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Plomb tool picture thread - show your stuff!

r_olson_06

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Here’s a neat piece I picked up on the bay for a couple of bucks. An unused Plomb matchbook cover. Made in Los Angeles too. It’s amazing that this stuff survives as long as it does.
I almost hit the BIN on that one. Had the 2nd place Dakota on it so I passed. Neat piece.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,
 
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3baygarage

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Cool matchbook.

I brought this home last week and seems like perfect timing.

7/8” 5348S Plomb LA 1/2” dr..

AA has this as a spark plug socket. I thought the NO GUAR on a Plomb was interesting. It shows up on a lot of old Snappy.
 

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r_olson_06

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Cool matchbook.

I brought this home last week and seems like perfect timing.

7/8” 5348S Plomb LA 1/2” dr..

AA has this as a spark plug socket. I thought the NO GUAR on a Plomb was interesting. It shows up on a lot of old Snappy.
What's the date code on it? It would help by knowing what catalog to start with.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,
 

Private Lugnutz

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It's in every catalog I checked between 1938 and 1948. Footnoted below the 53xx table as "not replaceable" (hence the no guarantee). It's the only 53xx socket with an "S" suffix and that caveat. The weird thing is it doesn't explain why, and it has all the same specs as a 5348, no "S". Same size service opening, number of points, dimensions, etc. It is red-lined/discontinued in the wartime catalogs. Because it's redundant to the 5348.

The difference - and the reason for the "S" and caveat - might be the cross-drilled hole, as someone alluded to upthread. If that's the case, though, why aren't all the other sockets with cross-drilled holes NO GUAR?

??
 

d42jeep

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My guess is that it's a special thin wall socket for 1936 and earlier Buicks with limited clearance around the spark plugs. Snap-on made a special socket for that purpose (S-9803-A).
-Don
 

Oldtuleguy

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I have a herbrand socket that is stamped buick
 

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RubiconJK

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Recently added a couple items to the Plomb 1/2" drive ratchet stable so I thought I'd take a family photo. From bottom to top:
Plomb WF-38-T
Plomb N-38 (one of the new additions...Vannatta site refers to the "N" designation as "Unknown")
I&V WF-38 (another recent addition...not sure if you guys have discussed this version before, but somewhere I read the I&V may stand for "Industrial & Vocational".
Proto WF-38
Craftsman Circle U (recent addition and made by Plomb. Will show the rest of the set sometime later)
Plomb 5449 Pebble
Plomb 5449 Round handle
Plomb WF-38 ver 1
Plomb WF-38 ver 2
Plomb WF-38 BOG version
 

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MR.X

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Recently added a couple items to the Plomb 1/2" drive ratchet stable so I thought I'd take a family photo. From bottom to top:
Plomb WF-38-T
Plomb N-38 (one of the new additions...Vannatta site refers to the "N" designation as "Unknown")
I&V WF-38 (another recent addition...not sure if you guys have discussed this version before, but somewhere I read the I&V may stand for "Industrial & Vocational".
Proto WF-38

Craftsman Circle U (recent addition and made by Plomb. Will show the rest of the set sometime later)
Plomb 5449 Pebble
Plomb 5449 Round handle
Plomb WF-38 ver 1Plomb WF-38 ver 2
Plomb WF-38 BOG version

Impressive! Hey, that "Industrial & Vocational" bit is something I just pulled out because of the initials, the dearth of other good theories and I had probably just been reading about how there used to be movement and programs in education ref. functional Industrial,Vocational and Trade training and should be again. I didn't have any hard evidence.
 

r_olson_06

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Recently added a couple items to the Plomb 1/2" drive ratchet stable so I thought I'd take a family photo. From bottom to top:
Plomb WF-38-T
Plomb N-38 (one of the new additions...Vannatta site refers to the "N" designation as "Unknown")
I&V WF-38 (another recent addition...not sure if you guys have discussed this version before, but somewhere I read the I&V may stand for "Industrial & Vocational".
Proto WF-38
Craftsman Circle U (recent addition and made by Plomb. Will show the rest of the set sometime later)
Plomb 5449 Pebble
Plomb 5449 Round handle
Plomb WF-38 ver 1
Plomb WF-38 ver 2
Plomb WF-38 BOG version
Nice grouping. The N-38 series carried into the proto generation as well. Same build as the WF series.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,
 

RubiconJK

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Nice family photo.

Impressive! Hey, that "Industrial & Vocational" bit is something I just pulled out because of the initials, the dearth of other good theories and I had probably just been reading about how there used to be movement and programs in education ref. functional Industrial,Vocational and Trade training and should be again. I didn't have any hard evidence.

