Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

[CRTDI]

I was thrilled to find this at the flea market this morning.

Very cool find! I wasn't aware that such a tool existed. I know first hand that a jammed/clogged up grease fitting can turn a routine job into a PIA...

I'm wondering if this tool worked well enough to actually be useful.

 

[LNKMK8]

Set of very clean looking Duro Tool Boards showed up in the Marketplace in Kansas City... These are not mine but thought someone here might want them.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/289839691994306/

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Those are cool boards, but it's weird that the logo only appears on a couple of them.

Does the business end fit properly onto a current-era zerk fitting?

What you refer to as “current-era” zerk fittings were in common use in WW2. Here are some pages from a 1944 Alemite catalog. Since Lugz found the tool in a 1941 catalog, I would assume that it worked on both styles.

The nozzle fits the same type of Zerk fittings that my wartime Alemite grease guns fit.

I'm wondering if this tool worked well enough to actually be useful.

It packs a punch for such a small tube, but in searching for others, by other OEM's, I haven't had any luck. I saw one called a Gaski RAM-O hydraulic tool that looked modern. And there aren't any in the vintage Alemite catalog pages that I have access to. I suppose because they didn't invent it. Maybe oldtimers kept a small push-type grease gun empty and just forced air through it?

 

[CA AllDay]

Hello folks!

I'm not really into tools, but was handed down some from my grandfather recently and started researching the brands which lead me here.

After reading through this thread I'm certain I don't have anything rare or extraordinary but I thought I would share in hopes somebody would find them interesting.

There are also Speed Master sockets and Wright sockets that I could share pictures of if there is any interest. Again I have no knowledge of any of these brands so forgive me if these are of no interest.

 

[Outlawmws]

Your grandfathers had good taste in tools! Treasure those! Not many get tools from two generations before.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Good stuff. We all appreciate those tool brands so pics are great!

 

[outofbounds]

Hello folks!

I'm not really into tools, but was handed down some from my grandfather recently and started researching the brands which lead me here.

After reading through this thread I'm certain I don't have anything rare or extraordinary but I thought I would share in hopes somebody would find them interesting.

There are also Speed Master sockets and Wright sockets that I could share pictures of if there is any interest. Again I have no knowledge of any of these brands so forgive me if these are of no interest.

Everything you have can find it's depth here. The SpeedMaster stuff doesn't grow on trees, BTW, and also, the interests here go beyond the tools to the boxes, chests, accessories (the socket holder teased in these photos for example) if this is stuff you're looking to move, you're bound to get an honest assessment of value, and very possibly a fair offer for just about anything. I suggest separating like items, and offering a brief cataloging of the model#s etc.

For example, you probably would want to assemble all your Indestro in one place with tidy photos, and a list of what is there.

At a minimum people could help you find similar lots that had sold on Ebay for a general benchmark of pricing, or might make an immediate offer for your consideration via private message.

Personally, I'd be curious about boxes and tool holders such as trays, etc.

Good Luck going forward.....

 

[Private Lugnutz]

CA AllDay

Welcome. Good on you for finding us and doing some research on your own. If you're here to find out more about your inherited tools, you've come to the right place. I recommend using the Stickie at the top of the forum to navigate.

If you're looking to sell the tools, there is a Classifieds section just below this section, which is a Discussion only forum. The Classifieds section was created a few years ago to strictly separate sales from discussions. Our founder, in his wisdom, did not envision this as a marketplace.

 

[Provincial]

I was thrilled to find this at the flea market this morning.

To research this type of tool on the Internet, use the term "grease fitting cleaner" and you will find many hits of current versions.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Wow, looks like I'm gong to have to make a nifty little case for mine. Haha. Wooden, though.

 

[damon18]

Few Indestro from the cleanout.

Sent from my SM-G973U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[d42jeep]

A little Duro 1723 arrived today.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

Picked up this beauty the other day

Sadly, none of the sockets go to the box (they are a whole variety of vintage brands) But I couldn't pass it up with this label

I am a sucker for a nice label

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice decal. Got this one for same reason. Not sure what came in it.

 

[d42jeep]

I was wondering the same thing.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I have the smaller set as well. I am guessing this one is for 3/8 drive

 

[d42jeep]

It’s hard to tell sizes in a picture. The 1/4” and 3/8” ratchets in that style are identical except for the size of the drive hole. Can you get me a side view of the sockets in the 1/4” drive set? That might help in my ID efforts. Thanks.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The decal says it's for a 2701 set, which was 3/8 drive. I would guess maybe chromium vanadium sockets?

