# Any old hand-tool afficianados?



## Waldo1 (Nov 19, 2014)

Pulled these from one of the drawers of tooling and stuff that I got with my Atlas lathe. Plomb Tools Wrist Pin tool made in late 1934 and a pair of Herbrand Van-Chrome #272 specialty pliers.



This is an Owatonna Tool Company P-61 hex-ratchet with 2 adapters, one to use it as a 3/4" socket wrench and one that looks sorta like a lathe-dog for- who knows what? Any suggestions? I'm still trying to date this, but it was made back when you had to be a *man* to swing this wrench. This ain't light-weight hardware.






Take care,

Waldo1


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## JimDawson (Nov 19, 2014)

That lathe dog looking wrench is made to smack with a hammer.  The forerunner of the pneumatic impact wrench.

Nice collection.


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## Tony Wells (Nov 19, 2014)

If that's what it is, it's called a slugging or striking wrench. Very common where there is no power available. A little hard to control torque I reckon, but a practical solution to a problem. I think Armstrong and Proto still make them, don't know who else.


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## Waldo1 (Nov 19, 2014)

Thanks, Gents! That would explain why the lathe dog-looking attachment is fairly abused. I am still going through some of the tooling and I'm sure I'll have more to post as I progress.

Thanks again!

Waldo1


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## Waldo1 (Nov 19, 2014)

Tony Wells said:


> If that's what it is, it's called a slugging or striking wrench. Very common where there is no power available. A little hard to control torque I reckon, but a practical solution to a problem. I think Armstrong and Proto still make them, don't know who else.



Tony, this refers back to the piston-wrist tool, but I think that Proto actually bought-out the Plomb Tool Company and took over a lot of their product lines.


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## bleonard (Nov 20, 2014)

the pliers are Steeldraulic Pliers . for draulic brakes 1920 to 1930's
Bob


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## Tony Wells (Nov 20, 2014)

Waldo1 said:


> Tony, this refers back to the piston-wrist tool, but I think that Proto actually bought-out the Plomb Tool Company and took over a lot of their product lines.




Interesting. I'll have to read up a little. I worked for the local distributor for a short time here when it was owned by I-R. Still have the tools I bought at employee price. There was a definite change in quality once Stanley bought them, but when they were I-R, excellent tools.

Had another thought on that wrench though. I don't suppose it could be put on that ratchet with the dog up (like your picture) so that it would catch on the handle, could it? That would take the load off the ratchet mechanism and make it like a fixed breakover bar.


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## Dave Smith (Nov 20, 2014)

that makes more sense Tony----Dave


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## Waldo1 (Nov 20, 2014)

Tony Wells said:


> Interesting. I'll have to read up a little. I worked for the local distributor for a short time here when it was owned by I-R. Still have the tools I bought at employee price. There was a definite change in quality once Stanley bought them, but when they were I-R, excellent tools.
> 
> Had another thought on that wrench though. I don't suppose it could be put on that ratchet with the dog up (like your picture) so that it would catch on the handle, could it? That would take the load off the ratchet mechanism and make it like a fixed breakover bar.



That has got some merit, Tony. When I get back to the house tonight I'll play around with that orientation and see if it seems to 'mate-up' with the head of that wrench. Also, about 1" up from the butt of the handle is a spring-loaded pin that I assume locks into a hole in a very beefy cheater bar.


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## f350ca (Nov 20, 2014)

In the oilfield we used hammer wrenches on well head equipment to make up flanges . They had a much heavier handle about a foot long. You could get surprisingly consistent torque with them, when swinging the 10 pound sledge wouldn't turn them anymore the nut was tight.

Greg


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## Waldo1 (Nov 20, 2014)

Tony, that attachment doesn't seem to line up or mate with any portion of that wrench. How about this question: I also took possession of a couple large drawers of drills and taps. Most of the taps have a nut tack welded onto the end. Is this just for ease of tapping or is there some other purpose?


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 20, 2014)

Tony Wells said:


> If that's what it is, it's called a slugging or striking wrench. Very common where there is no power available. A little hard to control torque I reckon, but a practical solution to a problem. I think Armstrong and Proto still make them, don't know who else.




Hey Tony,
i think Snap On Tools still makes them, as well as Matco Tools.


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## Tony Wells (Nov 20, 2014)

Mike, most if not all of the slugging wrenches I've seen are longer and have a greater mass on the striking end. I think I have seen them in the SnapOn and Matco catalogs now that you mention it. 

Like Greg, making up flanges is where i have used them. Hard to beat if you want something tight. Or if you need to break it free.

Well Waldo, it was a thought anyway. The nuts are welded on the taps so they can be run in a plain socket and ratchet. I've had to do that for reach a time or two, and it does work. Never seen a whole set done that way though, but I suspect for the same reason.


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 20, 2014)

Waldo1 said:


> How about this question: I also took possession of a couple large drawers of drills and taps. Most of the taps have a nut tack welded onto the end. Is this just for ease of tapping or is there some other purpose?



the nuts are to use a wrench or socket to drive the tap.
i have done the same thing in the field, it really speeds things up if you have a lot of holes to tap.
i'd run the tap in with a 3/8 ratchet once i got the tap started plumb.
i used 2 taps, one modified with the nut, one was left left au natural with the square end used a standard tap wrench.


just another tip 12 point sockets and wrenches if sized correctly can accomplish the same thing and drive very positively.
8 point and 4 point sockets are also in my arsenal.they make things nice.
 i only use the 4 point sockets when i'm afraid of twistin' the corners off of a stubborn drainplug.


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## Ulma Doctor (Nov 20, 2014)

Tony Wells said:


> Mike, most if not all of the slugging wrenches I've seen are longer and have a greater mass on the striking end. I think I have seen them in the SnapOn and Matco catalogs now that you mention it.
> 
> Like Greg, making up flanges is where i have used them. Hard to beat if you want something tight. Or if you need to break it free.




i had one that i made from an old(1920's at a guess) 1 1/2" box end wrench . i drilled and pinned the wrench shank and tig welded a block of alloy shaft steel to it. i could beat the tar out of that wrench.
it played a neat song when the intended nut got tight. 
once you got tuned into the wrench you could reproduce torque by sound.
 as funny as that sounds, i was amazed how close i could get.
 i gave it to a friends' son that was starting out and needed some heavier tools. i'm pretty sure the boy still has it.


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