Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

[Private Lugnutz]

Plomb stuff is not common around here. You find 2 or 3 at a clip every so often.

I see Plomb every week up here in NJ, but, like you, it's only 2 or 3 pieces at a time. In 10 years of active collecting, 7 of them fairly regular, confined strictly - by choice, to flea markets and estate sales, I have collected probably only about 200 pieces, and that's counting duplicates. The overwhelming majority have been DBE wrenches and 1/2-inch drive sockets and handles. I wouldn't need a spreadsheet for the other stuff, put it that way! A few screwdrivers. The Plombaloy adjustable I showed a few pages back. The Name-Nurl pliers a few months ago. I found a wedge type No. 4520 stud puller a few years ago. That was a rare find. The only near-complete Plomb sets I have ever found were midgets. Three of those. I never see any chisels, punches, or hammers, or pullers.

I found this Proto hammer a few years ago with a lot of paint still on it. I was pleasantly surprised to find the old style size marking system on the head, and not even abbreviated (5-0, 5/0), but stamped "00000", which is exactly what it weighed (4 ozs).

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Lugs, didnt you say they showed it in a catalog as a pebbles handle at one point?

It appears on page 25 in catalog No.19-R REPRINT and on the same page number in catalog No19-R FOURTH PRINTING. I also said I had never seen one in the wild. It's possible that it was an artist's rendering and never produced. I would find that very odd, given the pebbled ratchet, and the pebbled hinge handles in the others sizes, but it's possible.

EDIT: Added the pic. (You need to get your TA registration fixed!)

 

[RagTopTA]

It appears on page 25 in catalog No.19-R REPRINT and on the same page number in catalog No19-R FOURTH PRINTING. I also said I had never seen one in the wild. It's possible that it was an artist's rendering and never produced. I would find that very odd, given the pebbled ratchet, and the pebbled hinge handles in the others sizes, but it's possible.

EDIT: Added the pic. (You need to get your TA registration fixed!)

I feel the same way. Why is that the exception ? they made very small pebble wrenches so I wouldn't think it would be a size issue. Maybe they just had a ton of the round stock decided to use them before they started on pebble. and never got to the pebbled versions.... so many weird things with Plomb. Like those NO pebble, pebble wrenches....

Edit: I got it a week or so ago! Im back in! The page says the handle is 5 1/2" in length. I shall measure my 1/4 round handles tonight to see if they are the same length.

Eddited Edit: you know looking at the picture, if the panel on the hinge handle is the same size as the 1/4 ratchet, then by the pic sizing it would be way longer than a 5 1/2. that leads me to believe they used a larger version graphic re-scaled to represent the 1/4 handle. I think you are right it was never made in pebble.

 

[48548]

1/4 was made into a pebble version of a hinge handle... i have seen them....

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[RagTopTA]

If they do exist then surely someone has one on this thread. I must find one if so!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

None of the tools in the pictures are to scale with each other, Rag. That's not an argument for them being made, just sayin that's not a good argument for them being rendered only.

Note that the 4766 handle shown on page 24 (where some 1/4-inch drive sets are shown) in the 19-R REPRINT (2/1944 - NLT 10/1946) and again on page 24 in the 19-R FOURTH PRINTING (NET 11/1946 - at least 3/1948) is the older round and knurled style. So go figure. Both styles shown in the same catalog. Not unprecedented. And usually always to save money on creating new graphics.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

1/4 was made into a pebble version of a hinge handle... i have seen them....

Do you remember where?

If they do exist then surely someone has one on this thread. I must find one if so!

It's a good old fashioned scavenger hunt race now.

May the best man win.

Unless OldManTaylor went through his sets and already found one.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for tracking that down, Frank.

This zoom is terrible, but here it is...

 

[tin medic]

I moved the pic here. It belongs to stormking.

 

[RagTopTA]

Awesome!! I must find one now!! Thanks!

 

[48548]

I have seen them on ebay for 75$

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[RagTopTA]

I have seen them on ebay for 75$

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So I gotta set a 100 back to get one when it comes up then huh.... ok!

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Ah ****...looks like I stirred up a bunch of interest in the little 4766 hinge handle. That'll make it just that much harder to complete my pebble board. Teach me to post before I find...I really didn't expect it to be all that rare and am really kicking myself for letting one get away.

 

[RagTopTA]

Ah ****...looks like I stirred up a bunch of interest in the little 4766 hinge handle. That'll make it just that much harder to complete my pebble board. Teach me to post before I find...I really didn't expect it to be all that rare and am really kicking myself for letting one get away.

Id give you first dibs to complete your board before Id buy out from under ya. They will turn up : )

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Thanks RagTop but I hope you know I was not serious. It's great to have a place like this to discuss things like breaker bars that most folks would dismiss as junk and building enthusiasm for our collections is part of the fun.

 

[48548]

I would like to finish my breaker bars... just missing 3.... hell you dont want to know what i paid for the nos proto lite... about 3.5 bills.

