Smallest 1/4 in. ratchet I've ever seen...

[KZ1000J]

I have several 1/4 in. ratchets but this one, new to my collection, is the smallest.
Snap-On GM-70-M made between 1937 and 1958. Does anyone out there have one smaller?

 

[safariknut]

Don't know if it is smaller than the Snap-On but this Williams is pretty small.

 

[KZ1000J]

Safari,

Your Williams looks shorter than my Snap-On.....my snap-on is 4 1/2 in. long.

 

[ssdave]

The snap-on Midget is, in my opinion, the most useful ratchet you can get. I have a wide array of ratchets, including two other 1/4" snap-on. I use the midget more than any other tool I own. It and 11 metric sockets do easily 75% of the work I do on vehicles. Mine was made in 1942. The only time I use my 3/8" and 1/2" are for rusted fasteners, or when torque exceeds what the little one can do.

I don't do mechanic work for a living, so have a hard time meeting up with the snap-on man. Particularly since he changed his time at the car dealer next door from my lunch to 9:30 Mondays, when I have a weekly staff meeting I can't get out of.

I want to shop in his truck a bit, and see if he has an equally handy 1/4" with flex head. I have a THNF72 soft handle and a THL936A and don't like either one. The 72 flex's in the wrong location, and the round head is big and awkward to use.

In 1/2" I love my Indestro flex head 3270, in 1/2" it is my absolute favorite ratchet, and is second in use only to the Midget Snap-On. If I could get a 1/4" like it, I'd have the coverage I need in ratchets, I think.

I used to use my Snap-on 3/8 set the most. Now, I use the Midget, and the 11 standard depth metrics for most everything. I like that set so much, I bought full 1/4" sets from Snap-on of SAE and Metric, regular and deep through the entire size range. I retired my 3/8" snap-on stuff to my road box, and use my proto nostalgia set instead when I need 3/8". But, the proto 1/4" sits in the box and the Snap-On gets used.

 

[vhol5]

Titan 3 1/2"

 

[nickelTwin]

My SK Wayne 1/4" is about the same. Right around
4 3/8" to 4 1/2"

 

[454ragtop]

Titan 3 1/2"

Pretty sure my Titan gearless ratchet is even smaller than that, have to measure it when I get a chance.
Jim

 

[MShaw]

I have a 1/4" drive Snap On ratchet I bought new in 1962. It is about 4 1/4" long over all. That was the standard ratchet in those days.

 

[fasteddie313]

My SK Wayne 1/4" is about the same. Right around
4 3/8" to 4 1/2"

I was just thinking about posting mine.. love that little guy..

 

[jwitt]

A 4751 Plomb and a 24991 Blackhawk





Jim

 

[KZ1000J]

Looks like Vhol5's Titan Micro is the smallest so far.
MShaw......"bought new in '62"...impressive.
ssdave...I'm about 10% 1/2 in. drive, 50% 3/8 drive & 40% 1/4 in drive.
jwitt...nice Blackhawk...I like that ratchet.

 

[PugetDude]

I was admiring the tiny ratchet my dentist used to screw in my titanium implants... thought it would make a great addition to my toolbox.

 

[MShaw]

here is the 1962 Snap on 1/4" ratchet and a New Britain 1/4" flex ratchet from 1973

 

[Strouty]

Titan makes a smaller one, I bought the set of 3/8" and 1/4" they are also gearless.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IQ2BE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[pi_guy]

The smallest ratchet I have seen is Snap on TMK739 it is under 3 inches in length.
Has not been made for a few years.

 

[jonjon1]

The smallest ratchet I have seen is Snap on TMK739 it is under 3 inches in length.
Has not been made for a few years.

I have this ratchet I use it all the time...

My problem no matter how small the ratchet is I have to use these big stupid hands...

 

[rlitman]

As Strouty said, Titan makes a 3" long 1/4" gearless ratchet.
I included a Schlage key for apples to apples comparison.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My SK Wayne 1/4" is about the same. Right around
4 3/8" to 4 1/2"

I have the same one that I picked up at a garage sale for $2.




crappy cell phone pic

 

[Strouty]

I like this thread, it is a competition to see who has the smallest. Do you think the women will be impressed?

 

[pi_guy]

Woman are only impressed when you fix something of theirs with your tools.
I can put a 10mm on my 1/2 36 inch breaker bar but often the results are not pretty.
I work mostly in smallville so it has proved it's worth many times.

 

[McBrownie]

I like this thread, it is a competition to see who has the smallest. Do you think the women will be impressed?

