modern tools - Dose anybody else think it's not quite to use a gear wrench when working on a vintage vehicle?

[TAKerry]

23 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Roger that.

Here's a few pix of a Gerstner type tool box I recently made to hold my more precision auto and machine shop tools. Made from a curly cherry wind fall I had sawed up 20 years ago. Secondary woods are maple and poplar. Also old wind falls.

The only hand powered tools that touched it were a screw driver and a sanding block.

Tradition be damned..............Bob

Beautiful! I wanted to build one of those for years, just never got around to it. As far as hand tools, I think we may share the same philosophy's however with the exception of power sanding (lol). Not sure if you have ever used a cabinet scraper but one would work wonders with that curly cherry-NOT that there is anything wrong, but you may find that a scraper on something like that is easier and less dusty than sanding. 

[Barney Eaton]

I checked my tool box and found these "home-made" tools.  

The Corvair tool was out of convenience....other single tools work but this gave me one tool for both.   one end is 1/2 the other 9/16

I have no idea what that heavy duty socket 15/16 welded to 1/2 thick steel was for but it probably got the job done. 

The Delco antenna is to remove the 4 notch chrome ring at the fender,  I carry this in my "junkyard" tool kit (made from conduit and polished, just because)

That 4 1/2 "  thing is from Harbor Freight and they sell it to remove paint but it is super at removing rust and cleaning a surface when welding.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Barney Eaton (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

11 minutes ago, Barney Eaton said:

I checked my tool box and found these "home-made" tools.  

The Corvair tool was out of convenience....other single tools work but this gave me one tool to so both one end is 1/2 the othe 9/16

I have no idea what that heavy duty socket 15/16 welded to 1/2 thick steel was for but it probably got the job done. 

The Delco antenna is to remove the 4 notch chrome ring at the fender,  I carry this in you "junkyard" tool kit (made from conduit and polished, just because)

That 41/2 "  thing is from Harbor Freight and they sell it to remove paint but it is super at removing rust and cleaning a surface when welding.

I like the potential direction you're post may lead us. 

I'm sure we all have some great ideas to share and miscellaneous odd ball tools that we have in our stash. Granted we are all nuts about tools (dumb play on words... yeah, I know ) but some of the neatest and most practical tips I've encountered have come from others mistakes and successes on here, the Practical Machinist and other such websites. Seeing other ideas at work is something I never get tired of...

 

"BARTENDER,

A round of beers for all these tools"!  

 

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

I have a big box of special made tools. Most I forgot what for..................Bob

[rocketraider]

I have beaucoup tools I've forgotten what they're for☺️. I knew when I bought them. I'm sure I've used them inappropriately too, for jobs they weren't meant for.

 

Barney's Corvair tool defines "combination wrench"! That coulda been a Chevrolet dealer essential tool back in Corvair days!

[NailheadBob]

Here is my homemade tool for 1957 and 1958 Buick mater cylinder jobs, 1 3/4" shallow socket 3/4" drive purchased on Amazon for $11.99, and 1" punch square tube 2" long from Home Depot, welded to the socket,  you can use a 1" open end wrench OR punch to loosen or tighten the nut for master cylinder, is under the dash in a real tight spot for access.

 

Bob

Edited August 12, 2022 by NailheadBob
Add photo (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

34 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

I have a big box of special made tools. Most I forgot what for..................Bob

I have a large drawer for that very purpose. Kind of afraid to open it all these years later

 

Post some of them, Bob. I'm sure one of us nutjobs can ID the purpose lol. 

That alone should be some good, cheap entertainment  

Edited August 12, 2022 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

There is a song from way back before my tool using days that Captain Kangaroo liked. Sometimes it gets stuck in my head while I use my tools.

 

[Bhigdog]

9 hours ago, TAKerry said:

Beautiful! I wanted to build one of those for years, just never got around to it. As far as hand tools, I think we may share the same philosophy's however with the exception of power sanding (lol). Not sure if you have ever used a cabinet scraper but one would work wonders with that curly cherry-NOT that there is anything wrong, but you may find that a scraper on something like that is easier and less dusty than sanding. 

There is a terrible lot of sanding to one of these. The case panels are glued up, some both edge and end glued, I use a 3/16 spline for the glue up, so they are glued up over size and drum sanded to thickness. The sides of the top are actually sanded to fit the case and all the drawers are sanded to final fit. I have good dust collection for the drum and table saw but when I orbital or even hand sand I use a tight fitting face filter and use two window fans to evacuate the shop.

