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What Did You Buy Today?
- Thread starter darkzero
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2014
- Messages
- 3,552
I started a few years before you in the auto repair business. Back in the 1950's our neighbor was the Standard Oil Agent. He supplied the local gas stations and retail accounts with all their lubricants. Oil was commonly sold in the 55-gallon drum. The dealer either pumped it into a bulk oil dispenser and then into the glass containers, or right from the barrels into the glass containers.
When I bought my first Standard Oil service station in the early 1970's I could still buy oil by the drum and use the glass containers. That went away quickly and was replaced by sealed metal oil cans. By the late 70's metal cans gave way to cardboard ones with a foil liner. They were terrible. They always either leaked or would slowly weep. The metal tops were stronger than the cardboard tube. Often times they collapsed when trying to insert the spout.
When I bought my first Standard Oil service station in the early 1970's I could still buy oil by the drum and use the glass containers. That went away quickly and was replaced by sealed metal oil cans. By the late 70's metal cans gave way to cardboard ones with a foil liner. They were terrible. They always either leaked or would slowly weep. The metal tops were stronger than the cardboard tube. Often times they collapsed when trying to insert the spout.
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2019
- Messages
- 7,662
I definitely remember the paper cans and metal ends and having them collapse when inserting the spout. Was not fun at all. That was in the 70's. Wretched cans.
But the spouts were pretty neat, piecing the can and were good for getting the oil to the right spot. However they made cans with small amounts left in them top heavy, seem to remember one or two of them falling over.
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2023
- Messages
- 1,238
So, I've been on a bit of an eBay splurge recently, specifically for engineer's tool chests.
The left-most one is a Union 7 drawer and the one on top of the tool-chest I mentioned previously, is a 7 drawer Moore and Wright (missing the front panel; despite hating woodwork, I'll get a small oak sheet and make a simple one up). Neither were particularly expensive but were reasonably tidy and eh, nice to have something pretty and functional.
However, a week or so back, I came across someone selling a Starrett tool chest with contents. I made an offer and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing we agreed £165 including postage.
Here it is:
And here are the contents:
(The stuff the on the workbench, not the stuff in the 'small part organisers')
The mic's on the left are all, I think, salvageable, but the Starrett mic' might be hors de combat.
The carbide inserts mostly have too large a nose radius for my mini-lathe and the borting bars are too big but eh, when I get my Colchester or Boxford...
The mic' with two spindles was a new one on me. Apparently it's a 'limit micrometer' for go/no-go measurements, or at least that's what I found on the internet.
The two Mitutoyo clocks are tenths mics.
The endmills, slot, drills and cutters are a mixed bag. Most seem okay, a few seem unused and a few look like they've been used as chisels!
A couple of parallels, that need a bit of corrosion removed.
Oh and here's the stuff that might end up as scrap/stock.
Decent enough haul anyway, I think.
The left-most one is a Union 7 drawer and the one on top of the tool-chest I mentioned previously, is a 7 drawer Moore and Wright (missing the front panel; despite hating woodwork, I'll get a small oak sheet and make a simple one up). Neither were particularly expensive but were reasonably tidy and eh, nice to have something pretty and functional.
However, a week or so back, I came across someone selling a Starrett tool chest with contents. I made an offer and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing we agreed £165 including postage.
Here it is:
And here are the contents:
(The stuff the on the workbench, not the stuff in the 'small part organisers')
The mic's on the left are all, I think, salvageable, but the Starrett mic' might be hors de combat.
The carbide inserts mostly have too large a nose radius for my mini-lathe and the borting bars are too big but eh, when I get my Colchester or Boxford...
The mic' with two spindles was a new one on me. Apparently it's a 'limit micrometer' for go/no-go measurements, or at least that's what I found on the internet.
The two Mitutoyo clocks are tenths mics.
The endmills, slot, drills and cutters are a mixed bag. Most seem okay, a few seem unused and a few look like they've been used as chisels!
A couple of parallels, that need a bit of corrosion removed.
Oh and here's the stuff that might end up as scrap/stock.
Decent enough haul anyway, I think.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2023
- Messages
- 1,238
I was thinking that it looked like some of the chests I've seen on MrPete's videos. It makes sense that Starrett wouldn't be making their own chests but use a respected brand.
I can't believe how bloody heavy it is empty!
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2018
- Messages
- 2,203
Be sure and check the collet blocks for centering on all faces. I have an import set that was pretty close but I needed to take just a bit off one side of each. Mine are 5C. I'm considering adding an ER40 set to cover some of the sizes my ER collets will cover that my 5C don't.
They turn out to be very useful! 2,4,6,12 sides plus being able to cut them on a taper or endwise. Clamp them in a tool makers vice, clamp the tool makers vice in the mill vice use a magnetic angle indicator to get good approximations of most any angle.
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2013
- Messages
- 2,612
Good to know, these are also 5C and imports. It wasn't even on my radar until I saw them in the 5C collet chuck speed handle thread.
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