Spreading the Bonney affliction!

[Username already in use]

Nice set @JjKk40 I have a few 1/4 drive spares. What sizes are you missing?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice set @JjKk40

and nicely done.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I ran across this Bonney No. 66 Torque Wrench today. I've never seen this before so I had to buy it. Shaped very odd. I am wandering what era this is from & are these common?

 

[four.cycle]

^ not a clue, but you win the "Blue Ribbon" for cool today.

 

[AntiqueBen]

Thanks four cycle. I was messing around with this thing & realized it has a removable stud.

 

[bonneyman]

I'm not an expert with the older Bonney's, but with that style plug and logo, I'd guess 40's.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I am wandering what era this is from...

It has a patent number on it. Whenever you find a tool and find yourself wondering when it was made, those are always a good indicator. It can't be from earlier than that. And usually not too much later. There is a nice image of one and a good write up in at least one of the Bonney catalogs on IA/ITCL.

& are these common?

Not sure, empirically. Anecdotally, I don't recall seeing one of these Dresser made types on the thread before. Only the open beam types. And I have never seen one in the wild.

 

[Raineman]

I'd almost bet money that its probably still accurate as heck too.

 

[AntiqueBen]

I started with the patent first. Patent 2,074,079 was applied for in 1935 & granted in 1937 according to Datamp. I was just unsure of how long they made it & which decade to put it in. I seen another one online that still had it's owners manual dated 1940 & it's logo was black letters on a chrome (silver) badge. I'm going to take a guess & say the yellowish brass badge on mine would be older than that. Maybe this could be one of the first examples from the '30's...hard to say for sure. Interesting though, I found another stamp on the stud. It's stamped 66-1. I'm guessing 66 is for the model no. 66. Did Bonney stamp the first examples with a 1?? I'm just not familiar with how Bonney stamped their tools.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It's stamped 66-1. I'm guessing 66 is for the model no. 66. Did Bonney stamp the first examples with a 1??

That's a suffix for the drive plug. The wrench is No. 66. The drive stud that goes with that wrench is No. 66-1. That convention was standard across industry for keeping track of accessories (think of a puller with all its various parts), especially ratchets and removable drive plugs.

I find your other conclusions very sound thinking. I concur. Early.

 

[JjKk40]

I have one of those #66 Tourque wrenches in the box and with the plug too. It wasn't used much, if not at all. I know Bonney made them for a long time. Ill check my catalogs and see the stretch of years. Someone might heck on Tool Archive too.

Edit....

I looked at some catalogs on Archive and the latest I see it is in the M2 1951 catalog. Bonney also shows for the 1st time I can see a new version of tourque wrenches so this might be one of the last years. Next catalog I see is 57s and there are no more #66's.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I cleaned up the War- time 81-B refrig set i got and added the appropriate stuff to complete it. I need 2 small 1/4 dr sockets as all I had was a post '47 chrome plated "usa" socket and I Plvmb wartime place filler. Also put a layer of the tool drawer liner as well.

They made that set for a long time

 

[JjKk40]

They made that set for a long time

Is that about 80's time period on yours?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

No the metal dividers were gone by then probably around late 60s early 70s. According to lugz decal timeline chart this decal was 63 to 67, right before the triangle era

 

[Shelbylex]

OK, let me add to your night dreams! Not mine though

 

[Username already in use]

OK, let me add to your night dreams! Not mine though

That box is GORGEOUS!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Looks like it's in a cave!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Looks like it's in a cave!

I was gonna say the same thing. Guarded by Smaug the Magnificent.

 

[Old Radar]

...or a mine!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I have way too many toolboxes but I would make room for that one

 

[Private Lugnutz]

In a heart beat. Wartime finish!

 

[bonneyman]

Yowza!

 

[Shelbylex]

Way too expensive at this point for me. I have leads on 4 boxes now, 3 are overpriced (this, caterpillar chest (3 smaller and 2 larger drawers type, $500), same model but in relatively poor condition Blackhawk ($100) and my dream box K60 (I e-mailed a guy who ownes 2, but he refused to sell). I will periodically keep bothering the people to see if they will come down on the prices...
The only thing which may come out good from recession - may be some people will start selling...
GJ made an addict out of me : )

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Is it for sale? I think I missed something here

 

[Shelbylex]

I sometimes learn of people who are considering to sell their boxes via friends, somebody seeing toolboxes in neighbors garage, web sites, etc. I contact them and see if they are willing to sell the boxes (for example if you remember a while ago I was asking if anybody had an account on the bikers site - that was for a Snap On K60 a person posted as an old box in his garage - I contacted him and tried to see if he was willing to sell it).