I have used hand scrapers for final surfacing but I'm not sure a glass smooth or super gloss finish would be appropriate for a tool box but that's just me. Appreciate your input..........Bob

Edited August 12, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[30DodgePanel]

3 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said:

There is a song from way back before my tool using days that Captain Kangaroo liked. Sometimes it gets stuck in my head while I use my tools.

 

 

I must have issues... 

 

This is the only thing I hear (or see) while working with tools

 

 

I too like woodworking  

[Bhigdog]

9 minutes ago, 30DodgePanel said:

I have a large drawer for that very purpose. Kind of afraid to open it all these years later

 

Post some of them, Bob. I'm sure one of us nutjobs can ID the purpose lol. 

That alone should be some good, cheap entertainment  

I'll see what I can find tomorrow. Other fish that need to be fried this after noon. I like the way this thread is wandering along. Lot to be said for letting a post go it's natural and interesting way..........Bob

[31plymouth]

Just ordered one

[rocketraider]

What's crazy is Crescent actually developed and marketed those. You'd think this is the kind of gadgety tool the Japanese would have come up with.

 

Most people think of "knucklebuster" when they hear "Crescent tools" but they made more than adjustables. I have a few Crescent sockets marked Jamestown NY. They're nice well-made tools.

[PFitz]

I've used metric wrenches on antique cars many times.  They come in handy for English-sized nuts and bolts made into an oddball size by rust. 

 

Paul 

[Larry Schramm]

4 hours ago, stretch cab said:

 but when I grab whatever out of their assigned drawer, I also grab my grandfather's ballpeen hammer with the cracked handle.  I know it is weird but Grandpa is always helping me even if he has been gone for way to long.  Yeah, I'm sentimental to the extreme!

 

 

 

I have my Grandpa's claw hammer that has a chip on the hammer face.  I did need to replace the handle quite a few years ago.

 

Every time I pick up that hammer I get a rush of great memories of he and I.

[Larry Schramm]

1 hour ago, PFitz said:

I've used metric wrenches on antique cars many times.  They come in handy for English-sized nuts and bolts made into an oddball size by rust. 

 

Paul 

 

Try working on vehicles prior to about 1912 from what I have been told which is when  standardized fastener sizes and thread counts were starting to be used.  My '08 Buick has bolts & nuts that are in 1/32 of an inch. 

[Gary_Ash]

I want to re-adjust the valves on my Studebaker 250 cu in straight 8 but it isn't easy to turn the crank in small increments.  The original service manual says to put the car in gear and push it forward or backward - that's not going to work, especially when working alone and 16 valves to adjust.  Additionally, it was originally necessary to look through a hole in the bell housing to see when the flywheel indicated Top Dead Center, so I added a pointer at the front of the engine and marked the damper wheel for TDC and some other positions.  There is a nut on the front of the crank inside the vibration damper hub, where 4 damper bolts are wired together.  I measured the nut at something like 1.89" across the flats, strange value.  Maybe a 1-7/8 socket would fit but the safety wires get in the way.  So, today, I bent a piece of 1-1/2" x 1/4" steel bar into a U-shape, welded on some stiffeners on the side and a big castle nut that I can grab with a 1-1/8" socket.  It's not a pretty tool but will do the job with the spark plugs removed.

 

The large crankshaft nut in the vibration damper and the added timing pointer.

 

The fabricated tool - top.

 

Side view of tool.

 

The tool in place.

[rocketraider]

4 hours ago, PFitz said:

I've used metric wrenches on antique cars many times.  They come in handy for English-sized nuts and bolts made into an oddball size by rust. 

 

Paul 

I still haven't quite figured out Whitworth wrenches and sizes.🧐

[rocketraider]

3 hours ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

Try working on vehicles prior to about 1912 from what I have been told which is when  standardized fastener sizes and thread counts were starting to be used.  My '08 Buick has bolts & nuts that are in 1/32 of an inch. 

I have a few super-old wrenches in sizes that don't correspond to any modern size.

 

I need to put them in some Evaporust.

[Frank DuVal]

Well, unless the 32nds sockets and wrenches are even numbers on the top of the fraction, there is no other size, lowest common denominator, you know.

 

19 and 21 32nds are common sizes. I've heard they are used on flathead Fords.

