Many of you still work with inner tubes. But do you still count these tools among your 'must keep' possessions ? STILL HAVE ? Tire pump OR a hot patch kit. - consolation prize Both and remember when last used - 2nd prize Box of Camel Hot Patches. - Grand prize For young-sters wondering what a 'hot patch' is : uTube video of hot patching - click HERE - fireworks at 1:48
I have an old monkey grip patch kit around here somewhere... I'll hunt it up and get a pic of it. My grandfather taught me how to "vulcanize" old tractor tubes. I thought I was doing something that Mr. Spock would have done. This was about 1967 and I was 7 years old.
I have several patch kits and hand pumps including one of the earliest 1930s Ford small yellow and red tin patch kits. Haven't used that one but used a later kit to patch a tube from my tractor last September.
Here's a patch kits from my bag of treats... Last patent date 1925. Miller handy Andy. Don't forget to use the metal top and buff up the tube...
I'm 79, and have used just about all variations of tube patches in years gone by. There were the ones that you lit with a match, and there were those in use around the service stations where I worked and at tire shops that used an electric heating element to do the cooking. Been a long time since I've seen anything other than cold patches. There's only 2 tire shops here in my town that still use patches on the inside of tubeless tires. The rest use plugs, which I hate. Somewhere I think I still have an old hand tire pump, but with a 7.5 hp compressor in my shop and 12V portables almost as cheap as a hand pump, why bother?
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