One of my friends sent me images from a person who has a rare tool box and was thinking about selling it in the future (not sure how he knows the guy) - I asked him to get more details, but the price was too high. I will wait couple of months and try it again - may be I get lucky... I do not see to many Bonney boxes in MA...

When I was looking for a Blackhawk chest, I got in touch with several members on GJ about their boxes as well (we have a great group here - I got great leads on boxes and would purchase one of them if I did not locate one in Texas...)

 

[JjKk40]

Wow! I got a lead in 1 of thise top brown boxes. Hopefully I'll be able to grab it one day!!! I usually am able to find the top chests, never the bottoms! I need 2 bottoms currently for my tops.!!!! And ill soon need a bottom for the brown wartime in the future!!!! Lol!

 

[bonneyman]

I sometimes learn of people who are considering to sell their boxes via friends, somebody seeing toolboxes in neighbors garage, web sites, etc. I contact them and see if they are willing to sell the boxes (for example if you remember a while ago I was asking if anybody had an account on the bikers site - that was for a Snap On K60 a person posted as an old box in his garage - I contacted him and tried to see if he was willing to sell it).

One of my friends sent me images from a person who has a rare tool box and was thinking about selling it in the future (not sure how he knows the guy) - I asked him to get more details, but the price was too high. I will wait couple of months and try it again - may be I get lucky... I do not see to many Bonney boxes in MA...

When I was looking for a Blackhawk chest, I got in touch with several members on GJ about their boxes as well (we have a great group here - I got great leads on boxes and would purchase one of them if I did not locate one in Texas...)

Great method! Worst that can happen is they say no. But down the road their situation might change and they will part with it.

 

[JjKk40]

Here's an interesting 1/2" drive 6" extention. Not sure if I've ever seen the older style Bonney with the shield in the middle of the name on any drive tools.

 

[LesserSon]

That’s early: December 1924 or 1926 (P or R?). The shield is gone around 1932, and forged-in date codes on drive tools are very early production, readable or not.

 

[JjKk40]

Yes have a some drive tools with forged in codes and I have the 2 different length 1/2"dr Tee's which have the shield I just never saw an ordinary extention like this.

 

[four.cycle]

BONNEY Catalog No. 139 (1939)
$19.99 + $3.49 shipping "buy now"

BONNEY FORGE & TOOL WORKS Mechanics Catalog No.139 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for BONNEY FORGE & TOOL WORKS Mechanics Catalog No.139 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

* YES there is a copy available at ITCL. I have a copy. It's really rough - waterstained, dog-eared. This one just listed on ebay looks pretty cherry. BK.

<edit> looks like the pocket-sized version, but Mark wouldn't have any problem scanning it.

 

[LNKMK8]

A few tappet wrenches with 1926 date codes... 402 403 405

 

[JjKk40]

Picked this up online. Came in from "across the pond"! Definitely a Bonney forged piece with a "BQ" date code for either Feb 1939 or Feb 1953. It has an oxide finish suggesting wartime. Could it be the year 1939? Or is it Korean Wartime era? I can't decipher because Bonney must have contracted and supplied these to Duro as it is "stamped" with the Duro-Chrome logo. Normally I would be able to tell as a non contract would be market "made in usa" and be before 1947. Anyway very cool piece and definitely something to talk about!
Should I have posted in the Duro thread instead?

 

[four.cycle]

just want to make sure you are all aware of this:

1929-30's BONNEY 2800 Series 7 pc. Single Offset Box Wrench Set 15/16-7/16 | eBay

BONNEY 2800 Series. Single Offset Box Wrench. 15/16" No. 2830. 7/8" No. 2828. 13/16" No. 2826. 3/4" No. 2824.

www.ebay.com

 

[LesserSon]

“JOE” had some nice single-offset DBEs. That’s not an outrageous asking price, especially on eBay, and the shipping is very reasonable. I’ve already got more complete runs in CV and Zenel, so I’m out.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I have a nice cv set, don't really collect newer wrenches.

 

[Mikeske]

I have a nice cv set, don't really collect newer wrenches.

That's where it is fun in this area of the forum. You collect the older stuff and I am looking for the Triangle (newer) era stuff but will generally grab anything Bonney if I see it and it is in decent shape

 

[Raineman]

That's where it is fun in this area of the forum. You collect the older stuff and I am looking for the Triangle (newer) era stuff but will generally grab anything Bonney if I see it and it is in decent shape

I'm the same way. I collect the "Loc-Rite" style combination wrenches and sockets, but I grab up everything Bonney that I find. I've got so much extra that doesn't fit into what I'm collecting that I don't know what to do with it.

 

[four.cycle]

just an FYI here for you gentlemen

 

[Mikeske]

That is a little high priced in my opinion for that refrigeration set.