old spanner brands
bugbear
current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
Snap-on, Mac)
But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
Gordon
Williams
King Dick (still going)
Elora (much declined AFAIK)
Snail (cute logo!)
Britool (still excellent)
Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
I would welcome any information people can offer, on
quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
In case the thread wanders, note that I cross potsed
to 4 groups.
BugBear
Prepair Ltd
>It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
>current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
>Snap-on, Mac)
>
>But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
>relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
>when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
>
>Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
>brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
>
>Gordon
Gordon was taken over/merged with Record, I have some Record-Gordon
spanners
>Williams
Not heard of that one...
>King Dick (still going)
very good, especially if you get them cheap ex-miliutary.
>Elora (much declined AFAIK)
Still got a few of them from the late 1960's, no problerm with that
age of tool but newer onesd are a bit iffy on the plating, and made in
India not Germany :-((
>Snail (cute logo!)
Very good, have a few still, plus a couple of new ones I got at the
steam fair at Stoke Goldington this year, Whit sizes or course :-))
>Britool (still excellent)
My working tools are all Britool, but that was mainly as I was able to
buy them on the £1 a week scheme operated by the vendors (1960's and
70's) when a 1/4" drive set with all the bits (mm, A/F and BA) was
still about three weeks wages. Still got them all...
>Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
Another that I haven't heard of.
>I would welcome any information people can offer, on
>quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
>
>In case the thread wanders, note that I cross potsed
>to 4 groups.
>
> BugBear
Peter
Peter
Peter Forbes
Prepair Ltd
Luton, UK
email: pre...@easynet.co.uk
home: die...@easynet.co.uk
Stuart
Williams
My first spanner set (late 1960s) were "Williams Superslim" open ended
spanners in whitworth sizes, they are good quality -although often finished
in black enamel rather than chrome -so are difficult to keep clean.
Snail Brand
I have a load of "Snail Brand" open ended spanners that have arrived as part
the tools kits that have come with lathes and milling machines, all mine
are really quite chunky in section, OK for setting up machines, but would
be a problem for working in restricted spaces.
King Dick
I have some of these in "big" sizes -1 1/2" Whit etc. open end and ring,
they seem very good.
Gordon
Good too, I have their spanners and a 1/4" drive socket set
Britool
I have a lot of Britool open ended spanners, and a set that are branded
"Jenbro" but are identical to, and use the same part numbers as Britool
branded spanners. Britool open ended spanners the only "quality" spanners
where I have had the jaws "gape" under hard use - I think the other Brit
brands are possibly better quality despite Britool's reputation. I have a
lot of Britool ring spanners which are good but a bit chunky for use in
confined spaces IMO.
One other quality brand from the same era worth a mention is Gedore -these
tools were (are still, maybe?) German made and were a competitor to
Elora -I still have the nucleus of a 1/2" drive set bought in the early 70s.
The only replacements have been caused by losing the occasional socket -
impressive given the serious misuse inflicted on it -sockets used with air
impact wrench -extra leverage by scaffold pole on end of Tee bar etc!
Enjoy the boot sale rummaging -despite what women would say, there is no
such thing as too many tools!
"bugbear" <pwo...@engage.com> wrote in message
news:7435f6f0.02081...@posting.google.com...
Nick Mueller
> One other quality brand from the same era worth a mention is Gedore -these
> tools were (are still, maybe?) German made and were a competitor to
> Elora
Gedore is still producing. No matter where, still best quality. Like
Hazet or Stahlwille (I don't know whether Stahlwille has a name only in
Germany).
Stahlwille "Motor" are the finest tools to touch. I don't know what they
did to the surface, but it's incredible.
I never broke one of their tools, but they keep disapearing. :-(
Nick
--
Never use force, just go and get a bigger hammer.
Rope
> But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
> relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
> when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
>
> Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
> brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
Well for my sins I was a sales engineer for an engineers supply
company for most of the 70's/early 80's - I'm dredging up old
memories here but, FWIW...
> Gordon
you mean GEDORE? - OK, I have (most of) a socket set from the
70's still doing service.
> Williams
Obscure - middling, don't think they are still going
> King Dick (still going)
Had a T-shirt which proudly stated "I've got a King Dick" so
they are OK in my book <G> - serious kit, much favoured by
engineers, and easily on a pr with Britool
> Elora (much declined AFAIK)
Rings a bell, but nothing to say
> Snail (cute logo!)
Not *bad* quality, but nothing special
> Britool (still excellent)
They are still in business, so they must be doing something
right.
> Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
Pass, never heard of them.
> I would welcome any information people can offer, on
> quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
All I can add is that Britool were part of James Neil group,
which included Moore & Wright and Eclipse - good quality solid made
in Sheffield stuff.
__
Rope
The Older Gentleman
Blimey. I've not heard of Snail or Gordon, nor Carrington.
Wot about Snap-On, then?
--
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The Natural Philosopher
Mark McGrath
I think Britool,before Facom took them over was the best value
spanner you could buy.Like Peter I can remember buying 5/8"x3/4" and
similar sized whitworth ring spanners which each cost two weeks wages
for a first year apprentice in the early sixties.I`m surprised you
have`nt heard of Williams Superslim spanners Peter.IICRC they were all
open ended and could be black or galvanised.I preferred their
screwdrivers.I still have some Carrington ringers and also Proto which
are very good.I`ve got these kinds of tools in sets upto 1+1/2"
whitworth and still use them all.My personal feelings are that Snap-on
are vastly overated and over priced.
Regards,Mark.
- xxx @lineone.net Paul - xxx
>> Britool (still excellent)
> They are still in business, so they must be doing something
> right.
While they still have the premises near Cannock, they now don't
manufacture tools anymore. They were took over by Facom ... :) Britool
are now simply distributors and manufacture nothing .. :)
--
...................................Paul-xxx
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Dave Plowman
Rope <sp...@ukrm.net> wrote:
> All I can add is that Britool were part of James Neil group,
> which included Moore & Wright and Eclipse - good quality solid made
> in Sheffield stuff.
They're now owned by Facom IIRC, as is Sykes-Pickavant.
--
Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn
The Older Gentleman
> Elora was pretty much cr*p
>
I've got some bizarre Pakistani-made things that I wouldn't trust to
turn a Tinkertoy fastener.
Roland & Celia Craven
abused as a consequence.
Britool are too clumsy, King Dick and Williams WERE superb. Gordon adequate,
Elora rubbish. IMHO
--
Roland Craven
nr Exeter Devon, UK
rc9...@eclipse.co.uk
http://www.eclipse.co.uk/rolands-yard/
"bugbear" <pwo...@engage.com> wrote in message
news:7435f6f0.02081...@posting.google.com...
Tom
>
> Can anyone throw any light on "Matador". Lovely slim rings and liable to be
> abused as a consequence.
> Britool are too clumsy, King Dick and Williams WERE superb. Gordon adequate,
> Elora rubbish. IMHO
> --
> Roland Craven
German:
MATADOR WERKZEUGFABRIK - Schumacher & Kissling KG - Remscheid
Tom
Whose preference has always been for Stahlwille spanners but
not their socket sets. S-K and later S-K Wayne has been the
socket sets of choice..
