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THE LOBBY A gathering place. Introductions, sports, showin' off your ride, birthday-anniversary-milestone, achievements, family oriented humor. |
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#21
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My dad was a farmer all his life. He never had the money to buy expensive tools. I keep some of his tools in my toolbox just for the memories. There are two wood handled screwdrivers that I still use for light work, always think of him when I use them.
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1969 Firebird 350 convertible, t-5, Carousel Red 2008 Solstice GXP 5speed manual, Sly 2008 Grand Prix, Ink Slate, Winter daily driver 2009 G8, Switchblade Silver, summer daily driver |
#22
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There is an emotional connection to tools and toolboxes. Tools are associated with "ability" and usefulness - and our value of ourselves, self-confidence, and so on. There is a lot of psychology around it.
I told my family, when I am gone, get rid of everything except the toolbox and the Studebaker. A friend of mine just moved out of the US permanently, and he said the last thing to go, and hardest to let go of, was his tools, because without them he could not "fix" or take care of things, which he valued very highly. Lots of folks aren't that way, but those of us in the car hobby especially are. There was a car magazine editorial years ago (probably by Dave Freiburger) who talked about toolboxes having souls. I swear, he nailed it.
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Clutch Guys Matter _______________________________________ 53 Studebaker, 400P/th400/9" 64 F-85 72 4-4-2 Mondello's VO Twister II 84 Hurst/Olds #2449 87 Cutlass Salon 54 Olds 88 sedan |
#23
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I looked at the Proto stuff on Amazon a bit ago.
https://www.amazon.com/Proto-JSCV-20...2290114&sr=8-4 $645. I'll keep using the dukes mixture of brands I currently have and hope I can get by. My Dad never had much in the way of tools but he could....or at least would try....to fix anything. I watched him soldering something once and it was obvious that the gun had a short in it. It would heat up then, when he went to use it, the tip had cooled enough that it wouldn't melt solder. He monkeyed with it a bit, then I heard him sigh deeply. He held the gun up and looked at it one final time and then in a quick motion he rared back and threw it into the concrete blocks behind the work bench. He said "fixed you" under his breath. My folks divorced about high school graduation time for me and in his later years Dad lived in a house on my little brothers property and rightly, whatever Dad had stayed with him.
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frittering and wasting the hours in an off hand way.... 1969 GTO, 455ci, 230/236 Pontiac Dude's "Butcher Special" Comp hyd roller cam with Crower HIPPO solid roller lifters, Q-jet, Edelbrock P4B-QJ, Doug's headers, ported 6X-8 (97cc) heads, TKO600, 3.73 geared Eaton Tru-Trac 8.5", hydroboost, rear disc brakes......and my greatest mechanical feat....a new heater core. |
#24
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The black wrenches are the ones the utility company I worked for would sometimes buy us, They would buy us the tools we used to keep the liability down if we got hurt . We sometimes got the chromed ones also. Ive seen those wenches for around $250 in chrome that's way over priced. The two air guns I posted pictures of were around $250 and that was a great deal they list for over $650. The Blackhawk brand are made overseas and run cheaper. These two on line stores have good prices on their tools http://ToolDiscounter.com/ "ToolTopia.com" Proto tools are very hard to find in the stores. Fastnenal and GRAINGER can order them for you. Most of their tools are bought by Gov, Aerospace and utility's Mac is the ones the sell to shops from trucks Mac Tools USA hardline tools are manufactured in their partner plant of Proto Dallas. Their primary distribution center is located in Hilliard, Ohio, United States. Mac Tools business model is a franchise system with roughly 1500 distributors across North America.
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#25
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I just replaced an old 3/4" combo wrench with the top of the line Proto, long type, full polish, six point .... for $23. Worth every penny to me.
I tend to do better work when I have better tools ... not because the tool works better, but for some reason I use them more thoughtfully, carefully and don't rush through things. Craftsman use to make a heck of a tool, back when Blue Point was making most of their stuff ... which I think was originally who made tools for Snap-On. Then I think Snap-On bought them, and spun them off into two lines ... less expensive Blue Point, more expensive Snap-On ... then I think Blue Point disappeared for decades ... I think someone may be making tools with that name on them again. |
#26
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Up until a few years ago Snap On was still bluepoints lower line of tools. My friend had a Snap On truck. I haven't bought one in about ten years. All my tools are mostly older Craftsman man in the USA the rest are mostly Proto and S&K which was also sold to a different tool maker a few years back.. Cornwell is suppose to be a very good tool, but I never owned one of their tools. I did get their catalog. I only have a few Snap On tools, but not many for sure, maybe because I only worked for a dealer for one year when I was 18 and I never had the trucks come to take my money.
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#27
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We have a snap on truck that comes every week he has a repo section that you can get some great deals in. Regular price is not cheap but will last forever or be replaced at no charge. Oh and if you want to spend some crazy money look at a snap on tool box.
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#28
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Quote:
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#29
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Just spotted this, seemed pertinent.