 

[bmwrd0]

You would have to search the catalogs for that particular decal. I know that four.cycle has a thread up of Indestro catalogs, you might get lucky there (I did with my box in the '58 catalog) or try the ususal suspects for catalogs.

In any case, that is a beautiful set. Well done!

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks for the confirmation. The chromium vanadium tools are the ones I ended up using in my 1/4” drive set.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Those are the sockets aa shows in that box as well

 

[CRTDI]

Indestro 1/4" set with a quite roomy box.

 

[d42jeep]

Duro and Indestro’s habit of using large boxes goes back to at least WW2. Here is a wartime picture of a Duro 1/4” drive set next to an S-K set. Plenty of extra room in the box. The second picture is my wartime set.
-Don

 

[CRTDI]

That's pretty interesting... Dimensional wise, the box for your war time set and mine appear to be the same. This is the first time I have encountered a relatively large 1/4" set box compared to the overall size of the set.

At first thought, I considered the box was originally for a 3/8" drive set. But I'm pretty sure that the majority of sockets in a 3/8" set would be too large for the intended partition.

Any known reasoning for the generous sizing of the box?

 

[d42jeep]

They actually made smaller sets as well but they are much more rare. I have made up a 3/8” drive set of found pieces and although the external dimensions of the box are the same, the slot for the sockets is wider than the 1/4” drive boxes. Maybe it was less expensive for them to get a lot of boxes the same size and simply move the socket divider. 3/8” drive wasn’t that popular during WW2.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Picked up an indestro 2889 to go with my duro 4587. Been looking for awhile now.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Oops. Here's pics

 

[d42jeep]

A couple of recent additions to this wartime D-I socket set. I found a correct 1/2” to 3/8” adapter on eBay and Roy Olson sent me the shorter extension, which arrived yesterday. Those pieces complete the set.
-Don

 

[snapmom]

Duro 9979 deep socket. 29/32 opening. 1/2 drive. 12 point, has holes in the side as if it is a plug socket.
I do not collect duro, just came in with the ride. How old is it?

 

[Provincial]

29/32 is almost exactly 23mm. I think there was some military application for this pattern of socket. I have some P&C like this.

 

[d42jeep]

Duro 9979 deep socket. 29/32 opening. 1/2 drive. 12 point, has holes in the side as if it is a plug socket.
I do not collect duro, just came in with the ride. How old is it?

That one is a bit of a mystery. Most wartime Duro made sockets in that style are either marked D-I or Duro-Chrome but just being marked Duro is unusual. Perhaps it’s some sort of contract socket.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here is a durochrome set with a 699 ratchet. Pat 2395681 on the ratchet dates it late 40s.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a partial Duro-Chrome set that arrived from an eBay seller. I thought that it might have D-I sockets but they were all marked Duro-Chrome. I filled it out with extras I had and ended up with several duplicates. I’ll have to check catalogs to see what originally was in the set. I was surprised that it didn’t come with any 8 point sockets. I also found a nice tight 1/2” drive u-joint that arrived yesterday.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Speaking of Duro sets, does anyone recognize the logo on the Duro set latches? The lower word is Cleveland but I can’t figure out the upper.
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Langenau Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio.

They have a website. Type in "langenau" in the browser search box and it turns up. I couldn't get a link to work.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have Blackhawk and Packer Auto boxes made by Langenau and you'll find previous references I have made to Langenau on those threads and the Toolboxes thread, Don. I've never noticed they also supplied Duro before. Cool.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, guys. I would never have figured that out.
-Don

 

[Old Radar]

Here is a durochrome set with a 699 ratchet. Pat 2395681 on the ratchet dates it late 40s.

Nice clean set!

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Langenau latches you say?
This must have been one of their first!

I think about 1928. Missing 9/16 socket, and probably a ratchet and square extension. IIRC it's 5/8 thats cracked There was also most of an unmarked 12 point hex set in here too. Lots of heavy greasy schmoo. Ive already cleaned with orange degreaser, carb cleaner and gasoline, and its still caked on. A few shreds of a tools of progress sticker remain. all the 6 point and square sockets are unplated with the star stamps.

And another blue box. It's a very well made heavy box all the sockets are DI except the cross hatched one at the left. None of them came with it.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice clean set!

Thanks oldradar, it does not look like it has seen much use.