Show your "Long C" Craftsman!

[outofbounds]

Posted this on the Hold-e-zee thread. Belongs here too:

Nice one!

 

[LesserSon]

I posted some of these back a few. But this weekend I expanded into nutdrivers, so time for an updated family portrait. (I actually saw a huge slot screwdriver this weekend, but the handle had been stamped repeatedly with some inventory number, plus the blue paint and Craftsman logo were entirely gone.)
The nutdrivers are in nice condition, and suggest a type study: 1-4, 5-16, and 11-32 have eight equal facets. The 11-32 is stamped on two different facets with the logo. The 3-8 has six equal facets and overall has least wear. The 1-2 has two wide facets (one stamped with the logo) and four narrow facets.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I picked up the small blue wrench clip in the foreground more out of curiosity than anything else. Its diminutive size made me wonder what it was intended to house and I couldn't find anything like it in the catalogs. I still haven't. Far too small to hold the fat vanadium DOEs of the pre-war era. I did fit four tappet wrenches in it. That may be its intended use but it's a bit of a head-scratcher as tappet wrench sets normally came in a set of 6 as seen in the background. At any rate, neat artifact with a stellar logo.

 

[Rileysan]

I picked up the small blue wrench clip in the foreground more out of curiosity than anything else. Its diminutive size made me wonder what it was intended to house and I couldn't find anything like it in the catalogs. I still haven't. Far too small to hold the fat vanadium DOEs of the pre-war era. I did fit four tappet wrenches in it. That may be its intended use but it's a bit of a head-scratcher as tappet wrench sets normally came in a set of 6 as seen in the background. At any rate, neat artifact with a stellar logo.

I've looked a few times myself, to no avail. It's still a very cool find!

Brian

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Thanks Brian. My posts on here are doing some wonky things. I replied to you once and now it's gone. So.....here we go again!

Somebody on the another forum clued me in. This is a 39 catalog clip. 4pc set in a metal clip. That's gotta be this.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I posted some of these back a few. But this weekend I expanded into nutdrivers, so time for an updated family portrait. (I actually saw a huge slot screwdriver this weekend, but the handle had been stamped repeatedly with some inventory number, plus the blue paint and Craftsman logo were entirely gone.)
The nutdrivers are in nice condition, and suggest a type study: 1-4, 5-16, and 11-32 have eight equal facets. The 11-32 is stamped on two different facets with the logo. The 3-8 has six equal facets and overall has least wear. The 1-2 has two wide facets (one stamped with the logo) and four narrow facets.

That's a nice assortment of amber drivers LS. I've noticed variations in the logo as well (amongst the meager collection I have). Some have the extended Long C and some are just the geometric font with no extension of the C.

 

[r_olson_06]

I picked up the small blue wrench clip in the foreground more out of curiosity than anything else. Its diminutive size made me wonder what it was intended to house and I couldn't find anything like it in the catalogs. I still haven't. Far too small to hold the fat vanadium DOEs of the pre-war era. I did fit four tappet wrenches in it. That may be its intended use but it's a bit of a head-scratcher as tappet wrench sets normally came in a set of 6 as seen in the background. At any rate, neat artifact with a stellar logo.

That wrench clip is amazing! Thanks for sharing.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[Southern83]

Picked this punch and chisel set up earlier this year at a flee market. I'm shocked it has stayed together this long. The holder isn't in the greatest of shape but not bad considering where it probably lived.

 

[Rileysan]

Picked this punch and chisel set up earlier this year at a flee market. I'm shocked it has stayed together this long. The holder isn't in the greatest of shape but not bad considering where it probably lived.

I absolutely love that those have remained together. I frequently find this style of punches & chisels but rarely see pouches. Great find!

 

[DD T/A]

No markings.

 

[bmwrd0]

On Friday, I found this at an estate sale. I thought it was a mix-and-match set, but Smokeshow showed me an ad with this as the correct ratchet, t-bar and short extension. Now I just need to find the long extension.



Pretty happy with it.

 

[Rileysan]

On Friday, I found this at an estate sale. I thought it was a mix-and-match set, but Smokeshow showed me an ad with this as the correct ratchet, t-bar and short extension. Now I just need to find the long extension.



Pretty happy with it.

That is a great find! The first time I came across a set like that, I thought the same thing - someone replaced the Craftsman ratchet with a Plomb ratchet. But it is as you say - these sets were shipped with an unmarked Plomb ratchet . The reasons will forever be the the topic of much speculation.

Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Yeah we had that discussion somewhere before. As if Plomb unloaded a bunch of surplus on Sears without the =CRAFTSMAN= styling on the handle or the Circle-U marking, probably at a discount.

 

[d42jeep]

I have one of the ratchets with the same circle on the handle
-Don

 

[JoCoSawdust]

On Friday, I found this at an estate sale. I thought it was a mix-and-match set, but Smokeshow showed me an ad with this as the correct ratchet, t-bar and short extension. Now I just need to find the long extension.



Pretty happy with it.

Boom! I've got that set as well. That's at least four known sets with the unmarked Plomb rat. Great find!

 

[bmwrd0]

That is a great find! The first time I came across a set like that, I thought the same thing - someone replaced the Craftsman ratchet with a Plomb ratchet. But it is as you say - these sets were shipped with an unmarked Plomb ratchet . The reasons will forever be the the topic of much speculation.

Brian

Thank you sir! And we need to get together again and swap tools and coffee.

 

[Rileysan]

Yeah we had that discussion somewhere before. As if Plomb unloaded a bunch of surplus on Sears without the =CRAFTSMAN= styling on the handle or the Circle-U marking, probably at a discount.

Actually, these "unmarked" Plomb ratchets have a single marking forged on them - a circle-U!

 

[Rileysan]

Thank you sir! And we need to get together again and swap tools and coffee.

You're welcome most any time but it's my turn to visit you, I think!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Actually, these "unmarked" Plomb ratchets have a single marking forged on them - a circle-U!

Really? I didn't think so. Someone show me a photo of one please.

Unless you're talking about the 'O' foundry mark that Don alluded to. Then agreed, yes, that is a marking of sorts. Not that anyone would need that foundry mark to make the Plomb connection, but yes, those same 'O' foundry marks can be found on branded Plomb ratchets.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Mine is completely unmarked. Sterile on both sides.

 

[d42jeep]

Both of mine with the O marking have the selector pointing up.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

My recollection could be off, but the 'O' mark seems to show up the most often on WF-8 and WF-8S ratchets. I'm pretty sure mine (now residing at tin medic's) had the selector in the down position it was made for. I'd have to scour old photos albums to confirm that. I am sure someone else could check theirs more easily.

 

[Username already in use]

Perhaps the selector up/down orientation is tied to the shape of the cover plate; oval v. figure 8?

Here are my 2 WF8-S. Both have the O foundry mark.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks, Unaiu.

In the interest of not bogging down a Long C thread with esoteric Plombiness, we should probably move any further discussion about the selector and face plate shape to the Plomb thread, though. (Although, if I recall correctly, I think we already talked about it there at least once before.)

That discussion goes well beyond the observation that the unmarked ratchets in some of these late 40's Long C Crafty socket kits are Plomb, and that if the shape wasn't enough to ID them, the 'O' foundry mark would help.

Just as a side note, I have that same mark on other tools. Not Plomb, and not Craftsman. I'd have to go back through similar conversations to remember which tools.

 

[Rileysan]

Really? I didn't think so. Someone show me a photo of one please.

Unless you're talking about the 'O' foundry mark that Don alluded to. Then agreed, yes, that is a marking of sorts. Not that anyone would need that foundry mark to make the Plomb connection, but yes, those same 'O' foundry marks can be found on branded Plomb ratchets.

I clearly spoke out of my ****!

I took a look at both of my 1/4" ratchets from my Craftsman sets and one of them had an irregularity within the circle that I took to be the letter 'U' and the other merely had a clean circle. I'll blame the fact that I've had to wear reading glasses the past couple years, after having perfect vision my whole life. Yeah, that's it ... great excuse!

Brian

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I use that excuse all the time! That and old age.

 

[bmwrd0]

I've had bifocals since I was 19, so I never had that excuse.

 

[Rileysan]

There's been a bit of a Long-C dry spell on both this thread as well as in my own collection, but today ended with a bang for me!

First, I got this package in the mail. It was an eBay purchase from late last week. I was shocked no one else bid on this NOS needle file set in the original box! I got it for $20 plus shipping.

