Vintage Wright - Share it Here

[davethorik]

after watching some International Harvester branded, Wright-made tools sell for ludicrous prices (see attached screen shot of an auction for a single 1/2 drive 24mm socket), I decided to actively keep an eye out for them.

they are not common. last year I found a single 9/16" combo at a flea market for $2, used but nice.

then last week, found a 1-1/4" to go with. it looks like **** in the photo, turns out it was a waxy cosmoline-type substance. after hitting it with acetone, the wrench appears to be never used. there is some light rust that i believe will clean up without issue, but the chrome is perfect.

 

[misterbill]

This is the earliest Wright wrench I have found that has the 2 digit date code "-40".





Bill

 

[genog]

I am not sure of the vintage of this Wright tool roll.

Nice USA set that spans 3/8 to 1-1/4
I don't think that they have ever been used

a few Wright sockets

 

[northwoods]

Pat pending n70. Still working very smoothly.

I have an N-70 like yours. Seems almost singularly scarce. Unfortunately, mine is trashed. Sort of. I have the arm, the shifter and its spacer, two screws, two pawls and their spring, one ball, the head base? Am I missing something? Do you still have yours? Have you taken it apart? Any advice?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Any pics ?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

It looks contract produced, does anyone have a guess who made it?

It looks like it may have been a company called Great American, Dave. Check it out (and compare the "R")...

GREAT AMERICAN adjustable wrench

Found this 6-inch adjustable wrench. It it substantial and well made with very little play. It is marked Great American. Not distinctive other than the teardrop hangy hole. Barcalo also made an adjustable with a teardrop hole. Ever seen a "Great American" tool?

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Wright Frankenstein set

 

[Ricky Joe]

.

 

[Old Radar]

Picked this set up at an estate sale this week. Happily, the PO kept the receipt under his home-made foam insert. Dated 8 Apr 1966, most items in the set have an E-code for 1965. Rat, 8-inch extension and one 12pt socket carry the 1966 F-code, while two of the deep sockets are S-coded replacements from 1976.

None of the available catalogs include the 19-piece #319 set, but extrapolating from the 22-piece #322 set described in the Wright 110 catalog, I believe my set is missing the following:
6pt 3012, 3/8" socket
6pt 3016, 1/2" socket
6pt 3518, 9/16" deep socket
6pt 3520, 5/8" deep socket
3475 Universal Joint -- I believe the Snap-on Phillips socket is resting in the cut-out for the U-joint.
**Let me know if anyone has dupes of these they are interested in selling/trading**

This is my first Wright ratchet with the rubber grip. The adhesive has failed and it rotates on the shaft and can be completely removed--possibly due to cracks in the rubber and associated grease infiltration. Is this a common problem with this style grip?

 

[d42jeep]

After a long Wright drought, I found three 1946 dated sockets today and I have a destination in mind for them.
-Don

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm always impressed with the quality of Wright wartime tools.

I spent the better part of a half hour plucking these - all 3/8-inch drive, all 12-pointers, all "AC" (Air Corps) - and a few other brands out of a big bin of swivel sockets yesterday.

MU-55, 5/8", with 1942 date ("-42"), cadmium
MU-56, 11/16, with a 1943 date ("-43"), cadmium
MU-56, 11/16", with no date, black ox or very dark natural steel
MU-57, 3/4", with no date, black ox or very dark natural steel

Which may reveal an interesting sequential pattern of years, finishes, and marking practices (early to late war, cad to black ox, dates to no dates) that I had not taken note of before. Maybe Bill can confirm or deny that with his holdings.

 

[misterbill]

I'm always impressed with the quality of Wright wartime tools.

I spent the better part of a half hour plucking these - all 3/8-inch drive, all 12-pointers, all "AC" (Air Corps) - and a few other brands out of a big bin of swivel sockets yesterday.

MU-55, 5/8", with 1942 date ("-42"), cadmium
MU-56, 11/16, with a 1943 date ("-43"), cadmium
MU-56, 11/16", with no date, black ox or very dark natural steel
MU-57, 3/4", with no date, black ox or very dark natural steel

Which may reveal an interesting sequential pattern of years, finishes, and marking practices (early to late war, cad to black ox, dates to no dates) that I had not taken note of before. Maybe Bill can confirm or deny that with his holdings.

Just ventured into the basement... I've got around a dozen of them and a couple of the 42s were just plain (shiny/polished) steel. There might be something to the later ones being dark natural steel, though. A lot (but not all) of the 44 & 45 pieces I have tend to be dark. Maybe another interesting avenue to follow would be (with a larger sample size) to compare those marked "AC" with those that are not.

 

[LesserSon]

I’m not familiar with Wright.
These two empty boxes were in a mixed group I picked up this weekend. Conveniently, one had a “Set 307” label adhered to the inside. I’ve been trying to identify the correct contents without much luck. 3/8dr, sure, but 17 pieces? They’re only 3/4x2-1/4x4-1/4” on the inside. Screwdriver bits?

 

[misterbill]

I’m not familiar with Wright.
These two empty boxes were in a mixed group I picked up this weekend. Conveniently, one had a “Set 307” label adhered to the inside. I’ve been trying to identify the correct contents without much luck. 3/8dr, sure, but 17 pieces? They’re only 3/4x2-1/4x4-1/4” on the inside. Screwdriver bits?

LS, that's "7" pieces in the 307 set.



Bill

 

[LesserSon]

Thanks. Seven makes more sense (6+box). If there had been a label in the other box, maybe I would have seen that the “1” wasn’t a one.

