Author Topic: 1/4 Drive Sets  (Read 212060 times)

Offline ToolManJ

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #600 on: July 21, 2021, 04:41:00 AM »
I normally don't go after sets since I'm just going to yank the ratchet out and probably lose the rest somewhere in the garage, but couldn't pass up the None Better set - didn't have one of these old school 1/4" NB "mini club" style ratchets in the obsess... er, collection yet.  Too many of these (Cr, New Brit, & Husky for the other 3) are missing the square drive, and that's an immediate reject for me.  Likely missing a 1/2" socket and maybe a short ext, will have to do a little detectin' and see if I can find a catalog with set descrip.

Didn't have the Wright-sourced Klein ratchet either, so getting the like new sockets & ext with the ratchet was a bonus.  Unfortunately missing at least a 5/16" socket, but I won't lose any sleep over it...


Here's my New Britain set I grabbed a few months ago. Looks to be same set as the None Better that you have. I bet you can base what you need off of mine to see what you need, minus the 3" extention and the flat tip socket. Those 2 are add ins . Heres a pic of mine....




Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #601 on: October 15, 2021, 01:32:21 PM »
I took this nice handle off something we were throwing away at work, much better than the DIY handle I had on this box.


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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #602 on: October 20, 2021, 03:40:09 PM »
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #603 on: May 11, 2022, 08:12:05 PM »
I always loved this nice compact little Thorsen Action box / case that J.A.F.E. kindly sent me, it's just a great sturdy compact little box and I really like the removable divider for some reason even though I've no need to take it out.
After my original need for it was outgrown I set it up with a Craftsman set for my dad but he said he didn't really need it so I just set it aside till I did.

Recently I decided to redo it in a nice hammer tone gunmetal color I had, and use it for my GOV'T surplus set.


The contents label from the JS case came right off so I stuck it on this Thorsen box, whether it'll stay I don't know.



Metal boxes, especially the ones that don't come with a plastic insert are so much more compact that a hateful blow moulded case, and this is certainly no exception.
The JS case didn't even have the excuse of securely holding and organizing the tools, and in fact it does a much worse job at holding the sockets than this Thorsen box does.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2022, 08:15:28 PM by hickory n Steel »
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Offline bonneyman

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #604 on: May 11, 2022, 10:05:09 PM »
The hammered look came out great!  :cool2:

Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #605 on: May 11, 2022, 10:36:48 PM »
The hammered look came out great!  :cool2:
Thanks.
It's the same paint I used on my MAC MC1 box, but I did a better job.
I was forced to be patient and wait for the paint to cure properly before flipping it over because I got busy with work and didn't have a chance to flip it over too soon like I inevitably do most of the time.

I suppose you could say I'm like a doctor who lost his license,  I have no patience. :))
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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #606 on: September 01, 2022, 03:23:10 PM »
I wound up with a set of metric sockets 5-13 that match the JS TECHNOLOGIES  set ( same sockets, just don't say JS ), so I added them to it.
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Offline wantedabiggergarage

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #607 on: September 01, 2022, 08:32:45 PM »
The 9/32 stuff in this thread.....

I was wondering if anyone knows the history of 9/32" tools?  The reason I ask is decades ago, I was once told by an old timer, that they were war era tools, so the enemy couldn't use them on their stuff, if captured.

Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #608 on: September 01, 2022, 09:18:55 PM »
The 9/32 stuff in this thread.....

I was wondering if anyone knows the history of 9/32" tools?  The reason I ask is decades ago, I was once told by an old timer, that they were war era tools, so the enemy couldn't use them on their stuff, if captured.
Ww2 era, intended to discourage GI mechanics from taking tools home.
I'm not sure why they only created a non-standard substitute for 1/4dr, but my guess is because 1/4 was the most easily most often swiped.

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Offline J.A.F.E.

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #609 on: September 02, 2022, 11:50:32 AM »
9/32 was the original small format drive in the 20's or early 30's. 1/4 came along later.

Private industry used it to discourage tools going home in the lunchbox beyond the time it was discounted from the catalogs. Not sure but in my mind if the military continued to use beyond the introduction of 1/4 it was probably for the same reason.
People who confuse etymology and entomology bug me in ways I can’t put into words.

Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #610 on: September 02, 2022, 03:12:56 PM »
9/32 was the original small format drive in the 20's or early 30's. 1/4 came along later.

Private industry used it to discourage tools going home in the lunchbox beyond the time it was discounted from the catalogs. Not sure but in my mind if the military continued to use beyond the introduction of 1/4 it was probably for the same reason.
Thanks for the info.

It's good to hear from you btw, I haven't seen you around here much in awhile.
9/32 was the original small format drive in the 20's or early 30's. 1/4 came along later.

Private industry used it to discourage tools going home in the lunchbox beyond the time it was discounted from the catalogs. Not sure but in my mind if the military continued to use beyond the introduction of 1/4 it was probably for the same reason.

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Offline Elroy

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #611 on: October 30, 2022, 08:32:15 PM »
Elroy is original owner, over 50 years

Offline Uncle Buck

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #612 on: October 31, 2022, 10:28:28 AM »
Very nice set there Elroy!  :bravo_2:
You boys better hold on cause I'm gonna have to stand on it!

Offline Midnitemack

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #613 on: October 31, 2022, 11:12:10 AM »
Elroy is original owner, over 50 years
Quality is remembered, long after the price is forgotten !!!


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Offline hickory n Steel

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Re: 1/4 Drive Sets
« Reply #614 on: November 10, 2022, 12:40:27 PM »
Beautiful old Snappy set there.
Something about the old Snapon tools really just looks presentable.
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