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[d42jeep]

I would like to help you out but this 3/8” one was given to me by a lifelong friend so it is staying in my collection. If I see the ones you are looking for at an estate sale I’ll be sure to pick them up!
-Don

 

[48548]

Hmmmm... firestone pebble in a 1/4 inch...

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[ssdave]

So, I did a search on 4766 1/4 pebble hinge handles/Breakers. Zero on Ebay, even on the Completed listings. Zero pics in Google images or Bing. Is there an actual 1/4 pebble 4766 out there? Does anyone have one in their possession? Lugs, didnt you say they showed it in a catalog as a pebbles handle at one point? I cant imagine them making the 1/4 ratchet pebble and leaving out the hinge handle.... if there is one out there post a pic please I need to see it!

I’ve got a 1\4 pebble hinge handle. Plomb; but marked Firestone

 

[48548]

Like mine above?

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[Private Lugnutz]

Hmmmm... firestone pebble in a 1/4 inch...

No better temporary stand-in available than a Plomb-made contract wrench!

 

[Smokeshow69]

I moved the pic here. It belongs to stormking.

It appears the best way to catch a 4766 is to set out a couple of nice vintage lounge chairs and trap them [emoji23]


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[Private Lugnutz]

Snerk. I wonder if garish green will work or if it has to be hot pink?

 

[48548]

Maybe the firestone are more rare and if so, i should sell mine to hold out for a plomb. I think the 3/4 are pretty rare...

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[RagTopTA]

Maybe the firestone are more rare and if so, i should sell mine to hold out for a plomb. I think the 3/4 are pretty rare...

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I think we have driven the Pebble plomb 1/4 market price way up in the last day. I have a pebble 3/4 in my 3/4 set.

 

[oldmantaylor]

I don't have a 3/4" hinge handle at all. I'd be willing to trade a 3/4" pebble ratchet for one.

 

[RagTopTA]

I don't have a 3/4" hinge handle at all. I'd be willing to trade a 3/4" pebble ratchet for one.

Heres my 3/4 pebble hinge handle and an extension, also the Battery terminal puller I got in yesterday.

 

[RubiconJK]

Heres my 3/4 pebble hinge handle and an extension, also the Battery terminal puller I got in yesterday.

Nice

 

[oldmantaylor]

Heres my 3/4 pebble hinge handle and an extension, also the Battery terminal puller I got in yesterday.

Nice. I messed up again. I just looked at my pictures and didn't find a 5668. I went to my spreadsheet and found several of the 5668's. Apparently that's the only length they made in 3/4".

 

[oldmantaylor]

Here's my two 3/4" sets. The hinge handles are buried, but they're there.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Picked up this nice unmarked plomb 1/4 drive ratchet off eBay for $17 ! It has seen very little use and is in pretty good shape minus the odd stain. The mechanism feels nice and smooth even with no super lube and the directional lever is tight as well. I am not sure if this is a wf series or if it is part of a contract where plomb mass produced tools ? It will fill a spot until I find a 1/4 pebble ratchet and hinge handle [emoji51]

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[RubiconJK]

Picked up this nice unmarked plomb 1/4 drive ratchet off eBay for $17 ! It has seen very little use and is in pretty good shape minus the odd stain. The mechanism feels nice and smooth even with no super lube and the directional lever is tight as well. I am not sure if this is a wf series or if it is part of a contract where plomb mass produced tools ? It will fill a spot until I find a 1/4 pebble ratchet and hinge handle [emoji51]

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Nice little ratchet. Did you check to see if it is truly 1/4 drive or is it 9/32 drive?

 

[tin medic]

I picked up an identical one of those last week and mine is definitely 1/4 dr.

 

[d42jeep]

My guess is that Plomb continued to produce those WF style ratchets for contract purposes since they only needed to make minor changes and they were set up to turn them out in volume at a very low cost after the war ended.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Agreed, Don. In all drive sizes. The WF-21 version shows up on lots of Ma Bell swages and cranks, and even marked Proto later, as has been discussed in a number of threads, including right here. I had one of the WF-8 S 1/4-inch versions. Everything but the drive plug is the same. I forget who has it now. Might be tin medic.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Nice little ratchet. Did you check to see if it is truly 1/4 drive or is it 9/32 drive?

I checked it last night as soon as I got it ! I have 9/32 stuff but not so much 1/4 drive stuff


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[tin medic]

I had one of the WF-8 S 1/4-inch versions. Everything but the drive plug is the same. I forget who has it now. Might be tin medic.

And I've picked up 3 more since.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

And I've picked up 3 more since.

Now that's just greedy.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That makes two (2) now. So they're off the Endangered list.

 

[RubiconJK]

I checked it last night as soon as I got it ! I have 9/32 stuff but not so much 1/4 drive stuff


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The reason I asked is that it seems like most of that style ratchet I see are 9/32 (WF-8). The WF-8-S that some others have mentioned was the 1/4 and much more rare.