PS Williams expired in the 80s
Larry Ebbitt
Older Gentleman) wrote:
> Wot about Snap-On, then?
Here in the States, Snap-On are #1. DReadfully expensive, but they feel
so good. MAC seem to be #2.
--
Larry Ebbitt - Linux(Cntr #80621) + OS/2 - Atlanta
Peter Short
Seemed good quality.
He still has 1/4" set, nice ratchet etc. but sockets a little thick
walled.
Sidchrome - was given set of R & OE's for birthday when about 15.
Actually were nice to hold and use, but can't hack the tough stuff. You
can see the open ends flexing and the chrome cracking off. Was not
unhappy when tools were stolen, and could buy some Stahlwille.
Sidchrome sockets were terrible, cracked open. Now part of (Proto?? or
SK??) can't remember, may have improved. BTW, Proto made great
pinch/rolling head bars
Stahlwille - The nicest spanners I have used. I like the older '13' R
&OE ers, they were shorter than the current type, the nicest fit in your
hand. I think the snap-on spanners are good in the right place, but for
my type of work they were either too long or too short. Stahlwille just
right.
Stahlwille sockets nice to use, but my brother managed to ruin a few
when working on his D4. Caterpillar bolts are impressive.
Snap on. I have some of this, yes over-priced, but a great guarantee. A
friend of mine has tried them out with tools I would be too embarressed
to return, eg tape measures with graduations worn-out from years of use,
and Allen keys rounded off - all replaced without question.
Strangely enough, when I reach for a screwdriver,I still prefer my old
Stanleys to a Snap-on.
Facom - Worked in France for a while, every tradesman seemed to have
Facom only. Only reasonable quality in my opinion. Saw some flogged
out Facom tools. Quite popular were these unusual spanners, a 90* socket
on one end, straight socket on the other. Occasionally useful. French
guys were always trying to borrow my Vice grips (Facom equivalent is
appalling), Ball pein hammer (French hammers generally have chisel end)
and my Stahlwille spanners. I once proudly demonstrated my Snap On
"convertible" circlip pliers to some French Fitters, whilst explaining
that they were the best tools in the world, and that Facom was crap in
comparison....unfortunately they had broken in a major way....kinda
dented my sales pitch...
Gedore - Bought some of these for general factory use, like a cheaper,
unfinished Stahlwille. Salesman reckoned they came out of the
Stahlwille factory at night!!
Britool - had a set of very short ring spanners, very nice to use, and
good in a tight place.
Koken (sockets)- These are great, I don't have a set, but buy them when
I need a special socket, ratchet etc. About 1/3rd Stahlwille price, but
have been just as good for my work, which is not too intensive.
King Dick - The only ones I have seen were terrible clunky, thick-walled
crap. What have I missed? (Saw a 'King Dick" motorcycle one day, still
going).
The best ratchet I have used (from a design, user-friendly point of
view) was a real cheapo, no "brand", had a slide switch to reverse
ratchet, the
switch could be reached without moving your hand from the handle, and
the socket was captured until you pressed a little button, when it was
free to fall off.
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Charles Hamilton Snr.
spanners in my tool kit. One not yet mentioned ,of which I
now have a full set,built up gradually is "Armstrong" an
American company, I believe. The spanners are very good
quality.
"Tom" <tma...@xtra.co.nz> wrote in message
news:3D616669...@xtra.co.nz...
Tom
Just had a look in the odd catalogue (US), Armstrong had a comprehensive
range of tools at the beginning of the 50s, haven't looked later.
Blackhawk was strong then too. Another from the 20s & 30s was Hinsdale,
my father swore by their socket sets, Duro-Chrome was another make..
Tom
bugbear
> A rummage through the toolbox of my life!
>
> One other quality brand from the same era worth a mention is Gedore -these
> tools were (are still, maybe?) German made and were a competitor to
> Elora -I still have the nucleus of a 1/2" drive set bought in the early 70s.
> The only replacements have been caused by losing the occasional socket -
> impressive given the serious misuse inflicted on it -sockets used with air
> impact wrench -extra leverage by scaffold pole on end of Tee bar etc!
>
> Enjoy the boot sale rummaging -despite what women would say, there is no
> such thing as too many tools!
I have now realised that I forgot "Bedford", which have
normally looked like decent gear.
One of the nice things about buying spanners at car boot sales
(apart from price ;-) is the ease of quality control.
If a spanner is evidently
over 20 years old, has clearly been much used, but is
undamaged, you can be fairly sure it's of good quality.
Whereas "most" new spanners appear neat and shiny. It's only
after a coupla' years the quality (or lack of it) starts
to become obvious.
(actually this observation applies to many s/h tools)
BugBear
Dave Plowman
> They are still in business, so they must be doing something right.
Britool are now owned by Facom who also own Sykes Pickavant. I'm not sure
whether they will continue to make all the individual ranges and somehow
doubt it.
I've found Halfords professional range quite good having bought a few
sockety type things from them. IIRC, they are made by Facom as well.
--
*Why does the sun lighten our hair, but darken our skin?
Champ
>It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
>current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
>Snap-on, Mac)
>
>But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
>relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
>when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
>
>Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
>brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
>
>Gordon
>Williams
>King Dick (still going)
>Elora (much declined AFAIK)
>Snail (cute logo!)
>Britool (still excellent)
>Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
--
Champ : born in a Robertson's factory
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZXR750 Endurance Racer
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 UKRMFBC#2 IHABWTMMJ#3 MCT#5 WG*#1 BONY#40 DFV#8 IbW#17 SBS#34
Racing : www.team-ukrm.com. Vanity Publishing : www.champ.org.uk
Andy Woodward
YYes. They are surrpsiingly good fro teh price.
>sockety type things from them. IIRC, they are made by Facom as well.
.....which explains it. Facom are bloody good but expensive.
Andy Woodward
You paying?
Snap ons are great for pros using them hard every day, but at total
waste of money for the home user.
use...@isbd.co.uk
> In article <VA.0000079...@ukrm.net>,
> Rope <sp...@ukrm.net> wrote:
>> > Britool (still excellent)
>
>> They are still in business, so they must be doing something right.
>
> Britool are now owned by Facom who also own Sykes Pickavant. I'm not sure
> whether they will continue to make all the individual ranges and somehow
> doubt it.
> I've found Halfords professional range quite good having bought a few
> sockety type things from them. IIRC, they are made by Facom as well.
>
pretty serviceable. I have a small 1/4" and 3/8" drive socket set
from them which is neat, compact and has served me well as a small
emergency spanner set in the car. It's been abused quite a bit and
the only casualty so far has been the clip on the plastic case.
I have some Elora self grip wrenches which I really like, they adjust
automatically with a slider type thingy, none of that screwing in and
out of the adjuster as on conventional Mole wrenches. I don't know
about the quality of other Elora stuff.
As someone else just mentioned 'Bedford' seem to make quite nice
spanners, I have lots of very small ones made by them (BA sizes and
sizes less than 10mm).
I also have quite a few 'Superslim' spanners for UNF/UNC sizes, I
don't think they say anything except SuperSlim on them. They've
served me well over the years.
Quite a few of my older car tools were bought in Oman between 1980 and
1987 (including the Elora self grip wrenches). I have a really nice
set of UNC/UNF ring spanners of very dubious Chinese origin from
there.