 

Any ratcheting Gearwrench with an offset to the handle has a reversing switch. Just like the Klein (and all the others made the same way). If offset handle, it has a switch, if flat, it does not.

[Dandy Dave]

On 8/12/2022 at 4:45 PM, rocketraider said:

I still haven't quite figured out Whitworth wrenches and sizes.🧐

Whitworth is measured by the shank or thread outside diameter. Not the nut flats like Standard or Metric. Dandy Dave!

Edited August 14, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Bloo]

In American Standard and Metric, the bolt size is the thread size, but the wrench is marked for the size of the head.

 

Whitworth and British standard wrenches are marked by the thread size, but British Standard bolts have a head size one size smaller than Whitworth for the same thread diameter, so the wrenches of one will fit on the other. The thread diameter marked on the wrench in fractions of an inch will be wrong. Even though the head sizes must be based on inches somehow, American Standard wrenches, which are literally in fractions of an inch between flats, do not fit. For the smaller screws there is the British Association standard, which uses metric thread dimensions, but implemented in such a way to not be compatible with anything metric. The wrench sizes are a code like 0BA, 1BA, etc.

 

 

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by Bloo (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

Bloo, I agree, I think🫤

dave s 

[Bhigdog]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:10 AM, 30DodgePanel said:

Post some of them, Bob. I'm sure one of us nutjobs can ID the purpose lol. 

That alone should be some good, cheap entertainment  

I emptied my special home made tools box this AM. I'm certain there are more lurking somewhere. These are all auto motive application, I haven't included machine tool kludge ups. Some of their uses are obvious. I haven't a clue for about half of them. Guesses are welcome. There are 2 that are knock off's of KD tools. I know the use and are for 50's MoPar. If you can ID them and can use them they are yours for the postage. If needed I can take a close up.....Bob

Edited August 13, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[PFitz]

11 hours ago, Dandy Dave said:

Whitworth is measured by the flats of the nut, Not the the outside diameter of the thread like Standard or Metric. Dandy Dave!

Sorry, Dave, it's just the opposite (see Bloo's post just below yours).

 

Whitworth are marked for the bolt shank size. They confuse some because a Whitworth labeled "1/2" inch will have jaws forming a gap much wider than 1/2 inch.  That confuses some who are used to looking for a wrench labeled for a size that looks close to the bolt's head or nut size like English and metric wrenches are.

 

I have a set of Whitworth wrenches for working on my 33 Austin and they still make me look twice.  

 

Paul

[rocketraider]

16 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

19 and 21 32nds are common sizes. I've heard they are used on flathead Fords.

I have ancient sockets and combo wrenches in those sizes and also 25/32 and 29/32.

 

Since they were included in earlier tool sets something is bound to have used fasteners that size! I think I can safely say no GM vehicles later than 1964 do!

 

(Truthfully I always figured they were some Chrysler mess...😛)

[PFitz]

30 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

I have ancient sockets and combo wrenches in those sizes and also 25/32 and 29/32.

 

Since they were included in earlier tool sets something is bound to have used fasteners that size! I think I can safely say no GM vehicles later than 1964 do!

 

(Truthfully I always figured they were some Chrysler mess...😛)

Franklin used some 19/32 nuts on their engines. They are slightly larger across the hex than standard 5/16 thread size nut. 

Edited August 13, 2022 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Terry Bond]

On 8/11/2022 at 1:21 AM, Rusty_OToole said:

Like a Scotch golfer I will use whatever club gets me out of the rough but it will be an old one because that is the only kind I have.

What is a Scotch golfer? Scotch is the drink. The native inhabitants of Scotland are Scottish. 

Terry

[30DodgePanel]

23 minutes ago, Terry Bond said:

What is a Scotch golfer? Scotch is the drink. The native inhabitants of Scotland are Scottish. 

Terry

Pretty sure he meant scratch

[Studemax]

Do you think the car gives a crap if the tool is vintage or spanking new? No - of course not.

[rocketraider]

Considering I've had a couple of tool-eating cars, probably not. 

[Dandy Dave]

13 hours ago, PFitz said:

Sorry, Dave, it's just the opposite (see Bloo's post just below yours).

 

Whitworth are marked for the bolt shank size. They confuse some because a Whitworth labeled "1/2" inch will have jaws forming a gap much wider than 1/2 inch.  That confuses some who are used to looking for a wrench labeled for a size that looks close to the bolt's head or nut size like English and metric wrenches are.

