Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

matthew · Mar 12, 2011

So I'm curious to see what Indestro or Duro-Chrome tools are out there - please share your photos.

I don't remember them when Duro/Indestro was still in business, but I've found a few pieces around and they just seem like neat vintage pieces.

Photo 1 - Two 1/4" ratchets I picked up here - one is an Indestro 6072 pear head, the other is an Indestro 2875 round head. The two 1/4" drive deep sockets are Duro-Chrome.

Photo 2 - Assorted wrenches. My great-grandfathers Indestro kit wrenches. An Indestro Select 3/4" x 25/32" offset double box wrench. An Duro-Chrome 1/2" x 9/16" double open end. And an Indestro 1/4" x 5/16" box end.

Photos 3 & 4 - Indestro 6272 3/8" drive ratchet, and several Indestro Super 12 point metric sockets.

boostedgt · Mar 12, 2011

only 1 indestro tool here.. 3/8 ratchet

wrenchr · Mar 12, 2011

I have some and will post later, give me about 4 beers!!!

boro_boy70 · Mar 13, 2011

boostedgt said:
only 1 indestro tool here.. 3/8 ratchet

I have one of those myself. Very nice ratchet.

5-0stank · Mar 13, 2011

Socket I found in my dad's tool box:

Lump · Mar 13, 2011

I've been sorting tools all day, and I'm beat. But I thought I would quickly throw in a couple shots of some of my Indestro and Duro stuff, per your request. Most of these tools are not spread out enough for you to see much. I've just been quickly degreasing them and then tossing them in the bins.

First is an old 3/4" drive boxed set of Indestro sockets, with two extensions and a slider bar. The old metal box has been poorly repainted, and it is bent up a bit, with some rust under that paint. But the tools are in remarkably good shape.

Next is my shelf bin with Indestro and Duro Chrome tools. They are piled in several inches deep, but I'm too tired tonight to spread them all out. I have degreased them, to make them easier to handle, but I have not gone through and derusted with Evapo Rust or whatever, as needed yet. (Some buyers would rather do that themselves anyway.)

Here is a small plastic tub I used to bring in all the remaining Duro and Indestro ratchets, which were still outside in the garage awaiting cleaning/sorting.

I have not yet sorted out wrenches into brand name groups, so there are likely more Indestro and Duro Chrome wrenches to be found yet.

Again, if you want to see something better, let me know and I'll get it out for a photo.

hofferwood · Mar 13, 2011

Matthew,
I've got these, and did a post about them with a little Duro-Chrome history.
Here's the thread if interested http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72947

Chuck

boostedgt · Mar 13, 2011

i'll have to take pics of my wizard tools, i think they are made by indestro. what about chrome x quality(what wizard replaced) would they be indestro too?

Lump · Mar 13, 2011

Still sorting and cleaning tools from last summer. Just found this old boxed Duro Chrome set, still in original box with some of the original water-transfer decal still showing. I have not yet tried to clean it up at all; haven't even wiped off the dust and dirt. Not sure whether to do that, or leave it alone?

Note the "T handle" lying in the lid. This would allow you to use the big "L-shaped" square drive with more leverage, yet still be easy on your hands. (The piece which I am calling the "L-shaped square drive" is also resting in the lid in this photo).

I'll probably clean this up a little, and list it in the classifieds. There are so many tools which I still want to buy for myself, so I cannot collect everything. :beer:

matthew · Mar 13, 2011

Good post there Hofferwood. And that's quite the bin of diamonds in the rough you've got, Lump.

One more photo for me - a Duro Chrome 4436 3/8" drive flex ratchet. The flex head has a sort of detent ball mechanism, which is sort of an interesting halfway cross between just using friction and a true locking flex.

sbin · Mar 29, 2011

Here is an Indestro 3/4" drive 24 piece set I found on CL for $40 to work on my old Case 580C extendahoe.Didn't pay much attention to the quality until breaking the pins on a gland nut wrench attached to the ratchet.The ratchet head has different length breaker bars.Very nice old American steel

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wornoutoldman · Mar 29, 2011

Have a few of their old thin extensions. Super strong nice!

lowbucktruck · Mar 30, 2011

I think Lump wins! Some nice vintage Duro and Indestro tools there, everyone thanks for sharing.

I've got a really cool Duro-Chrome ignition wrench set in a tool roll... and I somehow managed to find two Indestro ignition wrenches which match it at an estate sale.

woody 73 · Mar 30, 2011

Very nice lump great tools...

hofferwood · Mar 30, 2011

I found these the other day when organizing a bit. Of course it's missing the 7/16". 1/2" and 9/16".
I'll bet somebody out there has 'em

Orrrrrrrrrrrrrr, needs these :pimpflash

Chuck

rebelram · Mar 30, 2011

I've got a couple flex sockets and some flare nut wrenches.

bonneyman · Mar 30, 2011

boro_boy70 said:
I have one of those myself. Very nice ratchet.

