The Sidchrome thread

[jabberwoki]

"YA CANA HANDA MANA GRANDA SPANNA. You have to say that catch phrase with a Scottish accent.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...37542356EA58C23F985037542356EA58&&FORM=VRDGAR

So post up your Siddy goodness.

 

[jabberwoki]

Here`s some of mine.

 

[bmwrd0]

I have a Sidichrome driver for you Jabber, been holding on to it for a while now...

 

[jabberwoki]

Sweet ta.
Here's 2 more boxes

 

[1/2 Cup]

Good one.

 

[NFT5]

No Australian toobox is complete without at least some Sidchrome.

They are very similar to the SP Motorsport in overall size and shape and come in sizes that the SP don't.

Some older rings and flare nut spanners that don't open up.

I'm not a huge fan of Sidchrome ratchets - find them a bit coarse and the ratchet springs too strong which makes them a pain when the bolt or nut moves easily on the thread and explains is why they look new, getting not a lot of use.

There's more too, scattered through the box. Even a few oldies...and a quite recent set of through tang screwdrivers that I picked up on special at Repco.

 

[Elvisidal]

Never seen this logo before.
Common or will it send sidchromiums into a froth?
It’s pretty fubar at the moment could do with a clean

 

[wombat31x]

I have never seen that logo before it must be a very early one I do have a couple of spanners somewhere marked "SIDDONS" which predates Sidchrome.

 

[Elvisidal]

Yeah seen siddons sockets and tins but not this.
Some website tells me it’s some in between logo post Siddons pre Sidchrome and DSF is Siddons drop forging

 

[Elvisidal]

Thanks gumtree
Never had a top box before borrowing that stupid thing on the left 2 days ago already pissed off with opening lid to open a drawer
Browse the tree of gum and find a bloke selling a mid box that’s just as fucked as my bottom right down to the scratched back to black Sid logo
And I can pile **** on top and still open the drawers

 

[Elvisidal]

Thanks council cleanup week
Can’t believe someone was throwing this out

 

[jabberwoki]

Nice save.,. I sure miss council clean up. I used to come home loaded.

 

[Jim C.]

I can’t say that I know much about Sidchrome tools other than they were made in Australia at one time. Anyway, I recently obtained this wrench. I was wondering if anyone can tell me approximately how old it is. The reverse side has nothing stamped or cast onto it. Thanks for any information.

Jim C.

 

[2oolhound]

I've always wanted some Sidchrome tools since I first heard of them about 8 years ago. I found some at a swap meet about a month back. I'm not sure how old it is but I liked the round corners on the box.

The set has a mix of SAE,MM and Whitworth which I like because of my old english motorcycles.

The ratchet looks old with the push through plug on the side to change the direction. Sockets are all in socket trays.

SAE sockets run from 7/16 to 1 1/16 but missing a 3/4 (although there is a 19mm). Maybe I'm missing a 3/8.
Whitwolrth sockets go from 5/8 to 3/16.
MM sockets are 22, 19, 17, 14, 13, 12, 11 and 10.

I didn't dicker on the $20 price tag.

 

[midnitemack]

I have a bunch of Sidchrome stuff , it was pretty much the industry standard here in NZ a few years ago , I bought stuff with that same script back in the 70s.


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[midnitemack]

I can’t say that I know much about Sidchrome tools other than they were made in Australia at one time. Anyway, I recently obtained this wrench. I was wondering if anyone can tell me approximately how old it is. The reverse side has nothing stamped or cast onto it. Thanks for any information.



Jim C.

See the answer above ^^^^ Jim ....


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[Jim C.]

See the answer above ^^^^ Jim ....


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Hey Mack,

Thanks! I was just wondering. It was included with some Whitworth tools I recently bought and I hadn’t heard of Sidchrome prior to that. It seems like a good quality tool. I’ll keep an eye out for more.

Jim C.

 

[Chillylulu]

Sweet ta.
Here's 2 more boxes

i just picked one of those - i'm halfway through cleaning the box. Do you know the vintage of those boxes?

