The Vintage New Britain and Associated Thread!

[2oolhound]

This is the set all packed up. I think the ratchet and adapter are part of the set although I can't find any images to confirm that.

Hey, there's your set in IBGradwell's catalog photo!

 

[MShaw]

I just found two red plastic wrench rolls for the 14 pc Husky combination wrench set in between the joists in my cellar. Excellent condition. Pay shipping.

Send me a PM if interested.

 

[beatcad]

check yer PMs pal

 

[CRTDI]

Looks like I can play now, finally got some New Britain....

 

[sonvolt]

Looks like I can play now, finally got some New Britain....

Minty set !! Nice !

 

[MShaw]

After being on this site for a few weeks a thought has surfaced. When I worked at NBHT it was usual to see tubs of sockets and wrenches with quantities of 10,000 to 15,000 tools in them. Considering that production at these rates went on month after month for years I find it amazing that they are now collectibles and not easily found. I have to wonder where they have all gone to.

 

[ganymede]

After being on this site for a few weeks a thought has surfaced. When I worked at NBHT it was usual to see tubs of sockets and wrenches with quantities of 10,000 to 15,000 tools in them. Considering that production at these rates went on month after month for years I find it amazing that they are now collectibles and not easily found. I have to wonder where they have all gone to.

I wonder about survival rates too, especially older stuff.
I bet most of the stuff from your time is still in existence and won't be available in large quantities until boomers start leaving in large numbers. Just like greatest generation era stuff was common for a while and is now slowing down.

 

[dieseldodge01]

After being on this site for a few weeks a thought has surfaced. When I worked at NBHT it was usual to see tubs of sockets and wrenches with quantities of 10,000 to 15,000 tools in them. Considering that production at these rates went on month after month for years I find it amazing that they are now collectibles and not easily found. I have to wonder where they have all gone to.

I have always wondered that also. In my area there is dozens of Napa stores, but I can't find any New Britain tools. I have been able to find gobs of Penncraft and Husky. I am hoping someone has a whole barn full of New Britain tools around here.

 

[Scooterfish]

Question for Mshaw.

Did NB make 100% of their ratchets in house? I curious about the gear part and finer machine parts. Thanks

 

[MShaw]

They made the lug (the main body of the mechanism) in house on Kingsbury indexing automatic machines. The pawl, reversing plate, spring, retaining ring and shifting cap were purchased to the best of my memory.

The ratchet frame was forged at Storms and the machining was done in house on Kingsburys and the teeth were broached in a punch press.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

old 1/2" set

 

[caesar2001]

Hey, there's your set in IBGradwell's catalog photo!

I have number 14 from that catalog.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Some more New Britain combos, oddly enough they don't match any in the sets I'm trying to fill, so now I have another set I need to complete

 

[Glen Vassallo]

Hi all, I have a NB Rachet that is skipping and would like to find a repair kit for. Does anybody know if these are still available? Thanks

 

[ganymede]

^^^
It depends on which model.
If it's really old then you'll have to hawk EBay for a kit or a donor ratchet.
Make sure it actually needs to be rebuilt instead of just being cleaned.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

I took it apart, cleaned and lubed it with ATF but it stilled slips. I will check the model tomorrow. thanks

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

If all else fails you can warranty it at some NAPA stores, last time I asked at mine they said they would, but YMMV

 

[dieseldodge01]

I took it apart, cleaned and lubed it with ATF but it stilled slips. I will check the model tomorrow. thanks

Do you have pictures of the ratchet guts? It sounds like either some teeth are missing or the spring to hold the pawl to the head is bad. That is going by the assumption that it is a kilness patent ratchet.

 

[Glen Vassallo]

There doesn't seem to be any teeth missing and I even tried to putting a small spacer behind that small spring so that it will push the pawl just a bit more. It only skips in the clockwise (tightening) direction. I will try posting some pics but I have never posted any before. Thanks for your replies.

 

[MShaw]

Now that I have figured out how to post pictures here are my mixed New Britain SAE wrenches. There is deep offset bpx wrenches from 3/8" to 1 5/16" with 3/8 thru 11/16 in 6 & 12 point, 15 degree box wrenches from 3/8" to 1" in 12 point/ older open end wrenches from 3/8" to 7/8" and tappet wrenches fron 1/2" to 3/4"

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Very nice collection!

I try to stick to collecting combos but I have a loose DBE that I use whenever possible.

