Proto Tools Picture Thread - Post Yours!

[fang123]

And a few more. 1/4 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive HTC ratchets, and the best screwdrivers ever made.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is one that hasn’t seen much use.
-Don

 

[fang123]

A couple for today.

 

[bmwrd0]

Some more of mine
Wrench Drawer

Ignition sets


Flare combos - favorite to carry up on rooftops

1/4 sets


3/8 trays

Punches

Sets (puller is actally Plomb LA)


Metric Combos

And something you don't see every day, a TAC refrigeration set

I still need to pull out my 3/8 sets, and there is a lot of misc. spread thoughout the shop.

 

[ssdave]

Here's a picture of one SAE wrench drawer.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Great pictures and great tools.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[shanny19]

The kids get access to ONE drawer.
The pull is a 1 5/8 x 1 7/16.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

The kids get access to ONE drawer.

The pull is a 1 5/8 x 1 7/16.

That’s cool, love that.


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[Snaparxon]

Proto-Lite 3/4" dr ratchet, Proto long wrench set, Proto pliers and Proto 4 way lug nut wrench

 

[DD T/A]

Proto-Lite 3/4" dr ratchet, Proto long wrench set, Proto pliers and Proto 4 way lug nut wrench

That is one hell of a post, right there.


I have only seen one single of those Proto Long wrenches, its 3/8" I have in my junkyard box.
I also had a chance to buy a Proto lite before I was a fiend and passed on it nonchalantly. Kinda regret that, but who knows they may have wanted an arm and a leg for it...

 

[Snaparxon]

That is one hell of a post, right there.


I have only seen one single of those Proto Long wrenches, its 3/8" I have in my junkyard box.
I also had a chance to buy a Proto lite before I was a fiend and passed on it nonchalantly. Kinda regret that, but who knows they may have wanted an arm and a leg for it...

I put the wrench set together one at a time, took several years. I also paid WAY to much for the ratchet but I had the money and they are hard to find.

 

[Stillgottimefor1]

Amazing.


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[ssdave]

I put the wrench set together one at a time, took several years. I also paid WAY to much for the ratchet but I had the money and they are hard to find.

We ought to trade on some "L"'s, I think I can upgrade your set a bit with my spares, maybe on condition or owners marks. Your set is more complete than mine, but I have several spares.

Here's a few more pictures of my main box drawers, sorry a few other brands crept in, particularly in the metrics:

 

[ssdave]

A few more DBE, and the pile of Los Angeles I've been sorting out the past couple days to start populating the green box that I started the thread with. I need to find a 3/8" ratchet, I have probably 10 or more spares, hope one is LA. Have a lot of the 1/4" set, too, including the red/maroon box.

 

[ssdave]

bmwrd0, liked seeing that TAC set. I have one crowfoot, didn't realize they had interchangeable centers to fit in the tool.

 

[twertsy]

Some more of mine
Wrench Drawer
I still need to pull out my 3/8 sets, and there is a lot of misc. spread thoughout the shop.

Sweet!!! Nice Stash.

 

[fang123]

My small and not quite complete set of chevrons.

 

[shanny19]

^^ just awesome. I find chevron DBE on an ok basis, have a pretty good set. I find chevron DOE infrequently, have a couple. I’ve never seen a combo in the wild!

 

[DD T/A]

SSdave I have pathetically underestimated your collection and prowess in this field.

I really like those metrics, and am finding them hard to find; not that my modern Craftsman aren't doing a good enough job....but if I can find the set in vintage Proto...(this is going to take years, isn' it?)

Were all these complete sets pieced together at swap meets or did you buy complete sets new?
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872723&d=1552367141
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872725&d=1552367141
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872727&d=1552367231

Finding these one at a time must take eons...

 

[fang123]

^^ just awesome. I find chevron DBE on an ok basis, have a pretty good set. I find chevron DOE infrequently, have a couple. I’ve never seen a combo in the wild!

I've probably had that set since I was maybe 12. My dad started me out with proto sae, wrenches sockets and ratchets. At one time the set was probably complete.

 

[ssdave]

SSdave I have pathetically underestimated your collection and prowess in this field.

I really like those metrics, and am finding them hard to find; not that my modern Craftsman aren't doing a good enough job....but if I can find the set in vintage Proto...(this is going to take years, isn' it?)

Were all these complete sets pieced together at swap meets or did you buy complete sets new?
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872723&d=1552367141
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872725&d=1552367141
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=872727&d=1552367231

Finding these one at a time must take eons...

Thanks, but I'm just an accumulator, guys like Twertsy are the collectors. I've just kept what I use.

I assembled those metric sets a piece at a time, and then upgraded each time I got a better one and sold off the extras. That's pretty much the strategy I've used on all the stuff I have; buy, sort, add/replace, sell extras.