Chilly

 

[jabberwoki]

Na mate im no expert. I`d guess late 50`s early 60`s?

 

[Dave60]

Hi guys, first time poster so please be kind. On this thread so obviously in Aus.
Couple of questions: My dad passed recently and while cleaning up his house I found the remains of my old Sidchrome wall cabinet, and a fair few of the old tools, so I'm keen to rebuild it. It's a smallish 2 part cabinet (2 halves with a hinge) from about 1980 and had basic tools (Combo spanners, sockets, ratchet, shifter, pliers, hammer, allen keys, cold chisel and punches). Anyway, trying to put it back together. Any advice on where I could find a picture, or a catalogue of what it should contain? Also, off topic, dad had a VBW AF open-end spanner / socket set that I have found 75% of. Cleaned up the box and what's there and I'd like to complete that one too. Anyone deal in old VBW? Not that common. Thanks

 

[jabberwoki]

I ve got a cabinet at a mates house in Sydney and i`m sure ive seen pix of a full one.
Post up some pix so we can bask in the glory!!

 

[jabberwoki]

Here`s a few to chew on.

 

[Dave60]

Photos attached. Wall box is in nice condition because I decanted it into a toolbox early on. Dave

 

[wombat31x]

I found this in a Sidchrome catalogue from 1994-95 it should be similar to the one you want. Older catalogues can be difficult and expensive to find.I hope it helps

 

[RichoTas]

The old cattle dogs don't come up often.
Sidchrome stuff was always easy to find, the last 10-15 years has made the old and interesting bits much harder to find.

 

[wombat31x]

I think the catalogue I have (1994-95) was the last one featuring the Australian made tools,after that they went Taiwanese, although during the later 1990's some tools were Proto sold in Sidchrome packaging I have flare nut spanners that attest to this.A friendly Sidchrome rep told me they were closing down the Australian factory so I went all over South East Queensland visiting every hardware and tool shop that stocked Sidchrome and filled out my tool set with the last remaining Aussie made spanners and sockets and handles I needed, since then I have managed to score a few NOS(new old stock) pieces on E bay including a very nice 3/4 drive ratchet handle with a ball detent(not pin).
I still use them daily and they have never let me down I have bent a few spanners with my brother and I using a 8 foot length of pipe on an 1 1/8" ring spanner I still have that spanner but have replaced it with another from E bay.My greatest wish is that they could reopen the factory in Australia with some new broaches to give us "wall drive" but using the old steel and satin chrome...aaahh I must be getting old.

 

[wombat31x]

The other Aussie tool company I miss is Rota who made toolboxes, they are even harder to find than Sidchrome stuff.I remember as a young teen in the 70's coverting a Rota toolbox(my cousin got one for christmas)I still remember the smell of the new toolboxes in stores,I guess now that paint would be regarded as toxic,but I will remember thats smell until I die.Oh I did manage to score a Rota catalogue from the 70's a while back I guard it carefully....ohh memories..dammit I have become my grandfather.

 

[Ralf99]

The other Aussie tool company I miss is Rota who made toolboxes, they are even harder to find than Sidchrome stuff.I remember as a young teen in the 70's coverting a Rota toolbox(my cousin got one for christmas)I still remember the smell of the new toolboxes in stores,I guess now that paint would be regarded as toxic,but I will remember thats smell until I die.Oh I did manage to score a Rota catalogue from the 70's a while back I guard it carefully....ohh memories..dammit I have become my grandfather.

Rota made many of the hand carry tool boxes for Sidchrome, and if memory serves, many of the non-bearing slide tool chests as well.

As everyone probably knows, Sidchrome was sold to Stanley Black & Decker in the early 90’s, hence the smattering of Protos mentioned above.
Stanley sent manufacture to Taiwan by the mid 90’s, consolidating production for other brands they own including Facom, USAG and Mac.
The Mac wrench sets in the plastic flip holders that appear popular in the US at the moment have been sold as the Sidchrome 440 series for the past decade or so.