--
Chris Green (cgr...@x-1.net)
The Technical Manager
> Rope waffled away with gay abandon:
>
> >> Britool (still excellent)
> > They are still in business, so they must be doing something
> > right.
>
> While they still have the premises near Cannock, they now don't
> manufacture tools anymore. They were took over by Facom ... :) Britool
> are now simply distributors and manufacture nothing .. :)
> --
So where exactly are Britool spanners made ?
The Technical Manager
> bugbear <pwo...@engage.com> wrote:
>
> > It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
> > current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
> > Snap-on, Mac)
> >
> > But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
> > relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
> > when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
> >
> > Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
> > brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
> >
> > Gordon
Gordon were taken over by Record (famous for their vices and stillsons)
but I don't think they make spanners any more. I have some Gordon
spanners and they seem to be of good quality.
> > Williams
Williams still exist and are best known for their Superslim range. They
can be found at www.smithfrancistools.co.uk
> > King Dick (still going)
One of my favourites and probably as good as Snap On. Can be found at
www.kingdicktools.co.uk
> > Elora (much declined AFAIK)
I think Draper are distributors of Elora tools. BTW Draper are and have
only been distributors and have never made their own tools.
> > Snail (cute logo!)
Owned by the same company as Williams. I have a few old Snail spanners
that are quite rusty.
> > Britool (still excellent)
Excellent make but not quite as good as they used to be. I suspect they
were slightly downgraded when they were taken over by Facom.
>
> > Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
I think you mean Garrington. I have a few spanners with Garrington's
Merlin embossed on them.
Almost certainly made by Garringtons at Bromsgrove, who a) became part
of GKN sometime in the period 1945-1970, b) during the eighties became
part of United Engineering Forgings (UEF), and c) closed down finally at
Easter 2002. I don't know when they stopped making spanners but it was
another great British engineering company that died.
>
> >
> > I would welcome any information people can offer, on
> > quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
> >
> > In case the thread wanders, note that I cross potsed
> > to 4 groups.
> >
> Blimey. I've not heard of Snail or Gordon, nor Carrington.
>
> Wot about Snap-On, then?
Excellent spanners but live off their name.
Does anyone know which company made the old Halfords spanners ? I have
an old Halfords spanner with Made in England and Bedford Vanadium
embossed on the side. New Halfords spanners are made in Taiwan.
The Technical Manager
There was a socket set manufacturer known as Swinbourne. What happened to
them ?
The Technical Manager
Anyone had any experience with Stanley spanners especially the
Accelerator Wrench as sold in Homebase and some other shops ?
Austin Shackles
enlightened us thusly:
>Gordon
>Williams
not bad, but not top-notch.
>King Dick (still going)
used to be very good, dunno if they still are, haven't seen any new 'uns.
Old King Dick are worth hunting.
>Elora (much declined AFAIK)
bought out by Draper, hence reduced quality, older Elora are very nice
indeed, you need to go back about 20 years I should think.
>Snail (cute logo!)
not seen any.
I can add another for you, Bedford-Vanaduim. nice tools.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Would to God that we might spend a single day really well!"
Thomas Ą Kempis (1380 - 1471) Imitation of Christ, I.xxiii.
- xxx @lineone.net Paul - xxx
By Facom in France, now. They used to be made on the premises of Britool
in Walsall Road, Cannock.
--
...................................Paul-xxx
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SimonJ
>
> Snap ons are great for pros using them hard every day, but at total
> waste of money for the home user.
>
I'm a pro, I use em hard every day, I dont buy snap on.
Snap On is good, but there are other makes just as good for half the price.
R. N. Robinson
"The Older Gentleman" <chateau...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:1fh6e87.19v...@host62-6-89-170.in-addr.btopenworld.com...
> bugbear <pwo...@engage.com> wrote:
>
> > It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
> > current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
> > Snap-on, Mac)
> >
> > But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
> > relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
> > when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
> >
> > Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
> > brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
> >
> > Gordon
> > Williams
> > King Dick (still going)
> > Elora (much declined AFAIK)
> > Snail (cute logo!)
> > Britool (still excellent)
> > Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
> >
> > I would welcome any information people can offer, on
> > quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
> >
Most of my spanners etc are over 40 years old. Remarks as follows: -
Gordon: got some of their cranked ring spanners - too much crank and the
angle is wrong.
King Dick: open ended - OK, but slightly clumsy and I've known stronger
jaws. The first set I ever got, so over 50 years old. Youth and
inexperience probably did them no favours. Also got some old sockets which
are tapered rather than double diameter IYSWIM, so don't fit down confined
spaces.
Snail: these used to come with lawn-mowers etc. I've never encountered
them in a polished state.
Britool: managed to con a 1/2"sq. drive BSW/AF socket set as a 20th
birthday present. Still going strong 49 years later. Open-ended and ring
spanners just as good, though a year or two younger.
Garrington: got a few, yes they are nice, as are Bedford and Stahlwille.
Snap-on: got some sockets - yes, they're OK, but not very different from my
Britool ones.
I bought a Halfords AF/MM 1/4"&3/8" drive socket set a couple of years back.
Seems OK so far, but you just get a ratchet handle and that's more or less
it. A brace would have been nice, but it's probably my fault for buying a
cheap set. I've got a couple of other 1/4" drive socket sets as well -
they're anonymous, but they work well enough if you respect the fact that
they are small tools for small items. The fact that these new ones are 6
point indicates to me that the makers are less confident about the steel
they use nowadays.
Ron Robinson
viffer
> > > Carrington (esp Kestrel - very fine, balanced tools)
>
> I think you mean Garrington. I have a few spanners with Garrington's
> Merlin embossed on them.
>
> Almost certainly made by Garringtons at Bromsgrove, who a) became part
> of GKN sometime in the period 1945-1970, b) during the eighties became
> part of United Engineering Forgings (UEF), and c) closed down finally at
> Easter 2002. I don't know when they stopped making spanners but it was
> another great British engineering company that died.
My grandad and my dad both worked there - my dad for 25 years until made
redundant about 10 years ago. My dad had a couple of Garringtons spanners
that he rated highly. I don't think they've been made for years and years.
I remember being shown round the factory once when I was about ten. I'll
never forget the sight and sound of the huge presses forming crankshafts
from white hot billets of steel.
Eventually killed by the high cost of labour in the UK, I guess (although my
dad would maintain that it was due to the Management being a bunch of
morons).
Piers
Austin Shackles
thusly:
>I also have quite a few 'Superslim' spanners for UNF/UNC sizes, I
>don't think they say anything except SuperSlim on them. They've
>served me well over the years.
I think Superslim are Williams. got a brake adjuster of theirs, I think.
>Quite a few of my older car tools were bought in Oman between 1980 and
>1987 (including the Elora self grip wrenches). I have a really nice
>set of UNC/UNF ring spanners of very dubious Chinese origin from
>there.
the top end of the chinese stuff is excellent, but yer unlikely to find it.
Decent Kamasa ones are good, too, they do a range a bit like the Draper
"Expert" stuff, which is not at all bad for the money.
