Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Smokeshow69]

I took a gamble on this rough looking 40B tool board on eBay. It was $48 plus $10 shipping so I figured why not. Worst case scenario is that it was absolute garbage and I could use the brackets for parts. It arrived today and I couldn’t be happier. It needs a cleanup and some love but look closely at the logo. There is green showing underneath the rebadged proto sticker. Yep that’s right it’s plomb(late version) . Also look at the font on the back… is this a dual marked one based on the font? I only have one Plomb tool board and it’s the earlier wartime version so I don’t have anything to compare it to. All my proto la versions have different font style. All the brackets are present and tight

 

[Samuel Anton]

Hello! I'm new to the forum but a longtime collector of Plomb tools. I thought I had my carburetor tools figured out based on my catalog references but someone from the FB Group steered me here. My tools, from left to right: Proto 6526 for later Holley carburetors, Plomb 6517, for early ford V-8 Carburetors (date code April 36), Plomb 6528 for Stromberg Carburetors (Pebble period). I had originally stated that only the 6528 carried over from Plomb to Proto as the 6517 was obsolete by the time Proto was established, and the 6526 wasn't yet in service during the Plomb years. However, as post # 13,083 of this thread clearly shows, Plomb DID make the 6526 very late, just before the name change to Proto. That likely explains why it doesn't appear in my late Plomb catalog but in my early Proto catalog.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Well this escalated quickly. I got to looking at the logo and noticed it looked like it was lifting off so my curiosity got the best of me… still need to fully clean the wood! But it’s coming along

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm new to the forum but a longtime collector of Plomb tools.

Welcome! You came to the right place.

However, as post # 13,083 of this thread...

For everyone else's convenient benefit, a @MR.X tool and post, linked here.

...clearly shows, Plomb DID make the 6526 very late, just before the name change to Proto. That likely explains why it doesn't appear in my late Plomb catalog but in my early Proto catalog.

I am not sure what "late Plomb" or "early Proto" catalogs you're referring to, but the 6526 (Chandler-Grove) first appears in Plomb Catalog 19-R THIRD PRINTING, page 59. It appears again in Plomb Catalog 19-R FOURTH PRINTING, same page. Finally, it is also listed in Plomb Numerical Price List P-4717, which applies to Catalog 19, 19-A, and 19-R, dated October 1, 1947. The FOURTH PRINTING was the last known edition of 19-R prior to Plomb Catalog 4820, published in 1948, when they first introduced the concept of the Proto brand in a catalog and applied their publications sequence numbering system (YYnn) to catalogs. Note that the 6526 does not appear in Plomb Catalog 19-R SECOND PRINTING, page 59, which only lists and shows the 6528 (Stromberg).

That all means the 6526 was introduced sometime between Catalog 19-R SECOND and THIRD PRINTING.

The 19-R catalogs are not dated, but per my Plomb catalogs dating system, that would be no earlier than October 1946.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I took a gamble on this rough looking 40B tool board...

Nice acquisition, Smoke!

is this a dual marked one based on the font?

I don't know what you mean by "dual-marked". I would say your board is a perfect example of the effects of Plomb Tool Company's massive Proto Tools decal, sticker, and signage replacement/conversion/cover-up program in 1949. I discussed this 12-month program in detail in my 'Lawsuit' thread, supported by a wonderful Proto Tool News flyer (H-4975, September-October 1949, Vol. 3, No. 5) that @tin medic owns.

Here is a snippet...

Note that the whole point of this page of the flyer is to ping hardware stores that are delinquent in returning a white card to certify that they had “covered or replaced obsolete trademark decals and signs with new PROTO TOOLS labels.” In the process, it describes the scale (“160,000,000 ad appearances”) and purpose (“creating acceptance and demand for PROTO”) of the all-out “twelve month” program...

Link to entire post in thread here.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Nice acquisition, Smoke!