Nice grouping. The N-38 series carried into the proto generation as well. Same build as the WF series.

Thanks guys. Mr X I had seen the same speculation on Plombob's old site and he referenced a similar comment on AA, although I can't find the AA quote. Makes as much sense as anything else!
 

d42jeep

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Thanks guys. Mr X I had seen the same speculation on Plombob's old site and he referenced a similar comment on AA, although I can't find the AA quote. Makes as much sense as anything else!

Since the WF and N prefix wrenches are quite similar and it has been suggested that the N might stand for Navy, I don’t see why the ratchet should be any different.
-Don
 
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Private Lugnutz

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Since the WF and N prefix wrenches are quite similar and it has been suggested that the N might stand for Navy, I don’t see why the ratchet should be any different.
Agreed, except that the "N" series model numbers usually appear on P&C made tools. (I had done a little tally once, and the P&C N- series matches the Plomb WF- series, and even goes beyond it - including DBE wrenches that did not appear in the Plomb WF- series.) Am I mistaken about that, or have we seen Plomb "N" series tools before? If not, Roob's ratchet is a new development.

Indeed it is
Then Don nailed it.
 
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Magnum440d100

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Not mine!

Just perusing for sale ads...

Tempted to ask if he will ship, and buy the whole lot :bounce:
 

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Private Lugnutz

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I don’t know what N stands for, but the N-38 Plomb isn’t something new. As R Olson said there are also a lot of them in Proto, particularly the oval head Penens style.
Thanks, 3bay. I missed that. What about other WF series tools? i.e., is there a Plomb N-52 socket that is equivalent to the Plomb WF-52 socket? A Plomb N-78 swivel joint equivalent to the Plomb WF-78 swivel joint? A Plomb N-85 DBE wrench, etc etc? Is there a Plomb N counterpart for all the WF tools, as there seems to be with P&C N series tools? If not, then this Plomb N-38 seems different somehow than what's going on with P&C seemingly making a whole line of tools for the Navy equivalent to the tools Plomb made for the US Army Air Corps. That's what I was referring to.
 

RubiconJK

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Thanks, 3bay. I missed that. What about other WF series tools? i.e., is there a Plomb N-52 socket that is equivalent to the Plomb WF-52 socket? A Plomb N-78 swivel joint equivalent to the Plomb WF-78 swivel joint? A Plomb N-85 DBE wrench, etc etc? Is there a Plomb N counterpart for all the WF tools, as there seems to be with P&C N series tools? If not, then this Plomb N-38 seems different somehow than what's going on with P&C seemingly making a whole line of tools for the Navy equivalent to the tools Plomb made for the US Army Air Corps. That's what I was referring to.

If there are N counterparts to all the WF tools I am not aware of them and I've never seen that documented anywhere. This is the first N mark I have seen, so I'd love to see other examples.
 

d42jeep

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If there are N counterparts to all the WF tools I am not aware of them and I've never seen that documented anywhere. This is the first N mark I have seen, so I'd love to see other examples.

I keep an eye out for WW2 Navy tools, and I haven’t seen any other Plomb tools with the N prefix. I just threw the thought out there because of the P&C N marked DBE wrenches that have been found. The P&C N marked wrenches, although very similar to WF wrenches, are not exactly the same even with the name number marking, from what I’ve seen.
-Don
 

Private Lugnutz

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If there are N counterparts to all the WF tools I am not aware of them and I've never seen that documented anywhere. This is the first N mark I have seen, so I'd love to see other examples.
I don't know of any others, Rubicon. That's my point. And personally, I wouldn't put one ratchet in the same category as all the P&C N- series tools that are WF- series counterparts.

I keep an eye out for WW2 Navy tools, and I haven’t seen any other Plomb tools with the N prefix. I just threw the thought out there because of the P&C N marked DBE wrenches that have been found. The P&C N marked wrenches, although very similar to WF wrenches, are not exactly the same even with the name number marking, from what I’ve seen.
If you're talking about construction, they are clearly NOT the same, Don. Plomb's WF- series DBEs are flat shanked. P&C's are round. But the P&C N- series wrenches are the same wrenches as their Plomb and P&C WF- series counterparts in terms of models numbers and service openings. That's the most salient point. Also, for those who are new to this whole subject, it's not just wrenches. There are P&C N- series drive tools that are the same exact drive tool (again, in terms of function, type, drive size, length, etc) as Plomb WF- series drive tools.
 

d42jeep

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I could be wrong but I seem to recall that the P&C N and WF found examples were slightly different in length. Maybe somebody with an incredibly large collection of DBE wrenches can do some comparisons.:thumbup:
-Don
 

Private Lugnutz

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I already did that comparison on the P&C thread, Don. The P&C N- series DBEs I checked are slightly longer than their Plomb WF- series DBE counterparts. Note that the P&C WF- series wrenches are also slightly longer than the Plomb WF- series wrenches. None of this is surprising. Plomb and P&C did not use the same tooling. The round-shanked P&C WF- and N-series wrenches are based on the P&C 22xx series wrenches that P&C was making before Plomb bought them out, and before Plomb used them to make WF- and N- series wrenches for Plomb contracts with the US Army Air Corps and possibly the US Navy, and before P&C made WF- series wrenches under its own contract with the US Army Air Corps.