I have managed to break a britool ring spanner, (not, I think made by Facom,
I got it a fair few years ago), but I don't really think it's fair to blame
the spanner as this was done by extreme abuse (alternative was a 16-mile
round trip to get a socket, which I ended up having to do anyway, after
breaking the ring spanner. fucking small 12-point bolt heads on big
bolts...stupid idea.).
met more stupid bolts the other day, holding a hub for flexplates onto a
rover V8 crankshaft - 7/16" UNF bolts (old design) with allen head with 8mm
hex sockets in 'em, recessed down a hole about 1mm bigger than the radius of
the head. hex socket is too small for the thread it's on, and they bloody
tight, 5 out of 6 came undone, with a lot of leverage, the 6th rounded out
instead. had to drill the bastard out, so now I've only got 5 bolts. Dunno
what the bloke who's got the engine thought of the remains of a bolt stuck
in the end of the crank...probably come out easy enough now it's not under
load, I don't think they were loctited.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Quos deus vult perdere, prius dementat" Euripedes, quoted in
Boswell's "Johnson".
Austin Shackles
<tec...@niobiumfive.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>
>Does anyone know which company made the old Halfords spanners ? I have
>an old Halfords spanner with Made in England and Bedford Vanadium
>embossed on the side. New Halfords spanners are made in Taiwan.
Bedford...
good spanners, they used to be. I've got one or two survivors of the
marque. Didn't know they were sold through halfords, mind.
the recent "professional" halfords stuff is good, and I suspect has a
lifetime guarantee, a la snap-on.
mind you, I know one of the local garage bods managed to break a snap-on
thing, and they replaced it without question, so they do actually *mean*
lifetime guarantee.
they make a lovely cordless impact wrench thing, which costs an arm and a
leg - abovementioned garage chap has one - excellent tool, and handier than
an air one.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
Austin Shackles
<tec...@niobiumfive.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>
>There was a socket set manufacturer known as Swinbourne. What happened to
>them ?
weren't they Ford stuff?
The Older Gentleman
> I've found Halfords professional range quite good having bought a few
> sockety type things from them.
<nods in agreement>
Lifetime guarantee, too, I think.
The Older Gentleman
>
> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
<AOL>
At least, I think it's Kamasa. Bought it when I stripped my first engine
- CB175, in 1978 - and still got it. The ratchet broke a couple of years
ago, so I bought a cheap replacement. That broke after two years.
Now I only buy the best tools I can afford. Cheap tools really are a
waste of money.
The Older Gentleman
> The Technical Manager waffled away with gay abandon:
>
> > Paul - xxx wrote:
> >
> >> Rope waffled away with gay abandon:
> >>
> >>>> Britool (still excellent)
> >>> They are still in business, so they must be doing something
> >>> right.
> >>
> >> While they still have the premises near Cannock, they now don't
> >> manufacture tools anymore. They were took over by Facom ... :)
> >> Britool are now simply distributors and manufacture nothing .. :)
> >> --
> >
> > So where exactly are Britool spanners made ?
>
> By Facom in France, now. They used to be made on the premises of Britool
> in Walsall Road, Cannock.
>
Britool is French? By God, you'll be telling me the Empire has gone
next....
The Older Gentleman
> Eventually killed by the high cost of labour in the UK, I guess (although my
> dad would maintain that it was due to the Management being a bunch of
> morons).
My guess is 50/50
Simon Taylor
> now have a full set,built up gradually is "Armstrong" an
> American company, I believe. The spanners are very good
> quality.
Obviously good spanners for Strong Arms!
Simon (Sorry, couldn't resist that!)
patndave
"bugbear" <pwo...@engage.com> wrote in message
news:7435f6f0.02081...@posting.google.com...
> It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
> current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
> Snap-on, Mac)
>
> But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
> relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
> when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
>
> Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
> brands that at least appear to be of better than average
quality:
>
> Gordon
> Williams
> King Dick (still going)
> Elora (much declined AFAIK)
> Snail (cute logo!)
> Britool (still excellent)
>
> quality, dates, company mergers and so on.
>
> to 4 groups.
>
I think one thing that should be kept in mind is what end use
they are to put to.
as some one mentioned later in this thread, I too have used a
half inch ratchet with a four foot length of scaffold pole on
the end to give a little bit more torque, but that is not how to
measure the goodness of a tool.
I have worked from heavy engineering right down to meccano work
and the quality of a spanner varies according to the end use.
i.e.
Heavy engineering requires tough strong spanners, some of which
I still have and I would not like to drop one on my foot. While
a motor mechanic might need lighter, smaller spanners that give
him better access due to thinner ends etc. Aerospace work
requires even lighter spanners of all sorts of weird shapes.
So in the end, beauty is in the eye of the beholder
HTH
Dave
Tom
>
> The Older Gentleman wrote:
>
> > bugbear <pwo...@engage.com> wrote:
> >
> > > It's pretty easy to find opinions (and flames) on the
> > > current top o' the heap brands (Britool, Facom, Teng,
> > > Snap-on, Mac)
> > >
> > > But can anybody offer opinion (or (gasp!) facts) on the
> > > relative qualities of some of the old brands I find
> > > when reading old catalogues (and wadering car boot sales ;-)
> > >
> > > Here's a (no doubt incomplete) list of some of the older
> > > brands that at least appear to be of better than average quality:
> > >
> > > Gordon
>
> Gordon were taken over by Record (famous for their vices and stillsons)
> but I don't think they make spanners any more. I have some Gordon
> spanners and they seem to be of good quality.
>
> > > Williams
>
> Williams still exist and are best known for their Superslim range. They
> can be found at www.smithfrancistools.co.uk
Bit of confusion here, when Williams was mentioned, I assumed it
was the Williams of the US, who had been around over 80 years but
expired in the 80s. They had an extensive range, I only ever bought
a Williams long handled ratchet and it expired within the same year
as the company.....
Digging around, the UK Williams of "Superslim" fame, hang out in
Coventry..
Tom
M/shop info & old machine tools.
http://shopswarf.orcon.net.nz
- xxx @lineone.net Paul - xxx
> "Paul - xxx" <paul - xxx @lineone.net> wrote:
>
>> The Technical Manager waffled away with gay abandon:
>>
>>> Paul - xxx wrote:
>>>
>>>> Rope waffled away with gay abandon:
>>>>
>>>>>> Britool (still excellent)
>>>>> They are still in business, so they must be doing something
>>>>> right.
>>>>
>>>> While they still have the premises near Cannock, they now don't
>>>> manufacture tools anymore. They were took over by Facom ... :)
>>>> Britool are now simply distributors and manufacture nothing .. :)
>>>> --
>>>
>>> So where exactly are Britool spanners made ?
>>
>> By Facom in France, now. They used to be made on the premises of
>> Britool in Walsall Road, Cannock.
>>
> Britool is French? By God, you'll be telling me the Empire has gone
> next....
You didn't know .. better keep schtum about the americans winning the war
for us then .. :)
Dave Croft
news:ajubn2$9df$2...@helle.btinternet.com...
> I still have and I would not like to drop one on my foot. While
> a motor mechanic might need lighter, smaller spanners that give
> him better access due to thinner ends etc. Aerospace work
> requires even lighter spanners of all sorts of weird shapes.
> So in the end, beauty is in the eye of the beholder
My friend worked in a plant that extruded aluminium bars.
