Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[3baygarage]

3bay: i actually saved the pictures to my laptop so was going to post them here if somebody asked and i'll do it before i head out right now.

is that a crate full of 1 inch Plvmb ratchets without their guts in the one picture? OMG!!!

Awesome Drives.

That's what I just commented on in the photo thread too. Looks like ratchet blanks. Wow. And the stockroom with the large wrenches!

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

looks like a great quantity of odd offset alignment wrenches in the stockroom

 

[Rileysan]

I stopped at my favorite pawn shop today and came home with another Plomb 5449 1/2" drive pebble ratchet. The handle on this one is different in that the lettering is smaller, the pebbles are larger, and the handle is thicker and more rounded. It reminds me of the handle on the 3/4" drive Plomb/Proto ratchet I own.

Can this ratchet be dated by the style of handle? It's the first I have come across with this style handle.

I took a family picture with the 3 styles of Plomb 5449 ratchets I own. The ratchet in question is in the middle.

Brian

 

[Catfishdan]

I stopped at my favorite pawn shop today and came home with another Plomb 5449 1/2" drive pebble ratchet. The handle on this one is different in that the lettering is smaller, the pebbles are larger, and the handle is thicker and more rounded. It reminds me of the handle on the 3/4" drive Plomb/Proto ratchet I own.

Can this ratchet be dated by the style of handle? It's the first I have come across with this style handle.

I took a family picture with the 3 styles of Plomb 5449 ratchets I own. The ratchet in question is in the middle.

Brian

I know the "made in USA" style is older than the "MFD in USA" style, but I don't know the exact cut off date. Closer to '48 than '45. I'd be interested to know exactly when it changed as well.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I know the "made in USA" style is older than the "MFD in USA" style, but I don't know the exact cut off date. Closer to '48 than '45. I'd be interested to know exactly when it changed as well.

Yes I agree with your later date ! Brian's newest ratchet looks a lot like the proto la pebbles in terms of the round handle sides we see so I would say it is pretty close to the transitional era!


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[d42jeep]

I stopped at my favorite pawn shop today and came home with another Plomb 5449 1/2" drive pebble ratchet. The handle on this one is different in that the lettering is smaller, the pebbles are larger, and the handle is thicker and more rounded. It reminds me of the handle on the 3/4" drive Plomb/Proto ratchet I own.

Can this ratchet be dated by the style of handle? It's the first I have come across with this style handle.

I took a family picture with the 3 styles of Plomb 5449 ratchets I own. The ratchet in question is in the middle.

Brian

Brian,
Those look familiar. See post 2889. Probably your new ratchet is postwar like mine.
-Don

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I was on about those in another thread not long ago. IMO both are post war because the the 'made in usa' one while being earlier than the other would have been a blatant violation of wartime extra grinding restrictions. Interestingly, I have yet to see one in that style that is plated, while plenty of the more rounded ones are.

I had thought there was a similar distinction in wrenches, some are faced on a belt grinder and some are not... but if you look at my 3206 in post 2482, its only faced on one side, and that seems common.

And since its hard to love a post with no pics,

Part of my latest acquisition, these 2 sharp little beauties (they are really quite stabby). and a WF-21 I cleaned up last night. The grease was fully petrified, but not a spot of rust inside. i think its an early example with non countersunk screws, no notch for the selector, nor the selector that curls over the lip. Why does this matter? well, you can spin the selector 360*. unique, but not that cool.

 

[RagTopTA]

Found some Plomb last weekend at the fleas and traders village.
2 WF37 breakers, One made a lot better than the other with a hole in the handle as well.
WF7 breaker
WF22 T handle slider
3 pebble wrenches
and a couple of offset screwdrivers one proto, another marked PWA....
and a possible plomb proto screwdriver, unmarked.

 

[DuroChrome]

Drives it far...thank you for sharing those pictures!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

and a couple of offset screwdrivers one proto, another marked PWA...

What are the dimensions of the PWA? Length and diameter of the octagonal stock shank. Please.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I initially thought the second piece from the left in this grouping was a wartime v Plvmb v 5228 3/8-inch drive 7/8" socket frozen stuck with rust and gunk on an unknown universal joint. When I got home and discovered that it was crudely welded on, I started to think some Bubba was unhappy with Plomb's cub swivel line ending with No. 5279 (3/4")!

 

[RagTopTA]

What are the dimensions of the PWA? Length and diameter of the octagonal stock shank. Please.

