d42jeep
Well-known member
The logo is hard to read on this small Duro partial 1/4” drive set but it includes quite a few wartime D-I sockets. 
-Don
-Don
Show your Indestro and Duro-Chrome tools
- Thread starter matthew
- Start date
I’ve got two loose shortys as well. Agreed, they’re nice. It always feels a bit of a shame they don’t get much use.
Funny you say that. I've found that those shorty's are really good for working on the lawn mower!
Tom "Python" Aycock
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Found my 2781 yesterday, $3 from one of my favorite vendors.Nice breaker, Al. The double male ended breakers were a Duro/Indestro thing early on until female drive ratchets faded away. They made them for others as well.
-Don
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ early type - male square drive tang at end of handle.... just in case you need to put some more arm on it. 
d42jeep
Well-known member
Duro offered many styles in 1940. These are 1/2” drive 
-Don
-Don
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
One of my left-behinds at the flea market this morning was an example of one of those sets and boxes from Indestro's Upside Down Land merchandising scheme. We had a spirited and eventually definitive discussion on them a couple years ago starting here. It was funny going through the exact same thought process again with a guy standing next to me who insisted it was just a mistake, meant for the lid. I don't think I convinced him - and I don't blame him!
Attachments
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ That's one of their "Select" promotional sets that you will never find in a catalog, so convincing anyone of anything becomes even more of a challenge! 
Oldtuleguy
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Was pleasantly surprised to get this little indestro screwdriver with these ignition wrenchesNice!!
d42jeep
Well-known member
Those amber handle Indestro screwdrivers are almost as difficult to find as the Duro version. I always have a search going for both.Was pleasantly surprised to get this little indestro screwdriver with these ignition wrenches
-Don
INSP380
Well-known member
Just picked these up today, Indestro Select 1/2 drive 1/2” thru 1”… I will clean them up this weekend. Seller had the metal case and threw it out… ugh!!!! No ratchet to be found, but I will source one along with the extensions.
Steve
Steve
genog
Well-known member
It's too bad the selector on this Indestro ratchet was broken....
I would have bought it if I felt that I had a half-way decent chance of fixing it
The seller said, It Works. Works fine.
All you need are pliers!
I would have bought it if I felt that I had a half-way decent chance of fixing it
The seller said, It Works. Works fine.
All you need are pliers!
Beerhippie
Well-known member
^Weld on a pair of pliers?
genog
Well-known member
Yeah.....good idea
d42jeep
Well-known member
This set arrived in the mail today. 
-Don
-Don
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Why the strange mix of 6,12, and 8-point sockets?This set arrived in the mail today.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Pretty much the set-up on a lot of those sets in the 1930s. Smaller sizes came in 6 point, once you got up to 11/32 they went to 12-point.
That doesn't hold true across the board, however - some manufacturers deviated from that quite a bit. Some really early sets include 12-point 1/4" sockets. Others are 6-point all the way through - and some are 12-point all the way through. There was no "standard"
That doesn't hold true across the board, however - some manufacturers deviated from that quite a bit. Some really early sets include 12-point 1/4" sockets. Others are 6-point all the way through - and some are 12-point all the way through. There was no "standard"
d42jeep
Well-known member
When the government started calling for all 6 and 8 point sets towards the end of WW2, it seems like a lot of the manufacturers followed along.
-Don
Some late war Walden sets.
-Don
Some late war Walden sets.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Because old radios and toasters were assembled at the factory with square nuts.
Earliest small socket sets (1/4" hex and 1/4" square drive) were marketed as "Radio Sets" because that was the new hot market in the 1920's. The radios were assembled using square nuts or those goofy round "knurled nuts" (which is the reason some sets contain those weird sockets that are most commonly seen in the ubiquitous little Duro/Indestro 350 "vest pocket" sets.
The earliest household small electrical appliance - the toaster - was also assembled using square nuts.
As time went on, hex nuts became more common, and those 8-point sockets eventually disappeared from modern-day 1/4" drive socket sets.
