Re: tools

Robert F. Butson.
Posts: 15
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 2:25 pm

Tools

Post by Robert F. Butson. » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:35 pm

Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolco.com ...Bob
Wales UK.

Peter Cole
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2002 1:28 pm

Re: Tools

Post by Peter Cole » Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:51 am

Bob and fellow listers,

An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools
I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake
any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket
sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and
50s. When did they come about?

I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not
come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the
sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is
seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of
four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench
and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing
lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.

Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?

Peter Cole.
Bognor Regis
England





2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson.
>
>
> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolco.com...Bob
> Wales UK.
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

SANDY SANDERS
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Dec 16, 2003 7:20 pm

Re: Tools

Post by SANDY SANDERS » Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:14 am

Peter.
I do not know when sockets sets came into being, However while employed by Trans Canada Airlines in 1948 I purchased a set of snap-on 5/16 drive sockets. they were referred to as a set of FERRET sockets.
With memory loss being the second sign of old age I do now know when I misplaced or lost them.
TCA became Air Canada later but during that time they flew NorthStars with four Rolls Royce Merlins. I still have my BluePoint BSW combination wrenches. Those were purchased as War-surplus and were not chrome plated but had a zinc like color.
Sandy
----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Cole
To: Robert F. Butson.
Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 6:50 AM
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools


Bob and fellow listers,

An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools
I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake
any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket
sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and
50s. When did they come about?

I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not
come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the
sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is
seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of
four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench
and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing
lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.

Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?

Peter Cole.
Bognor Regis
England





2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson.

>
>
> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolco.com...Bob
> Wales UK.
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bob Grunau
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 10:26 am

Re: Tools

Post by Bob Grunau » Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:44 am

Hi Peter,
I bought my first TD in January 1958. So I needed BSF wrenches and sockets.
Sears Craftman sockets filled the bill and I bought nine 1/2" drive BSF
sockets for $9.00. Guaranteed for life. Good thing I have never broken or
lost a socket as they are not now available from Sears.
If you bought A/F sockets, you must hve been working on a "modern" car as
the 1956 MGA was the first MG to use A/F bolt heads.
Bob Grunau
Canada

Bob and fellow listers,

An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools
I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake
any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket
sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and
50s. When did they come about?

I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not
come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the
sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is
seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of
four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench
and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing
lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.

Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?

Peter Cole.
Bognor Regis
England





2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson.
>
>
> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolco.com...Bob
> Wales UK.
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

billsoquel@comcast.net
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 7:01 pm

Re: Tools

Post by billsoquel@comcast.net » Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:13 am

I started working in an auto body shop in 1950,and my boss had a compete tool box filled with Snap-on products. these were for american cars of the era so they were US standard size. the socket sets i bought from the Snap-on dealer, were very expensive for a kid working for ..75 cents an hour. I still have the complete sets, in their tray.
bill TC 3338
----- Original Message -----
From: "BOB GRUNAU"
To: "Peter Cole" , "Robert F. Butson."
Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 4:45:48 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: RE: [mg-tabc] Tools






Hi Peter,
I bought my first TD in January 1958. So I needed BSF wrenches and sockets.
Sears Craftman sockets filled the bill and I bought nine 1/2" drive BSF
sockets for $9.00. Guaranteed for life. Good thing I have never broken or
lost a socket as they are not now available from Sears.
If you bought A/F sockets, you must hve been working on a "modern" car as
the 1956 MGA was the first MG to use A/F bolt heads.
Bob Grunau
Canada

Bob and fellow listers,

An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools
I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake
any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket
sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and
50s. When did they come about?

I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not
come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the
sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is
seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of
four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench
and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing
lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.

Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?

Peter Cole.
Bognor Regis
England

2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson. < robbut@onetel.com >

>
>
> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolco.com...Bob
> Wales UK.
>
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Charles Hill
Posts: 140
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 1999 8:24 am

Re: Tools

Post by Charles Hill » Sun Nov 15, 2009 9:20 am

It looks like socket wrenches have been around for a while.

Check this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap-on

Regards,
Charles Hill

David Lodge
Posts: 156
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 5:44 pm

Re: Tools

Post by David Lodge » Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:47 pm

Hello Sandy, Bob,
My father bought me a wooden boxed set of 'Gordon' brand offset ring spanners (later lost to a burglary) for my 21st. birthday. This was in the 60s (or thereabouts, ahem). I don't recall ratchets/sockets being around then; at least not in Northamptonshire!
Regards, Lodge
--- On Sun, 15/11/09, SANDY SANDERS wrote:

From: SANDY SANDERS
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools
To: "Robert F. Butson." , "Peter Cole"
Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, 15 November, 2009, 12:15


























Peter.

I do not know when sockets sets came into being, However while employed by Trans Canada Airlines in 1948 I purchased a set of snap-on 5/16 drive sockets. they were referred to as a set of FERRET sockets.

With memory loss being the second sign of old age I do now know when I misplaced or lost them.

