Tools of the Trade

DanHolohan

Just curious, are there any old-school tools you remember that aren't around anymore, but you wish they still were?

jonny88

Honesty,pride and integrity?????????

pecmsg

Sorry Dan

I don't miss Spring Benders!

ChrisJ

Related to carpentry, but I'd say quality hand saws.
They are needed from time to time and no one makes them. The only one I have is a Sandvik which is older than I am.

Tinman

The ones that say "Made in the USA" on them, with the exception of the ones that say "Made in Germany".

ChrisJ

Stephen Minnich said:

The ones that say "Made in the USA" on them, with the exception of the ones that say "Made in Germany".

Denmark, Canada and England are good as well IMO.

Tinman

Agreed.

BobC

I have a 1/4" B&D Hole Shooter from 1955, that cost my uncle a small fortune back in the day - still works great (no plastic anywhere). It's original with the exception of the power cord, I put a 12 ft cord on it when it came time.

Bob

Tinman

I miss the old steel tool boxes. They're still out there but harder to find. I still look for old Craftsmen steel boxes at garage sales and flea markets.

Danny Scully

What about an acetylene torch, cleaning/acid brushes, solder paste, solder, grit cloth? Lol, just kidding. I do love my press gun, but I'll always keep these items...to collect dust!

hvacfreak2

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BobC said:

I have a 1/4" B&D Hole Shooter from 1955, that cost my uncle a small fortune back in the day - still works great (no plastic anywhere). It's original with the exception of the power cord, I put a 12 ft cord on it when it came time.

Bob

When I started doing this in the late 1980's we had a
" Holeshooter " on the truck I renamed it " Wristbreaker".

BobC

On the old job we had a well used Millwaukee that i saw take out more than one wrist. I learned a long time ago to use a broomstick with any drill with a D handle on it - saw too many folks get spun around when the bit got stuck - mucho torque on those things.

Bob

ChrisJ

I'm a bit confused by all of the talk about the old drills.
We have a 1950s Skil all aluminum 1/2" drill in the family that I rebuilt when I was working for Bosch that certainly isn't any stronger than a modern quality drill. Try out any quality SDS or SDS max rotohammer and tell me a modern drill isn't as strong.

I also have a 1/2" Dewalt 700RPM corded drill and a fairly new Milwaukee 1/2" corded 2 speed hammer drill I just bought that are also both pretty damn powerful.

Tinman

I love the new drills. I remember in '83 or '84 when I got my first cordless and no longer had to wear out 5/16" nut drivers when working on RTU's. It was awesome.

Abracadabra

ChrisJ said:

I'm a bit confused by all of the talk about the old drills.
We have a 1950s Skil all aluminum 1/2" drill in the family that I rebuilt when I was working for Bosch that certainly isn't any stronger than a modern quality drill. Try out any quality SDS or SDS max rotohammer and tell me a modern drill isn't as strong.

I also have a 1/2" Dewalt 700RPM corded drill and a fairly new Milwaukee 1/2" corded 2 speed hammer drill I just bought that are also both pretty damn powerful.

A milwaukee hole shooter will rip your hand off and make you respect it if you aren't careful. My dad had one that weighed a ton and we'd sometimes both have to be on it with a large bit on it. It's basically the 1950s? version of the hole hawg. Low RPMs and a ton or torque. I have a chip in my tooth from being too lackadaisical with it. The bit bit, and handle nailed my jaw and knocked me off the ladder.

Tinman

I'm laughing because the same thing happened to me. It wasn't funny at the time.

BobC

The key with the old drills was they ran forever, lets see how many of the new drills are still working in 60 or 70 years. The other side of the coin on the old ones is they cost a weeks pay back in the day.

Bob

Robert O'Connor_12

I'm still using an all metal right angle drill. That thing will take your arm off if your not paying attention

ChrisJ

I have a 1930s Canedy-Otto 16" (1/2" chuck) drill press that will do some damage. My boss gave it to me because OSHA wouldn't allow it due to no belt guards, those came later.

I think we're WAY off base here. Dan's looking for tools that are no longer available. IMO hand drills don't count. The 1950s Skil I rebuilt wasn't built any better than a modern quality drill. The main reason it was dangerous was lack of variable speed and no clutch.

