My Blue Bird battery tools

[bonneyman]

Stumbled upon Blue Bird (a subsidiary of Bergman Tools) a few years ago, and liked the battery plier. Papaw sent me a photocopy of a Bergman tool catalog he had, and they had two PAGES of car battery specific tools! The hunt was on!

I've managed to find all the pliers, and restored them to the original blue handle color. The only tools that I'm missing is the twin brush post cleaner, the separate spring post cleaner (#22), and the battery lifting/carrying tool.

The tools are: left to right, top to bottom
#20 Clamp spreader and cleaner                        #25 Plier
(2) #11 Hex nut and post cleaner                       #21 Post clamp puller
#12 Universal battery plier                                 #52 Plier
                                                                        #14 Plier                             

[bonneyman]

Not a BB tool but an Indestro Super terminal puller that is just too cool not to show! Their model #648, with 9/16" broached hanging hole.

[Uncle Buck]

Cool stuff there!

[goodfellow]

Never knew there were so many battery plier options -- great set, and thanks for pics!

[ken w.]

I have all the battery tools I'll ever need. I passed up some Bluebird battery tools at the last few yard sales I've been to. Should I be picking these up ? Bonneyman - are you missing any Bluebird model's ?

[bonneyman]

I have all the battery tools I'll ever need. I passed up some Bluebird battery tools at the last few yard sales I've been to. Should I be picking these up ? Bonneyman - are you missing any Bluebird model's ?

If you're set on battery tools you probably don't need to get any BB's. (OK, I'm prepared for the scorn!) Though the #11 plier is quite useful for other tasks, too.

As far as models I need, I've got all the pliers they made. The two-part post brush I think is a #55(?), the older steel spring post cleaner (model #22) are the only small tools I lack. The battery carrier (looks like it'll carry bricks) would also be nice, but I'm sure the shipping from your locale would kill me. 

Here's an ebay ad for the carrier so everyone can see what it looks like.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Blue-Bird-Battery-Carrier-Adjustable-8-1-2-Max-TL/251054276768?hash=item3a740040a0:g:5QkAAMXQROxRFyuL

[Snaparxon]

I believe Bluebird battery tools were also in MAC tool catalogs.

[skfarmer]

very cool but the indestro is coolest/oddest.  i have never seen anything like that before.

[Snaparxon]

B-Man, PM me if you want to work out a trade

[bonneyman]

Found a picture of the #22 post cleaner tool I lack. Kinda different!

[Papaw]

 I have a #12 in the original box, but it is not as nice as yours.

[bonneyman]

I have a #12 in the original box, but it is not as nice as yours.

The #12 is a nice plier.

[bonneyman]

Got my Blue Bird battery carrier in today, along with a pair of Herbrand terminal clamp pliers. Will get this puppy cleaned up and painted, ready for use!

Thanks, Jake!

[bonneyman]

Here's my BB battery carrier all spiffed up.
My only modern concession was putting a piece of rubber fuel line on the crossbar of the handle. Thin handles tend to hurt my hands these days, "cutting" into the joints when picking up heavy objects (like a car battery). The larger diameter helps, and well as a bit of cushioning, too.

Thanks again to Snaparxon for the trade!

[Snaparxon]

Turned out nice! Great job on the resto.

[bonneyman]

OK, battery tool question. When did the standard two-brush post cleaner come into regular use? Blue Bird has the spring shaper/cleaner, and a two brush cleaner. Wondering when one replaced the other.

The two brush cleaner isn't in the catalog I have (I want to say it's pretty early), but then, neither is the carrier in there, either. Perhaps we can narrow it down by figuring out when modern car battery styles were introduced with tops sealed in plastic not tar?

[bonneyman]

A member over at GJ sent me a pair of BB tools for a Christmas gift. A tinners snips and a battery post nut plier. Cleaned up and ready to work.

[Uncle Buck]

I like those!

[bonneyman]

I finally got around to shrinking some heat shrink tubing onto the battery pliers. Color was fairly close to the deep blue but no dry time! 

[fatfillup]

I gotta try that.  I get lots of older pliers that never had wraps

[bonneyman]

It's definitely worth a shot. It's cheap, got good grip, comes in all sorts of sizes and colors, and easy to slice off and redo if you don't like how it looks.

[geneg]

I had fairly good luck with the old plasti-dip.  Came in different colors, but did have to let them hang to dry for awhile. 
Did you fold in the ends of the heat shrink before melting?  No matter, they look great!

[bonneyman]

I had fairly good luck with the old plasti-dip.  Came in different colors, but did have to let them hang to dry for awhile. 
Did you fold in the ends of the heat shrink before melting?  No matter, they look great!

No, I leave a little amount hanging off the end and then heat it until it melts and starts to burn. Then rub it against a cold metal surface while it's semi-liquid and it usually the end seals up nice.