I don't know what you mean by "dual-marked". I would say your board is a perfect example of the effects of Plomb Tool Company's massive Proto Tools decal, sticker, and signage replacement/conversion/cover-up program in 1949. I discussed this 12-month program in detail in my 'Lawsuit' thread, supported by a wonderful Proto Tool News flyer (H-4975, September-October 1949, Vol. 3, No. 5) that @tin medic owns.

Here is a snippet...

Link to entire post in thread here.

I was using incorrect jargon. I should have said transitional logo but now that I have uncovered the logo, we can see that it is the typical plomb streamlined tools logo that I posted pictures up thread a little bit ago. I think that this board was made fairly close to the name change but need to do more research before I can say for sure one way or another

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I think that this board was made fairly close to the name change but need to do more research before I can say for sure one way or another

As you know, they didn't change the name of the company - from Plomb Tool Company to Pendleton Tool Industries, Inc, until 1957. If you mean "fairly close to..." a time when they started using Proto as a brand name, that was, as you know, not a singular juncture, but a long, complicated process. Proto was used in 1948 - on paper (ads, tags, etc) only, 1949 - on paper and tools, along with the company name (i.e., so-called "dual-marked"), and in 1950 by itself. I don't know when your board was made. It could've been sitting in some hardware store minding its own business for quite some time prior to 1949. But the legally offensive 'Plomb Tools' branding (note, no reference to Company) at the top was undoubtedly stickered over with the 'Proto Tools' branding in 1949 as part of the massive court-ordered conversion blitz I just referred to.

 

[Smokeshow69]

As you know, they didn't change the name of the company - from Plomb Tool Company to Pendleton Tool Industries, Inc, until 1957. If you mean "fairly close to..." a time when they started using Proto as a brand name, that was, as you know, not a singular juncture, but a long, complicated process. Proto was used in 1948 - on paper (ads, tags, etc) only, 1949 - on paper and tools, along with the company name (i.e., so-called "dual-marked"), and in 1950 by itself. I don't know when your board was made. It could've been sitting in some hardware store minding its own business for quite some time prior to 1949. But the legally offensive 'Plomb Tools' branding (note, no reference to Company) at the top was undoubtedly stickered over with the 'Proto Tools' branding in 1949 as part of the massive court-ordered conversion blitz I just referred to.

I was meaning "fairly close to" the lawsuit/ failed "rebranding" campaign. So in other words, I believe this board was probably made between 1945 and 1950, give or take. Sometime before the lawsuit but not so long after the lawsuit that it would have been printed with the Proto LA name from the get go.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

So in other words, I believe this board was probably made between 1945 and 1950, give or take.

I don't think 1950 would make much sense, Smoke. That would've been very late for them to be making anything new that just said 'Plomb Tools' on it. I doubt 1949 for the same reason. Remember, they lost their last fight on January 13, 1949. That year, as they are making and selling the failed, penultimately sued dual-marked tools, they are re-tooling for Proto only markings for 1950 and conducting a massive 'Proto Tools' advertising and merchandising education and conversion blitz. I can't see them making a 'Plomb Tools' board after January 1949, and probably not even in late 1948 when they were already trying to tag everything they could that was made of paper with 'Proto Tools' to distract Plumb from the 'Plomb' they so desperately wanted to leave on the tools themselves.

It's a cool board! I love the green theme better than their red themes.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I don't think 1950 would make much sense, Smoke. That would've been very late for them to be making anything new that just said 'Plomb Tools' on it. I doubt 1949 for the same reason. Remember, they lost their last fight on January 13, 1949. That year, as they are making and selling the failed, penultimately sued dual-marked tools, they are re-tooling for Proto only markings for 1950 and conducting a massive 'Proto Tools' advertising and merchandising education and conversion blitz. I can't see them making a 'Plomb Tools' board after January 1949, and probably not even in late 1948 when they were already trying to tag everything they could that was made of paper with 'Proto Tools' to distract Plumb from the 'Plomb' they so desperately wanted to leave on the tools themselves.

It's a cool board! I love the green theme better than their red themes.

I agree with this totally! Makes sense for sure! At any rate I'm going to clean it up and put it on the wall I like the green theme as well.