The reinforcing bars around the hydrolic cylinders had a spanner
to tighten the nuts that needed a crane to lift & operate the spanner.
--
Dave Croft
England
http://www.oldengine.org/members/croft/homepage/
Dave Plowman
R. N. Robinson <ron...@grumiousbandersnatch.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> The fact that these new ones are 6
> point indicates to me that the makers are less confident about the steel
> they use nowadays.
I must be odd because I far prefer 6 point sockets. They're much easier to
put on the nut in a confined space. And I can't remember when I last
rounded off a hex - the bolt or stud usually breaks first with me.
--
*I wish the buck stopped here. I could use a few.
Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn
no....@no.spam
>Hazet or Stahlwille (I don't know whether Stahlwille has a name only in
>Germany).
>Stahlwille "Motor" are the finest tools to touch. I don't know what they
>did to the surface, but it's incredible.
>
>I never broke one of their tools, but they keep disapearing. :-(
>
Buy a £1/2 million Xerox laser printer and they throw in a dinky
Stahlwille toolkit for servicing it: In three years not one of our ham
handed Operators has managed to break (or lose) a single item. No mean
feat, but hideously expensive to replace, which helps them find the
bits....
Elora _are_ crap. I found an old ratchet that works fine (if a little
coarse) but has little chrome left, and I don't think I'll pay £20 to
replace the ratchet mechanism if/when it breaks.
I'll mention Acesa, a Spanish brand. The sockets are OK but a 10mm
Chrome vanadium combination spanner is still going after ten years as my
No.1 spanner and looks brand new. Damned if I can find any more of them
on sale though.
Tom
How come no one has mentioned the creme de la creme of
UK tools, the "Footprint" brand?
Tom
Dave Plowman
been a mail order only brand made by someone else.
--
*If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?
Champ
Older Gentleman) wrote:
>Champ <ne...@champ.org.uk> wrote:
>
>
>>
>> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
>
><AOL>
>
>At least, I think it's Kamasa. Bought it when I stripped my first engine
>- CB175, in 1978 - and still got it. The ratchet broke a couple of years
>ago, so I bought a cheap replacement. That broke after two years.
Amazingly, the ratchet on mine still works well, which given the abuse
it has had is amazing.
--
Champ : born in a Robertson's factory
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZXR750 Endurance Racer
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 UKRMFBC#2 IHABWTMMJ#3 MCT#5 WG*#1 BONY#40 DFV#8 IbW#17 SBS#34
Racing : www.team-ukrm.com. Vanity Publishing : www.champ.org.uk
Bob Holmes
know if it was made there or not. I also have 2 12ton hydraulic jacks and a number of large
drill bits stamped "LMS". Did the big railway companies manufacture their own tools or were
they bought in and just stamped to show ownership? I know that the LNWR at Crewe were set up
to make all manner of railway equipment. and they would have a huge demand for hand tools like
spanners for loco repair etc. It would make sense to make their own.
What about " Terry's" , the spring makers, also made stamped out small spanners , BA sizes and
bicycle spanners?
Bill
WorkTOG
> On Tue, 20 Aug 2002 21:52:17 +0100, chateau...@btinternet.com (The
> Older Gentleman) wrote:
>
> >>
> >> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
> >
> ><AOL>
> >
> >At least, I think it's Kamasa. Bought it when I stripped my first engine
> >- CB175, in 1978 - and still got it. The ratchet broke a couple of years
> >ago, so I bought a cheap replacement. That broke after two years.
>
> Amazingly, the ratchet on mine still works well, which given the abuse
> it has had is amazing.
Ah, someone else who uses a ratchet head on the business end of an impact driver.
Austin Shackles
enlightened us thusly:
>
>How come no one has mentioned the creme de la creme of
>UK tools, the "Footprint" brand?
>
dunno. maybe 'cos they're like hen's teeth?
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose"
Alphonse Karr (1808 - 1890) Les Guêpes, Jan 1849
Austin Shackles
<Dave...@btopenworld.com> enlightened us thusly:
>I think one thing that should be kept in mind is what end use
>they are to put to.
>as some one mentioned later in this thread, I too have used a
>half inch ratchet with a four foot length of scaffold pole on
>the end to give a little bit more torque, but that is not how to
>measure the goodness of a tool.
yebbut, if it survives that, it's pretty tough, and not likely to fail in a
year or so. Mind you, I don't do that to the ratchets, 'cos they *do*
break. But I do that to the cheapo halfords swivel handle that I have still
got, and that's survived amazingly well. slight play in the swivel, now,
but not bad for almost 20 years of abuse.
>I have worked from heavy engineering right down to meccano work
>and the quality of a spanner varies according to the end use.
the spanner needs to fit well though, and to be at least as hard as the
thing it's turning, and be sufficiently stiff that it doesn't distort under
load. Cheap spanners don't (reliably) do these things - having said that,
I've got a set of cheap open-enders made in India, and they're fine for
occasional maintenance and repairs on the bike. Having said that, they're
Cr-Van, so probably they're what would be regarded as expensive spanners in
India.
Austin Shackles
<ron...@grumiousbandersnatch.freeserve.co.uk> enlightened us thusly:
>
>Gordon: got some of their cranked ring spanners - too much crank and the
>angle is wrong.
>King Dick: open ended - OK, but slightly clumsy and I've known stronger
>jaws. The first set I ever got, so over 50 years old. Youth and
>inexperience probably did them no favours. Also got some old sockets which
>are tapered rather than double diameter IYSWIM, so don't fit down confined
>spaces.
>Snail: these used to come with lawn-mowers etc. I've never encountered
>them in a polished state.
>Britool: managed to con a 1/2"sq. drive BSW/AF socket set as a 20th
modern one then - my father still has some of a hex-drive britool set, I
think the hex is 3/16" whitworth size.
>I bought a Halfords AF/MM 1/4"&3/8" drive socket set a couple of years back.
>Seems OK so far, but you just get a ratchet handle and that's more or less
>it. A brace would have been nice, but it's probably my fault for buying a
>cheap set. I've got a couple of other 1/4" drive socket sets as well -
>they're anonymous, but they work well enough if you respect the fact that
>they are small tools for small items. The fact that these new ones are 6
>point indicates to me that the makers are less confident about the steel
>they use nowadays.
6-point are better for sockets and the like though - less chance of rounding
nuts, and more chance of gripping nuts that are already rounded.
you've just got me thinking. small (¼" drive) socket set I have is
Taskmaster, and I also have a 10"x½" drive extension bar of theirs. seems
pretty good stuff. The ratchet in the taskmaster set was replaced by one of
the posh kamasa roller-clutch "toothless" ratchets, which is pretty good too
and very strong for it's size.
Austin Shackles
<dave...@ntlworld.com> enlightened us thusly:
>"patndave" <Dave...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
>news:ajubn2$9df$2...@helle.btinternet.com...
>
>My friend worked in a plant that extruded aluminium bars.
>The reinforcing bars around the hydrolic cylinders had a spanner
>to tighten the nuts that needed a crane to lift & operate the spanner.
saw a bit on the telly about a new fashion of nut for suchlike jobs, which
is a huge nut with lots of little (by comparison) bolts running through it
longditudinally, you run the huge nut down finger tight, then tighten all
the small ones with a small (ish) spanner. Dead clever it were, and no need
for 10-ft long spanners, which means you can put 'em in places other nuts
can't reach. Buggered if I can remember what it's called though.
