Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

[four.cycle]

I couldn’t tell what brand these

As near as I have been able to figure, that "plain jane" "INDESTRO" socket (not marked "Super" or "Select") was marketed as their "Classic" line.
AA and I have gone back and forth on those because of the "MPI" (molded plastic insert) set time frame, which I believe began in the early 1960s.
The only "Classic" catalog we have is from 1971, which from contemporary advertisements appears to be when the "Classic" line was introduced.

 

[930dreamer]

Vintage ignition wrench set​

$40 · In stock
Listed in Spanaway, WA

Durochrome ignition wrench set number 61 to 69 with a file and a small chapel lock wrench

 

[d42jeep]

Missing unobtainium Duro screwdriver. Roll is decent though.
-Don

 

[Etchase]

The 1954 patent 2686582, Duro-Crome 675. 52 tooth. Nice mechanism. Held together with a snap ring, I’ve seen others with a screw through the switch I think.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Different animal. These were sealed head, non serviceable. Popped up after ww2 and gone by early 50s.

 

[Etchase]

Different animal. These were sealed head, non serviceable. Popped up after ww2 and gone by early 50s.

Thanks!

 

[four.cycle]

I wasn't aware you had a collection of them, OTG!

I do not believe that Indestro made that unit... I think it was a Duro-Chrome thing only.

BTW:

Mark Stansbury just scanned and uploaded Indestro Catalog No. 20 and 20S at ITCL - we believe it to be a 1958 issue. I haven't had an opportunity to look through it yet.

Check out the NEW UPLOADS at ITCL!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I only have duro examples in 3/8 and 1/2, still looking for 1/4. Not sure if an indestro version exist.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I don't think Indestro made that one. Doesn't show up in either the 1948 or 1952 catalogs, and that was the time frame the Duro unit was produced, so.....

There are LOTS of items in Duro catalogs you won't find in Indestro catalogs.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Probably no indestro

 

[d42jeep]

I spotted this Indestro ad on eBay.
-Don

 

[Outlawmws]

That's one brand of snips I don't have, and I have over 100 pair.

 

[four.cycle]

That's one brand of snips I don't have, and I have over 100 pair.

I would put up dollars to donuts they were outsourcing their snips from Midwest.
Midwest was making conventional "tin snips" for damn near everybody:

Midwest / Midwest Tool & Cutlery, 1210 Progress St., Sturgis, MI 49091 / https://midwestsnips.com/ / est. 1945 / "The Claw" patent 4967613 Nov 6 1990 Richard E. Cone /

 

[d42jeep]

Rusty 13/16” D-I socket arrived today.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ I have two of those here for you in your bag. D-I. Plain finish. GREAT condition.

 

[d42jeep]

Cool. I found a kind of rusty 9/16” yesterday at an estate sale.
-Don
Cleaned it up.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Found this WWII GMTK spec DBE at the flea this morning, as well as the ignition pliers and the half-moon wrench, which is not one I have in my collection.

 

[Tom "Python" Aycock]

I added the sliding Tee I found at a tool sale and a ratchet that came from an eBay seller to this smaller D-I 1/4” drive set in progress.
-Don

Don,
I found this 1/4 drive box at the flea market yesterday. Inside of it is a 1/4 six pt, 11/32 and 3/8 twelve pt, 5/16 and 3/8S eight pt. All are -D- 1- wartime finish. The box isn't marked but resembles yours close enough for me to confirm as original. I reviewed catalog 39M (1939) to see what sockets should be included and it shows 3 six pt, 3 twelve pt, and 3 eight pt but the image shows a completely different style of box. Realizing this catalog pre-dates the wartime stuff, I couldn't locate a 1940s Duro catalog. Is your set pictured based on known sockets for the D-1 sets? If so, what sizes am I missing?

 

[d42jeep]

Since the D-I sets were produced during WW2, I don’t know of any catalog that shows contents. I have a 1940 catalog listing but the box is different and the sockets would have been marked Duro-Chrome rather than D-I.
Many of the wartime 1/4” drive sets came in larger boxes. These were sets in progress but generally the socket selection stayed the same. Three 8 point sockets were generally included.
Your box may have originally had an Indestro tag which isn’t unusual. Here is a wartime picture showing a big box set alongside an S-K set.
Here is a partial D-I set in an Indestro marked box.
These two sets look to have a full set of D-I sockets.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

Duro Chrome 12 pc 1/4" dr. SAE socket set "D I"
It will fit into a flat-rate padded envelope and I have a lot of wiggle room on this one if you're interested. BK

Thus far we haven't been able to find anything in the way of "catalog" for the war years 1940-1946 for Duro or Indestro, so the "D-I" timeframe is kind of nebulous.

