Proto Tools Picture Thread - Post Yours!

[d42jeep]

My neighbor brought me a 3/4” pebble flare nut wrench yesterday which is a size that I didn’t have. Interestingly, it looks to be cad plated although I don’t know why it would be.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That is odd

 

[d42jeep]

Here it is after evaporust and cleaning. I guess the difference in appearance is that it’s Proto LA unlike my others.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't collect Proto, but over the years I've noticed other Proto LA examples that were either cadmium, black oxide, or plain steel, Don. As I think you are already aware, cadmium was used as an economy line finish well before the war. After the war I think some mfgrs went back to it or stayed with it for the same reason. I don't think Plomb used it that way, though, so I wonder if a customer (USAAF, ORD, etc) was still specifying it during the Proto LA period leading into KW. I know the ORD was still buying black oxide tools in the 50's. I'm not sure when cadmium was prohibited.

Also a little strange is the fact that two of your wrenches have the USPTO Registered Trademark symbol and some don't. None of those were made before 1946, so it's a little wonky how they had some dies with it, and obviously some dies without it.

 

[d42jeep]

They may have been the pebble tool with the longest run. They still appear in the ‘62/‘63 Proto catalog.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks. Interesting. Makes sense. And, not wonky at all then. Those two were from whenever Plomb decided to start using the Registered Trademark symbol on their dies. All the letters and numbers are just a tad thicker on those two, too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

If you want to start an LA only set of those, I have this orphan, Don. It was in a pile o' Plomb I picked up earlier this year. (You don't notice the classic Plomb electroplating rack burn marks until it's turned on its side. )

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks for the offer and if it was 1/2” I would definitely take you up on it. I haven’t actively been looking for them but if I find them in the wild for almost no money it’s hard to leave them behind. Plomb is a different story though.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

Thanks for the offer and if it was 1/2” I would definitely take you up on it.

I didn't know you were putting a set of those together. I have 2 and it looks like they would fit in well with your bunch. I'll set them aside for your next care package.

 

[d42jeep]

I didn't know you were putting a set of those together. I have 2 and it looks like they would fit in well with your bunch. I'll set them aside for your next care package.

Thanks, I didn’t set out to collect them but you know how that goes. Those are two I don’t have.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I ran into these two today, Don. (Although they may seem more suitable or even pre-destined for MR. X! The PO, the vendor's gramps, who worked for a crane company in NE Philly, marked everything.) I will put them in 'the Don pile'. Just sit back, enjoy your holiday, and apparently, Unaiu and I will do all your collecting for you!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, Lugz. I’m going to have a plethora of pebbles at this rate and I don’t have to lift a finger. We did hit a 4th of July Garage Sale this morning and I’ll post those few finds on the garage sale thread.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I had a great 4th and I haven't even lifted a beer yet! Hit my favorite flea this morning. See Garage Sale, Snappy, and Cornwell threads.

 

[bmwrd0]

Picked these guys up yesterday

To get two steps closer (ignore the two with painted stripes, but those are the last two I am looking for)

 

[Garage.Girl]

Came accross this Proto Pebble "Oversized Socket Wrench" this last week, No Clue what to Offer, his asking price was $130...

 

[Username already in use]

$130 seems a bit steep. But they're not too common and it has the drive plug. I gave about half that for a Plomb version I found at the flea a couple of years ago.

 

[thehorse13]

I came across these on my lunch hour. They appear to me to be same design that Plomb used before 1949. Anyone want to throw a guess out on when these were made?




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[thehorse13]

I think from the markings, they were made after 1960. I think that style was continued up into the early 1970's.

If you want to trade for something else, I'd love to have those for the 1958 green box that I started this thread with. You need any other Proto stuff? Or anything else in particular?

Normally I would walk past screwdrivers but I have a Proto Flying Lady box that is from the late 60s. That's why I grabbed them.

 

[The Lazy Destroyer]

Picked up this socket/wrench metal toolbox when my factory was downsizing their workstations. Missing a couple things and also had a bunch of other brand (but still USA made) sockets.







Pics make the sockets look small lol. But for reference the biggest one is 1-7/8”
Smaller ones around 1” maybe?

 

[The Lazy Destroyer]

Not sure on the age or even how “vintage” it would even be. But any help on IDing age would be appreciated mostly out of my own curiosity.

 

[bmwrd0]

I came across these on my lunch hour. They appear to me to be same design that Plomb used before 1949. Anyone want to throw a guess out on when these were made?




