The Ratchet Collection Thread

[d42jeep]

Here is the 1/4” drive version of that ratchet.
-Don

 

[Username already in use]

Here's a little Duro made SpeedMaster ratchet.

 

[ooba tooba]

Here is the 1/4” drive version of that ratchet.
-Don

Yowza! That’s got a brighter shine than mine
What are these anyway? 50s? 60s?

 

[d42jeep]

Yowza! That’s got a brighter shine than mine
What are these anyway? 50s? 60s?

There were more variations in 3/8” drive. They started using that basic design in 1/4” drive during WW2 and probably continued on into the ‘60s. Here is a mid ‘50s catalog page showing the 1/4” drive ratchet at the top of the page.
-Don

 

[outofbounds]

Not exactly the "Belles of the Ball", (perhaps better described as Cinderella's half-sisters) but dragged in on a box and contents haul today that netted even more Armstrong than these three ratchets. Snap-On TML830, Bonney T702K, and the Armstrong S-91, F-91, and NM-91 family of ratchets.

 

[350XinNY]

Re: My S-K 42470 Trio...

Cool. Thanks Don. I looked through about 100 active ebay auctions right now, and only found one other listed that had the 42470 1st and then the SK diamond in the middle and USA last. Looking closer at my ratchets, the access slot size on that one is between the Pat Pend (Smallest) and the SK-Wayne ratchet (Widest). Maybe this was like 1959-1960 right before SK turned to S-K Wayne? The font is larger too on it, and I notice the SK-Wayne ratchets have larger and smaller font variety as well.

Bruce

Think I found some verification! The manual says 1965, but wondering if closer to the beginning of the SK Wayne merger. (61-62?) As they stress that new name, but same quality. Anyhow, the 42470 ratchet in the front of the catalog shows the variety I have with the larger font 42470 first SK Diamond middle then USA last. Guess I wasn't too far off that this was maybe the last of the S-K before merging with Wayne.

Bruce

 

[r_olson_06]

Re: My S-K 42470 Trio...

Cool. Thanks Don. I looked through about 100 active ebay auctions right now, and only found one other listed that had the 42470 1st and then the SK diamond in the middle and USA last. Looking closer at my ratchets, the access slot size on that one is between the Pat Pend (Smallest) and the SK-Wayne ratchet (Widest). Maybe this was like 1959-1960 right before SK turned to S-K Wayne? The font is larger too on it, and I notice the SK-Wayne ratchets have larger and smaller font variety as well.

Bruce

Nice ratchets. I have found that when the logo is the center of the text is came with the "S-K Lectrolite" era tools. So the one with the logo closer the head is older as Don has mentioned.

Looking for a Round Beam Plomb 1068 Double Box End Wrench

 

[3baygarage]

There were more variations in 3/8” drive. They started using that basic design in 1/4” drive during WW2 and probably continued on into the ‘60s. Here is a mid ‘50s catalog page showing the 1/4” drive ratchet at the top of the page.
-Don

That pressed steel looking ratchet in 1/4 drive is interesting.

 

[d42jeep]

That pressed steel looking ratchet in 1/4 drive is interesting.

I’ve seen dozens of the upper two ratchets but I’ve never seen one of the pressed steel ones. Kind of looks like an early hex drive ratchet.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I don't recall coming across any walden ratchets like that, although the stamped steel ratchets are not something I focus on. Added a plomb wf38 to my bog ratchet assortment. The hinsdale has a hollow handle, presumably for a cheater bar.

 

[ed4banger]

....

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Great family portraits Ed!

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice ratchets Ed! Here are a few old craftsmans.

 

[ed4banger]

Nice ratchets Ed! Here are a few old craftsmans.

Very nice OTG, Craftsman is pretty much all I collect, vises mainly, but definitely getting into ratchets as of late. Will post up some more when I have time to take a few pics.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That's awesome Ed, we all look forward to some pics!

 

[Gear Wolf]

Nice ratchets Ed! Here are a few old craftsmans.