 

[Flathead_Fred]

Received my second Durobilt set today. It is a #825 straight from the 1930 Sears catalog and is 100% complete. It even came with a couple extra short plugs, a universal joint and a Duro #971 Model T band adjusting ratchet. All the sockets are in nice shape and have the stylized trapezoid D on them. When I was cleaning inside the case I pulled out a Model A rod cap shim. 100% sure of that as I have worked on quite a few.

 

[four.cycle]

@Flathead_Fred -

Fred - I caught a bug of some sort in NYC and I'm sick as hell. Didn't think it was a good idea to go to the post office today and run the risk of making other people sick too.
So... hang loose... I'll get your set out as soon as I can.
I'll go out in the living room and dig around - I'm sure I can find that 3/4" socket in that mess somewhere. (And it will give me something to do since I'm pretty much stuck in the house.)
BK
06/02/25 20:04 PDT

 

[Flathead_Fred]

@Flathead_Fred -

Fred - I caught a bug of some sort in NYC and I'm sick as hell. Didn't think it was a good idea to go to the post office today and run the risk of making other people sick too.
So... hang loose... I'll get your set out as soon as I can.
I'll go out in the living room and dig around - I'm sure I can find that 3/4" socket in that mess somewhere. (And it will give me something to do since I'm pretty much stuck in the house.)
BK
06/02/25 20:04 PDT

No hurry, just get better.

 

[Kaline74]

This is my set of Indestro Select open ratchets (1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”). All work great.

 

[Flathead_Fred]

This is my set of Indestro Select open ratchets (1/4”, 3/8”, 1/2”). All work great.

Those look like new, very nice!

 

[Outlawmws]

This is my set of Indestro Select open ratchets

All paddle handles too! That's my favorite handle. I've have a 3/8 swivel head with that handle forever. I finally filled out more of the others and made a set.

 

[Flathead_Fred]

 

[Flathead_Fred]

 

[Flathead_Fred]

Still trying to figure out how to post correctly.

Just finished the "refurbish" of my Durobilt RX 310 set. Welded cracks in the box, straightened out the lid (as best I could) glass beaded both and painted them with VHT red disk brake caliper paint. That was the closest color. The Nickel plating polished up pretty good. Many thanks to four.cycle of this forum for the nice complete set and throwing in a 3/4 place holder socket for another set.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I thought that looked familiar. Didn't know you were going to re-work it! Nice job.
That 3/4" socket was the only one I found in THAT box. There are four other boxes out there. I'm not sure I got to the stuff that I got from @ssdave years ago - there was a boatload of old Duro/Indestro.
Pretty sure the newer-production stuff went to some other members for "Secret Santa" - how many 3/8" drive 11/16" 12-point sockets does a guy need?

 

[Beerhippie]

^ I thought that looked familiar. Didn't know you were going to re-work it! Nice job.
That 3/4" socket was the only one I found in THAT box. There are four other boxes out there. I'm not sure I got to the stuff that I got from @ssdave years ago - there was a boatload of old Duro/Indestro.
Pretty sure the newer-production stuff went to some other members for "Secret Santa" - how many 3/8" drive 11/16" 12-point sockets does a guy need?

Probably more than the number of 19/32 sockets....

 

[four.cycle]

^ I think I had like.... 17 of them or some ridiculous number... shipped them all out.

 

[Outlawmws]

Probably more than the number of 19/32 sockets....

 

[matthew]

Probably more than the number of 19/32 sockets....

But you can easily find 11/16” 12 point sockets from most retailers. 19/32” are very hard to find, so clearly they should not be disposed of casually ;D

 

[Beerhippie]

But you can easily find 11/16” 12 point sockets from most retailers. 19/32” are very hard to find, so clearly they should not be disposed of casually ;D

Funny--I run across them all the time in junk shop/yard sale lots.

 

[Etchase]

They are frequently in almost unused condition.

 

[bmwrd0]

19/32" is one of my most used sizes. I have it in 1/2", 3/8" drives and have a nut driver in that size.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

It's pretty close to 18 mm

 

[Beerhippie]

19/32" is one of my most used sizes. I have it in 1/2", 3/8" drives and have a nut driver in that size.

For what? I'm guessing something related to old German rigs?

 

[bmwrd0]

Old lathes, pretty much anything built before WWII, which is all of my stationary machinery.