TCA became Air Canada later but during that time they flew NorthStars with four Rolls Royce Merlins. I still have my BluePoint BSW combination wrenches. Those were purchased as War-surplus and were not chrome plated but had a zinc like color.

Sandy

----- Original Message -----

From: Peter Cole

To: Robert F. Butson.

Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups .com

Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 6:50 AM

Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools



Bob and fellow listers,



An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools

I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake

any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket

sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and

50s. When did they come about?



I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not

come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the

sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is

seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of

four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench

and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing

lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.



Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?



Peter Cole.

Bognor Regis

England



2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson.



>

>

> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolc o.com...Bob

> Wales UK.

>

>

>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------ --------- --------- ------



Yahoo! Groups Links



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jim Buell
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:56 am

Re: Tools

Post by Jim Buell » Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:01 am

I still have a Plumb 5/16 reversing ratchet and about a half dozen Plumb sockets that belonged to my father when he was an aircraft mechanic for Pacific Airmotive Corp (Burbank, CA) in the 40 s and early 50 s. They were a repair facility for Pratt & Whitney and Allison engines.



Jim



From: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [mailto:mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David Lodge
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 8:46 PM
To: Robert F. Butson.; Peter Cole; SANDY SANDERS
Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools





Hello Sandy, Bob,
My father bought me a wooden boxed set of 'Gordon' brand offset ring spanners (later lost to a burglary) for my 21st. birthday. This was in the 60s (or thereabouts, ahem). I don't recall ratchets/sockets being around then; at least not in Northamptonshire!
Regards, Lodge
--- On Sun, 15/11/09, SANDY SANDERS wrote:

From: SANDY SANDERS
Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools
To: "Robert F. Butson." , "Peter Cole"
Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, 15 November, 2009, 12:15



Peter.

I do not know when sockets sets came into being, However while employed by Trans Canada Airlines in 1948 I purchased a set of snap-on 5/16 drive sockets. they were referred to as a set of FERRET sockets.

With memory loss being the second sign of old age I do now know when I misplaced or lost them.

TCA became Air Canada later but during that time they flew NorthStars with four Rolls Royce Merlins. I still have my BluePoint BSW combination wrenches. Those were purchased as War-surplus and were not chrome plated but had a zinc like color.

Sandy

----- Original Message -----

From: Peter Cole

To: Robert F. Butson.

Cc: mg-tabc@yahoogroups .com

Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 6:50 AM

Subject: Re: [mg-tabc] Tools

Bob and fellow listers,

An interesting website for those looking for early tools. Talking of tools

I've always wondered about socket sets. I guess none of us would undertake

any serious work on our cars without first reaching for our trusty socket

sets but clearly sockets sets did not feature prominently in the 1940s and

50s. When did they come about?

I remember buying my first 'set' in about 1967. In those days they did not

come in a fancy case with a zillion pieces. I just bought a wrench and the

sockets I needed. I think the wrench cost me five shillings, or was is

seven and sixpence? It was certainly less than a quid. A grand total of

four A/F sockets was all I need to work on my car! I still have the wrench

and the four sockets. The wrench had a ratchet mechanism but no reversing

lever. You had to turn the thing over to undo nuts.

Does anyone else have any recollections of early socket sets?

Peter Cole.

Bognor Regis

England

2009/11/14 Robert F. Butson.

>

>

> Those seeking tools for toolkits should try www.thevintagetoolc o.com...Bob

> Wales UK.

>

>

>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

------------ --------- --------- ------

Yahoo! Groups Links

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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Eladdedrok@aol.com
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2003 2:56 pm

Tools

Post by Eladdedrok@aol.com » Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:07 pm

I purchased my first socket set with ratchet,breaker bar and extensions in 1950 while in high school and working in a gas station. I added to the set in 1954 when I bought my first MG and not having Whitworth or metrics available I bought odd sizes from SnapOn Tool sales as they had sockets that could be bought sized by 32 seconds of an inch. Still have most of them. Wow that was 55 years ago. Time flies when your having fun. Dale TC 9749


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mike Hughes
Posts: 0
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 11:18 am

Re: Tools

Post by Mike Hughes » Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:13 pm

"I started working in an auto body shop in 1950,and my boss had a compete tool box filled with Snap-on products. these were for american cars of the era so they were US standard size. the socket sets i bought from the Snap-on dealer, were very expensive for a kid working for ..75 cents an hour. I still have the complete sets, in their tray. "

When I got my first TD back in the early '70s it was barely running and the body was a bit wobbly due to a sustained offensive by both the wood and tin worms. Niether my trusty Craftsman SAE or Metric sockets and wrenches seemed to fit anything - so I took it completely apart down to a rolling chassis with two sets of vise-grips! Our local M.G.C.C. Centre used to have a winter swap-meet in those days and one of the old-timers came up to me with a lunch-box full of Snap-On Whitworth, BA, and BSF 1/2 and 3/8 drive sockets and wrenches that he had sitting around from the days he used to run a TC. Sold the whole lot to me for $24! Still have 'em!

Snap-On still makes a basic limited set of BSF 3/8 drive sockets and wrenches.

- Mike Hughes - -
'37 TA 0512
Alexandria, Virginia



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