Snap-On 71M partial hole

[Tool Pants]

Guy at the flea that I buy tools from had these 2. He had sent them out to be blasted.

I thought one had an oil hole but was plugged with dirt. I dug the dirt out the hole did not go all the way through. I assume it is factory partial hole, but I do not remember seeing one on that style ratchet.

 

[caper]

It's a new one for me,I've never seen an oil hole in a Snappy to my recolection,let alone a half an oil hole.

 

[gj67stang]

My '42 71-M has a hole that goes all the way through. About 2/3 of the way back is a small groove around the hole (about 3/64" wide) possibly there to hold a spring/clip/??? for an oiler? Sorry the picture doesn't show the groove at all, nor the depth of the hole.

 

[Grigg]

I have a 50 something Snap-On round handle ratchet with a shallow hole. To me it looked like a nice center hole to locate and turn the handle on the lathe when it was made. Don't know what it was really for, or what they are for on the flat handle ones either?

Grigg

 

[Tatersalad]

I believe that the hole is there because they drilled all the way through for the paul detent spring hole and then they plugged the hole in order to keep debris out of the ratchet mechanism. I have a 1951 s/o speeder rachet that has the same plugged hole, and after taking it apart to clean and lube it that is the conclusion I came to... I could be wrong though, if anyone knows diffrent I would be interested to learn!

 

[MattT]

I dug the dirt out the hole did not go all the way through.

Are you sure the hole didn't go thru'? You might have just hit the gear. I've got a 1939 No71N with an spring loaded ball oiler in that location.

 

[Tool Pants]

I thought at first I was seeing the gear at the bottom of a hole that went all the way through the head. But I rotated the gear while watching the hole and nothing was moving. The hole went about 1/2 way through the head. I will take another look this weekend.

Of course I would like to open it up and see if there is some kind of plug inside. If it is a plug then somehow 1/2 of it broke off. Craftsman did this for a while. A hole was drilled through the head and the drill kept going to drill the hole for the pawl spring. A brass oiler was then pressed into the head hole. When Sears did away with the oiler a plug was put in the hole.

 

[Grigg]

I believe that the hole is there because they drilled all the way through for the paul detent spring hole and then they plugged the hole in order to keep debris out of the ratchet mechanism. I have a 1951 s/o speeder ratchet that has the same plugged hole, and after taking it apart to clean and lube it that is the conclusion I came to... I could be wrong though, if anyone knows different I would be interested to learn!

Looked at my 1954 F70M inside and out and I agree it was simply to allow drilling the hole for the spring, and then was plugged. I could see how on older ratchets it may have been an oiler, but mine is simply a plug.

Grigg

 

[Tool Pants]

I know the seller so today he left me take it apart. It does have a plug as you can see in the second pic. Somehow part of the plug broke off.