You and I will have to talk about something in that photo sometime!

 

[Gear Wolf]

Some Craftsman Long Head, Butterfly, Stainless, Lifetime and Premium 84-tooth.

Great photo Ed!

By the way, I was finally able to send you one of the thank you gifts I intended to ship out with your tool kit! Thanks again for sending your venerable Vanadium Tool set!

I'll have to give you an update on what delayed me for so long.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

You and I will have to talk about something in that photo sometime!

Well that is a teaser! They are all interesting to me but it sounds like you have some info on one of them...

 

[ed4banger]

Great photo Ed!



By the way, I was finally able to send you one of the thank you gifts I intended to ship out with your tool kit! Thanks again for sending your venerable Vanadium Tool set!



I'll have to give you an update on what delayed me for so long.

 

[bonneyman]

Here's a little Duro made SpeedMaster ratchet.

For some reason I always thought the little mountain symbol above the numbers on the back plate looked like a stylized "M" and "W". (i.e. Montgomery Wards)

I had one but thought it was some gimmicky brand so sold it, and until now didn't realize it was Duro made.

 

[Username already in use]

For some reason I always thought the little mountain symbol above the numbers on the back plate looked like a stylized "M" and "W". (i.e. Montgomery Wards)

No, you're right. It's a stylized M over W for Montgomery Wards. I should have typed Wards Master instead of Speed Master.

 

[bonneyman]

I found an unmarked 1/2" drive ratchet Friday. It has no markings on it whatsoever! Must have been built for the CIA so it would be untraceable!

I started through this thread trying to match it up, and on page 22 I found a 3/8" drive version that was marked Walden Worcester. So I know the maker, but not the model number.

It has a polished chrome head, but the handle and shaft are plated but not polished. I wonder if it had a molded plastic handle over the steel forging? I am guessing that it was made soon after WWII, since the one on page 22 was unplated and thought to be wartime.

It works smoothly, but the finish is scraped up on part of the head. Kind of interesting, and hard to identify.

I found one like that recently myself. Marked Walden-Worchester, 2816.
Had a tweaked handle like someone put a 10 foot cheater bar on it, but I managed to straighten it almost perfect and the internals are fine. One tough tool!

 

[bonneyman]

No, you're right. It's a stylized M over W for Montgomery Wards. I should have typed Wards Master instead of Speed Master.

Oh, I wasn't being picky. Just a quirk of mine that I had for some years until the GJ pro's made me see it differently. Just never thought of those as Duro because Duro is stuck in my mind as those female drive styles.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The same mw logo appears on the plomb made speedmaster ratchets, so easy to confuse them. The duro stuff was wards master quality, then wardsmaster. Speedmaster appeared on wright made sets around 1939, which did not have the mw logo, then the plomb stuff took over the speedmaster moniker and wright, duro and briefly new britain were relegated to wardmaster.

 

[LesserSon]

Woo-hoo! USPS finally delivered my Feb17 eBay purchase from bobm_z. After I get the internals cleaned up, I hope to have a working F.H.Ayer rat for my mixed box of extruded sockets.
As received, the nickel finish is good, but the internal rust had pretty much seized the mechanism. No wonder it was described only as a “special tool” in the item description.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Nice. I have gotten some stuff from him and was not disappointed.

 

[LesserSon]

Yes, I dithered over one of his mixed bundles that had some big Utica pliers and another with Bonney DBEs, and missed out. Should have just hit Buy it Now on both! Then bought a humdrum group of Bonney DOEs. Now this. Very pleased with it. There was just enough rust in it to prevent the ratcheting mechanism from sliding under the spring. Clean and lubed, it works great.
Oddly, I feel like there was something like this with my dad’s childhood bicycle, but smaller. Probably long, long gone.

EDIT - Dad denies owning anything like this. The “memory” is at least 40 years ago, so he’s probably right. Something else maybe.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I hope to have a working F.H.Ayer rat for my mixed box of extruded sockets.