 

[03.]

Most of my spanners and sockets etc are all Sidchrome. I purchased them in the '80s so all Aussie made with the quality steel we had in those days. Spanners are all in their original rolls and sockets in original tins. Some things I bought later, a 3/8 socket set I used to use only 1/2 inch, but the new one is not as good as original. The other thing I bought more recently, perhaps the last 10 years or so, is a couple of multiple size Circlip pliers, one internal, one external, funnily enough they were made in France of all places. Acceptable quality. I think all the new stuff now is Chinese rubbish, I did contact Siddons to try and get confirmation, but I think customer service left the company abt the time they moved operations overseas. The odd thing or two I have needed since I have bought Kincrome brand, not as good but still reasonable enough for my purposes.
I believe one of my old toolboxes is a rota too, well used but functions like the day I bought it.

 

[Ralf99]

Some of the more recent Sidchrome socketry for sale at the big green box store does have a downmarket air about it and I would guess is made in China - the newer adjustable wrenches and low end pliers certainly are.
Outside of the box store the vast majority of sockets, ratchets and spanners are still made in Taiwan. Much of the higher end pliers are from France with the Facom connection, and the better adjustable wrenches are made by Irega in Spain.

 

[wombat31x]

Sidchrome indeed do seem to have two lines of shifters(adjustable spanners for non aussies) the Type 1 which are made by Irega but even these seem to have two quality levels the older one without size markings on the jaws seem to be much better quality. The Type 2 I have no idea where they are made but the quality is on a par with those found on bargain bins at major stores the jaws have a lot od play and the adjustment screw sometimes binds

 

[Ralf99]

Yeah, there is another step down being sold at the big green box store which make the Type 2 feel like quality - they are similar in appearance to the Type 2 but with a more angled head.
They do not show up on their website however, so suspect it might be a brand licensing situation.
The Type 2 have ‘Made in PRC’ on their tag.

 

[jabberwoki]

Chuck that china **** right in the bin mate.

 

[Ralf99]

Should have looked at the Sidchrome website...

 

[Ralf99]

Hey Jabber, good to see you about.

I have a couple of the Type 2 jobbies that have come as part of kits - I don’t mind them in the larger sizes, but prefer to use my vintage ‘Made in Sweden’ (ie. Sandvik/Bahco) Sidchrome shifters from the 70’s.

Outside of the big green box store a full range of good quality made in Taiwan and Europe kit is available.

 

[humber2]

A 10" Sidchrome shifter has arrived home with me, near the handle is the one word Sweden.

This is normal RH adjuster, not the usual Swedish shifters which have cack
handed screws.

 

[Ralf99]

I’d never thought to check which direction the adjusters went on the Swedish Sidchrome - the only time it bothers me is when I’m working with a tool set that has shifters that work in opposite directions - which would be rare.

Just had a quick scrounge in the shed and located a 10” Swedish Sidchrome (the black one) that does indeed work as “normal”. Also came across a 4” Swedish Bahco that operates as normal rather than “reverse” as per the grey made in Spain Bahco.

 

[humber2]

Interesting. My 10" chrome shifter has SWEDEN in small letters vertical beside the hanging hole.

In a Sidchrome Catalogue there is a photo of a toolmaker milling the dies to forge a shifter.

From that image I had until now assumed these were all made in OZ.

 

[Ralf99]

Yep, the black one has a small Sweden near the hole - covered by a tad of rust unfortunately.
There were shifters made in Australia for many years - I have a couple, just not in the shed. The Swedish jobbies were the “premium” line. They also had a series made in Japan that was similar to the Daniel Forge line and sold in McEwans.

The premium shifters in their current lineup are made by Irega in Spain (the left one in the photo), and the consumer line - ie. Bunnings - are made in China.

 

[Ralf99]

Pictures stolen from an Ebay listing show as made in Australia.