John Stevenson
wrote:
I would imagine that they contracted out and bought them in. The stamping
would be just an ownership mark like the crowsfoot.
When Derby [ Brit Rail - Midlands ] changed over in the 70's to metric, in
their infinite wisdom they sold all the imperial tooling off, drills taps
dies etc.
Why they just didn't use this up and not reorder is beyond me. Anyway one
job lot I bought was literally 20,000 small drills up to 1/4" all stamped
[BR-M] on the shanks.
---
Regards
John Stevenson
Nottingham, England
Mike Whittome
> I have a spanner stamped " LNER , Gorton"
>and a number of large
>drill bits stamped "LMS". Did the big railway companies manufacture
>their own tools or were
I have a few tools stamped AEC which seemed to accompany me when I
finished my apprenticeship - I always say they were left to me by an
uncle called Albert Edward Cornwallace. :)
--
Mike Whittome
Russell Eberhardt
>> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
>At least, I think it's Kamasa. Bought it when I stripped my first engine
>- CB175, in 1978 - and still got it. The ratchet broke a couple of years
>ago, so I bought a cheap replacement. That broke after two years.
I bought a Heyco socket set in 1969 when I bought my first car (Austin
Seven) and it is still going strong. Nothing has broken after many
years use and abuse.
Regards,
Russell.
Russell Eberhardt
wrote:
>What about " Terry's" , the spring makers, also made stamped out small spanners , BA sizes and
>bicycle spanners?
..and tappet spanners, long thin open ended spanners for adjusting the
tappets on side valve engines.
Regards,
Russell.
The Technical Manager
I think they were the ones supplied in the tool kit that came with every
Triumph car.
The Technical Manager
> The Technical Manager waffled away with gay abandon:
>
> > Paul - xxx wrote:
> >
> >> Rope waffled away with gay abandon:
> >>
> >>>> Britool (still excellent)
> >>> They are still in business, so they must be doing something
> >>> right.
> >>
> >> While they still have the premises near Cannock, they now don't
> >> manufacture tools anymore. They were took over by Facom ... :)
> >> Britool are now simply distributors and manufacture nothing .. :)
> >> --
> >
> > So where exactly are Britool spanners made ?
>
> By Facom in France, now.
Are you sure ? I bought a new Britool spanner earlier this year and is had
Britool England embossed on the side. No mention of France anywhere.
> They used to be made on the premises of Britool
> in Walsall Road, Cannock.
So what is that premises used for now. Is all the tooling still in situ ?
The Technical Manager
Do Footprint make spanners or do they only make pipe wrenches ?
Adam
If only Rover included a tool kit with their cars containing Williams spanners
in the same way as Triumph did would they be better known. A grease gun would
no longer be required though.
Anyone know which car manufacturers apart from BMW still include a tool kit
with their cars ?
Adam
----
Graham Howe
<bho...@cs.man.ac.uk> writes
>I know that the LNWR at Crewe were set up to make all manner of
>railway equipment. and they would have a huge demand for hand tools
>like spanners for loco repair etc. It would make sense to make their
>own.
Loco Works many tools were manufactured on site. Files, spanners,
punches, chisels, scrapers, letter and number stamps (hand carved!),
surface plates, oil cans etc. I can readily recall and still have some
in use in my own workshop. The works had a history of self sufficiency
and although nuts and bolts were available from the likes of GKN Crewe
Works continued to manufacture these probably costing considerably more,
but that was at a time the accountant was mainly employed to check the
wages!
--
Graham Howe mail: (gh...@mcb.net)
Home Web site: http://www.homepages.mcb.net/howe/
Bob Spowart
Bob Holmes wrote in message <3D63A399...@cs.man.ac.uk>...
of steel, but cheep and plentiful.
- xxx @lineone.net Paul - xxx
Last time I went, well over a year ago, was to see the production line
manager .. all the tooling is gone and all they do now is UK distribution
of Facom and Britool branded (Facom et al manufactured) imported tooling.
They do some 'product assembly', things like collating spanner and
screwdriver sets etc etc, but that's about it .. no tools are produced
there now.
Many distributors and tool stockists will still have stocks of 'true'
British made tooling, but it'll not be replaced as it's sold through. I
believe that the presence of the Britool premises will still allow them
to 'fly the flag' though the tooling isn't made here anymore .. :)
--
...................................Paul-xxx
http://graffiti.virgin.net/ar.sole/Index_files/frame.htm
remove spaces for email ..
Seti results 814wu 5417hrs
The Older Gentleman
Outlasted the Austin, then?
--
XJ900S 750SS XS500 CB400F Z400 BOF#30 GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1
WUSS#5 YTC#3 IHABWTJ#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 OSOS#1
www.btinternet.com/~Chateau.Murray/homepage2.html
R. N. Robinson
"Russell Eberhardt" <rus...@nospam.org> wrote in message
news:3d649f1f...@news.ntlworld.com...
And a little set of things they called magneto spanners - in more or less BA
sizes. I've had a set for years and one of these days I'll find something
they fit.
Ron Robinson
Austin Shackles
Eberhardt) enlightened us thusly:
oh yeah, Heyco. good stuff, them. I've got one or two bits of it.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
If all be true that I do think, There are five reasons we should drink;
Good wine, a friend, or being dry, Or lest we should be by and by;
Or any other reason why. - Henry Aldrich (1647 - 1710)
Tom
The reference to "Footprint" was a little TIC...;-)
I don't know what they make today, but years ago they seemed to
put their name to a large range of tools, as the toolkits of many
Poms who made the £10 journey testified...
Nubo was another brand of a large merchant years ago, had a name
like a grocer or such: somebody Stains, IIRC.
Tom
M/shop info & old machine tools.
http://shopswarf.orcon.net.nz
Dave Plowman
Russell Eberhardt <rus...@nospam.org> wrote:
> >What about " Terry's" , the spring makers, also made stamped out small
> >spanners , BA sizes and bicycle spanners?
> ..and tappet spanners, long thin open ended spanners for adjusting the
> tappets on side valve engines.
I urgently had to replace the vacuum modulator valve on my auto
transmission. When this fails - usually the diaphragm - the engine vacuum
sucks oil out of the box at a vast rate producing clouds of smoke - and
the car sticks in first gear.
The hex was quite large - about 7/8" AF, but a normal spanner was too
thick. What was needed was one stamped out of sheet steel - like a bicycle
one of old. Went to Halfords - they had them near right in of course a
metric size. So I simply filed it out to fit. Cost 16 quid, though. I'd
have expected a Snap On for that money.
--
*Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
Kevin Steele
spanners
> in the same way as Triumph did would they be better known. A grease gun
would
> no longer be required though.
>
> Anyone know which car manufacturers apart from BMW still include a tool
kit
> with their cars ?
>
> Adam
Given the current obsession with "engine management" you'd be more likely to
find a laptop & cable to plug into the cars on-board diagnostic system in
the boot than a toolkit.
