To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

ratchet ****

bchee

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
6,148
Location
Texas
If you don't care about the part numbers on the handle you can do a transplant. I did this with a friend for a ratchet i gave him with a knackered handle:

01102008132.jpg


Is that hard to do? That's a screwdriver handle isn't it?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Moose-LandTran

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
15,945
Location
The Brink of Insanity (England)
He had a ratchet with a buggered handle and a screwdriver with a buggered shank, so logistically it's pretty good. Besides, he likes it so it worked pretty well.

I'll have many more orange handled tools soon. And a pink handled ractchet. :)
 

Stanger

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 25, 2006
Messages
1,298
Location
Alton, IL
So how'd you do it? If I were going to approach that I think I would first drill the handle to the right id. Then sandblast the handle of the ratchet. Put plenty of high strength epoxy in the plastic handle, then slip it over the ratchet handle. Wipe off any excess epoxy that oozes out. Am I close?
 

Moose-LandTran

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
15,945
Location
The Brink of Insanity (England)
So how'd you do it? If I were going to approach that I think I would first drill the handle to the right id. Then sandblast the handle of the ratchet. Put plenty of high strength epoxy in the plastic handle, then slip it over the ratchet handle. Wipe off any excess epoxy that oozes out. Am I close?

Nope.

Put a cloth around the shank of the ratchet in a vice, lever off the handle.

30092008130.jpg


The for the screwdriver, find a socket that's end matches the size of the round "cut" around where the shank goes in. (This prevents damage to the handle during removal) then put a cloth around the shank and clamp it in a vice. Use a prybar between the vice jaws an a socket and lever off the handle. (make sure the bolster will pass through the socket).

the ratchet handle part that goes into the hard handle has a step in it. Drill out the new hard handle out to the diameter of the end of the shank for the length of the ratchet handle that goes into the hard handle. Then drill out the wider part.

The ratchet handle has "wings" on it, to stop the hard handle coming loose or spinning. Fold up a cloth and put it on a hard surface, put the ratchet head on it, line up the hard handle and hit it with a soft-faced dead-blow hammer.

Job done.

Just remember one thing, i did it FIRST. :thumbup:
 

bchee

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
6,148
Location
Texas
I wish this were my drawer. i think it belongs to tony rivera, or rickster.
 

Attachments

  • ratchets snapon 80.jpg
    ratchets snapon 80.jpg
    77.3 KB · Views: 341

wrenchr

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
11,603
Location
Michigan
Nope.

Put a cloth around the shank of the ratchet in a vice, lever off the handle.

30092008130.jpg


The for the screwdriver, find a socket that's end matches the size of the round "cut" around where the shank goes in. (This prevents damage to the handle during removal) then put a cloth around the shank and clamp it in a vice. Use a prybar between the vice jaws an a socket and lever off the handle. (make sure the bolster will pass through the socket).

the ratchet handle part that goes into the hard handle has a step in it. Drill out the new hard handle out to the diameter of the end of the shank for the length of the ratchet handle that goes into the hard handle. Then drill out the wider part.

The ratchet handle has "wings" on it, to stop the hard handle coming loose or spinning. Fold up a cloth and put it on a hard surface, put the ratchet head on it, line up the hard handle and hit it with a soft-faced dead-blow hammer.

Job done.

Just remember one thing, i did it FIRST. :thumbup:

I have changed them to.
 

wrenchr

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
11,603
Location
Michigan
Swaps!! I do not like screwdriver part numbers on ratchets!! Caper's ratchet is proof.
 

MOPARHOUND!

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
697
Location
Kansas City
Stumbling onto this website got me to digging around.

Some extras that will need a home one day. The SK are no longer made. All are USA.

(Wanted to test a pic also.)
 

Attachments

  • NewUSARatchetsRevisedPhoto2.JPG
    NewUSARatchetsRevisedPhoto2.JPG
    47.9 KB · Views: 491
Last edited:

trackwelder

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Messages
2,608
Location
n.y
Stumbling onto this sight got me to digging around.

Some extras that will need a home one day. The SK are no longer made. All are USA.

(Wanted to test a pic also.)

If you plan on selling them I would take that williams in front and one of the green handle sk's.
 

lbgradwell

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
4,707
Location
Oakville, ON
Stumbling onto this sight got me to digging around.