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Those are from the Professional era, so after the flying lady and starting after Ingersol Rand bought them. They show up just like that, with the markings on the handle, in my '78 catalog. Flying lady era would be just a marking on the ferrul saying Proto MFD USA.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a before and after shot of a rather large extractor I found at a garage sale recently.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Those are from the Professional era, so after the flying lady and starting after Ingersol Rand bought them. They show up just like that, with the markings on the handle, in my '78 catalog. Flying lady era would be just a marking on the ferrul saying Proto MFD USA.

Fantastic condition

 

[davethorik]

Here is a mishmash of wrenches, most are Proto. With exception of the Professional XL combo wrench, I got the rest at a yard sale last weekend. All have at least one 9/16 opening, lol.

Top to bottom
Matco USA WCL186 (Bonney, 8.25")
Proto Professional 1218L (ca. Late 90s/early 00s, 10")
Proto Los Angeles 1218-L (9")
Proto Los Angeles 8161 shorty offset DBE (5.625")
Plomb Los Angeles 1130 DBE (7.25")

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not really a Proto guy, but if I run into something at the flea market that seems like it would be out of the ordinary, I grab it. Today was that kind of day, as I couldn't resist these NOS No. 303R "Adjust-A-Cut" snips in their original box with some original packaging. The box is helpful in dating them. These had to have been made after 1957, when the board voted to change the name from Plomb Tool Company to Pendleton Tool Industries, Incorporated.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Here's the cardboard fold-up inside the handle.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Also picked up these Phillips screwdriver bits. See Pic 1. All three of them had a red band of paint on them for easy ID, added by a PO no doubt, which I stripped, and when I was standing there at the flea market table grabbing other stuff I thought they may have been a set. That didn't turn out to be the case after clean up and more scrutiny. The black oxide bits are Proto LA MFD, a No. 2 and a No. 3. The shorter cadmium-plated bit turned out to be a CAL AIR No 2. Might be Plomb Empire made as it has the "Hole-Tite" detent hole. Oddly, the Proto No. 2 (No. 4838) is a 1/4-inch drive and the No. 3 (No. 4839) is 3/8-inch drive. Phillips License #11.

 

[tym]

Also picked up these Phillips screwdriver bits. See Pic 1. All three of them had a red band of paint on them for easy ID, added by a PO no doubt, which I stripped, and when I was standing there at the flea market table grabbing other stuff I thought they may have been a set. That didn't turn out to be the case after clean up and more scrutiny. The black oxide bits are Proto LA MFD, a No. 2 and a No. 3. The shorter cadmium-plated bit turned out to be a CAL AIR No 2. Might be Plomb Empire made as it has the "Hole-Tite" detent hole. Oddly, the Proto No. 2 (No. 4838) is a 1/4-inch drive and the No. 3 (No. 4839) is 3/8-inch drive. Phillips License #11.

Nice haul--a shame someone buggered the longer Phillips bit.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice haul--a shame someone buggered the longer Phillips bit.

Thanks, tym. Agreed on the tip. First thing I noticed when I was cleaning them up. I am going to try to dress it up with some fine file work.

 

[tym]

Almost there with my Proto board...just need the 241. .

 

[tym]

Complete!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Complete!

Looking good!


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[bmwrd0]

I picked up these guys last week:


Never seen any with the "Not for Electrical Use" on them before, but it makes sense with the striking caps.

The guy I got them from said his dad had been a tool salesman for the industrial world. But he died 27 years ago, and even then he remembered them from 10 years before that. Thought they were a salesman sample. I bought them to use initially, but then I noticed that most of them still had the plastic on the handles.

 

[r_olson_06]

Complete!

Looks great. Hope to get to that point on my Plomb board.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061

 

[ShadowRuleZ]

Got these the other day at the flea market and thought I'd share.

If anyone's local and interested in them, let me know!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Complete!

Wow nice board!

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I picked up these guys last week:

The guy I got them from said his dad had been a tool salesman for the industrial world. But he died 27 years ago, and even then he remembered them from 10 years before that. Thought they were a salesman sample. I bought them to use initially, but then I noticed that most of them still had the plastic on the handles.

Nice screw driver sets Beemer. Not often you find new condition tools like that. Very nice. Ed.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I picked up these guys last week:


Never seen any with the "Not for Electrical Use" on them before, but it makes sense with the striking caps.

The guy I got them from said his dad had been a tool salesman for the industrial world. But he died 27 years ago, and even then he remembered them from 10 years before that. Thought they were a salesman sample. I bought them to use initially, but then I noticed that most of them still had the plastic on the handles.

Those are too nice to use. Super find.

 

[Snaparxon]

Picked up this wrench today. I know the metrics in this style of wrench are hard to come by but have never seen a British Standard one.

 

[bmwrd0]

They came out around the same time, earlier ones are marked Whitworth.