Besides, how would all the franchised dealers make a living if they couldn't
charge you £40+ an hour to change the oil filter (BMW are one of the worst
at this, with service lights that can only be put out by an authorised
service centre), the last thing the car makers want is someone who might
actually look after their own car.
Regards
Kevin Steele
Platypus
>
> On Tue, 20 Aug 2002 21:52:17 +0100, chateau...@btinternet.com (The
> Older Gentleman) wrote:
>
> >Champ <ne...@champ.org.uk> wrote:
> >
> >
> >>
> >> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
> >
> ><AOL>
> >
> >At least, I think it's Kamasa. Bought it when I stripped my first engine
> >- CB175, in 1978 - and still got it. The ratchet broke a couple of years
> >ago, so I bought a cheap replacement. That broke after two years.
>
> Amazingly, the ratchet on mine still works well, which given the abuse
> it has had is amazing.
I've got a Kamasa socket set of about that vintage, and it's fine, even
the ham^H^H^H err, ratchet thingy. Did yours come in a green tin box?
--
Platypus
VN800 Drifter "The Comfy Chair"
R80RT A kind of recidivism.
DIABTCOOD#2 GPOTHUF#19
BOTAFOS#6 BOTAFOT#89
BOB#1 SBS#35
.
Platypus
>
> saw a bit on the telly about a new fashion of nut for suchlike jobs, which
> is a huge nut with lots of little (by comparison) bolts running through it
> longditudinally, you run the huge nut down finger tight, then tighten all
> the small ones with a small (ish) spanner. Dead clever it were, and no need
> for 10-ft long spanners, which means you can put 'em in places other nuts
> can't reach. Buggered if I can remember what it's called though.
"Completely Nuts"?
AndyL
> Anyone know which car manufacturers apart from BMW still include a tool
kit
> with their cars ?
Really? You don't get a tool kit with a car any more? I suppose I should
be grateful you still get tool kits with motorbikes, even if they do seem to
be made of chocolate :-) And how they expect you to get the rear axle nut
undone with a 4" long ring spanner I can't imagine. It usually doesn't fit
any other nut on the bike so that's all it's for - failing to get the rear
axle nut undone.
To answer your question, ISTR the McLaren F1 came with a toolkit - in solid
titanium.
...Andy
bugbear
> On or around Wed, 21 Aug 2002 00:01:22 +0100, "Dave Croft"
> <dave...@ntlworld.com> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >"patndave" <Dave...@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
> >news:ajubn2$9df$2...@helle.btinternet.com...
> >
> >My friend worked in a plant that extruded aluminium bars.
> >The reinforcing bars around the hydrolic cylinders had a spanner
> >to tighten the nuts that needed a crane to lift & operate the spanner.
>
> saw a bit on the telly about a new fashion of nut for suchlike jobs, which
> is a huge nut with lots of little (by comparison) bolts running through it
> longditudinally, you run the huge nut down finger tight, then tighten all
> the small ones with a small (ish) spanner. Dead clever it were, and no need
> for 10-ft long spanners, which means you can put 'em in places other nuts
> can't reach. Buggered if I can remember what it's called though.
Pilgrim nut, I think.
BugBear
Champ
<An...@squit.co.uk.nospamplease.net> wrote:
>Really? You don't get a tool kit with a car any more? I suppose I should
>be grateful you still get tool kits with motorbikes, even if they do seem to
>be made of chocolate :-) And how they expect you to get the rear axle nut
>undone with a 4" long ring spanner I can't imagine. It usually doesn't fit
>any other nut on the bike so that's all it's for - failing to get the rear
>axle nut undone.
1. Place spanner on rear wheel nut
2. Place foot on spanner
3. Push with foot.
hth
--
Champ : born in a Robertson's factory
GSX-R 1000, GPz 750 turbo, ZXR750 Endurance Racer
GYASB#0 BotToS#2 BOTAFO(T|F)#35 UKRMFBC#2 IHABWTMMJ#3 MCT#5 WG*#1 BONY#40 DFV#8 IbW#17 SBS#34
Racing : www.team-ukrm.com. Vanity Publishing : www.champ.org.uk
Champ
wrote:
>Champ wrote:
>> >> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
>> Amazingly, the ratchet on mine still works well, which given the abuse
>> it has had is amazing.
>
>I've got a Kamasa socket set of about that vintage, and it's fine, even
>the ham^H^H^H err, ratchet thingy. Did yours come in a green tin box?
Yep, that's the one.
The clasp on the box started getting dodgy about 10 years ago, but
that's not a problem now, as I've transferred the metric sockets onto
a rail in my shiny new Halfords toolbox, wot my mum bought me for my
birthday.
The imperial sockets are gathering dust in the tin box still. The
only time I've ever used any of them is when I realised that a 1/2"
would double as a 13mm, and a 9/16" as a 14mm
Champ
Older Gentleman) wrote:
>Russell Eberhardt <rus...@nospam.org> wrote:
>> I bought a Heyco socket set in 1969 when I bought my first car (Austin
>> Seven) and it is still going strong. Nothing has broken after many
>> years use and abuse.
>>
>Outlasted the Austin, then?
By about 30 years, I would guess
Unknown
>On Fri, 23 Aug 2002 10:24:48 +0100, "AndyL"
><An...@squit.co.uk.nospamplease.net> wrote:
>
>>Really? You don't get a tool kit with a car any more? I suppose I should
>>be grateful you still get tool kits with motorbikes, even if they do seem to
>>be made of chocolate :-) And how they expect you to get the rear axle nut
>>undone with a 4" long ring spanner I can't imagine. It usually doesn't fit
>>any other nut on the bike so that's all it's for - failing to get the rear
>>axle nut undone.
>
>1. Place spanner on rear wheel nut
>2. Place foot on spanner
>3. Push with foot.
>
>hth
4. Stamp with foot
5. Mop up blood from gashed shin.
ChrisH
AndyL
> >1. Place spanner on rear wheel nut
> >2. Place foot on spanner
> >3. Push with foot.
> >
> >hth
>
> 4. Stamp with foot
> 5. Mop up blood from gashed shin.
:-)
Or how about:
4. Wonder why it's not working
5. Work out how much you'd have to weigh to exert 100Nm through a 4" lever
6. Eat pies
7. Repeat from 2.
...Andy
The Older Gentleman
> Anyone know which car manufacturers apart from BMW still include a tool kit
> with their cars ?
Saab, for sure. I bet Mercedes do.
Austin Shackles
enlightened us thusly:
sort of, but not the one I had in mind - similar concept, but different
principle.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.fsnet.co.uk my opinions are just that
"Would to God that we might spend a single day really well!"
Thomas Ą Kempis (1380 - 1471) Imitation of Christ, I.xxiii.
Dave Plowman
Champ <ne...@champ.org.uk> wrote:
> The imperial sockets are gathering dust in the tin box still. The
> only time I've ever used any of them is when I realised that a 1/2"
> would double as a 13mm, and a 9/16" as a 14mm
Don't think a/f sizes are correctly called Imperial as they are really
American in origin - although with us they were called Unified.
BSF and Whitworth were the common Imperial sizes and these in the main
died out of use in cars in the '50s
Anorak time - Rover still had Whitworth headed wheel nuts in the late
'70s, although the threads were UNF. I'd guess they'd bought a job lot of
wheel braces...