 

[misterbill]

Picked up this circa early 70s NOS Wright 9 piece metric combination wrench set #749. Aside from the scratches from rubbing against each other there are no marks. All are date coded "L" (1971) or "M" (1972).

Here's a listing from Wright Catalog 110.








Bill

 

[misterbill]

I also have this 707 SAE set. Not as clean and no date codes on the wrenches but it appears in the 1977(?) Wright Catalog 500A







Bill

 

[Username already in use]

I also have this 707 SAE set. Not as clean and no date codes on the wrenches but it appears in the 1977(?) Wright Catalog 500A

Those 2 sets are real nice! Nice clean wrenches too.

Years ago I found the empty wrench roll at the flea and I’ve been filling it up 1 wrench at a time.
I’m still one 7/16” combo away from filling it up.

 

[Mintgrun]

Picked up this circa early 70s NOS Wright 9 piece metric combination wrench set #749. Aside from the scratches from rubbing against each other there are no marks. All are date coded "L" (1971) or "M" (1972).

Here's a listing from Wright Catalog 110.

Bill

Is there room in that pouch for one more wrench? I brought this one home today.





S date code? This 11-18mm wrench is shown in the 1975 500A catalog.

Wright Catalog 500A : Wright Tool & Forge Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

44 p., illus., 27.8 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Tom

 

[3baygarage]

I just went through the whole thread and have to say it‘s quite enjoyable. At times I’ve been guilty of going off track with contract production ratchets, although contract tools were a big part of Wright’s manufacturing history.


Here is an example that hasn’t made an appearance in the thread yet.

3/8 drive MN-50.
7” long

I’m thinking this is a 1938 tool with the 8+ stamp. This is a Patent Pending example. At AA I found the patent #, then located the patent at Datamp. Filed for in 1938 and granted in 1940.




MN 50

8+
PAT. PENDING

Barberton O

A shot of the innards after removing a lot of dried grease. It worked great prior to opening, I was just curious about the mechanism. A few drops of oil, works like new.


From Datamp.
I like the “Not known to have been produced”.
The drawing shows a third cover screw, which would have interfered with the ball on back, which has an oil passage to the cover.

 

[RTM]

mind if we try to get that picture into DATAMP, and fix the flag to say Wright manufactured it?

 

[3baygarage]

Sure. That would be cool. I think items have turned up before or it was mentioned by forum members. I don't know the process.

 

[Ricky Joe]

.

 

[misterbill]

This 1948 catalog #52 and supplement were on eBay today. Sold in the period of time it took from when I saw it to click BIN. Adding the photos from the auction here for those who may be interested.














Bill

 

[d42jeep]

I wouldn’t worry too much. I believe that you are familiar with the buyer who currently resides in Texas. It’s likely that it will eventually be posted on Archive.org.
-Don

 

[tin medic]

Sorry Bill, it was me.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The culprit is found!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I believe that you are familiar with the buyer who currently resides in Texas.

Funny!

Sorry Bill, it was me.

And even funnier when he incriminates himself!

Next time he PCS's he's going to use up his whole shipping weight allowance on "Library" and have to leave the furniture behind!

 

[tin medic]

Thats what happened when I came to Texas. I had to many tools so we left all the furniture. I covered it up by telling my wife it was time for new stuff so we should just get rid of the old stuff before we leave.

 

[Old Radar]

^^^ Get with the program you two! Manuals and books fall under "Professional Gear" and are weighed separately!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I covered it up by telling my wife it was time for new stuff so we should just get rid of the old stuff before we leave.

Genius!

Manuals and books fall under "Professional Gear" and are weighed separately!

We groundpounders don't have the time to know all the ins and outs of moving like you zoomies!

 

[JohnDeere]

Wright N52 ratchet from 1941.

 

[z28lsc]

My MN60 from 42.

 

[misterbill]

Here's a 1939 dated X53 9/16" x 5/8" obstruction wrench. Anybody else think it looks Herbrand-y?




From Herbrand's 1939 Catalog:





Bill

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Eeeyup!

My wartimer below...

 

[d42jeep]

Looks pretty similar to me.
-Don

 

[MR.X]

Here's a new one to me - a Wright N20 1/2" drive ratchet. It has what we all assume to be a date code - "R". No idea what year, though. Got to be between 1927 and 1940, though. Little Easter egg came with it. The drive plug is a Plomb.










Bill

I know this post is over a year old but do we know what the original N20 plug looked like? Thanks

 

[3baygarage]

When I went to grab this N20, I got distracted moving boxes around the garage, and ran across that same Herbrand obstruction wrench.

Hope this helps Mr. X. I examined this here plug and there are 0 markings.


The ends of the plug are bumped. Seems kind of unique.

 

[MR.X]

When I went to grab this N20, I got distracted moving boxes around the garage, and ran across that same Herbrand obstruction wrench.

Hope this helps Mr. X. I examined this here plug and there are 0 markings.


The ends of the plug are bumped. Seems kind of unique.

Thanks. OK, I see the "bumps" on the ends. You're saying there are also "0 markings" as well? I think I have 2 N20 ratchets on the West Coast I'll be there in a couple weeks and check them thou I know one is a N20X with a captured plug. Reason I asked in the first place was I saw one as part of a lot for sale and it had a plug and it made me think how you see people selling the early Snap On rats with some random drive plugs they scrounged up.....and how on the WrightN20 I wouldn't even know if it was correct or not unless there was some obvious incorrect tell.

 

[3baygarage]

No markings on the plug. I'd be curious to see your examples. I know what you mean though. Sometimes it's hard to tell, sometimes sellers try and pull one over, and sometimes you get a nice Plomb plug.