Vintage Xcelite or other Nut Driver Sets

[outofbounds]

I guess this is the parking space for all things VACO, in addition to Xcelite.... I saw a similar item upthread, but with a ratcheting variation? This is a VACO SA-711, which offers a single nut driver to fit 5 sizes of nuts from 1/4" through 7/16".

 

[d42jeep]

Looks familiar.
-Don

 

[Jc2043]

Looks familiar.

-Don

Yep


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[outofbounds]

Yep

Jc2043,

Yours has some very subtle variations to mine on the handle with a logo left of "VACO" and the letters "S/B" before the part number.......

Is yours a ratcheting type?

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...with a logo left of "VACO"

Looks like the modern Underwriters Laboratories (UL) stamp of approval.

 

[Jc2043]

Jc2043,



Yours has some very subtle variations to mine on the handle with a logo left of "VACO" and the letters "S/B" before the part number.......



Is yours a ratcheting type?

OOB, it’s not ratcheting and the logo is definitely underwriters laboratories as Lugz stated. I assume this was their connection to Klein but I can’t see any electrician using these drivers on electrical circuits...


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[mritchie77]

After reading this thread I went back through my "get rid of box" of grandpa's old tools and came across this. Guess I can join the Xcelite club!

<a href="https://ibb.co/j5wrvgG"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/7zp1J2V/IMG-0997.jpg" alt="IMG-0997" border="0"></a>

 

[Jc2043]

OOB, it’s not ratcheting and the logo is definitely underwriters laboratories as Lugz stated. I assume this was their connection to Klein but I can’t see any electrician using these drivers on electrical circuits...


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Coming full circle... this Xcelite nut driver has the same UL marking.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

OOB, it’s not ratcheting and the logo is definitely underwriters laboratories as Lugz stated. I assume this was their connection to Klein but I can’t see any electrician using these drivers on electrical circuits...

I think UL expanded their testing and certification to all kinds of products, including mechanical, awhile ago. It could be related to the shatterproofness of the handle or any number of things.

 

[Jc2043]

I think UL expanded their testing and certification to all kinds of products, including mechanical, awhile ago. It could be related to the shatterproofness of the handle or any number of things.

Lugz,

Now you’ve piqued my interests. I was assuming the UL Mark was related to insulating properties like my 1000V Milwaukee hazardous location drivers but your theory makes more sense.

One of my subcontractors just went through the UL cert process for an advanced electric vehicle charger we were using in a pilot study. It was a rather challenging journey.

Anyway, I think I have access to UL search tool at the work and it looks like the specs are under UL 745-1. I’ll report back.


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[CoogarXR]

I mentioned in the "new tool arrivals" that I FINALLY found my two Xcelite unicorns; the HS-13 and HS-15:

That completes my run of HS-6 through HS-24 (I don't have 21 or 23, but I have never seen them in any catalogs, so I don't know if they were ever made).

I still have one stubby to find, the black S-6. I have seen it a couple times, so it's not super rare, but never managed to be able to buy one. And I have a couple long ones to find too (A-13 through A-15). But dag-gonit if my HS-** series isn't finally complete! LOL. Oh, and I still need 14-17mm, but that's a whole 'nother drawer... I can't believe how long it's taken to build a complete set of Xcelite nut drivers. It's been fun, and I am still obsessively looking.

 

[d42jeep]

Congratulations, looks great. I’ll look through my extras and see if I have your missing shorty.
-Don

 

[CoogarXR]

Thanks!

Some celebratory Xcelite trivia for those that might not know:

The number on the handle is how many 1/32" the nut driver is. #6 = 6/32 or 3/16. #12 = 12/32 or 3/8. And so on.

 

[macgee]

Ok Don, I'm betting you or any other members do not have this set?