5" long and about a 1/4" wide.
I also found this socket a couple weeks ago... its got an AT number only on it and looks kinda Plomb-ish

 

[chrislehr]

I assume folks in this thread all carry a plomb screwdriver on their keychain, but just in case not...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

5" long and about a 1/4" wide.
I also found this socket a couple weeks ago... its got an AT number only on it and looks kinda Plomb-ish

Thanks. Plomb did supply tools to Fairchild Ranger (Engine) Division, and they were marked with a model number that had an "AT" prefix. Usually accompanied by "RANGER" though, so iffy.

 

[RagTopTA]

I assume folks in this thread all carry a plomb screwdriver on their keychain, but just in case not...

I have one on my key chan as well! Pic of it tonight after work.

Thanks. Plomb did supply tools to Fairchild Ranger (Engine) Division, and they were marked with a model number that had an "AT" prefix. Usually accompanied by "RANGER" though, so iffy.

I thought it was a Plomb socket when I found it it was super rusty. Plomb made the Offset screw driver ?

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I assume folks in this thread all carry a plomb screwdriver on their keychain, but just in case not...

I'm still looking for the tree those grow on.

 

[chrislehr]

I'm still looking for the tree those grow on.

They come up on ebay frequently enough

 

[Private Lugnutz]

As first reported in the Garage Sale thread, I ran into a bunch of Plomb pieces inside this combination 3/8- and 1/4-inch DUNLAP socket set box at the flea market this morning.

View media item 76778
View media item 76777
All 3/8- and 9/32-inch drive, no 1/4-inch drive. Lots of wartime date codes and cadmium plating in the bunch. Looks to me like a prior owner filled out an incomplete Plomb WF set with a few other Plomb (not WF) pieces and pieces from a few other mfgrs (Snap-On, Hinsdale, Duro-Chrome), painted everything proprietary red, and threw them in a DUNLAP box for keeping. Note: The spinner (a New Britain-made SPARTA CM64) and the sliding tee (Bonney V17) are 1/4-inch drive but they weren’t in the box. I picked them up separate and threw them in for the ride home.

View media item 76811
Inventory:
3/8-inch drive
- Duro-Chrome 4420, 3/4”
- Plomb WF-32, 11/16” C
- Snap-On F-200, 5/8” “G (1945)
- Plomb 3218 9/16” 1B
- Plomb WF-29 1/2” 1C
- Plomb WF-28 7/16”
- Duro-Chrome 4412, 3/8”
- Plomb WF-26, 5/16”
- Plomb WF-17 extension

9/32-inch drive
- Plomb WF-5 extension
- Hinsdale hinge handle
- Plomb WF-15, 7/16” C
- Plomb WF-15, 7/16” C
- Hinsdale 11/32” Vanadium
- Hinsdale 5/16" SM10 >
- Plomb WF-12 5/16” C
- Plomb WF-11 1/4” C

See thumbnails for close-ups

 

[davethorik]

They come up on ebay frequently enough

They do, but I'm not willing to pay $30 for one. I got lucky and got one like yours off ebay a week ago for $10, Still waiting for it to arrive.

 

[chrislehr]

They do, but I'm not willing to pay $30 for one. I got lucky and got one like yours off ebay a week ago for $10, Still waiting for it to arrive.

Occasionally someone on ebay posts up ten at a time. I tend to buy then and gift/donate them to others I know who like old tools.

 

[davethorik]

I'm waiting on someone to show a box of nos they picked up at a yard sale for 25 cents lol. I know a couple gj members have recently found multiple p&c nos examples in the same place.

All things considered, I bet a lot of these were given away bc of advertising stamped into them. The one I picked up is just blank on the rear.

 

[Rileysan]

I assume folks in this thread all carry a plomb screwdriver on their keychain, but just in case not...

I most certainly do!

Brian

 

[four.cycle]

just an FYI in case you didn't see it:

PLOMB 12-pc 1/4" drive SAE socket set
3/16" - 7/16"
used
$23.99 + $6.00 shipping now. 0 bids now. ends Sat. 11/18
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PLOMB-PLVM...498288?hash=item41d40d08f0:g:pPIAAOSwSrNaB8lA

 

[davethorik]

Finally got my keychain screwdriver.
It looked good in the ebay ad, but in person it appears to have never been used or even put on a keychain!

 

[bmwrd0]

Not sure if I ever posted these, but I was digging through my boxes getting ready to move and refound them:


Plomb Torkers 5401 and 5402. If you are wondering why the 5402 is so clean, its because I found it in the box!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Not sure if I ever posted these, but I was digging through my boxes getting ready to move and refound them:





Plomb Torkers 5401 and 5402. If you are wondering why the 5402 is so clean, its because I found it in the box!

