Vintage Xcelite or other Nut Driver Sets

[d42jeep]

Thanks for the info. Found this decent stubby #1 Phillips at an estate sale today.
-Don

 

[genog]

Found five Xcelite 99 handles today.
I'll put them to use, as I have a bunch of bits/blades for them

 

[d42jeep]

I received these nice examples today as my end of a trade with Raineman. I’m very happy with them. Some of the pristine detachable blades will replace some rusty ones in sets.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Found some Xcelite tools at an estate sale today. Here they are cleaned up.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here is a very used partial set I picked up at a moving sale yesterday. I did some cleaning on the roll and tools and finally added some spares.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here are yesterday’s Xcelite estate sale finds.
-Don

 

[CoogarXR]

Woohoo! I finally got the Xcelite S6 Stubby that I have been looking for!



Thank you to @S-K Tool Fanatic! for spotting it in the garage sale thread, and thank you to @alinc100 for agreeing to sell it to me. You guys are the greatest.

Now my Xcelite "S-Series" stubby set is complete... As far as I know... These 5 are the only sizes that I know of, but that doesn't necessarily mean that's the only ones they made. Time will tell. But at last the elusive S6 is off my mental OCD checklist, lol. Here it is with its siblings:

 

[CoogarXR]

Dang my farsightedness, S10 and S11 are out of order in that pic above. But, I'm not walking back out to my shop and retaking the pic, lol.

 

[BlackVersa2]

Xcelite PS-120 mini metric nutdriver set
Picked up today for $3, barf scent included free

 

[d42jeep]

Xcelite PS-120 mini metric nutdriver set
Picked up today for $3, barf scent included free

Stinkdrivers yes but metric no. The PS-120 set contains fractional nutdrivers.
-Don

 

[BlackVersa2]

Stinkdrivers yes but metric no. The PS-120 set contains fractional nutdrivers.

Well that's silly, they could have marked the sizes on it. You also proved my theory so thanks.

 

[CoogarXR]

Well that's silly, they could have marked the sizes on it. You also proved my theory so thanks.

They kinda did- the numbers on the handles are how many 32nd of an inch they are. "P5" is 5/32, "P8" is 8/32 or 1/4, etc.

 

[RTM]

They kinda did- the numbers on the handles are how many 32nd of an inch they are. "P5" is 5/32, "P8" is 8/32 or 1/4, etc.

We can talk augers and gimlets next to confuse the hiding in plain sight sizes.

 

[CFC2]

eBay purchase arrived in the mail yesterday. I've been watching for a decent set at a reasonable price all year. Not what I think I would consider vintage, but they are made in the USA. And they are Xcelite nut drivers which fit the theme of this thread. I guess they were probably some of the last made before the ship sailed as they are in pretty good shape and only have a slight Xcelite smell.

 

[craftsman creep]

Have most of a craftsman SAE set missing 1/2

 

[JohnDeere]

I got this sweet UL listed Xcelite stubby reversible. Patent No. 2,596,594.



I also got the prehistoric Xcelite screwdriver.


Both available for trade, the reversible means a bit more than screwdriver to me.

 

[JohnDeere]

I got this neat ratchet/bit driver set. I need to find a ratchet.

 

[d42jeep]

I wonder what that ratchet would look like?
I found these at a sale yesterday.
-Don

 

[RTM]

I wonder what that ratchet would look like?

Based on the hole in the box, I was guessing a Yankee ratcheting offset screwdriver but w a hex hole.

This seems to confirm it.

Xcelite XL75VN 5-Piece Midget Offset Ratchet Screwdriver Set | Test Equipment Depot

Buy the Xcelite XL75VN 5-Piece Classic Series Midget Offset Ratchet Screwdriver Set for only $52.35 USD at the Test Equipment Depot. FREE Shipping on orders over $75! Shop our Screwdrivers and Nut Drivers catalog today!

www.testequipmentdepot.com

 

[d42jeep]

They don’t seem to be very expensive either. It didn’t take long to spot this on eBay.