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#30
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Ahhh-yes, the gas axe wins every time! Except when plastic fuel lines are involved. Be careful. My current hand tool inventory is probably 60% Snap-ON, 10% Mac, 15% Craftsman, 5% Cornwell and 10% everything else. I do love tools.
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#31
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I have a couple random Proto tools, but I'm more interested in Plomb which is what Proto used to be called until the late 1940s. Old Plomb tools are relatively common out on the west coast (since they were made in Los Angeles) but are hard to find here in the midwest.
I do have a 1954 Proto catalog as well. I think you meant Blue Point is the lower priced line of Snap On...they still are. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Stuart For This Useful Post: | ||
#32
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I never knew that. I have quite a few "Plomb" tools.
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“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ― Calvin Coolidge |
#33
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There was a car magazine editorial years ago (probably by Dave Freiburger) who talked about toolboxes having souls. I swear, he nailed it.[/QUOTE]
I remember this article. He also spoke of the stickers on your toolbox.
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" Is wearing a helmet illegal" Mike Kerr 1-29-09 |
#34
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Plomb Tools got into a trademark dispute with Plumb Tools and lost, so they had to change their name.
As long as we're talking about beautiful tools, vintage Blackhawk tools are some of the nicest I've seen. They had real style. This picture of some Blackhawk ratchets and drivers was borrowed from the Garage Journal forum. Last edited by Stuart; 10-28-2019 at 10:07 PM. |
#35
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Very interesting I never new about Plomb tools. You learn something new here every day. Nice Catalog.
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#36
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Oh no ... this thread is making me want to cruise ebay looking for vintage tools again. Last time I ended up with a half dozen excellent vintage Starrett, Brown & Sharpe and various other mics ... checked them with my standard ...dead on, all in original cases etc. Fraction of the current cost.
Now and then I do some small time metal detecting ... I've dug up Blue Point and various premium brand wrenches that all you had to do is literally wipe them off and they were shiny again after lying in the ground for 40 years. Chrome was that good. Cheaper US tools ... actually still usable ... but don't look so good. |
#37
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I dont get buying expensive tools when old Craftsaman tools will do the job just as well, function over form is more important when it comes to tools. You could buy a Rolex because it is one of the best watches made but a 20.00 Walmart watch will do the same job. I love tools I have a whole Harbor Freight tool box full of Metrinch, Craftsman, Husky, Napa and cheapy Kmart tools from years past. Most of the tools in the tool box just sit there since my go to tools are in my tool bag that I take to the junkyard. My tool bag is full of Metrinch tools made in Germany, best SAE/Metric tools there are. I also have some of the old metal wrenches that I have found in junk yard cars, just put in some vinegar for a few minutes and rust scrubs off with ease. I cant seem to be able to throw any tools out even the junk yard treasures. It is amazing what old mechanics did with such primitive tools. I also like to buy old tools at estate sales, I bought a old Winchester monkey wrench a few months back as a wall hanger. I dont know about you guys but the most used tool for me is a ratchet and very rarely do I go for wrenches unless area is to tight. Once again function over form is the Harbor Freight ratchet I use all the time. The handle will extend to give more leverage on stubborn bolts, I also have the 1/2 extendable handle. In fact the other day at the junkyard a younger kid came up to me and asked if I had a breaker bar or maybe a long piece of pipe for a stuck bolt. He had a very nice shiny 1/2 ratchet in his hand so I handed him my HF ratchet and told him to try this. He said this thing is great where did you get it and told him Harbor Frieght.
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going bandit-Reynolds style |
#38
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"Old Craftsman tools" were expensive tools in their day ... that's why they are still around and still useful. An old Craftsman tool isn't a Timex ... it's an old Rolex.
Basically if you go back to the mid 60's there were no "cheap" tools sold in the US. Almost all of them were quality US made tools, and expensive in their day, which is why they got passed down to sons and grandsons. The idea of an inexpensive Japanese or Asian produced tool didn't really exist in the US until the late 60's. So an old US made tool you get for cheap doesn't mean a cheap tool, it means an old tool you got for cheap because it's still here after 60 years. |
#39
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Told this story here before.
I found an old Craftsman Phillips screwdriver at an old rental I owned. It was between the window and storm window. I’d estimate from the mid 60’s. That is my BEST Phillips screwdriver. The tip never wears out. I bought a set of Snap-On screwdrivers off the tool truck back in the 80’s when I wrenched for a living. They always wore out! Midgrade tools at best IMO. I rarely use them as I get tired of running down a Snap-off truck to have them replaced.
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71' GTO -original 400/4-speed/3.23 posi 13.95 @ 102.1 on street tires @ 4055lbs. ‘63 LeMans- ‘69 400 w/ original transaxle. 2.69 gears. |
#40
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Quote:
The Firestone sets were made by Plomb in 1948. They also made the Craftsman tools sometime in the 40's. The man in the picture is my Dad. It was taken at an open house at the Plomb Tool Company in 1945. He was a tool designer there. |
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