Maybe I am missing your point. You're not suggesting a slightly different length makes them different wrenches, are you? I think the identical model numbers, the identical opening sizes on the box ends, and the pattern (15* angled heads) make them the same wrench, regardless of the shape difference (round vs flat shank) and the negligible length difference. If they were dwarfies, or offsets, or something serious, that would be problematic. Whoever the customer, the N- series was clearly modeled on the WF- series. EDIT: Note, as I previously noted on the P&C thread, the N- series is more expansive than the WF- series. It includes wrenches (size combinations) that the WF- series did not. Whichever customer the N designates, they wanted a few more/different wrenches.
 
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d42jeep

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I was only speaking of the found P&C examples. I never mentioned a comparison with Plomb WF wrenches although it may have appeared that way.
-Don
 

MR.X

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86 years ago today. Happy combination wrench day!!

combo.jpg

In the spirit of acknowledging the anniversary of that bulletin here's some combo's.... of course a 33, a date code / "O" Plomb anomaly 35, an early A.Plomb, a little bit later flatback A.Plomb.
 

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r_olson_06

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Hit some amazing Plombs today. Here is a teaser on the Plomb hauls.
Woody screwdriver.
2 Plomb DBE igintions!!
1 Plomb micro pear head!!
7 Plomb electrical igintions wrenches.

Now for the amazing part. While at the swap meet browsing around I stop at one booth and seen a Plomb combination wrench for $.50 I was super excited. I thought I would dig a little deeper into what the vendor had. Rummage around found a cool whip container with some igintions wrenches. Digging around I found all the igintions wrenches. I asked how much and he said they are small how about a quarter a piece. I almost fell over. A micro pear for a quarter.
All in all 14 Plomb pieces for $5.

Stopping at another booth a vendor (knowing I was into Plomb) asked me if i seen this organge combo wrench. I completely overlooked it. A 16" dual marked. They asked if I had one I said I don't have any 16" just a 20" and 4" in the dual marked. Now I have to find a way to clean the paint off. Appears to be rattle can. 6 more sockets and another DBE to round it off.

Also have this case that I am certain is Plomb made the trays look correct. But no markings at all. Any ideas?IMG_20190426_194434143_HDR.jpegIMG_20190426_194438719.jpegIMG_20190426_194456648.jpeg

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrenches 3061, 3070,
 
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RubiconJK

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Hit some amazing Plombs today. Here is a teaser on the Plomb hauls.
Woody screwdriver.
2 Plomb DBE igintions!!
1 Plomb micro pear head!!
7 Plomb electrical igintions wrenches.

Now for the amazing part. While at the swap meet browsing around I stop at one booth and seen a Plomb combination wrench for $.50 I was super excited. I thought I would dig a little deeper into what the vendor had. Rummage around found a cool whip container with some igintions wrenches. Digging around I found all the igintions wrenches. I asked how much and he said they are small how about a quarter a piece. I almost fell over. A micro pear for a quarter.
All in all 14 Plomb pieces for $5.

Stopping at another booth a vendor (knowing I was into Plomb) asked me if i seen this organge combo wrench. I completely overlooked it. A 16" dual marked. They asked if I had one I said I don't have any 16" just a 20" and 4" in the dual marked. Now I have to find a way to clean the paint off. Appears to be rattle can. 6 more sockets and another DBE to round it off.

Also have this case that I am certain is Plomb made the trays look correct. But no markings at all. Any ideas?

Mega Pick! Congrats. I don't recognize the box and it is laid out a bit differently than my 1/2" drive box.
 

RubiconJK

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A few years ago I found my first WF-21-S and posted about it on this thread.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6053257&postcount=1

I didn't get many responses to my question about what other collectors thought about its military use and looking back I probably should have posted it here to the Plomb thread, but alas it was early in my indoctrination to the world of forum usage!

I have continued to ponder the applications for this ratchet and then this week I found and bought this beauty on ebay. This is a cable cutter that has a WF-21-S attached. I'll continue my story and a few more pics on the next post.
 

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