I have said this before and I will say it again, you **** for the mint torque wrench ! Such a good score, love the box !


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[RagTopTA]

heres the one I carry. I dont see a date code on it ... : )

 

[DuroChrome]

This guy indicates they were made from 1944-1948...or so.

 

[d42jeep]

I was going through some 3/8" drive tools and noticed that I had 4 Plomb 5261 extensions with the exact same number and each one was different. I believe that Plomb expanded so quickly during WW2 that these were being turned out in many different facilities.
-Don

 

[twertsy]

I was going through some 3/8" drive tools and noticed that I had 4 Plomb 5261 extensions with the exact same number and each one was different. I believe that Plomb expanded so quickly during WW2 that these were being turned out in many different facilities.
-Don

That's an interesting picture Don. And the correct conclusion I believe.

 

[RagTopTA]

A couple of things came in, I haven't got to hit many sales lately because of forced Overtime on my days off. But, they cant stop me from buying **** online!

Plomb 5469 hinged speedster handle 1/2
Plomb Los Angeles 4" screwdriver 9701 4 A code

 

[Username already in use]

Snagged this 1in drive Plomb/Proto ratchet from the auction site for a steal. No visible branding, so the seller had the brand name listed as MFD - USA ...

After cleaning it up some, the pebble grip is missing any Plomb / Proto branding, so, I'm at a loss here. Maybe this was a contract production ratchet?

The chrome looks like Proto era to me. Thoughts?

 

[3baygarage]

I agree. It would be a Proto based on the configuration. Pretty neat, it's not like the name was removed.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Looks like cover plate is on backward, and might have a brand on the hidden side.

 

[twertsy]

I found a site that has all the LA City Directories listed and searchable. Found some interesting stuff in them there pages..........I included the first 2 paragraphs from my prior research because well, I think there's a new "origins story" forming.

A 1907 listing of "Tool Makers" in Chicago lists an A. Plomb at 77-83 W. Lake.

In 1910, voter registration records from Los Angeles, CA show Alphonse Plomb as a "Tool Manufacturer" at 1658 Long Beach Ave. Subsequent voter registration records from 1936 and 1944 show he and his son Henry J. Plomb listed as Tool Makers.

In the 1910 LA City Directory, Alphonse Plomb is listed as a tool maker located at 1658 Long Beach Ave. In 1913 and 1914, he is listed under Tool Manufacturers and located at 7674 1/2 Male Ave.

The first time Plomb Tool is listed as a company in the LA City Directories is 1916. In this directory, Jacob Weninger is listed separately as a tool maker, William Ziegler Jr. is listed as manager, and Alphonse Plomb is not in the directory. Charles H. Williams doesn't show up associated with Plomb Tool until 1917. He appears to be Secretary for Eucalyptus Hardware Association prior to 1917.

In the Los Angeles City Directory for 1909, Jacob Weninger is listed as a Wire Worker. In 1913, he is listed as a tool maker. In 1916, he is listed as a tool maker, but separate from Plomb. In 1917 he is listed with Plomb Tool Mfg. Co. In 1918, he is listed as Foreman. By 1920, he is simply listed as a tool maker. In 1923, he is listed as Foreman of Plomb. In 1925, 1926, and 1928 he is still Foreman. In 1934, Weninger is listed as Superintendent at Plomb. On Jacob Weninger's 1942 Draft Registration, he is listed as a tool maker for California Tool Co.

 

[Username already in use]

Looks like cover plate is on backward, and might have a brand on the hidden side.

Yeah, I noticed that as well and checked yesterday. Nothing on the other side of the cover plate.

The Pebbles are still there, so nothing was abraded away. It's an odd one.

 

[Catfishdan]

User Name Already in Use...nice find! I'd like to know the story behind that one.

I picked up a cool War Finish 1/4" ratchet the other day. Looks like it got rebuilt at some point, but it's smooth like butter. I'm starting to wonder; what would it take to get All the plomb 1/4 inchers?...

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[twertsy]

User Name Already in Use...nice find! I'd like to know the story behind that one.

I picked up a cool War Finish 1/4" ratchet the other day. Looks like it got rebuilt at some point, but it's smooth like butter. I'm starting to wonder; what would it take to get All the plomb 1/4 inchers?...

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Lot's of ammo............

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some of them. The incomplete set I received recently. One of the other more complete sets is mostly marked War Finish and there is an early pebble ratchet sitting on the sets.
-Don

 

[notlob]

Here are some of them. The incomplete set I received recently. One of the other more complete sets is mostly marked War Finish and there is an early pebble ratchet sitting on the sets.
-Don

This set would look really nice in my wartime Plomb chest.