I started off with a mixed lot of tools, when I worked as a mechanic. SK, Wright, Indestro, Thorsen, Craftsman, williams, P&C, Pennens, Challenger, etc. I upgraded to mostly SK, but liked Proto so started keeping those. I had a friend that owned a pawn shop, he hated dealing with hand tools. He much preferred to make money on pawns than on sales, and his aversion to tool pawns was eating into his profits. I cut a deal with him that if he pawned USA tools at $.25 a socket and $1 per other major tool, I would buy all the failed pawn tickets at the first payment pawn cost.

I bought box after box, and sorted out all the tools by brand, size, etc. I re-assembled mixed set of USA tools, filled boxes with general mechanics sets, and sold them complete to the local junior college trade school kids for about $450 each. I kept the full polish Bonney, nicer SK, and Snap-on and assembled sets and sold them individually. I kept the Proto. Eventually I had complete sets of Proto to use.

After I took a different job and moved, I still kept buying random tools at yard sales, and upgraded my stuff as I could. I assembled all Proto sets, then morphed them into Mfd era, then changed to all Professional era.

I was getting ready to move again 4 years ago and started making a huge effort to sell my extras. I've sold several thousand miscellaneous tools, and probably 1500 to 2000 Proto ones. I have about that many extras still to go. Quite a few from the Mfd era will go to fill my tool boards, and the LA era will fill the green box.

Here's a few chevron ones that I sorted out yesterday, I think I have more, but not sure where. I thought I had quite a few more, and don't remember selling them off.

 

[ssdave]

Did some more sorting tonight, sorted out these Proto punches and chisels from the other brands. Now will have to sort out into some semblance of a set and put them in the toolbox.

Also found a few Plomb and a P&C.

 

[DD T/A]

when I worked as a mechanic. ....... but liked Proto so started keeping those. ...............I would buy all the failed pawn tickets at the first payment pawn cost. ..................................

I bought box after box, .......................and sold them complete to the local junior college trade school kids for about $450 each. Eventually I had complete sets of Proto to use.

This all adds up to: you have been around the block a few times.

Yep no way I'll ever see that many tools, but that's a fantastic way to build complete proper sets. Any really cool of you to put 'em together for new mechanics.

 

[B17E1943]

MD 112 dial indicator.

 

[Provincial]

That appears to be a rebadged Lufkin indicator set.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are my Challenger by Proto tools picked up at estate sales.
-Don

 

[eschoendorff]

This thread kicks ***. Love me some Proto but I don’t have nearly what you guys have. Just some select pieces. Mostly ratchets and wrenches.

 

[davethorik]

Old and new.

 

[Snaparxon]

A set of 1/2" drive 8 point sockets, 3/8" to 1-1/16"

 

[shanny19]

I don’t think anyone has posted any pebble flares yet, here are mine.

 

[RubiconJK]

Proto pocket knife

 

[ssdave]

A set of 1/2" drive 8 point sockets, 3/8" to 1-1/16"

You have one I don't have, and I must have one you don't have.

I have 10, you have 11. I have 3/8 to 15/16, no 1" nor 1 1/16".

I probably have a non-autographed one for the 3/8 if you want it. When I get enough shop space cleared to lay them out, you need to come over and go through my spares.

 

[ssdave]

I don’t think anyone has posted any pebble flares yet, here are mine.

Nice set. I only have a few, nowhere near a set. My users are snap-on for flare, the Proto are just there for the collection.

 

[fang123]

Proto pocket knife

That's cool.

 

[shanny19]

Nice set. I only have a few, nowhere near a set. My users are snap-on for flare, the Proto are just there for the collection.

Thanks. That’s a one piece at a time set. Before I snapped the pic, I had thought one or two were Plomb but guess not.

 

[Snaparxon]

You have one I don't have, and I must have one you don't have.

I have 10, you have 11. I have 3/8 to 15/16, no 1" nor 1 1/16".

I probably have a non-autographed one for the 3/8 if you want it. When I get enough shop space cleared to lay them out, you need to come over and go through my spares.

Most of my set is Proto LA, 4 are MFD and 1 Plomb/Proto. In my catalog there was no 15/16" offered at that time.

Is your 15/16" a professional?

 

[ssdave]

Most of my set is Proto LA, 4 are MFD and 1 Plomb/Proto. In my catalog there was no 15/16" offered at that time.

Is your 15/16" a professional?

It's pro, and not chromed. The others, except for two LA are also Pro.

 

[ssdave]

A USN marked Proto slugging wrench I sorted out today. It'll go down the road, I'd never get a set, and I certainly don't need it to use.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

A few more photo's of the completed work.

And photo's of the smaller, newer box that I got along with this one for another $20. I haven't done anything with it yet.

Wow Dave! That early flying lady Proto box sure turned out nice. I'm a late comer to this thread and just catching up but what a nice job on that box. It must have lived a pretty charmed life to have so much of the original paint survive. Worth a 2nd look. Ed.

 

[d42jeep]

I dug out my Proto Professional wrenches today for a couple pictures. The first shot is the chrome Chevron wrenches. The second is the rest of the Professional wrenches.
-Don