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What are your favorite vintage shop tools

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Barto

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
Every shop needs to start with the basics like a bench, lignts, a vice and bench grinder but part of the basics for me is some kind of compressor (even a small one). Stand-up compressors take up less room and modern units are more efficient. But my 1931 60 gal Manley built in Bridgeport Connecticut does ok. My 1934 Turner drill press is a bit of over kill for a simple oversized garage/shop like mine but was free from a neighbor and we put it to very good use.
So, what's your favorite tool in your shop?
Bart

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What, no one has any tools they like or want to share? Shocking!
 
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All I have are some hand tools by Ford Motor Co. from the 30s & 40s. :(
That's all? Ha, my neighbor has a bunch and has traveled all over the USA to find them....those original tools are gold! Can we see a photo? My friend would flip to see them (and he' s 80).

Let's face it, these old tools are stil, being used for a reason....good quality tools made in the USA!!!!!
 
Back in the early 60's every time I seen an old balloon bike in the trash I dragged it home. I drove my dad nuts with all the old bikes I was always bringing home. Anything you would kill for now-a-days was on the curb for free back then and nobody wanted them [except me.....] Anyway while my older brother was customizing his 49 ford coupe I was mixing and matching bike parts to different frames making today what we call "rat rods".
Taking off the head nut on a fork or changing a chain ring was always a big problem for me as I did not have a wrench big enough to fit something that big. I would always have to ride my bike about 3 blocks to my friend Bob's house to borrow his dad's big Crescent wrench. One day I was with my grandfather riding in his little Rambler American and I seen this old Monark in the trash and I ORDERED HIM TO STOP!! so I could put that big old bike into his tiny trunk,
We got the bike in the Rambler 's trunk and old gramps gave me a lecture about how my dad would get mad for me bringing home another piece of poop bike. I explained I wanted the spring fork for a project .......
Anyway when we got back to gramp's house he produced this big ass old adjustable wrench like this one:
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and I took the springer off the Monark and put the bike in his trash. As a gift.... the best gift I got that year.... He gave me that wrench to keep.
That was in 1962 and somewhere along the line that wrench disappeared ,but today all these years later those big wrenches are still my favorites...... Next flea market I go to I will hunt for one of those big old curved wrenches and buy it.

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I know this was a long story, but I felt sorry for Barto........and anyone who ever talks to me at a bike swap knows, "I like to tell long stories."
 
original tools are gold! Can we see a photo? My friend would flip to see them (and he' s 80).

Let's face it, these old tools are still being used for a reason....good quality tools made in the USA!!!!!

I managed to locate these. Most are scattered all over the house in drawers and boxes
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This old tire tube & clamp says it all!
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I managed to locate these. Most are scattered all over the house in drawers and boxes
jjsbo6.jpg

fdhmw9.jpg

9jg1fc.jpg


This old tire tube sums it up!
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That's what I'm talking about....these tools survived because they were made with quality in mind. Super nice tools, thanks for sharing....I gotta show my friend. Thanks man,
Bart
 
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I refer to these old tools as "my reliable survivors!".
Most of the modern ones made in... who-knows-where... have broken.
 
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