Next to my S-K round head, my Indestro 6272 is my favorite ratchet!

autopts · Mar 31, 2011

A small 2 1/2" wide jaw, 4" long and its not a clamp on. Its on a swivel base and the lockdown handle is on the other side. Its for sale. $15 bucks, but I doubt if it will fit in a Small FRB.

bullchuck · Apr 2, 2011

Back in the 70/80's i worked at a farm store that sold Indestro and i pick up a lot of the tools then. Back then when i was a kid i didnot care what happened to my tools and this is about 1/3 of what i have left. Only if i knew then what i know now. The first 5 pics. are SAE and the last 2 are MM. I have about 10-15 tools that are missing in action as i post this. Anyways enjoy the pics.

Mark

LT2771 · Apr 2, 2011

I've got one too and agree, it's a nice ratchet.
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Jeff Ivers · Apr 4, 2011

I have been using Indestro tools for 44 years, starting with a 3/8 inch socket set which is still my most frequently used tools.

bonneyman · Apr 4, 2011

Here's my pair of Indestro rats - a 1/4" and a 3/8":
I did have a 1/2", but donated it to a young man.

Very nice ratchets.

Charles (in GA) · Apr 4, 2011

All picked up at the flea in the past year or so.

Three sockets. the one on the left has no Indestro or Duro markings, but is quite plainly made by them. It is a number 1216 CHROMIUM VANADUIM 1/2:S The S meaning it is an 8 point for square nuts and plugs. A very similar 12 point 1218 INDESTRO -SUPER- 9/16 and what is probably a later vintage 6224 INDESTRO -SELECT- 3/4.

Note that the lettering on INDESTRO sockets is inverted in comparison to other brands, and requires the square drive to be up to read them.

A real nice 24 inch pipe wrench, number 3524 marked INDESTRO SUPER, and is built on the Stilson/Walworth design, and is identical to a Stilson/Walworth 24" I have.

Have one other INDESTRO tool at work, I will get a pic of it next weekend.

Charles

Elroy · Apr 4, 2011

hofferwood said:
Matthew,
I've got these,

In Elroys book, those are nice :drool:

cowboy73 · Apr 5, 2011

I have a pair of old Indestro locking pliers that belonged to my grandfather.

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oak_park · Apr 6, 2011

.....

Lump · Apr 6, 2011

Nice stuff, Oak Park! :thumbup:

bonneyman · Apr 6, 2011

Nice collection of rats, Oak Park!

matthew · Apr 6, 2011

That is a cool collection, oak_park. Really illustrates a lot of variations of the round head ratchets. Are those with the 6 sided selector switch actually 60 teeth, or 52 teeth like the others?

How is your sorting coming along Lump? Any more treasures to reveal?

Lump · Apr 7, 2011

matthew said:

That is a cool collection, oak_park. Really illustrates a lot of variations of the round head ratchets. Are those with the 6 sided selector switch actually 60 teeth, or 52 teeth like the others?

How is your sorting coming along Lump? Any more treasures to reveal?

Click to expand...

LOTS of Duro Chrome and Indestro tools in my piles, but it is taking me forever to answer the tool requests people sent me.

I am having trouble putting sets together, with pieces missing everywhere. And when people send me a list of tools they want, I dig and sort and dig some more. Then I send a list of what is available, but often get no reply.

Oh well. I am going to one of my very favorite spring flea markets this weekend as a vendor. Maybe some of it will sell there. Then on Sunday I can do a little shopping of my own.

Charles (in GA) · Apr 10, 2011

My one other Duro/Indestro tool, a black painted 2 inch combination wrench, which I have at work, and actually use on occasion.

Charles

Rickster · Apr 10, 2011

TheGrooveking · Apr 10, 2011

Oak Park, any possiblility of getting those catalogs scanned?

TheGrooveking

sumner52000 · Apr 12, 2011

Here is some of what i have. Some are in poor shape.

After seeing Oak Park iIm almost ashamed to post mine.

matthew · Apr 13, 2011

sumner52000 said:
Here is some of what i have. Some are in poor shape.

After seeing Oak Park iIm almost ashamed to post mine.

I like 'em. They're interesting, and look like they've done some work. What's not to like? :bounce:

Tool Pants · Apr 13, 2011

Here are 2 examples of what I call a hybrid, for the days when the industry was switching from female to male drives.

The 3/8" has a male drive on one side, and a female drive on the other.

The 1/2" is a female with a male drive plug. What is unique is that it had a selector to change direction.

chrisziem · Apr 24, 2011

My Indestro set plus some extras....

The wrenches in the set and small hex drive socket set are not original, I assume as they do not have Indestro name but are same pattern. The set seems unused.

Loose items:

The larger sockets are Duro chrome 8 points and a pet **** valve socket. The smaller sockets are Wizard. Wrenches are all Indestro. I also have a Duro-Chromo refrigeration ratchet.

I'll probably trade these a some point for SK or Proto metrics.

oak_park · Aug 15, 2011

.....

dharma-bum · Aug 15, 2011

I'll play- how about a 3/8" rat #2775, a 1/2" breaker #3220 and a 1/2" spinner # 3208. They were the old man's, now they're mine and will someday go to my kid.
All the Best

Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools

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