Some extras that will need a home one day. The SK are no longer made. All are USA.

And I call dibs on that Armstrong! (Still don't have a single example from Armstrong in my collection...)

I could possibly be talked into one of the green-handled SKs too...
 

old salvage

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
1,464
Location
Rhode Island
This Blackhawk is sweet too, Glenn! I've never seen one of these either...
Thanks.
I noticed immediately that it was really smooth and thought it was probably well worn inside. Upon opening it I was suprised that there was almost no wear.
Its probably my smoothest ratchet.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

speed bump

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
6,317
Location
Butte Montana
Heres my favorite New Britian NB-45, I found it at the recyclers ready to be turned into cheap chinese steel and rescued and cleaned it up. It has to be my favorite becuase of how smooth the action is and it has just the right Patina as well.
NB%20ratchet%20small.jpg


This is kind of a cool Challenger set that I found at a hawk shop for $4, as far as I can tell everything is exactly the same as the Proto stuff other than the name.
Challenger%20ratchet%20set%20small.jpg
 

lbgradwell

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
4,707
Location
Oakville, ON

lbgradwell

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 21, 2007
Messages
4,707
Location
Oakville, ON
This is kind of a cool Challenger set that I found at a hawk shop for $4, as far as I can tell everything is exactly the same as the Proto stuff other than the name.
Challenger%20ratchet%20set%20small.jpg

I have a very similar Fleet 1261 ratchet from perhaps a few years after yours and I've noticed the Challenger & Fleet (& likely Vlchek) tools from that era (at least) share model numbers. I don't suppose that Challenger is a model 1261, is it?
 

MOPARHOUND!

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
697
Location
Kansas City
Stumbling onto this sight got me to digging around.

Some extras that will need a home one day. The SK are no longer made. All are USA.

(Wanted to test a pic also.)

For the casual board lurker, these new 1/2" drive ratchets in the pic are......

From top to bottom on the left: Top 6 are Craftsman Polished Professional, then a Williams.

From top to bottom on the right: Top 2 are Proto Professional, next 4 are green handled S-K (with extra thick steel in the beam of the ratchet), an Armstrong, and a Made in U.S.A. Polished Husky from Home Depot.

('HOUND's running ratchet total, this thread: 15 )
 

Attachments

  • NewUSARatchetsRevisedPhoto2.JPG
    NewUSARatchetsRevisedPhoto2.JPG
    47.9 KB · Views: 141
Last edited:

MOPARHOUND!

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
697
Location
Kansas City
Okay, dug into the main drawer of the Matco boxes, and found these 1/2" drives intended for use:

From top to bottom on the left: new Armstrong (weighs a ton, real steel!), Craftsman fine tooth with quick release and thumb wheel built in, black handled Powr-Kraft (old Montgomery Ward brand, Wright made), new Proto Professional, new green plastic handled S-K.

From top to bottom on the right: 2 used green plastic handled S-K, a new S-K fine tooth, a used S-K fine tooth.

Only Snap-On ratchet in this drawer is the double thick (well, seems like it is :) ) beamed speeder with flex-end, and the Snap-On ratchet attachment. These can be a flex head breaker bar, a speeder, or a flex head ratcheting speeder when used together.

Given I'm a weekend car hobbiest/quasi-tool collector, any collections I bought years ago, the more modern Snap-On ratchets were typically traded away for the most part. Probably a few more Snap-On pieces though......will keep looking.........

('HOUND's running ratchet count total this thread: 25)
 

Attachments

  • OneHalfDriveRatchetsBigDrawer.JPG
    OneHalfDriveRatchetsBigDrawer.JPG
    65.7 KB · Views: 174
Last edited:

billymade

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Messages
7,461
Location
New Mexico
Why did you get rid of your Snap-On stuff, if you don't mind me asking....? I'm actually, trying to go in the opposite direction; get rid of my low quality stuff and replace it with Snap-On; I'm finding them used and reasonably priced, however...
 

MOPARHOUND!

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
697
Location
Kansas City
The answer has to do with demand/financial considerations, and what I personally have for and/or prefer.