 

I have a set of Whitworth wrenches for working on my 33 Austin and they still make me look twice.  

 

Paul

Yeah, Your right. I noticed that while working on the 1930 Rolls Yesterday. Getting old and senile. 🤓 I corrected it. You have done your Boy Scout duty today by helping out the old. Rewiring the old 20-25. I hope I remember where the road map leads the wires to. Lots of pretty colors and combinations. Keep forgetting to take my camera. photos soon. Dandy Dave!  

Edited August 14, 2022 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

10 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Considering I've had a couple of tool-eating cars, probably not. 

Are you positive or negative in the tool box from the tools you lost in vehicles to the tools you have found in vehicles? I think I might be even.

 

First tool lost was a 1/2-9/16 short old wrench while working on the distributor in the 56 Buick (Mom's car at the time). Fell back down in the transmission area, not to the ground. Mom was driving somewhere one day on a rough road and she HEARD something fall to the ground. She got out and picked up the wrench! I'm still amazed she heard it.

[ply33]

18 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

Are you positive or negative in the tool box from the tools you lost in vehicles to the tools you have found in vehicles? I think I might be even.

Positive on tools, negative on miscellaneous bolts and nuts.

 

The only Snap-On wrench I have is one I found wedged in the bottom of the radiator shell/grill the first time I took the radiator off the car.

[Bhigdog]

On 8/13/2022 at 11:19 AM, Bhigdog said:

I emptied my special home made tools box this AM. I'm certain there are more lurking somewhere. These are all auto motive application, I haven't included machine tool kludge ups. Some of their uses are obvious. I haven't a clue for about half of them. Guesses are welcome. There are 2 that are knock off's of KD tools. I know the use and are for 50's MoPar. If you can ID them and can use them they are yours for the postage. If needed I can take a close up.....Bob

No takers? OK one is tool C-3462 for removing center plane brake return springs. The other is a plier type tool to to release the clip that holds interior handles on. Both self made. Both work just fine. If you can use them they are yours.......Bob

Edited August 15, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

9 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Are you positive or negative in the tool box from the tools you lost in vehicles to the tools you have found in vehicles? I think I might be even.

That's a negative!😄 The only tools I ever found in cars tended toward cheap rusty junk! Though, like ply33, I did find one  Snap-on tool in a junked 64 Ninety Eight about 30 years ago. A #2 Phillips screwdriver, along with a blacksnake skin about 4 foot long! At least its owner wasn't anywhere around.

[Barney Eaton]

After seeing Bob's assortment of home-made tools,  that triggered some I use almost daily. 

At the top are several prying tools used to remove those plastic "rivit fasteners" used on newer cars.   A screwdriver usually works but sometimes they 

put the fastener in a cavity.    It small gear puller is used on "60's & '70's" gm power antennas.. the gears are in a recess and the grease is old and hard.

Another power antenna tool..this tool releases the connector contact so it can be cleaned. 

The red handle tool is also for late model cars with multi row connectors, hate to pull on the wires, this fits under the connectors so it can be leveraged out. 

Below are some of my dad's tools.  He was a machinist on the railroad (steam)   NKPRY  ....That is the Nickle Plate Road, went from Buffalo to St Louis. 

later merged with Norfolk and Western (N&WRY)

Last is a turned down 36 mm socket to remove the pressure switch on a Teves ABS brake system used by GM in the late '80's  ...there is not enough

clearance between the pressure sw and pump motor for a unmodified socket. 

[Paul Dobbin]

My gear wrenches are old enough to be obsolete in that the have straight handels and don;t work well aound multiple Nuts & Bolts,

They look great n the tool box but are not my go to wrenches,   My tool box is labled BINFORD TOOLS.

[Brass is Best]

I literally just adjusted the transmission bands in a 1914 Ford Model T. I used a Ford Motor Company gear wrench that was made for the job. I have several special tools which were made by car companies. They usually make otherwise hard jobs very easy. 

[rocketraider]

I've acquired a lot of K-M and Borroughs Oldsmobile Dealer Essential Tools over the years. They do make the job easier. In some cases the tool is the only thing that will do the job. Well worth the hunt and expense.

 

I got a station wagon full of them when the local Cad-Olds dealer closed its doors in 1997.