I wasn't tracking this project prior to this post, LS. So I am assuming you found the sockets and then you went looking for a ratchet to add to the box to turn them. Did you select the F.H. Ayer ratchet arbitrarily? Or do some of the pressed steel sockets have an F.H. Ayer marking ("A" in a circle)? Reason I ask is, the only instances I have seen of this particular folding T-bar barrel ratchet (which resembles the Auto-Cle type) is in early Packer Auto "RAY" socket sets or orphans. I don't think I have ever seen a complete or even a near-complete F.H. Ayer socket set in its own box.

 

[LesserSon]

The majority (25 or so) of the sockets are marked only with fractional sizes. The box is missing the lid, and I don’t see any marks on what’s left. I figure I will recognize the configuration of the wood spacers in an advert or catalog someday, and attribute it.
I do have marked sockets. Interestingly, six of them are Ayer 4pt. Just one 6pt.

 

[LesserSon]

I wasn’t particularly looking for this ratchet, but I’ve been watching that seller - some interesting stuff has come up. When the rat did, I pounced.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I do have marked sockets. Interestingly, six of them are Ayer 4pt. Just one 6pt.

That's the most Ayer sockets I have ever heard of in one place. And with the ratchet, the closest thing to an Ayer set.

 

[LesserSon]

That's the most Ayer sockets I have ever heard of in one place. And with the ratchet, the closest thing to an Ayer set.

I tracked those 4pts down to my post on your watch: 2018 GS thread. This is a very slooowww project, I guess.

The box and unmarked sockets...I have not found the post. It’s funny - I know right where I found them, but what year?

ANSWER - Ah, there they are, in the 2016 GS thread (thank you, jpg metadata). Wow - four years and three months to find the proper ratchet! SLOOOWWW, indeed! I guess I should get around to making that lid. (Chestnut - not oak, as originally posted.)

 

[LesserSon]

Not to start a riot on the wrong thread, but...
Do you think the unbranded 13/32 is the same OEM as the Ayer 13/32? The other 20-odd unbranded sockets have the SAME font numerals. If so, then this really is a big set of Ayer in-the-making.
The non-Ayer branded sockets... The Packer and Larson sockets are practically identical to each other, different from the Ayer in both construction marks and font style & orientation; differing from the Mossberg sockets mostly by having such a pronounced detent dimple.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Do you think the unbranded 13/32 is the same OEM as the Ayer 13/32?

Yes.

 

[Provincial]

And the hook is set!!!!

 

[LesserSon]

Yeah. I woke up this morning, and the excitement kicked in immediately. Last night, I did some fruitless searching for Ayer advertisements illustrating boxed socket sets. Sure are a lot of Mossberg by comparison.
The only titular Ayer thread I found on GJ is on General Tools Discussion, boasting 3 posts (and no pics) from 2017. The OP didn’t stick around. AA site has precious little to show (one ratchet & one socket), and the link they have to what they claim is the FHAyer website is currently broken. Looks like the plant closed in 2020. 14Oct2020 Auction.
Here is a 2015-ish video featuring company president Bob Debolt promoting Chicago Heights. (I wonder if a GJ member now owns the Wilton vise glimpsed in the video?)
I guess I’ll tack some posts onto the existing thread, and stop cluttering up this one.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The ratchet has shown up and been discussed before down here on the Vintage board in several threads, LS. Probably a generic old tool whatzit type thread or associated with Packer Auto "RAY" sets. The F.H. Ayer ratchet was apparently the ratchet Packer Auto issued in their very early sets. And it was speculated that they provided the sockets, too. They were both in Chicago. I will find them and link them here momentarily. Or you could start a new thread down here on the vintage board.

EDIT: The thread I was thinking of is linked here.

 

[ed4banger]

....

 

[Provincial]

I found this Craftsman BE ratchet today. It is not Long-C, but is a push-through (missing the drive plug). It is in good shape, and works smoothly.

From the lettering and the push-through design it seems to be pre-1934. Is this right?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

It is BE, just pre long c. I have a couple, I think from mid 30s