They're from PEC (Products Engineering Company), Los Angeles, CA; I have no idea how old they are but I would say somewhere between '20-50's? Set size: 3/16" - 1/2"
PEC now a days makes excellent machinist squares and rulers that compare to Starrett, they also make ruler blades for Mitutoyo which I use daily.
I couldn't tell if it was the same company until I found this pic with the same current logo. The last pic is of a label of same vintage nut drivers I found online (not mine).

Not sure what I'm going to do with them, they've been sitting in a bottom drawer collecting dust but I might clean them up and de-rust them but saving the handle finish.

 

[bmwrd0]

I have come across a couple of the PEC nutdrivers over the years, never picked one up though. I do have a PEC 1/4 socket set. Really good quality.

 

[d42jeep]

Ok Don, I'm betting you or any other members do not have this set?

They're from PEC (Products Engineering Company), Los Angeles, CA; I have no idea how old they are but I would say somewhere between '20-50's? Set size: 3/16" - 1/2"
PEC now a days makes excellent machinist squares and rulers that compare to Starrett, they also make ruler blades for Mitutoyo which I use daily.
I couldn't tell if it was the same company until I found this pic with the same current logo. The last pic is of a label of same vintage nut drivers I found online (not mine).

Not sure what I'm going to do with them, they've been sitting in a bottom drawer collecting dust but I might clean them up and de-rust them but saving the handle finish.

You are correct. I don’t only not have any, I’ve never seen one. Something else to look out for.
I went through my Xcelite spares and tho only black shorty was in this well used set that probably at one time belonged to Chevron. Every tool in the set has the prominent markings. The set is up for grabs at an extremely nominal cost if it helps to complete a set.
-Don

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Those are sweet. Pec made some nice tools.

 

[CoogarXR]

You are correct. I don’t only not have any, I’ve never seen one. Something else to look out for.
I went through my Xcelite spares and tho only black shorty was in this well used set that probably at one time belonged to Chevron. Every tool in the set has the prominent markings. The set is up for grabs at an extremely nominal cost if it helps to complete a set.
-Don

Thanks for the offer Don. I have all the convertible Xcelites that I need for now. The S-6 I am looking for is a regular stubby with a fat handle. Like this S-12, but an S-6, lol:

 

[d42jeep]

Oh. Sorry I misunderstood. I’m sure I don’t have one of those. I think I only have an early 5/16” in that configuration.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

Picked this old girl up via eBay:



It's a little bit cattywampus due to the 1/4" being replaced by a newer version that didn't have the same size handle as these WWII era ones do. I had a spare 3/16" with the more common amber handle in to fill the gap, and am now looking for a red-handled, black shaft 1/4 from the correct period.

And it is back to its correct shape now.

 

[d42jeep]

I’ll have to double check at home but I think I have a matching spare if they look like these.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

By Jove! it does look like that.

These are going to be working again, so I am looking forward to a matching 1/4" unit.

 

[d42jeep]

Going out today.
-Don

 

[Shiftless]

Are these too new to be of interest to any of you guys?

 

[d42jeep]

Are these too new to be of interest to any of you guys?

I have the more modern ones covered, although I’m sure there are other GJ members that could use one. We found this set right up the hill from your house.
-Dong

 

[Shiftless]

Nice score with the rack and everything. I have a set of Craftsman users in metric and SAE on the pegboard wall over my main bench. I don’t need those 2.

 

[d42jeep]

I’m sorry to hear about your Craftsman keepers. Maybe we could upgrade them to a nice Vaco set. One even has a Pastime Hardware price tag on it.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Besides the Vaco set made up from my spares, I made some sets of other brands. Husky, Ace, Craftsman -H- and Craftsman Circle V. It might be time to downsize!
-Don

 

[Provincial]

Perhaps time for an intervention?

 

[d42jeep]

Perhaps time for an intervention?

I did mention my affliction at the beginning of the thread. Fortunately, I’ve found that eBay can help to lighten the load in a gradual way.
-Don

 

[IMCA38]

I scored this large set of drivers along the bottom of the photo in a tool box that I bought at an auction. I believe they are Vaco.
Can anyone tell me more about them, like how old, and how the sets were arranged? I.e. were the nut drivers a set and the hex’s another set, etc?