Used to be, and may still be, but from my few years first-hand experience the far and away number 1 seller at the flea market/pawn shops of the store brands was Craftsman, mainly due to the no questions/no hassle guaranty Sears has. (You wouldn't believe the return receipts for Sears in the file, last I counted over $4,000.00 retail. Note the new polished Craftsman 1/2" ratchets in the pic - have to know the counter guys at Sears ;) , as well as the forerunner to the current polished ratchet they offer ;) ;) )

Far and away number 1 seller of truck brands is Snap-On. Demand was so strong, I could use Snap-On as "currency" with the flea market dealers and pawn shop guys for other tools I wanted or didn't have.

No offense to other brand loyal guys, but not only my personal experience with brands other than Craftsman and Snap-On at the flea market, but also from the sellers I watched and talked to over the years is that other brands are going to set on the table for a lot of weekends before(if?) they sell.

Personal preference/application, I find S-K suits my wants/needs well (helps to have relatives at the plant ;) , those stories for another thread one day). If I made my living every day with tools, I'd probably step up to Snap-On. Financial sense was to deal away the fast moving stuff, to free up more $$$, and hopefully offset the expense of buying an individual collection. I came to the point of having not thousands of dollars, but tens of thousands of dollars setting in the garage mostly doing nothing, and believed common sense had to finally trump my tool insanity. (Getting married and having a child also played a role.)

On a broader note, there is a marketing type of sequence most people go through in life........it was expained to me in terms of GM cars years ago. You start out with a Chevrolet or Pontiac, then step up to an Oldsmobile, then a Buick, and finally a Cadillac.

(Dangerous my being on this board with a tool forum & classifieds, its like being a reformed alcoholic and hanging out in a bar thinking you can resist the temptation...............:lol_hitti ) .
 
Last edited:

MOPARHOUND!

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
697
Location
Kansas City
:hellobye: Alright, now for the extra long handled 1/2" drive ratchets from the big drawer, all Made in U.S.A. ..........

From the top:

Used Easco with fine tooth head/quick release/thumb wheel (same as Craftsman uses)
New Easco with fine tooth head/quick release/thumb wheel
New S-K fine tooth head
New Proto Professional
Used S-K (like the extra steel in the beam and head area, wish they had done this with their fine tooth design)
Used Wright
New S-K fine tooth flex head
New S-K flex head
Used Powr-Kraft flex head
Used Blackhawk flex head

More ratchets to come, brands, sizes, ages, etc., as time allows..........stay tuned....... :hellobye:

('HOUND's running ratchet total, this thread: 35 )
 

Attachments

  • OneHalfDriveExtraLongRatchetsBigDrawer.JPG
    OneHalfDriveExtraLongRatchetsBigDrawer.JPG
    69.8 KB · Views: 248
Last edited:

caper150

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
1,106
Location
Mantorville MN
Wow that alot of rachets, I don't think I'd be able to hide that many from the wife. BTW caper where on the Cape are you from, I'm from Port Morien, and the Bay bye.
 
OP
C

caper

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
3,185
Location
cape breton
I'm originally from the Northside,but now I'm in Sydney.I used to worry about the wife but now she's an ex wife.The girlfriend however knows better than to question my tool buying habits.
 

billymade

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Messages
7,461
Location
New Mexico
wrenchr, you have really nice collection; looks like mostly primo Snapon stuff!!!! :) Did you buy most of it used or new off the truck?
 

wrenchr

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
11,603
Location
Michigan
wrenchr, you have really nice collection; looks like mostly primo Snapon stuff!!!! :) Did you buy most of it used or new off the truck?

The new stuff like the 80's are new!! The older ones with the dust covers I love so when I run across one in nice to mint condition I buy it.
 

davestlouis

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
1,689
Location
Lake St. Louis MO
where do you find non-sealed Snap On ratchets in good shape? It seems like the older stuff is all chewed-up around here at pawn shops and flea markets. If nothing else, the dust covers themselves are all torn up.
 
Last edited:

speed bump

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
6,317
Location
Butte Montana
I have a very similar Fleet 1261 ratchet from perhaps a few years after yours and I've noticed the Challenger & Fleet (& likely Vlchek) tools from that era (at least) share model numbers. I don't suppose that Challenger is a model 1261, is it?

No, its a P-10 but I am pretty sure its the same ratchet as well.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom