Williams Display

[woodland_hank]

In 2006 my father-in-law gave me a small bag of miscellaneous wrenches he was clearing out. In the bag was a 1/4"x5/16” wrench that looked very interesting to me. It had some style to its design unlike most wrenches I had seen. I thought it would be nice to put together a set of wrenches in that style and didn’t think it would be very difficult. After all, how many wrenches could be in a set? Usually a set would be anywhere from 5 to 8 wrenches. A big set may have as many as 12. After researching the manufacturer, I found a catalog from the mid-1950’s showing this particular wrench. I was very surprised to discover the set actually had 46 unique wrenches in it. They also made metric and Whitworth sets but I only focused on SAE sizes.

With that one little wrench I began an 8 year search to assemble a complete set of Williams Superrench double open end wrenches. I scoured ebay, Craigslist, antique stores, farm auctions, car shows, garage sales, flea markets, web sites and pawn shops. Early on this search lead me here to Garage Journal too! I found some of the wrenches locally but most came from all corners of the US via ebay. Finally on April 9th, 2014 I bought the last wrench. Since then I’ve spent the last 4 years trying to figure out what to do with 46 wrenches. A couple weeks ago I finally came up with a solution for a wooden display board. The logo across the top and the wrench numbers are vinyl cut-outs. Weeding the numbers after cutting was a bit of a challenge! The set will eventually end up in my next workshop or perhaps a man-cave down the road.

The board is made of 3/4" maple plywood with a maple frame. It will mount to the wall with a wooden cleat type mount to support the weight. I think all together it weighs over 125 pounds.

 

[twertsy]

That's a nice looking display! Nice job.

 

[LXCam]

I'll double that comment. After seeing how unique those are I don't blame you for wanting to amass the entire collection.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very well-conceived and executed, hank. The catalog page was a clever touch!

What did your father-in-law say?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Very slick. I've often thought that making a tool board with vinyl cutouts would be a good way to go, rather than searching for old beat up originals.

 

[Bob-B]

That is a great display, well done! I have my dad's Williams DOE & DBE (both shallow and deep offset) that he used in the 40's and 50's. The DOE's I have are older vintage. Since I found this forum, I been buying up Williams SAE combos and SAE sockets at the local car shows and flea markets.

 

[DFB]

Impressive!

 

[woodland_hank]

Very well-conceived and executed, hank. The catalog page was a clever touch!

What did your father-in-law say?

Unfortunately he passed away 3 years ago. Plus, I divorced his daughter...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Unfortunately he passed away 3 years ago. Plus, I divorced his daughter...

Dang, I really walked into that one with double-whammy style!

 

[woodland_hank]

That is a great display, well done! I have my dad's Williams DOE & DBE (both shallow and deep offset) that he used in the 40's and 50's. The DOE's I have are older vintage. Since I found this forum, I been buying up Williams SAE combos and SAE sockets at the local car shows and flea markets.

I have 24 extra wrenches that I'd like to get rid of. But, I can no longer post to the classifieds because I don't have a high enough post count despite being a member for nearly 10 years.

 

[Provincial]

Hank, what is the date of the logo you used for the top of the board? The Williams logo changed over the years.

Nice job on the board. It is a fantastic display!

 

[RubiconJK]

Wow! That looks great! Congrats.

 

[ssdave]

Really nice job on that!

 

[Bill Wright]

Well done!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The Williams logo changed over the years

That logo can be found on the top of every page of every Williams catalog from 1931 to at least 1967, Provincial. The way they used it in tool markings changed, from a MADE or FORGED < W > U.S.A. (pre-1947) to just U.S.A. (1947 >), and that's when their box decals changed as well, to the slanting 3D slightly twisted version of the logo. But the logo on his board was in use from the 30's through at least the 60's in every catalog.

 

[Jallred]

I am putting together the same set. I have 12 to go. Your display is great. I may have to do something similar.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Impressive!

 

[3baygarage]

Beautiful job!

 

[Htscheg]

Awesome job!!!

 

[pharmerphil]

Beautiful!!!!!!

 

[woodland_hank]

I am putting together the same set. I have 12 to go. Your display is great. I may have to do something similar.

Which ones are you missing? I might be able to help. PM me.

 

[Empty Pockets]

That display is truly impressive. Nice job

 

[woodland_hank]

Thanks all for the compliments! I'm very excited that I finally figured out how to display some of my collection. I'm building more displays for my Hinsdale, Snap-On, Craftsman and Barcalo wrenches. I also have a bunch of ratchets to display as well as other types of tools. I'll be moving to a new house in about a year and look forward to a man-cave/rec room where these tools can be featured. I also have some restored woodworking tools that will have a place there. These items are more than just decor for a room in a house. To me they represent a type of work and work ethic we just don't see anymore.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm very excited that I finally figured out how to display some of my collection...

Whether it was by design or just an inadvertent effect, what you've done is combine a typical display board that someone would make to display a tool collection (often made of framed pegboard, sometimes a wood case under glass), with an authentic vintage tool board (often pegboard) that you'd see in hardware stores to display retail items, which are rare, and which some collectors actually go to great pains and expense to find, acquire, and collect. It's a nifty idea and solution!

These items are more than just decor for a room in a house. To me they represent a type of work and work ethic we just don't see anymore.

Well said.

 

[Plombob]

That's a beautiful display! Good job, Hank!

 

[doctordirt]

Great job as everyone has said. Very professional looking.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks all for the compliments! I'm very excited that I finally figured out how to display some of my collection. I'm building more displays for my Hinsdale, Snap-On, Craftsman and Barcalo wrenches. I also have a bunch of ratchets to display as well as other types of tools. I'll be moving to a new house in about a year and look forward to a man-cave/rec room where these tools can be featured. I also have some restored woodworking tools that will have a place there. These items are more than just decor for a room in a house. To me they represent a type of work and work ethic we just don't see anymore.

Please let me know if you are missing any Barcalo wrenches for your display. I have quite a few duplicates. Here is my only Williams wrench of that style. Have you seen any similar wrenches without any markings? I seem to remember seeing one.
-Don

 

[Farmer J.]

These items are more than just decor for a room in a house. To me they represent a type of work and work ethic we just don't see anymore.

Yes, I agree, that's what they do now.
This is a lovely display you have made, look forward to seeing your other stuff too when you get it mounted for display.
Your thread is inspiring, hope you don't mind if I copy your idea but I hope to do something similar. Will try and post mine in a new thread.
Thanks for sharing yours, J.

 

[jdoe213]

In 2006 my father-in-law gave me a small bag of miscellaneous wrenches he was clearing out. In the bag was a 1/4"x5/16” wrench that looked very interesting to me. It had some style to its design unlike most wrenches I had seen. I thought it would be nice to put together a set of wrenches in that style and didn’t think it would be very difficult. After all, how many wrenches could be in a set? Usually a set would be anywhere from 5 to 8 wrenches. A big set may have as many as 12. After researching the manufacturer, I found a catalog from the mid-1950’s showing this particular wrench. I was very surprised to discover the set actually had 46 unique wrenches in it. They also made metric and Whitworth sets but I only focused on SAE sizes.

With that one little wrench I began an 8 year search to assemble a complete set of Williams Superrench double open end wrenches. I scoured ebay, Craigslist, antique stores, farm auctions, car shows, garage sales, flea markets, web sites and pawn shops. Early on this search lead me here to Garage Journal too! I found some of the wrenches locally but most came from all corners of the US via ebay. Finally on April 9th, 2014 I bought the last wrench. Since then I’ve spent the last 4 years trying to figure out what to do with 46 wrenches. A couple weeks ago I finally came up with a solution for a wooden display board. The logo across the top and the wrench numbers are vinyl cut-outs. Weeding the numbers after cutting was a bit of a challenge! The set will eventually end up in my next workshop or perhaps a man-cave down the road.

The board is made of 3/4" maple plywood with a maple frame. It will mount to the wall with a wooden cleat type mount to support the weight. I think all together it weighs over 125 pounds.

Where did you find the majority of the wrenches at?

 

[Richard Cranium]

most impressive

 

[earthmover1980]

I have two wrenches this style. I often wonder where they came from, and how popular they were. One is a 1-1/16x1-1/8, that I keep with my welding tools. It's soul purpose is to take regulators in and off. I bought it at the "estate sale" in Schoolcraft ,MI. I have put together other older sets and am well aware the difficulty level of it. You did a fantastic job on the display! I love seeing things like this! A true tribute to industrial America!

 

[skunkape1]

Well done. You have a keen eye for style, evidenced in your taste for wrenches and the display you made for them. I take it from your comments that you made the vinyl cutouts for yourself? I'm interested in doing that for my own projects so I'm curious to know what machine you used and any other comments on that process?

Thanks.

 

[woodland_hank]

d42jeep: I think my Barcalo collection is good for right now. I have a small set that will get displayed. There are a couple Barcalo sets that really intrigue me though. I'll let you know. Farmer J: Please take the idea and run! I'd love to see what you come up with. jdoe213: Most wrenches came off ebay. I wish I had kept track of where each came from. skunkape1: One of my coworkers took a scan of the logo, vectored the image in Adobe Illustrator and cut out on a Gerber vinyl cutter. I have Photoshop skills but not Illustrator skills. If I did have the ability to do it myself I imagine EVERYTHING would have a vinyl cut-out on it!

 

[bluebolt]

This is impressive Woodland Hank!

 

[mikebaker1129]

Wow, that is impressive!