Pardon Our Interruption...

-Don
Here is a picture from another listing.

 

[CoogarXR]

Yeah, that ratchet handle is pretty common. It shouldn't be too hard to get.

 

[RacerX]

We had a setvof bits with that rachet and it was called a Chapman set. I still have my set somewhere in my toolbox.

 

[bmwrd0]

Picked this up the other day:

Now, I just need to find the 7/16... I might move it out to the garage, and move the Proto set I have out there back inside. I have been using a Spintite set I put together, and I have a WWII set up on the wall, but neither of those quite do what I want. So, back to basics.

 

[bonneyman]

Beautiful set, bmw, just beautiful!

Great looking tools, in case, just missing one driver.

 

[d42jeep]

If one doesn’t turn up quickly, I’m sure I have a spare in the Bay Area. We are heading there in a week or so.
-Don

 

[rustyedge1]

One of my collecting quirks is an unnatural fascination with nut drivers. My tool collecting buddies are aware of the problem because I've sent some of them nut drivers as unsolicited gifts in the past. So when I saw this set at a nearby tool sale by a retired electrician, I just had to have them. I imagine there are some other nut drivers out there so please feel free to post them here. I'll be adding some pictures of other brands and sets as time permits.

 

[rustyedge1]

Got one like it on my garage wall, magnet helps keep it close and I know where it is..Use them some..

 

[humber2]

Stinkdrivers yes but metric no. The PS-120 set contains fractional nutdrivers.
-Don

Interesting to see three versions of packaging for the PS-120 set.

Is the compact set an early version?

My pair of sets show a revised description.

 

[d42jeep]

I believe that your lower set is earlier. I received my first set from my late brother more decades ago than I like to count. Possibly sometime in the ‘80s. I wrapped the base with electrical tape so the cover wouldn’t fall off.
-Don

 

[ronkz650]

I won this kit way back in 1978 in a TV repair competition in school. I love this kit, and still use it.

 

[CoogarXR]

Interesting to see three versions of packaging for the PS-120 set.

Is the compact set an early version?

My pair of sets show a revised description.

There were at least three other case styles too- the set like above but with a clear bottom, and also the frosted soft case (I realize it's a PS-83 in the picture, but it was also used on the PS-120):



And the frosted case came in two variations; the taller case with the handle stored horizontally along the top (left in the pic) and the handle upright (right in the pic):


I also notice that the hex impressions on the case bottom change. Some are smooth, some have 3 indents, some 4. I know the plastic dividers inside changed too. Sorry I don't have any of the compact sets at the moment to take fresh pics, these are old pics from sets I sold in the past.

 

[d42jeep]

Here are a few catalog listings.
-Don

 

[humber2]

Any ideas on when the hinged polycarbonate cases were introduced?

 

[WisJim]

I finally remembered to post pictures of my nut driver sets. A Vaco, couple of Xcelite, and some Wihas. Just remembered that I got a set of Craftsman inch and one of metric that look like they had never been used. No pics though.

 

[bmwrd0]

I posted these over on the Proto thread, but there is a special Xcelite or two in the picture also:

 

[CoogarXR]

I posted these over on the Proto thread, but there is a special Xcelite or two in the picture also:

Nice. That 19/32 is pretty uncommon.

 

[bmwrd0]

Oh, and I found the 11/32" out in the garage.

 

[PSCo1867]

Here's a badly deficient 99SMW Service Master kit. I believe the "W" was for a Weller soldering iron which would have lived in the WP25 spot.

 

[Mintgrun]

I'm guessing this 1/4" driver was part of a set. It's that pretty Herbrand blue. I wonder if the others in the set were too.

 

[JohnDeere]

Yesterday I saw xcelite 13/32, 15/32, 17/32 and 19/32 all in one place.