--
* You sound reasonable......time to up my medication
Dave Plowman
Kevin Steele <Kevin.NOS...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Besides, how would all the franchised dealers make a living if they
> couldn't charge you £40+ an hour to change the oil filter (BMW are one
> of the worst at this, with service lights that can only be put out by an
> authorised service centre), the last thing the car makers want is
> someone who might actually look after their own car.
Err, in London a BMW dealer will charge you over 100 quid an hour for
labour. And that's on top of the huge profit on the oil.
You can buy a BMW service indicator re-set tool from EuroCarparts for
about a tenner - or make one from a scap of wire. Some say a paperclip
will do. I lashed out on a Peake Research diagnostic tool which as well as
re-setting the service lights will read the ECU fault codes too. Only
needed it once in anger when the crankshaft position sensor (as it said)
became intermittent. On the strength of the fault code I bought a new one
and fitted it - cost under 50 quid compared to the BMW estimate of 300. So
saved its cost on the one repair.
--
* What boots up must come down *
cetltd
<dave....@argonet.co.uk> writes
and the third pin goes low for about 10 seconds. For a tenner I might
buy the thing. A friend in @Gewrmany used to manufacture them, but I
lost his address
--
raden
edgar cove
<dave....@argonet.co.uk> writes
>Anorak time - Rover still had Whitworth headed wheel nuts in the late
>'70s, although the threads were UNF. I'd guess they'd bought a job lot of
>wheel braces...
deemed unreliable for critical applications because the tolerances
allowed the threads to become over stressed in the case both tolerances
went to extreme limits. So the whole engine was UN threads except the
big end bolts which remained BSF for the reason stated.
--
edgar (remove nospam from return address for e-mail reply)
Tom
Truck wheel studs remained BSF for the same reason...
Dave Plowman
cetltd <cet...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> I measured the output of a reset tool once - it takes supply and earth
> and the third pin goes low for about 10 seconds. For a tenner I might
> buy the thing. A friend in @Gewrmany used to manufacture them, but I
> lost his address
On older BMWs (15 pin connector) you simply had to earth pin 7 with the
ignition off, then switch on until the oil service lights went out. If you
left it for longer, the inspection light goes out as well.
Later ones with the 20 pin, you switch on the ignition to position two,
and short pin 7 to earth for 3.25 seconds for an oil light reset, 11 for
inspection. But the lights don't show they've reset until you switch off
and on again.
If using the bit of wire method, include a 470 ohm series resistor. This
will prevent damage to the ECU with any wrong possible combination of
connections.
To make a posh one, use a bulldog clip for the earth connection and a
3.5mm (IIRC) jack plug for the socket connection.
You can use the earth pin in the diagnostic connector, but it's easier
just to earth to the body.
--
* Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.
Tom
The terminology for A/F spanners was SAE........as against BSW or BS.
Tom
Platypus
>
> On Wed, 21 Aug 2002 22:49:10 +0100, Platypus <plat...@ukrm.org>
> wrote:
>
> >Champ wrote:
>
> >> >> I've got a 20 year old Kamasa socket set which is still going strong.
>
> >> Amazingly, the ratchet on mine still works well, which given the abuse
> >> it has had is amazing.
> >
> >I've got a Kamasa socket set of about that vintage, and it's fine, even
> >the ham^H^H^H err, ratchet thingy. Did yours come in a green tin box?
>
> Yep, that's the one.
>
> The clasp on the box started getting dodgy about 10 years ago, but
> that's not a problem now, as I've transferred the metric sockets onto
> a rail in my shiny new Halfords toolbox, wot my mum bought me for my
Mine doesn't have metric sockets, just AF. This wasn't a problem with
the stuff I was working on at the time. Most of the original black
plastic tray is still there.
> The imperial sockets are gathering dust in the tin box still. The
> only time I've ever used any of them is when I realised that a 1/2"
> would double as a 13mm, and a 9/16" as a 14mm
You've never owned non-metric machinery?
Russell Eberhardt
<ron...@grumiousbandersnatch.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>And a little set of things they called magneto spanners - in more or less BA
>sizes. I've had a set for years and one of these days I'll find something
>they fit.
Ah yes. I think I've still got one somewhere. 4 BA ring one end, 4
BA open the other and a 12 thou feeler gauge - used for adjusting the
contact breaker on Lucas magnetos.
Regards,
Russell.
Bob Spowart
edgar cove wrote in message <0ZqLmJAk...@coves.demon.co.uk>...
reason, BSI fittings are still virtually a world wide standard!
Dave Plowman
Platypus <plat...@ukrm.org> wrote:
> > The imperial sockets are gathering dust in the tin box still. The
> > only time I've ever used any of them is when I realised that a 1/2"
> > would double as a 13mm, and a 9/16" as a 14mm
> You've never owned non-metric machinery?
I'd have thought with a name like 'Champ' there'd be an obvious one..
--
*If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
Tony Williams
Russell Eberhardt <rus...@nospam.org> wrote:
> Ah yes. I think I've still got one somewhere. 4 BA ring one end, 4
> BA open the other and a 12 thou feeler gauge - used for adjusting the
> contact breaker on Lucas magnetos.
I always thought that we downgraded in the shift
from BA to Metric. The BA thread form was smoother
and less 'scratchy' than the equivalent metric thread.
--
Tony Williams.
Simon Weller
> Elora was pretty much cr*p
>
The metric ones I've got (10, 13, 17) are the commonly used ones and have
kept both their finish and jaw sizes over the last 10 or so years of
abuse.
So I'd rate them as pretty good.
--
Simon
Brighton
England
MYSOB: www.sweller.co.uk/sob/ MZSOB: www.mztech.fsnet.co.uk/
Simon Weller
> Blimey. I've not heard of Snail or Gordon, nor Carrington.
>
> Wot about Snap-On, then?
>
Snail are pretty common, all mine are whit though..
Snap-On was described to me as a finance company that happens to sell
spanners.
Basically v. good quality but way overpriced. This opinion has nothing
to do with the fact I can't afford any...
Simon Weller
>> Anyone know which car manufacturers apart from BMW still include a
>> tool kit with their cars ?
>
> Really? You don't get a tool kit with a car any more? I suppose I
> should be grateful you still get tool kits with motorbikes, even if
> they do seem to be made of chocolate :-)
My Dad's W reg (prefix) Toyota came with a tool kit, v. similar to ones
that come with bikes i.e. basic and made of chocolate.
I've got the remnants of a toolkit that was still with a Herald I once
had and scrapped.
Dave Plowman
Tony Williams <to...@ledelec.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> I always thought that we downgraded in the shift
> from BA to Metric. The BA thread form was smoother
> and less 'scratchy' than the equivalent metric thread.
Luckily, BA is still available quite easily. Even Maplin still sell a
selection. I tend to use it because they're often plated brass whereas the
'equivalent' metric is usually steel.
--
*Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.
Larry Ebbitt
> The terminology for A/F spanners was SAE........as against BSW or BS.
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has been an American standard fo
many years. It is quickly and deservedly being replaced by metric, much
easier fo me to work with.
--
Larry Ebbitt - Linux(Cntr #80621) + OS/2 - Atlanta