JUGHNE

I recall that in the late 50's and thru the 60's you never wanted anyone to see the label on anything (tools especially) that proclaimed "Made in Japan". Wrenches were all blood drawing "knucle busters" and screwdrivers became chisels or openers for paint cans. This was an embaresment to have any of these tools around. You seldom see that label today, mainly I believe because we can't afford their prices. The few Made in Japan items I now see are very high quality and considered top of the line. (But I don't see much.) But look how far the first rusted out Honda civic has advanced from their first introduction in 70's??
They have learned a lot since the post war time to become where they are today. I believe the first application of the "Lean" program was used in that country after the Big 3 here snubbed their noses at that idea.
The early Millwakee bat drills i had were Made in Japan, worked pretty good. Then The company brought that drill production to this country and I am sad to say that for me things went south. Went over to the blue drills for a while.

Note: So what I miss from the old days are tools (and materials) that were labeled "Made in The USA" and you knew they were good for the duration of however long you needed them.

unclejohn

Don't see pinch-off tools around much. Saved my butt more then a few times.

ChrisJ

unclejohn said:

Don't see pinch-off tools around much. Saved my butt more then a few times.

Like these?
They're very common in refrigeration.

DanHolohan

I'm loving this conversation. Great memories, guys! Keep it coming.

Tinman

If I start missing the old stuff, I just dig into this bag of tricks.

Tinman

This ...

DanHolohan

Wow. Imagine how many hands have touched those tools. Beautiful, Stephen. Thanks.

ChrisJ

My main monitor top kit.
It's not plumbing related, but except for the CPS gauge and plastic funnel, most of it is old. Very old.

I have another much older set, but it's not near as clean.

Tinman

My father-in-law gave me that tool box in '81, it was his dad's. It went to many job sites with me until I "retired" it in '84.

DanHolohan

Gosh.

DanHolohan

You guys should open a museum!

ChrisJ

DanHolohan said:

You guys should open a museum!

Dan, if you're ever in NW NJ you should stop in and see the monitor top and of course the steam system. Bradford White stopped in the day after thanksgiving for a bit.

DanHolohan

Will do, Chris. Thanks!

KC_Jones

Posted this one a while ago. Not sure if people really "miss" these though.
http://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/150151/thought-some-of-you-might-enjoy-this#latest

hot_rod

The pot and ladle may be older than I am, it was my dads and I spent many hours tending that pot. Don't let the EPA see this pic ;

DanHolohan

A fine addition to the new museum!

Mark Eatherton

HR, I think I still have a white gas burner used to melt the lead. Next time you are in my hood, I will donate it to the cause. Don't think I will be needing it any time soon.

ME

DanHolohan

Mark, it's an imaginary museum. ;-). I can only wish. Thanks, pal.

JUGHNE

Hot Rod, I am too young to figure out the knob, rod and cylinder in your picture under the Pb ladle & cauldron in your posting, please enlighten me. (Notice I used the periodic table symbol so as to not draw the attention of the EPA.....Pb is from the Latin "Plumbum" when all pipe were made of Pb, including the wine cups the Romans used. (Part of the downfall, supposedly)

So does that mean "Plumber's Butt" is a real word, derived from the Latin "Plumbum"?

DanHolohan

JUGHNE said:

Hot Rod, I am too young to figure out the knob, rod and cylinder in your picture under the Pb ladle & cauldron in your posting, please enlighten me. (Notice I used the periodic table symbol so as to not draw the attention of the EPA.....Pb is from the Latin "Plumbum" when all pipe were made of Pb, including the wine cups the Romans used. (Part of the downfall, supposedly)

So does that mean "Plumber's Butt" is a real word, derived from the Latin "Plumbum"?

I'd also like to know what that is.

L Thiesen

Looks like the tool we used to make flanged tailpieces for kit sink drains from scrap tube, 1 1/2 chrome tube. Showing my age again. Mr T.

hot_rod

JUGHNE said:

Hot Rod, I am too young to figure out the knob, rod and cylinder in your picture under the Pb ladle & cauldron in your posting, please enlighten me. (Notice I used the periodic table symbol so as to not draw the attention of the EPA.....Pb is from the Latin "Plumbum" when all pipe were made of Pb, including the wine cups the Romans used. (Part of the downfall, supposedly)

So does that mean "Plumber's Butt" is a real word, derived from the Latin "Plumbum"?

Good eye and good question.

That tool would form flanged tailpieces used to connect sink drains. So every time you one of the factory formed tailpieces you could flange another. no need to scrap the cutoff pieces.