 

[d42jeep]

Here are some Vaco flyers to look at although I didn’t see your sets with detachable blades. I see more Xcelite with detachable blades.
https://archive.org/search.php?query=Vaco+tools
-Don

 

[IMCA38]

Well, this piqued my curiosity enough that I braved the frozen tundra to my shop to have a second look.
Two of the three handles are marked as Vaco 90-1 and the third is marked XceLite 99-1. (Note however that the Vaco’s have the printing running opposite directions.)
Following along this line, the SAE nut driver shanks appear to be Vaco as they are numbered 90-** with the second number being the size in 32nd’s. i.e. 90-16 is the number in the 1/2” shank 90-11 on 11/32” etc.
The hex shafts appear to be XceLite as they have numbers like 99-25. I couldn’t identify the pattern on the second number.
There were three extensions which did have Vaco stamped on them. Part no was 90-x5. (Guessing for 5” extension. Wonder if there were other lengths?)
The screwdriver shanks had both 90 and 99 numbers with some of the 90’s also having Vaco stamped in them.

As a bonus prize, I also came across some tiny XceLite drivers along with one orphaned Craftsman.

 

[CoogarXR]

The Vaco 90 sets were a competitor to the Xcelite 99 series. All the blades are interchangeable between sets. Vaco (just like Xcelite) sold individual blades, small sets (like hex or nut drivers only) and large sets.

Vaco and Xcelite also shared very similar part numbers on these drivers. Substituting "Vaco 90-***" for "Xcelite 99-***" is typically the same part in each respective manufacturer's lineup. Like 99-1 and 90-1 are both standard handles (like you have), 90-11 and 99-11 are both 11/32 nutdriver blades, etc.

They were not made in the same factory though, they were competitors. Both are very similar in quality.

Another thing to note, some of these blade kits were bundled in technician tool kits. IBM and Jensen come to mind. Both IBM and Jensen rebranded both Vaco and Xcelite tools.

Well, there's a bunch of disjointed Xcelite/Vaco trivia for ya, lol.

 

[IMCA38]

Another thing to note, some of these blade kits were bundled in technician tool kits. IBM and Jensen come to mind. Both IBM and Jensen rebranded both Vaco and Xcelite tools.

Well, that makes sense why you’d only want one handle if you were carrying all of your tools around in the limited confines of a “briefcase” type box! I could easily see the case having a bunch of little slots for the shanks and a larger slot for the handle.

Thanks for the info!

 

[bonneyman]

Picked this old girl up via eBay:



It's a little bit cattywampus due to the 1/4" being replaced by a newer version that didn't have the same size handle as these WWII era ones do. I had a spare 3/16" with the more common amber handle in to fill the gap, and am now looking for a red-handled, black shaft 1/4 from the correct period.

And it is back to its correct shape now.

Oh, yeah! Complete and patina'd and mounted!

 

[bmwrd0]

I realized I had never put up a picture after Don so graciously sent a correct 1/4" driver to finish the whole thing! So, here we are:


Still not sure of the spot I have it mounted, but I will figure it out in the end.

 

[d42jeep]

Looks good. Judging by the drivers design it’s a little earlier than the one I found at the beginning of the thread. I personally use the 1/4” drivers more than any others.
-Don

 

[bmwrd0]

11/32" for me, as that is one of the common nuts for electric motors. When I was in the field it was 5/16"s, but those days are behind me now.

But this style handle is what shows up in the WWII era catalog so that kinda dates them pretty well.

 

[CoogarXR]

I was bored today, rearranging my box, and I decided to do an updated picture of all my non-screwdriver-and-nutdriver Xcelite tools. Cutters, pliers, wrenches, etc:

I tell ya, those little green flush cutters in the upper right, and the red-handled stripper/crimper are probably some of my most-used tools.