ‘46, 1947 and possibly early 1948. My new Dual marked Plomb/Proto has a 1948 date and the hanging hole isn’t broached.
Here is one with a late ‘46 date code. (eBay photos)
Most of the Plomb (Danielson) examples I see are dated 1947. Here is mine.
Here is the 1948 date code on the Plomb Proto dual marked I recently received from John Deere.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

After a bit of measuring, it appears to be the 9/16 to 1/2 inch drive plug. Fits right in my old 20s 9/16 plomb ratchet

 

[Squez]

Plomb 1/2 drive extension/ breaker bar 5468… only problem is it’s broken. Any chance this can be fixed ?

 

[Username already in use]

Plomb 1/2 drive extension/ breaker bar 5468… only problem is it’s broken. Any chance this can be fixed ?

Would make a neat drawer pull.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Any chance this can be fixed ?

You could braze something on there, cosmetically, or even maybe pallet knife some JB Weld on it, and then finely file and finish to reconstitute the shape of the drive stud, so it would fully flex, and look more like a hinge handle inside a set, but fixing it functionally is not really feasible. Moreover, not really sensible, frankly. They're not that rare as a collectible, and if you want a vintage 1/2-drive hinge handle as a user, most of them are not that rare or that expensive, either.

It's odd how many break at the stud. Not just Plomb. I've seen it before and thought the same thing: if someone was yanking that hard on a stuck nut, I would expect the hinge to break. But they tend to twist or snap at the stud instead.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Drill out the pin and put a new drive lug, or make a cool BBQ tool like a spatula!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...or make a cool BBQ tool like a spatula!

I like that idea.

 

[Etchase]

eBay offers “ breaker bar repair kit” results for many brands, but not plumb. They have SK, Craftsman, snap-on. All for under $20 and some for under $10. I’m sure something could be coddled out of some of these parts. These endeavors are typically not economically justified, but can be fun. Just buying another hinged handle, either for replacement or parts, is about $30 or so on eBay I think.

 

[Outlawmws]

Hammer handle...

Or if you have a 1/2" extension with a split out female end you might fab a new stud...

But I agree, these are common unless it has the open socket in the handle for using it as an extension.

 

[Squez]

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Drive plug has moved in with the other plomb 9/16 drive stuff. Just goes to show, you never know what will turn up in a random tool lot!

 

[Outlawmws]

Squez, Now you need a use where yhe Handle drive is useful!

 

[Ricky Joe]

Could this screwdriver be Plomb? The rope pattern on the knurling makes me think it might be. No other marks.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this 1/4” drive ratchet at an estate sale yesterday. It’s been assembled backwards and the screws aren’t in very good condition. I may have to drill out the screws to fix it up.
-Don

 

[JohnDeere]

I had to drill the screws out of a Proto LA 1/4 ratchet the other day. I just called proto and told them I wanted a rebuild kit (they’re free) and at the very least I got new pawls, springs and screws. I probably won’t use the new face plate or drive gear for originality’s sake.

 

[bmwrd0]

Use a dab of valve laping compound on the tip of your driver, that will help with ground out screws like those.

 

[saukit]

Here's a batch of (mostly) LA combos that just came out of the evaporust...I'm so behind in my cleaning that I have no idea where these came from wish the guy wouldn't have stamped/drew his name all over them