 

[mattygee]

A while back I picked up a couple New Britain gear pullers... Don't really have any immediate need for them but the price was right. Pics aren't the best but heres a couple:

 

[MShaw]

In metric this is my set of Husky box wrenches from 8mm to 32mm.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I like those, I don't see a lot of metric, I think I only have a few Sparta and one NB wrench that is metric

 

[twertsy]

Here's what I believe is a "pre-loc-rite" style wrench. I originally thought they were for special applications but they're not. It's designed to grab the flats of a nut.

 

[MShaw]

Absolutely correct. It is a New Britain Nutmaster

 

[3baygarage]

I have to say MShaw it's great having you aboard and nice collection!

One Rather large New Britain piston ring compressor. I doubt NB made these. It would seem they are all made by one company for just about every brand but I could be wrong.

 

[MShaw]

I have one also. It is stamped "Ullman Devices Brookfield, Ct". I got it when the purchasing agent cleaned out his samples that had been submitted for items that New Britain did not make. It looks like it is the same.

I just Googled them. They are still in business and still making the same compressor. It is the largest of the several sizes they make.

 

[MShaw]

Another oddity. New Britain / Blackhawk midget combination wrenches.

 

[3baygarage]

I have one also. It is stamped "Ullman Devices Brookfield, Ct". I got it when the purchasing agent cleaned out his samples that had been submitted for items that New Britain did not make. It looks like it is the same.

I just Googled them. They are still in business and still making the same compressor. It is the largest of the several sizes they make.

Ullman -thanks!

Was trying to think of where I know Ullman from. I've Seen it on lots of inspection mirrors and pickup magnets. Probably other stuff too.

 

[3baygarage]

Found this pair of 3/8" ratchets together at the flea market today. Totally expecting them to be the usual Husky or Penncraft I was surprised after picking up the first one and in disbelief after the second.

two American Forge ratchets:


[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC06805_zpsbysrbjby.jpg.html] [/URL]

different stampings, one has a patent
[URL=http://s102.photobucket.com/user/nno16r/media/DSC06812_zpssic7irvg.jpg.html] [/URL]

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

That is a good find, they even have the husky style selector switch

 

[CRTDI]

Another oddity. New Britain / Blackhawk midget combination wrenches.

Those look like they may be later Blackhawk/New Britian version of these Blackhawk/Armstrong wrenches...

 

[MShaw]

I believe you are right. In the photo below there are indented grooves each side of the stamping like your wrenches.
I was told that the wrenches with the indented shanks were made of 8620 alloy steel. Sometime around 1970 they changed to 1137 alloy steel as a cost reduction. At that time they removed the indents so that they could track the 1137 wrenches if there were any problems with the change.

Just a bit of useless information for your gee whiz file to amaze your friends.

You notice that some of the box ends are not uniform. That is because they were finished by placing them over a pivot pin which was advanced to an abrasive belt grinder by air pressure and the wrench was rotated around the pin by hand to finish the box end. It took a very skilled operator to make nicely finished ones like the two largest ones in your picture.

 

[Andylad]

I have a 1/2" Husky fine tooth ratchet that i think were made by New Britain, very similar to CS-45. On the handle where it is stamped HUSKY it is also stamped BEDFORD. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Was it made for a company called Bedford? Have never seen another one. Sorry no photo.

 

[3baygarage]

I have a 1/2" Husky fine tooth ratchet that i think were made by New Britain, very similar to CS-45. On the handle where it is stamped HUSKY it is also stamped BEDFORD. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Was it made for a company called Bedford? Have never seen another one. Sorry no photo.

Ask around about Bedford tools. I've heard of them. A dual stamped ratchet though? How can you tease us without pics?

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Just got this yesterday, it was an eBay find.

 

[beatcad]

i have only a few new britain items. some NB some old husky and some NAPA.
i'm really a fan(user&collector) of blackhawk.
i posted this NB made blackhawk mic in the vintage blackhawk thread a year or so ago.

than twertsy picked up this set for me last week. not NOS but lightly or rarely used.

 

[Andylad]

Ask around about Bedford tools. I've heard of them. A dual stamped ratchet though? How can you tease us without pics?

From what i can work out this ratchet was part of a Bedford socket set but the ratchet was made by Husky USA. Bedford tools are from Sheffield, England i think, strange that they could not manufacture their own ratchet.

 

[Andylad]

I think maybe the ratchet was part of a socket set made by Bedford Tools, Sheffield, England and Husky (New Britian) supplied the ratchet. Just seems strange that Bedford had to get an American company to supply the ratchet? Unless Bedford were owned by Husky? Very good quality and fine action.