 

[Outlawmws]

2 Proto LA, and my 4th dual marked wrench - all with pebbled size markings:

 

[four.cycle]

@Smokeshow69 - that board is really quite the find with the "dual marking" decal action going there.

 

[MR.X]

I took a gamble on this rough looking 40B tool board on eBay. It was $48 plus $10 shipping so I figured why not. Worst case scenario is that it was absolute garbage and I could use the brackets for parts. It arrived today and I couldn’t be happier. It needs a cleanup and some love but look closely at the logo. There is green showing underneath the rebadged proto sticker. Yep that’s right it’s plomb(late version) . Also look at the font on the back… is this a dual marked one based on the font? I only have one Plomb tool board and it’s the earlier wartime version so I don’t have anything to compare it to. All my proto la versions have different font style. All the brackets are present and tight

$10.00 shipping?

 

[Mintgrun]

I found this #33 1/2 - 0 PLVMB offset calker on Friday.



I had to look it up, to know what it was used for.





I found it on the last page of the 1939 catalog and learned that the concave blade is for calking lead into the joints of 4" soil pipe. (Thanks to the Internet Archive).



I also found this little 9/32" WF-7 hinge handle, to go with the 9/32" sliding T I found a while back. That's the extent of my 9/32" set, so far.



The 1/4” stuff is just sharing the box. (The dual-marked wood-handled driver is home-made).

Tom

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice job on that home made driver!

 

[Smokeshow69]

$10.00 shipping?

Yeah I was a bit skeptical about it. But the seller shipped it at the purchased price and didn’t try to hit me up for more money later. I’m not sure how the seller made any money since the total purchase price is around what it would cost to ship but I am glad to have it. Now I have to get it cleaned up.

 

[Smokeshow69]

@Smokeshow69 - that board is really quite the find with the "dual marking" decal action going there.

Thanks. The proto rebranding decal was cool but it was pretty rough and I wanted to return it to a plomb board. I have another wartime plomb board that has a proto sticker on it that I have left intact.

 

[d42jeep]

This 3/8” drive ratchet arrived recently and is destined for the chrome box. First it needs a little time in the evaporust.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

That's the extent of my 9/32" set, so far.

Awesome find on the wood handled spinner! Is that a first one found, or have I been asleep at the wheel?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I think you missed the homemade part!

 

[Mintgrun]

Awesome find on the wood handled spinner! Is that a first one found, or have I been asleep at the wheel?

It is the first one made, as far as I know. It was a fun way to make use of two damaged tools. I posted the process earlier in the thread.

Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

WBM owned one HAHA! Nice. I missed yours. I missed AK's, too, so not quite as scarce as the midget spinners. But still, not as common as early plastic or wood.

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Samuel Anton]

It took awhile but I finally completed my 11XX box end set. 1/16" increments from 5/16 to 1 -1/16. There are certainly others in the 11XX series but they are either redundant sizes or sizes I don't need.

 

[Outlawmws]

It is the first one made, as far as I know. It was a fun way to make use of two damaged tools. I posted the process earlier in the thread.

Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

WBM owned one HAHA! Nice. I missed yours. I missed AK's, too, so not quite as scarce as the midget spinners. But still, not as common as early plastic or wood.

www.garagejournal.com

NOW I remember that! Well done! comes into the class of "confusing future owners, one tool at a time!" (I have a Franken-lntern therad on the CCF with a similar motto)

 

[Smokeshow69]

It took awhile but I finally completed my 11XX box end set. 1/16" increments from 5/16 to 1 -1/16. There are certainly others in the 11XX series but they are either redundant sizes or sizes I don't need.

Well done Samuel! You are well on your way to the addiction we all call collecting

 

[d42jeep]

This 3/8” drive ratchet arrived recently and is destined for the chrome box. First it needs a little time in the evaporust.
-Don

The handle came out of the evaporust and I polished it up and reassembled the ratchet.
I added it to the other 3/8” drive tools.
Back in the toolbox.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

This 1/2” drive Plomb ratchet with a removable plug finally arrived in the PO Box today after the eBay seller first sent a Proto ratchet and then re-sent the correct ratchet Fedex “Smartpost” which is code for the slowest shipping imaginable. I think it is dated 1939 and has the detent or at least most of it.