It all depends what you do with it.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I like this thread, it is a competition to see who has the smallest. Do you think the women will be impressed?

When you can work miracles with something small, they get impressed.

 

[KZ1000J]

rlitman at under 3 in. currently has the smallest 1/4 in. ratchet so far, we're waiting on ducksface to develop his film so we can see his ratchet......I don't see how a ratchet smaller than 3 in. can be usable.....we'll see.

I've also been acquiring small adjustable wrenches as well....about 4 in. long. I think I have maybe three that size....they make great key chains.

Nuttsgt...not bad for a cell phone pic.

MShaw......nice New Britain...I like the checkered grip

 

[mmack66]

 

[safariknut]

Here's one I posted in the vintage tool section.Bought it at an estate sale for 50 cents. Got a bunch of tools for 50 cents apiece that day including a 1/4 inch drive Snap-On speeder handle.

 

[jwitt]

Here's one I posted in the vintage tool section.Bought it at an estate sale for 50 cents. Got a bunch of tools for 50 cents apiece that day including a 1/4 inch drive Snap-On speeder handle.

I have one of those, it's 9/32 drive. Yours is the only other one I've seen. Cool!

 

[safariknut]

I have one of those, it's 9/32 drive. Yours is the only other one I've seen. Cool!

TY. The estate sale was apparently from a gentleman who had been a career Air Force person as there were a number of tools that were for that purpose.

 

[safariknut]

Well I measured the Williams ratchet and it is right at 4 3/8ths .Here is another oddball I posted in another thread.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

The sequence smallest to largest is:

• SK-Wayne.
• Williams
• Plomb
• Proto

The Williams has the smallest head . . .

Cheers

Jim

 

[KZ1000J]

Jim-No-Garage, forget the ratchets. I'd digging' the craftsman ruler, that's awesome...as are your ratchets.

KZ

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Jim-No-Garage, forget the ratchets. I'd digging' the craftsman ruler, that's awesome...as are your ratchets.

KZ

My wife grabbed it while cleaning up her Dad's place in Florida. She knows I like "measure-y things". The back is pretty cool too:

Jim

 

[fasteddie313]

Maybe somebody should remind sears about that....

 

[Addrock]

I'll play too!

 

[CNGsaves]

My wife grabbed it while cleaning up her Dad's place in Florida. She knows I like "measure-y things". The back is pretty cool too:

Jim

Great ruler from Craftsman you've got Jim No Garage !!

That pattern of material in background is EXACT SAME that I'm sitting on right now for matching loveseat and couch that I have !! Thinking these are about 25 years old as bought in 1990.

 

[KZ1000J]

Well, we finally hear back from Ducksface. That's an interesting unit you have there...stamped steel that will take down a house huh. I like the handle...smooth and rounded...nice patina on that unit as well but the Titan ratchet crew has us all beat. We did receive an entry from Pi-guy with his Snap-on at about 3 incher so maybe have a tie between the Titan crew and Pi-guy's Snap-on. Addrock, I'll have to say you have the "skinnest" ratchet so far.

 

[toplessHO]

My SK Wayne 1/4" is about the same. Right around
4 3/8" to 4 1/2"

I just rebuilt 3 of those thanks to SK sending me 3 rebuild kits. I love those ratchets.

 

[Rick M]

I have one of these, surprisingly handy.

 

[Lippyp]

Not vintage but this is the smallest 1/4" drive ratchet in my tool box. Bought it when I needed to get into somewhere very tight under a dash.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Not vintage but this is the smallest 1/4" drive ratchet in my tool box. Bought it when I needed to get into somewhere very tight under a dash.

It's not valid without a ruler in the pic!

That could be a standard 3/8" Snappy in Andre the Giant's hand.

Jim

 

[F124C]

Four and a scochi bit over a quarter.
But it has a tiny head.

I like some of the old stamped tools. I wouldn't twist off center on this one but I bet the mechanism could tear down a house.

Can we have a contest for fewest teeth in a ratchet head?

Sorry for the delay.
This post doesn't come up when I'm in the garage.
So tonight I took the long walk, risked myself against javelina and elk and bunnies and stray juniper branches and got the shot.
Damn. Four inches is a lot longer than I thought it was.
But I think it only has eighteen teeth.
It is in my 'it's going to become a handle or drawer pull' box.

What is a scochi bit?
What is a javelina?
Which dictionary do you use?, (I can never find some of your words in my Oxford,Reader's Digest or Collins ones)