Old Timey Stuff

Re-arranging stuff in the shop/garage the other day, I came across these. I realized that I have carted them around since about 1962 when I needed to do a DIY valve job on my 1952 TD. 47 years ago.

Some common tools might have about the same time origin, but the recollection is not as certain.

What do some of you old-timers have ? Do I have a record for having the oldest stuff around used for working on MGs ?

In the late 60s a friend of mine bought a bench mounted carbide valve cutting tool. It used a single carbide blade to cut the valve, and had a handle you were supposed to clamp to the valve stem to turn it. I think it was actually supposed to be for lawn mower engines. :eyeroll: We used it on his Buick straight 8 engine and the engine in my Chevy, then hand lapped the valves. It was a lot of work, but back then we were teenagers and had more time than money. Fourty years later I still have the tool on my bench, and my friend and I are still friends...I just emailed him a couple days ago. The handle that went on the valve stem is lost though. :(

I still have a tin of lapping compound much like the one in your photo too. Not sure if it's the same stuff we used 40 years ago...but maybe.

I have much older tools than that which I do use on my cars today, but I didn't buy any of them new! The largest is a late 40's drill press that will probably outlast human civilization. Also some cool old tools ranging from 20's to 50's. I have some 50-year-old brake fluid but no way am I using that! ;)

Sure.

You can still buy the Clover lapping pastes. I think McMaster Carr carries them.

My wife had an uncle pass away a few years back and he'd been a machinist back in the day. Had a shop set-up in the backyard with some of the coolest "old-school" lathes, drill presses and such I'd ever seen. No fancy computers on this stuff; all levers and parts that will kill you without even thinking. Machines are probably still there as they'd be nearly impossible to move.

Ahh, those were the days.

I have a small collection of old FORD tools (surprise, surprise) in a display case. They were kinda ratty looking, I sprayed them with castblast.

I have a ratcheting Snap On speed handle,built like a crank,that was made in 1955.
The snap on man tried to tell Me that someone had just took a long 3/8ths drive ratchet and bent it that way,I replied"Well they did a pretty neat trick getting the handle to spin like this" Oh Ya I guess Your right,was His reply.
He then offered Me a brand new ratchet and a hundred bucks for it.Nope,then it went to 300,nope then to 350,nope,I told Him if it was worth that much to Him it had to be worth a lot more than that to Me.:thumbsup:

One of my grandfathers favorite sayings years ago:

"If you can't fix it with a hammer and a screwdriver it ain't worth own'n!"

My paste must be a different brands since the tin is red and black.

I'm still using the Snap-on socket set and Blue Point open-end wrenches that my father used on Willys-Knight, Studebaker, etc., in the 1920s when he worked as a mechanic. Thus, my screen name "OLD Driver"!

Harry

I have my grandfathers 1/2" ratch wrench with its original wooden handle

I have some old metal working tools that date from somewhere aroung the 50's to as early as around the turn of the century, and I just got some rusty hand tools from a 49' Chevy panel van I scrapped the other day.

I still have and use the tools my Dad had, when he went through the Machinist Mate School at great Lakes in 1930. Mike, dial indicator, parallels, inch block, and many others. I keep them in his felt lined oak machinist chest. We used the Clover Brand on a 50 Buick when I was young and I still have it. Last used on my 67 GT.

Does an old oil can spout count...??

I have a couple of wrenchs that belonged to my grandfather who used them in his shop that closed in 1947. A lot of my stuff I bought new and it's still considered old timey stuff now, what does that make me? Kind of scary isn't it? :thumbsup:

On the left, a Delta scroll saw that my great grandfather bought back in the 1930s. On the right, a Delta drill press my wife got me for Christmas last year.

[color=#000099]Dang! You guys got some really terrific stuff!! And here, I thought this gum i've been chewin on since lunch might qualify.... wow.... :bouncing:[/color]

"......Does an old oil can spout count...?? ...."

Dang, I forgot about those. Had several including the small one for ATF. Wonder what ever happened to them?

I do remember loaning my piston ring compresser to a guy re-building his '56 Vette, and he loaned it to someone else, and on to someone else. Never did get it back when I needed it.

Ah well, hope all I've loaned out is still useful........somewhere

My Machinist up on Venice blvd. has had his machine shop, which his Dad had before him, for 70 years. It is like walking into a time capsule when you walk into that shop.
I had a can of valve lapping compound for 25 years that had light and rough grit in the same can with a little partition in between. When I misplaced it a couple of years ago I went to autozone to buy some. All they had were these tiny carded tubes of single grit. It's sad really.

Bill, thanks for sharing that photo... that's really neat.

I don't know if it counts, it's not automotive... but many of my boatbuilding tools are 80-100 years old. My favorite hand plane is a Stanley from 1922.