1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

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daveus6
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1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

Post by daveus6 » Mon Aug 28, 2017 2:00 pm

One of the interesting sub-sets of the Master Mechanic's Kit I am collecting is a specified set of 1/4 drive deep sockets. Now that may not be anything much to most, but the diffculty is in the specified sizes.

G-61 specifies it as follows:

Wrench-Set, socket, 1/4 sq-drive, ext. deep, 4 sockets, complete
(consisting of:
1 Socket, 1/4 in. sq-drive, hex, ext. deep, 5/16in.,
1 Socket, 1/4 in. sq-drive, hex, ext. deep, 3/8in.,
1 Socket, 1/4 in. sq-drive, hex, ext. deep, 13/32in.,
1 Socket, 1/4 in. sq-drive, hex, ext. deep, 15/32in.)

Now the 5/16 and 3/8 sizes are not so bad, but the 13/32 and 15/32 are pretty odd (carburetor sockets I think) and to date I have not been able to find a set that matches this description exactly. I have managed to get the correct sizes in the Snap-On 9/32 drive SM and MC series sockets all dated 1941, but they are a) not 1/4 drive, and b) a mix of hex and double hex.

Can any of the tool gurus please let me know if any manufacturers made such a set in 1/4 drive and in the WW2 period? Any help would be appreciated.

David


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Re: 1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

Post by Gordon_M » Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:25 am

It doesn't look like it was Plomb.

Had a look at their catalogues of the period. They did 1/4" drive sockets 5/16" and 3/8" in extra deep, but no sizes in 1/32" steps.
Gordon

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Re: 1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

Post by gpw_42 » Tue Aug 29, 2017 8:38 am

Williams Catalog 401 had only 11/32" deep in 1/4" drive.
1938 Husky had no deep/extra deep sockets of any size, which I could find.
1940 New Britain had no deep (or extra deep) 1/4" sockets of any size.

Good luck with your search, Gordon!

Steve

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Re: 1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

Post by Wingnutt » Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:10 am

Hi Dave,

Not many Mfgrs made any deep sockets in the 1/4-inch drive size, and of those that did, I can't think of any that made a set with those /32nds sizes. Typically 9/ and 11/32, if at all. As you already know, the set that Snap-On made aimed at ignition systems - sold to Carter, Groves, and others, didn't include a 6-point SM-13. Your mixed (SM-/MC-) set may be the best you can do to meet that spec.

You may also want to consider the possibility of it being an erroneous (and/or outdated) citation in the manual for the MMTK. Far be it from me to doubt a manual, but the manual itself is a source of questioning. While the four (4) 1/4-inch hex deep sockets are included in the SNL portion of the G-61 SNL, I noted that they are not included in the very well-done RAPD figures in the same SNL. Not in the numerically indexed figures or in the accompanying indexed list for the figures. Something seems amiss there.

One more thing - not that it's authoritative (and I'd feel better if it was the 1943 version), but there are NO 1/4-inch deep sockets listed in the 1945 ORD 5. Only 3/8- and 1/2-inch drive.

What kind of carburetor did the WC-41 have and do those openings/fastener sizes make sense for maintaining it? And have you looked at the interwar version of the same truck?
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Re: 1/4 drive deep sockets - who made them?

Post by daveus6 » Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:38 pm

Thanks to all for the input on the 1/4 drive deep socket issue.

Greg,

You may well be right about the out of date citation as there are a number of other items mentioned in the SNL but not pictured in the RAPD.

Seeing as no-one has put forward a contender for this set other than the not quite right items from Snap-on, I'll stick with it until otherwise advised for completeness if not verifiable accuracy. If someone can find a WW2 era tool catalog showing the deep sockets mentioned, please post something here as I'd be keen to get it spot on if possible.

As Greg said, the lack of them in later war tool listings may relegate them to an pre/ early war anomoly.

I suspect these sockets weren't for the WC-41 itself as the truck tools are listed separately. My postulation is that they may have been part of the requirement for field servicing of optical instruments as part of the WC-41 role. These have all sorts of hard to get at spots with odd sized bolt heads. But then, why weren't they in the Instrument Repair Kit?

David


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