# Found Some Nice Tools At An Estate Sale Today.



## johnnyc14 (May 16, 2015)

I was passing by an estate sale today and stopped in. The old gent who passed away was a hobby machinist and his son had already sold most of the large tools and machines but I found a few gems in the remaining stuff. I got 3 sets of Dormer drill bits, 2 Brown and Sharp model 749 v-blocks, a Starrett model 567 v-bock and a Moore and Wright 18" combination square. I think I got a pretty good deal at $150 for the lot. A little clean up and these vintage tools will be as good as new.


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## gr8legs (May 16, 2015)

Very nice score there... Well Done!

Stu


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## FOMOGO (May 17, 2015)

Looks like you did just fine. Those drill bits should last you a long, long time. Mike


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## Ulma Doctor (May 17, 2015)

Excellent Score, i'm glad you'll put them to use!


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## kvt (May 17, 2015)

Nice,   Wish I could find stuff like that down here in south Texas.  Congrats.


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## EmilioG (May 17, 2015)

Are the vintage B&S V blocks hardened steel?  The newer B&S v blocks don't seem to be hardened anymore.
They scratch and dent easily.  I'm sorry I sold my vintage set for a new matched pair.
Nice score.


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## kd4gij (May 17, 2015)

Nice score.


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## johnnyc14 (May 17, 2015)

Thanks guys, it's nice to put these old tools into service again. The B&S V-blocks are very hard, a file just skates off them. Yesterday I spotted a Dumore tool post grinder at the sale as well but didn't think I'd ever use it so I left it there. After thinking about it overnight I went back today and looked at it again. The son did not know what it was so I explained what it's for. No one else had even looked at it in the 3 days the sale has been going so I offered $50 and he accepted. I'm not sure I'll ever use it but it is in very nice shape and fits the compound slide on my lathe. I'll have to think up a project to use it on.


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## brino (May 18, 2015)

Wow, as if your first visit wasn't good enough!
Congratulations on the great finds. I am sure you will find some projects to use them on.
I like to see good tools going to someone that appreciates them!
-brino


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## GarageGuy (May 23, 2015)

HUGE score on the tool post grinder!  They run nearly $2000 new, or at least my Dumore did according to their web site.  Great for dressing worn or dropped/dinged HSS dead centers, and even dressing worn and tapered chuck jaws.  I read another thread that said if you bought the cheap Chinese 5C collet chuck and it has too much runout, dressing the internal taper with a tool post grinder can bring it well within spec.

GG


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## rbjscott (May 23, 2015)

When you need a tool post grinder-- you need one!


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## johnnyc14 (May 23, 2015)

Thanks guys, I guess I'll have to figure our how it works and try it out!

John


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## spongerich (May 23, 2015)

johnnyc14 said:


> Yesterday I spotted a Dumore tool post grinder at the sale as well but didn't think I'd ever use it so I left it there. After thinking about it overnight I went back today and looked at it again.



I've learned to never leave anything behind  at an estate sale if the price is right.   I always either find a use for it, trade for something else that I do need, or flip it on eBay and use the money to buy more tools.


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## mike silvia (May 25, 2015)

very cool find


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## eeler1 (May 25, 2015)

Wow, rare to find grinder at that price and intact/good shape like that.  I'm jealous and I don't even want a tool post grinder.


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## george wilson (May 25, 2015)

Send to Dumore to get some proper belts if you want smooth grinding results. Those belts are wrong. High speed tool post grinders use cloth thin belts with NO CLEATS. They aren't much thicker than 2 layers of scotch tape so that they do not affect the spindle with vibration. And,run the grinder 1/2 hour before using it. This gets the bearings up to the right diameter(which is a very small difference,but it affects your ground surface quality).

To get the best results,run the lathe BACKWARDS at high speed. It might seem that running the lathe slow would be better,but fast makes smoother grinds,believe it or not. And,correct belts are very important,too.

Also,find out from Dumore what lubricant EXACTLY to put into those oil cups. Don't get sloppy and use just anything. ESPECIALLY,do NOT use DETERGENT motor oil. New high precision bearings will cost big money,so be careful what oil you use.


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## Round in circles (May 25, 2015)

John if the contents of the Dormer steel drill cases are true made in Sheffield Dormer drills  you are a very very lucky man indeed .
In 1965 in the UK a single boxed set would have set you back nearly a months wages £40 which in today's money ( 50 years later )  would be around £ 1,280  ( approx 1,900 $ USD )

Back in 1965 my Uncle Cliff was the engineering head of several  wool mills in Bradford Yorkshire England with an engineering staff set up of over 130 men . 
He came to visit us one day and gave my dad a large steel boxed set of imperial Dormers from 1/32  up to 5/8 th inch that went up in 1/64 th's , saying " Bill I want you to test these drills to destruction and let me know what you think by the end of next month  , as I'm looking to spend a bit of brass ( money ) getting some decent tools together for when we start doing the next refit at the mills " .

Dad duly used the drills as much as he could and at the end of the month phoned cliff telling him that they were the best he'd ever used . Cliff asked him to send the drills back and told him to expect a little present in return .
A few weeks later dad received a metric and an imperial set similar to yours as a thank you . Evidently Cliff used the worn set to back up his engineering need for quality drills to the bean counters .
When dad died in 1985 the drills passed to my big brother , they are still going strong , so is the case .. Though to be fair I've sharpened /kissed up a few whenever we have visited big bro (he's now aged 74yrs old ) . I've also provided a few replacements , they were not British but were Japanese Dormers & not quite as good a quality .


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## Uglydog (May 25, 2015)

Price wise you scored big.
Value wise you scored even bigger.
You will find good use for these gems.

Daryl
MN


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## 4GSR (May 25, 2015)

Estate sales in my neck of the woods never have any good stuff  in them!  Always old fogy clothes, ancient furniture, wore out screwdrivers and mechanic tools, etc.


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## spongerich (Jun 1, 2015)

george wilson said:


> Send to Dumore to get some proper belts if you want smooth grinding results. Those belts are wrong. High speed tool post grinders use cloth thin belts with NO CLEATS.



Dumore no longer sells those parts directly.  I'd recommend reaching out to Bill Sopko http://www.wmsopko.com  (No affiliation, just a happy customer.)
He and his son are both knowledgeable and easy to deal with.


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## johnnyc14 (Jun 1, 2015)

Thanks for the link. 

John


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