I found this 5/8” pebble combo at a Tahoe yard sale today.
I’m hoping that it will clean up better than the one I currently have.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

Nice scores Don!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, guys. The 5/8” combo appears after cleaning to be a little more used than the one I already had.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Fedex “Smartpost” which is code for the slowest shipping imaginable.

It’s a sightseeing / internment trip for your package.

First, on a trip from inland Empire SoCal to here from a vendor who won’t ship to P.O. Boxes.
Let’s wait two days to pick it up after label created (both parties could be failing here)
Move it further inland, and let it sit for three days.
Ship it north, on a slow truck, with a driver w a baby sized bladder.
Stop long enough, about 45 miles from my house, to scan the package
Move it out east here, think Livermore or Lathrup area.
Deny all knowledge of its existence online for several days
Deliver it to my post office 12 days after it was shipped, at around 445 pm
PO puts a note in my box sometime the next afternoon.

I finally get away from work two days later to get it during the brief time they are open. Box is about 18” square, 9” tall. My 24” breaker bar is sticking 6” out of the box. Nothing else in the box, except three air pillows, slightly bigger than a Double Double each. Fault to the shipper, and the transit company. At least the breaker bar wasn’t bent.

 

[Outlawmws]

At least the breaker bar wasn’t bent.

Some years back I had a compound bow sent to me with **** pacakging - both arms were hanging outside the "packaging"... I (and the shipper) was so lucky no shipping damage occurred.

 

[Samuel Anton]

My pliers drawer. Plomb Pebble period "Name Nurl" handles down the left side. Earlier Plomb stylized handles and a few early Protos down the right side.

 

[Smokeshow69]

My pliers drawer. Plomb Pebble period "Name Nurl" handles down the left side. Earlier Plomb stylized handles and a few early Protos down the right side.

Nice start on the name nurl collection! Not real common to find that many in one place. Did you find them all local at swap meets?

 

[Samuel Anton]

Nice start on the name nurl collection! Not real common to find that many in one place. Did you find them all local at swap meets?

Years ago, I was finding a good selection locally. In fact, my obsession started with a 3/8 "pebble" breaker bar that I found at a yard sale for $3. I'd never seen anything quite like it, I was hooked! These days, Plomb tools are pretty scarce here in New Jersey, and as it is now, anybody with a vintage tool in their garage thinks they're gonna pay-off their mortgage with it, so I don't get too many $3 deals anymore!!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Years ago, I was finding a good selection locally. In fact, my obsession started with a 3/8 "pebble" breaker bar that I found at a yard sale for $3. I'd never seen anything quite like it, I was hooked! These days, Plomb tools are pretty scarce here in New Jersey, and as it is now, anybody with a vintage tool in their garage thinks they're gonna pay-off their mortgage with it, so I don't get too many $3 deals anymore!!

Yup, the first find is the one that gets you.
Makes sense you would find them local since they had a factory in NJ

 

[d42jeep]

I have found one NameNurl tool at a garage sale and one on eBay. It’s certainly not from a lack of looking. Here are some recent eBay pickups.
Cleaned up
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...here in New Jersey...

Uh oh! Competition! @NJ Marty mainly patrols the north. @Jim_No_Garage, too, except for periodic trips to Allaire, down here in my territory. Where are you located?

 

[Squez]

I have found one NameNurl tool at a garage sale and one on eBay. It’s certainly not from a lack of looking. Here are some recent eBay pickups.
Cleaned up
-Don

I wonder if we ever bid against each other…

 

[Outlawmws]

I've never seen a name knurl pair of pliers in the steel.

 

[Samuel Anton]

Uh oh! Competition! @NJ Marty mainly patrols the north. @Jim_No_Garage, too, except for periodic trips to Allaire, down here in my territory. Where are you located?

No worries for you guys. I'm South Jersey. I rarely venture north of I-195!!