Topic: A word in praise of tools that work

[spotty]

Modifying my bike lift yesterday and needed to drill some holes, couldn't find the new fangled cordless drill but nestling in a tool box was my dads old plug in metal bodied black and decker, he had it when i was a kid
Still works, bearings are still fine, the cord might be hanging out a bit but it still drills a mean hole
I was going to use a much newer plastic bodied b&d but the bearings were so shot the end of the drill bit had about half a cm of slop, so in the bin it went
So I'd just like to sing the praises of an ancient 240V drill that's older than either of my bikes and say thanks to my dad for having the foresight to buy quality maybe 40 years ago

[spotty]

And while we're at it, I'd never seen these things before I watched them fcuknuckles on OCC and even then I thought that's just dumb
Then I got some and wow....
They make big hole drilling so friggin' easy
May have to get some bigger sized ones too

[spotty]

And just one more....

Latish 80's at a swap meet there was a guy selling loads of Soviet uniforms , tools and all sorts of stuff
I got my 1/2" drive socket set for about $10 and it's taken me about 30 years to brake it.....
The ratchet is extremely simple, only turns one direction , you push the half inch attaching bit through to the other of the head to get it to go the other way, 3 moving parts
I've used that ratchet as a lever, a hammer, I've belted it with hammers, used stupid amounts of leverage on it and it took me 30 years to break it
I'm pretty sure I can fix it too but I haven't tried yet, there's only 3 bits in there , how hard can it be.
The rest of the set is equally bombproof sockets from 12 to mid 30's, steel carry case that I've used as a welding bench with no Ill effects
The set has been described variously as a truck drivers, tank drivers and atomic power plant maintenance kit, it's probably just a truck set
He also had a general tool kit  and a woodworking kit, all in the same steel cases and all $10 each, wish I'd bought a few of each, but hindsight is a wonderful thing when you're not looking through dope coloured glasses
And I've never seen any more of them

And how do I know it was Russian ? Check out the original contents label ( if anyone can translate and finally let me know what it is that would be cool)

[spotty]

This should be the label

[dave500]

good stuff spotty!im with you on the old tools etc,they were designed to be repaired should they need it,which was rare!those old push through ratchets are very spartan but do the job just aswell!something about old gear that's just missing these days unless you but the very top range stuff?even then you can be left short?

[754]

 I wonder how long the discussion was..
 In Europe..
 Before all the manufacturers,  said yeah, #$%* it.. We will use 1/4 inch, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch, for sockets and ratchets.

[dave500]

they all got their purpose.

[spotty]

I wonder how long the discussion was..
 In Europe..
 Before all the manufacturers,  said yeah, #$%* it.. We will use 1/4 inch, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 inch, for sockets and ratchets.

I'm sure the Germans at least still measure their tools in mm, the sizes they decided on just happen to coincide with 1/4, 3/8, etc but they wouldn't admit it
On a related but irrelevant matter I discovered a law years ago here in Australia that prohibits the import or manufacture of any measuring device that only that does not include a metric scale. It can include imperial etc but must have its metric equivalent displayed too
It's very obviously not enforced but it's the law nonetheless

[dave500]

the drive squares have been standard for years and years,funny how you buy a metric socket set with imperial drive?1/4 or 3/8 or half inch or 3/4 drive?anyone know what drive whitworth sockets were?have to have been the same why make an oddball drive square?

[72 yellow]

Still using a 1/4 inch Black and Decker drill that was my dad's.  In the 1970's we took it to a B-D repair station for brushes, end caps and a new chuck.  When the facility called to say it was ready, they asked if we knew that particular model had been discontinued around 1930.  They don't build things to last anymore.

[dave500]

1930?it would've been a black and white one then?

[72 yellow]

 ;

1930?it would've been a black and white one then?