Wartime Snap-On 9/32" Set

[mritchie77]

Good morning! I've been a lurker on this site for quite a while, but this will be my first post.

I recently acquired a hoard of tools my my grandfather, and great-grandfather both of whom where mechanics for parts of their lives. During the subsequent sorting, I came across a Snap-On M70M 9/32" ratchet. It isn't chromed, more like the dull finish that I've seen on some of the wartime ratchets posted here. Thinking about it, is possible that it was my great-grandpa's as he was a B29 mechanic during the war and then an ICBM technician for the next 30 years.

Despite looking everywhere, there doesn't appear to be any 9/32" sockets anywhere BUT I've decided that I want to re-create a wartime 9/32" set as an example of what my great-grandpa might have used.

This has led to 2 questions.

1) Is there a complete list of what part #'s would be in a wartime set? From here and the collecting Snap-On site there appear to have been many sets from the 20's to mid 40's before the transition to 1/4". If anyone has a list I'd be appreciative. So far, I THINK this is accurate:

M-70M (ratchet)
M6 - 3/16
M7 - 7/32
M8 - 1/4
M408 - 1/4 (8 point)
M9 - 9/32
M10 - 5/16
M11 - 11/32
M12 - 3/8
M410 - 5/16 (8 point)
M4 - orange plastic handle driver (not the older black handle)
M5 - t-bar
M3 - t-handle
M2 - 2" extension

Can anyone confirm this? I saw a couple of members who had wartime sets, but when looking at their profiles to reach out they hadn't been active in years.

2) Did the wartime sets come in a finish other than chrome? I have been able to buy a M8, M408 and A6 (9/32 to 1/4 adapter) BUT they are in different finishes. The M8 is a dull grey while the M408 and A6 are chrome. I THINK the chrome are older versions from a different kit but I can't confirm.

Thank you and any help is greatly appreciated!!

Attached are example pictures of the different finishes.

<a href="https://ibb.co/4gxCC3Q"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/3YHVVQJ/image0.png" alt="image0" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/9yfxQHd"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/j3xCnkj/image1.jpg" alt="image1" border="0"></a>

 

[930dreamer]

I'd say nothing made for war time would be chromed but I've been wrong before.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

1) Is there a complete list of what part #'s would be in a wartime set?

Various bureaus of the Navy (including Aeronautics) and various branches of the Army (including Army Air Forces/Air Corps - which is where your grandfather served, and Ordnance Dept) bought 9/32-inch drive tools from Snap-on. I have several period documents from each, but they are all dated late war, and none of them list 9/32-inch drive sets. It's certain they bought sets, and also certain they bought tools individually, in large quantities, as replacements and spares. They show up in NOS surplus boxes. Your best bet is to use the commercial catalog as a guide for what the Navy or Army sets probably constituted, but 'go large' if you want, by adding extras you may find. You really can't go wrong.

See my set below. Note there is no T-handle. I believe they started putting 9/32-inch drive tools in the boxes they made for 1/4-inch drive tools late war, without the special compartments layout to accommodate the early T-handle. See the M-45 in my set as an example of a tool not on your list. This was a special all steel stubby spinner they made. There may be a couple few others like that out there.

Most sets you will see here are the early sets with the T-handle. Otg or d42jeep or someone else will eventually come along and post theirs. Or you can try searching on the Snap-on thread. Go to the Index in the Stickie at the top of the forum.

You will want to look for pieces with "2", "3" (extremely rare!), "E", or "G" date stamps. The "E" and "G" are very common.

2) Did the wartime sets come in a finish other than chrome?

Yes. Plain steel, phosphate (dusty and almost white), cadmium, and very rarely a black oxide. You may find an occasional "G" tool that is chromed, but it is probably postwar. The long extension next to the dark stubby spinner is an example of cad-plating that is wearing off.

EDIT: Good luck! Admirable project!

 

[mritchie77]

Various bureaus of the Navy (including Aeronautics) and various branches of the Army (including Army Air Forces/Air Corps - which is where your grandfather served, and Ordnance Dept) bought 9/32-inch drive tools from Snap-on. I have several period documents from each, but they are all dated late war, and none of them list 9/32-inch drive sets. It's certain they bought sets, and also certain they bought tools individually, in large quantities, as replacements and spares. They show up in NOS surplus boxes. Your best bet is to use the commercial catalog as a guide for what the Navy or Army sets probably constituted, but 'go large' if you want, by adding extras you may find. You really can't go wrong.

See my set below. Note there is no T-handle. I believe they started putting 9/32-inch drive tools in the boxes they made for 1/4-inch drive tools late war, without the special compartments layout to accommodate the early T-handle. See the M-45 in my set as an example of a tool not on your list. This was a special all steel stubby spinner they made. There may be a couple few others like that out there.

Most sets you will see here are the early sets with the T-handle. Otg or d42jeep or someone else will eventually come along and post theirs. Or you can try searching on the Snap-on thread. Go to the Index in the Stickie at the top of the forum.

You will want to look for pieces with "2", "3" (extremely rare!), "E", or "G" date stamps. The "E" and "G" are very common.


Yes. Plain steel, phosphate (dusty and almost white), cadmium, and very rarely a black oxide. You may find an occasional "G" tool that is chromed, but it is probably postwar. The long extension next to the dark stubby spinner is an example of cad-plating that is wearing off.

EDIT: Good luck! Admirable project!

Wow! You have provided quite a bit of information!! Looking up date codes (I've dated all my firearms but never considered dating tools until now) it appears that my M8 is stamped with a "G" but the A6 is from 1954 (we'll call that fine). Preliminary browsing of eBay during my lunch break showed several "G" marked sockets. As of five minutes ago, I now have "G" marked M6 and M10 sockets on their way to me.

I have to ask, was the breaker bar part of the kit? I see you have one in yours that I haven't come across yet. Studying your picture, you also appear to have a crossbar for the breaker? I have a couple of older SK 1/4 and 3/8 bars with a hole at the end but I've never seen a crossbar in real life. It's like they don't exist. Is that an original to the kit or did you add it from somewhere else?

Thanks again and I'm excited to see more pictures from the members you mentioned!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...was the breaker bar part of the kit? I see you have one in yours that I haven't come across yet. Studying your picture, you also appear to have a crossbar for the breaker?...[ ]...I've never seen a crossbar in real life. It's like they don't exist. Is that an original to the kit or did you add it from somewhere else?

I got the crossbar with the hinge handle from a good friend and hobby colleague. They are original to each other. Same finish, which is either really tight cadmium-plating in exquisite condition or postwar satin chrome. 1945 ("G") date code. Crossbars, in general, are like hen's teeth. Many of us pick them up whenever we see them just in case we find the hinge handles, or for trade, etc. Most are not marked. Some brands are.

 

[Provincial]

My theory on crossbar rarity is that they got used as punches. Not being hardened like punches, they belled out on the ends, and got discarded when they wouldn't fit in the cross-hole again.

 

[d42jeep]

Here is my complete wartime Snap-on 9/32” drive set. In the second picture I’ve added a hinge handle and crossbar, likely sourced from the same colleague as Lugz’. I would suggest going to the Collecting Snap-on site and checking an early ‘40s catalog for a contents list. The screwdriver bits are pretty rare.
-Don

 

[thehorse13]

Here's my set. The crossbar is included and I've always assumed it is original to the set.

 

[Farmer J.]

My theory on crossbar rarity is that they got used as punches. Not being hardened like punches, they belled out on the ends, and got discarded when they wouldn't fit in the cross-hole again.

Dead right! I have actually witnessed this happening.. The guy hammered on the end of the cross bar , then tossed it away when the ends looked like mushrooms.
Good reason to keep my tools locked up.

The 9/32" drive stuff is not uncommon for sale here, almost all left over from being brought over for WW2. Nice Snap on sets fetch reasonable money but vary wildly because of condition, other makes not so much even a Britool set can be got for around £20.
Sometimes it's advertised as 1/4" drive by mistake.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

some of the old sliding t handles are mushroomed as well. Here is a 42 set that is chromed.

 

[mritchie77]

I wanted to give an update of my newly completed set! Thanks to a couple of outstanding members here, I have a completed my wartime set over the last couple of months. I figured it would be difficult piecing this together, but all those here have been very helpful! Additionally I've got an 50's era M21 driver, and a 9/32-1/4 adapter. Finding wartime production of those will be difficult, but everything else is "E" and "G" labeled!

 

[d42jeep]

That looks great. Congratulations. The M21 was the hardest piece for me to find and eventually a GJ member generously supplied it, completing my set.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

Well done, you have put together a nice little set there. Enjoy it, and thanks for posting it.