9/32 drive sockets

[winchman]

Son collects vintage Britool stuff and has just found a 9/32 drive socket set, why did they make these as its so close to 1/4 drive?

 

[Kayos]

Early example of locking you in to a brand?

 

[winchman]

Early example of locking you in to a brand?

But Snap on did them as well?

 

[Kayos]

But Snap on did them as well?

Pass then. It was just a wild guess while I have my morning coffee

 

[MattF]

A few companies made that size. Can't recall the reasoning offhand, but seem to recall mention of something in a thread in the vintage tools section of GJ. Probably just a pre-standardisation size.

 

[winchman]

He is looking for the correct box if any one has any spare? its currently housed in a snap on box

 

[zzr1200]

I under stand the Snap-on ones were made originally as promotional tools for sales reps in the states as examples for the full size 1/2" drive versions. Later on they decided to produce the 3/8" and 1/4" versions as customer demand grew.

 

[winchman]

Thats interesting as he has a Snap on Midget 9/32 ratchet thats industrial finish and a work of art

 

[winchman]

Here it is in the wrong box with the Snap on ratchet

Heres the catalogue page

 

[Turbo]

I have a king dick 9/32" ratchet & (maybe) a britool extension bar that came in a box of tools I bought. I thought I would never use them but by accident I discovered that they fit a myford 3 jaw chuck perfectly!

 

[octo0072000]

Here's my old Britool hex drive AF set box is rusty but all there

 

[winchman]

Not seen that type of ratchet from Britool? He nearly bought a big hex set as he has no hex but upon close inspection it was missing a few bits that are near impossible to find

 

[graffian]

I have the box.
I had the complete set but am down to a handful of sockets.
I also have the snap-on ratchet and breaker bar, some bloke was at autojumbles in the 70's
with a big box of both and they were 12-1/2p each! 25p the pair. The square drives all got filed
down to 1/4".

 

[winchman]

A few people have told me loads was available via military surplus
Let me know if you want to part with any of your Britool.

 

[zx9]

I have a king dick 9/32" ratchet & (maybe) a britool extension bar that came in a box of tools I bought. I thought I would never use them but by accident I discovered that they fit a myford 3 jaw chuck perfectly!

That was my first thought, I remember trying to get a chuck key for a Burnard 34 four jaw and vaguely recall it being something odd like 9/32.

Here's my old Britool hex drive AF set box is rusty but all there
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My father had a Britool hex drive AF set, last time I saw it was in the early 80's at that time the set and box were immaculate. I wonder what happened to it though sadly I suspect it was thrown out when he got his first Toyota.

 

[winchman]

Its sad what has been thrown away, often we don't realise how we may need it at some stage, I gave away loads of my Taps and Dies but now have a Son who likes vintage stuff so needs them luckily my brother gave me a lot of his as he's a proper hoarder and kept everything but sadly no Britool

 

[Ruffian]

Winchman, on a serious note

My grandad past away 5 years ago and got a pile of his tools passed onto me, due to me having multiple newer tool kits already I just boxed it up and put it on the shelf,
I will have a look through it and if anything you want in particular will keep and eye out,

 

[winchman]

Winchman, on a serious note

My grandad past away 5 years ago and got a pile of his tools passed onto me, due to me having multiple newer tool kits already I just boxed it up and put it on the shelf,
I will have a look through it and if anything you want in particular will keep and eye out,

Thanks thats very kind of you.
The things he needs
Any tin Britool boxes or the holy grail is a Britool tool chest with draws.
Any 3/8, 1/4 or 9/32 drive sets or bits of.
Catalogues or scans of them showing the range.
Some spanners he already has a few and never intended to collect them but has now started to collect them, they are much easier than sockets!
Here is one of his prized sets its the biggest they ever made as far as we can see, missing two small sockets, one owner for the last 50 odd years

The best condition set still with the price on the lid, very little use.

 

[winchman]

One nice Autojumble find was a box from the Avro aircraft factory with an incomplete set of metric in it

 

[zx9]

..........................

My father had a Britool hex drive AF set, last time I saw it was in the early 80's at that time the set and box were immaculate. I wonder what happened to it though sadly I suspect it was thrown out when he got his first Toyota.

Its sad what has been thrown away, often we don't realise how we may need it at some stage, I gave away loads of my Taps and Dies but now have a Son who likes vintage stuff so needs them luckily my brother gave me a lot of his as he's a proper hoarder and kept everything but sadly no Britool

I always phone him on a Sunday morning so I asked what happened to the Britool socket set, apparently he still has it and yes it has been unused for the last thirty years and I can collect it when I am next in Yorkshire.