Technical Your favorite vintage shop tool that still gets used.

Afternoon all,
Today while working in the garage with my son on his O/T daily driver doing a transmission swap for a unit we rebuilt I was enjoying using my vintage transmission jack and was wondering who else has a cool old tool that gets used for what it was made for back in the day.

So, who has what, post us some pics and let’s see what your favorite old tool looks like.

Cliff Ramsdell



Both the boys. Working together is always a good time.

 

A BFH.

 

My Lincoln SP-200 that I bought at a trade show in the mid 1970's.
I use it almost every day.
Also my Beverly shears, I would be lost without them.

 

My very vintage vise.
Gary

 

The old anvil my grandad passed to my dad then from my dad to me.

 

I have a 3/8" drive 12" New Britain extension that I've had since September, 1977, that I go out of my way to use. I don't know why, I just like that old thing. It's hard to believe I haven't bent or twisted it over the years.

 

That's because the old stuff was made well.

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An old Coke machine filled with beer, daily use.

 

Souix valve and seat grinder. I have used it on every engine that I have built in the last 30 years.
I bought it at an estate sale. The instruction manual says that it is good for all automotive valves including the new Ford V-8. I'm guessing that means it was made around 1932.

 

I use my dad's 1/2" impact almost daily in my shop. I figured if it was good enough to work on his AA/FA, it's good enough for the cars in the shop.

 

Anvil. HRP

 

That is awesome!!!

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Ohhh my... I envy you. That is very nice.

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the oldest tool in my shop is me.

 

I have a 30" stomp shear that's got to be over 100 years old. I use it every now and then, and wonder where it spent most of it's life. When I removed the blades to have them sharpened I noticed the mounting bolts were rather irregular. Not a very consistent size, I had to fit them all in the same holes they came out of. Makes me think it's really old.

 

I have an old snap- on alignment machine, wheel balancer, scope , etc... all from the '50s that my Dad used in his shop from 1959-1965 .

 

I don't have a clue as to it's age, but it's older than me. HRP

 

Essentially all of my heavy duty tools and most of my light duty tools are "vintage". I think they are the reason that I am as good at my job as I am. Not because of my own ability, but because my tools have been doing their jobs for decades. I even got rid of a new Miller 350P welder because I like the old 35 so much better. Most of my stuff is from the '40's through the '60's. Welder is from the '70's. I use everything regularly.

Mubea hand shear from the '60's

Pexto hydraulic shear from the '60's


Millermatic 35 from the late '70's

Big grinders. The Black and Decker with the sanding pad was bought new in '64 by my great grandpa

Blackhawk Port-a-Power kits from the '40's


Wilton vise from the '50's. Whitney punch press and Beverly shear are a little later.

Dries and Krump box/pan brake from the early '50's at the latest

 

1946 Southbend 9A

Mystery age band saw and router. '50's, I think.

Ridged bansaw. Model discontinued in 1969

Dayton spot welder and stand, year unknown, but most likely '60's-'70's.

Miller and Greyhound spot welders, years unknown but most likely '60's-'70's
Lead paddles. Darker ones are NOS from the '40's.

Pexto hand punch, late '60's or '70's


Hammers, mostly from the '60's and earlier

Dollies, files and slappers, '30's-'60's

Torches,'40's and '70's, except the Henrob and Meco. I bought those new.
Old torch, year unknown


Pexto and Niagara bead rollers from the '60's and the '20's.

 

My big old Craftsman screwdriver. It's done it all.

 

Most of my tools are 30 to 50 years old! Sad part is I bought most of them new. lol Larry

 

No photo but my Ford BFH gets used daily . Sometimes I just beat on a piece of railroad track to relieve tension .

 

Have an old chain fall hoist hanging from the rafters in my garage... I got it in the early 80s when Harry Dort's son was closing up his shop after old Harry passed. I had been hanging around that shop since the early 70s. During the years I hung out there , from about 10 yrs old or so , I saw lots of different engines hanging on it. Most memorable were the 430 lincoln going in a 57 ranchero and the dual carb Flatty with Edelbrock heads going into a 50 woody that Harry had stored for years. Pretty sure Harry had owned the hoist since opening his shop in 1918. It has been hanging on my rafters since 1989 and I used to just look at it and smile. Now that I'm getting up there in years and my wife gets kinda pissed when I grab a bare sbc block and put it on the stand......Guess what I'm using?

 

We have a Rockwell drill press that Dad bought new back in 1976 shortly after my little brother was born. It’s a floor stand model and we have used it for everything. It still works as well today as when Dad and I brought it home. I have a bad habit of comparing all modern drill presses to it, nothing measures up to it.


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It's not the oldest tool I have that I use by a long shot but one that I have owned just about the longest. 7/8 Challenger combination wrench that was was in the tool set that I bought when I started auto mechanics trade school in 1965. I tend to pull it out over the other 7/8 wrenches in the box just as I have since he day I bought it.
The oldest thing I have that I will be using regularly when I get it set up is a post vise that is way older than I am. I think it is the third one I have had as I buy one, move it around a bit and end up selling it but this one I am keeping.
My Forney stick welder Is who knows how old but works perfect and there isn't anything too heavy to weld with it. I bought it about 35 years ago from Graham Trucking in Yakima and they had had it since new and used it right up until they bought a big wire feed.

My son's buddy who is a pipeline welder in Alaska taught him how to weld with it so he could move up the ladder at work job wise. That was his beginning from going from lube and oil guy to department supervisor in about 15 years.

 

Most of my tools are old and I have a Mousehole anvil from 1860-1870 but my favorite wrenches were my father's Barcalo Buffalo that I have used since the early 1950s. I have an open end wrench from 1914 that looks new

 

What are your plans for the OT Challenger? Is it a restoration? Or is it going to be made to haul a$$?

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The vise below is a Charles Parker model #974 I believe was probably made in the 50’s. Weighs over 60 pounds. I bought it used in very good condition cleaned it up some and sprayed some paint on it. Some of you may know the name Charles Parker for the double barrel shotguns they made. Virtually no slop in screw or alignment. This really is a case of “they don’t make them like they used to”

 

favorite du jour

 

Snap-on 3/8 drive ratchet I "lifted" when I was in the Navy (60's) Only one I've seen with on-off written on it. Maybe I'm dislexic...I don't know?!
Got a pile of craftsman rachets that I NEVER use.
Oh!!!!...Old friend gave me a Craftsman tablesaw he had. Told me...." I replaced the motor on it back in 48"!!!! All cast steel. (does that count?!)
6sally6