Everything 1/4dr

[hickory n Steel]

I just got this 1976 Wright set in the mail today.

A great set but the case is the epitome of what I hate about blow moulded cases, and beyond being huge for a 16pc 1/4 socket set it's also a very cheap flimsy plastic.

I have this old Thorsen box that J.A.F.E sent and have yet to find the perfect final purpose for it, I really like it because it's a nice compact size and the divider is removable which is unnecessary but cool.

I still don't know if this will be it's ultimate purpose, but it's certainly a good fit.

Best of all, it's so much smaller.

[hickory n Steel]

I finally Checked an Indestro 2875 off my list.
From what I can see in the sellers picture, it seems to be in very good lightly used condition.

I had to pony up $28 shipped, but I think it'll be worth it.

Now I just need to find the Powr-Kraft 100 series #4758, the variant with the knurled handle.

They don't come up very often though, and the Easco 71 1106 RHFT is next on my list anyways.
I almost just checked one off, but this indestro had been on my list longer.

[hickory n Steel]

Doing a little digging I learned that there was also the 2875A which is supposedly the 60 tooth update on the originally 52 tooth 2875.
That model sounded familiar,  and I realized that the other NOS indestro I bought last year was a completely different ratchet that's also a 2875A.
A late production roundhead with a pencil thin handle / grip and a smooth but very stiff 45 tooth mechanism.

[hickory n Steel]

The 2875 arrived and it's in excellent condition mostly.

The only issue which I suspect is responsible for it's nice condition is the fact that it seems to have been a lemon that left the factory without a spring for the ball detent in the anvil.

Thankfully a tool distributor on Ebay has the rebuild kits, both the black oxide finish like this one and the chrome.

Sadly it cost me $33 which is more than the ratchet cost, but $28+$33 makes this a $71 ratchet and I'm okay with that.
If indestro was around today making these with the same excellent quality and F&F standards they'd probably cost about that much.

This will be my most expensive 1/4dr ratchet so far, but it's a damn nice 1/4dr ratchet.
 

[bonneyman]

Sorry to hear the, Hickory. I guess that's the new normal, as I've seen Craftsman rebuild kits going for crazy prices on the bay.

[hickory n Steel]

Sorry to hear the, Hickory. I guess that's the new normal, as I've seen Craftsman rebuild kits going for crazy prices on the bay.

And the Craftsman ratchets are extremely common too.
The only ones I'd consider buying a rebuild kit for are the RHFT and the Flying V ratchets, but a complete 1/4dr set with an RHFT or Flying V ratchet in good condition is surprisingly easy to find for a not so outrageous price.
At least I consider $50-$60 to be reasonable for a set when the ratchets by themselves even beat up go for $20 minimum.
I'll but a whole set to get the ratchet in excellent condition before I'd buy a beat up ratchet and add a rebuild kit.

[skfarmer]

i agree. that indestro ratchet is nice. i have 2 although i seldom use them. more nostalgia as i bought the set in about abought 1980-82 and added the second some time later. i do however think the switch mechanism is  a little week. maybe not so much on the 1/4 but on the 3/8 for sure. i have seen several 3/8 out of commision. the smaller  cast bits can be broken from a severe drop, hitting the cap or accidental use as a "hammer".

[hickory n Steel]

Some cool New old stock goodness just arrived in the mail today, all the way from Port Aransas TX.

[hickory n Steel]

I was doing a little work on my minibike a few days ago and came up with a good idea for my 1/4dr kit.

I had previously eliminated the stops on the drawers to make them removable but found I wanted a place to put the top drawer.
The opened lid is a good place to put it, but that puts strain on the hinge so I came up with a quick simple solution for that.

[muddy]

Good thinking!

Sent from my Twisted Mind Of The Mudman

[hickory n Steel]

I just won this NOS factory sealed Armstrong 18-972 on Ebay.
The pictures are terrible but I can see that it's sealed so there's not too much to worry about.

My one concern is that I'm seeing what looks like a little rust staining inside the bag, hopefully it's just some minor corrosion on the surface of the ratchet.

[Uncle Buck]

Indestro ratchets are very nice. I have one in each drive size and like them very much. I think they have a very nice crisp feel while ratcheting.

[hickory n Steel]

Indestro ratchets are very nice. I have one in each drive size and like them very much. I think they have a very nice crisp feel while ratcheting.

They did make some nice ones.
Towards the end they also made some not so nice ones, in design / mechanism not in quality.

A very late type of 2875A roundhead that I got NOS is about the stiffest ratchet I've ever experienced, even after a proper service.
Not a poorly made ratchet,  just a very stiff mechanism.

[hickory n Steel]

The Armstrong arrived today and luckily there was no rust, just dried oil.

[bonneyman]

Cool magnetic stop!