Secondly, I sat down to my PC a few minutes ago and proceeded to check eBay for new listings, and I found this: A Craftsman Long-C kitchen knife set in the original box! I occasionally see single knives for sale but other than the "carving set", which are common, I rarely see complete sets of kitchen knives in the box. At $30 BIN, shipped, I'm pretty stoked!

Brian

 

[d42jeep]

Nice finds, Brian!
A collector in Scotland pointed out that my BE 1/4” drive set was in the box meant for the smaller set. I looked around for a larger box but was unable to find one until JoCo generously sent me one of hIs spares. It needed some straightening and refinishing so I’ve been doing some of that and have made some progress although I still have a ways to go.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Next it was time for paint. I used less paint than normal since I didn’t want the wrinkle finish exaggerated. I ordered some decals from Jimenginedecals for the small emblem. Now to find some dark blue paint for the top coat.
-Don

 

[Smokeshow69]

Next it was time for paint. I used less paint than normal since I didn’t want the wrinkle finish exaggerated. I ordered some decals from Jimenginedecals for the small emblem. Now to find some dark blue paint for the top coat.

-Don

Looks good!


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[JoCoSawdust]

Damn that's inspirational as I look with disgust at my worn and ragged Long C clamshells!

I'm working on producing a waterslide decal for these boxes to keep them more original in appearance. While doing so, I noticed that the decal in my larger 1/4d set box is of the later variety. I guess I'll call this one the "Long Heritage" logo. I don't have a good, clear scan of one of these so I'm sticking to the more recognizable Long C version.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Damn that's inspirational as I look with disgust at my worn and ragged Long C clamshells!

I'm working on producing a waterslide decal for these boxes to keep them more original in appearance. While doing so, I noticed that the decal in my larger 1/4d set box is of the later variety. I guess I'll call this one the "Long Heritage" logo. I don't have a good, clear scan of one of these so I'm sticking to the more recognizable Long C version.

That early heritage decal is available from Jim’s engine decals - on eBay and the ship location is Bend, Oregon. Be watchful as there are others selling craftsman decals but they are not as nice


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[JoCoSawdust]

Yup. I've purchased several decals from Jim. He does incredible work to be sure. What I'm trying to do is make waterslide decals like the originals. In my opinion, they'd look much better than vinyl decals on these older products.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Yup. I've purchased several decals from Jim. He does incredible work to be sure. What I'm trying to do is make waterslide decals like the originals. In my opinion, they'd look much better than vinyl decals on these older products.

Yes, good call. The water slide decals are slightly different. I would imagine he could reproduce some if you asked him?


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[Outlawmws]

Yup. I've purchased several decals from Jim. He does incredible work to be sure. What I'm trying to do is make waterslide decals like the originals. In my opinion, they'd look much better than vinyl decals on these older products.

you can get waterside decal material for ink jet and I believe laser jet. I think they must be sprayed with a fixative (some work being done along these lines on the Coleman group I'm in)

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm working on producing a waterslide decal for these boxes to keep them more original in appearance.

I'm curious how, and what you been using. Have you seen my techniques to simulate the old water decal look? And the examples?

 

[JoCoSawdust]

I'm not sure if Jim deals in waterslides or not. I've been researching this like crazy today and the way I understand it, it's a much different process for waterslides. I'm going to keep plugging away at trying to make my own but I did just send off a request for a quote from a professional waterslide production place. I'm expecting a trade mark issue is going to shoot me down there. The issue I'm running into with making my own is that when printed on transparent decal paper, the color isn't opaque enough to block out the background color. It just disappears against that dark blue paint. When I print them on white decal paper, it's a PIA to trim them perfectly and I end up with tiny bits of white here and there around the perimeter.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Outlaw: Yup. I'm printing them on a cheapo ink-jet. That may be the problem. I'm using the technique described on Vintage Machinery and sealing them with a Krylon product indended for that purpose.

Lugz: Yes I've seen some of your work and it's fantastic. Are you printing on transparent or white decal paper?

 

[JoCoSawdust]

To answer the rest of your question Lugz, I'm using decal paper I got off Amazon. I ordered a pack of both transparent and white. I seal them with two coats of the proper product (the name of it escapes me at the moment).Having zero luck with the color showing properly when printed on the transparent paper. I had success with some SKF decals printing on white paper. Transparent paper would be so much better as trimming wouldn't have to be perfect.This SKF decal turned out great except for my piss-poor Don Knotts job of cutting it out, leaving bits of white here and there on the perimeter.