Earliest small socket sets (1/4" hex and 1/4" square drive) were marketed as "Radio Sets" because that was the new hot market in the 1920's. The radios were assembled using square nuts or those goofy round "knurled nuts" (which is the reason some sets contain those weird sockets that are most commonly seen in the ubiquitous little Duro/Indestro 350 "vest pocket" sets.
The earliest household small electrical appliance - the toaster - was also assembled using square nuts.
As time went on, hex nuts became more common, and those 8-point sockets eventually disappeared from modern-day 1/4" drive socket sets.
Thank you. I thought that there had to be a good reason.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Stoves were also put together with square nuts back in the day. Likely other early appliances with sheet metal bodies.
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Most everything was assembled with square nuts. Square nuts were cheaper to manufacture than hexagonal nuts.
Genuinely curious - how many of those Duro 1/4” sets do you have?This set arrived in the mail today.
-Don
bmwrd0
Well-known member
Square nuts were used a lot in the HVAC world back in the day. Valves in various sizes mostly.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Still are!
d42jeep
Well-known member
Quite a few.
Here is a set I picked up from another collector on Tool Talk that arrived today after many hiccups by the USPS. I had to chase the mail carrier down the street before she finally handed me the package. This one has all wartime D-I sockets and includes the currently hard to find ratchet.
-Don
Private Lugnutz
Well-known member
You might find this, my compiling of my catalog research on midget set specifications and mfgr's offerings (in an Excel file still dated 6/6/2017!
) originally posted on G503.com to be interesting reading, @DAustin...
It looks like up to 1960 Craftsman 1/4" sets still came with two 8-point sockets {1/4" and 5/16"}.
I'm not sure how the dating works but I have some Walden 31xx sockets that are 12pt but not listed as an option here. Ill look around since all I can find right now is a 3109 12ptYou might find this, my compiling of my catalog research on midget set specifications and mfgr's offerings (in an Excel file still dated 6/6/2017!
Eric Brown
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Small group of wrenches probably made during WWII by Duro. Top one is a starter/manifold type marked "Super-Quality" with the x inside a circle. Sizes of 9/16 and 5/8 with "Forged in U.S.A." on other side. Next two are marked with "Forged Select Steel" on one side and "Made In U.S.A." on other side with sizes of 5/8, 11/16 on one, 13/16, 7/8 on other. Thanks to Alloy Artifacts for information identifying these.
Tom "Python" Aycock
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OK, so I've got two partial Duro sets (the new Duro Chrome 5605 circa late 60s and a wartime D-1), two partial Indestro sets (Super 2800 and a Chrome Vanadium 2800) all sitting in the shop awaiting me to find the various sockets, ratchets...
I almost bid on an over priced mystery set today but realized, wait I gotta concentrate on the lonely boxes and put money into those before traveling into another world (its already difficult to walk in the shop as is!)
All that said, I'm looking for 1/4" drive stuff to get these sets completed.
I've got a bag of more D-I sockets but they appear to lack the same finish as the wartime set.
I almost bid on an over priced mystery set today but realized, wait I gotta concentrate on the lonely boxes and put money into those before traveling into another world (its already difficult to walk in the shop as is!)
All that said, I'm looking for 1/4" drive stuff to get these sets completed.
I've got a bag of more D-I sockets but they appear to lack the same finish as the wartime set.
four.cycle
Well-known member
Probably not, if they are plated.
Not all "D I" is necessarily WWII vintage, and not all "D I" is necessarily plain steel finish, and not all "D I" is black finish.
Both Don and I have come across plated "D I" stuff - so there are three different flavors of "D I".
All of the "Duro" branded stuff I come across goes down to Don - I don't keep any of it here.
If and when I ever get around to sorting out the Indestro in the living room, I know there is all kinds of "Chromium Vanadium" (not Chrome Vanadium" - but it could be a while until I can get to it.
d42jeep
Well-known member
The bulk of D-I sockets are either cad plated, black oxide finish or plain steel. There are some fairly rare chrome plated examples. I would say that they were mostly made during WW2. Here are some wrenches I found at a sale today. I assume the bottom wrench is Indestro.
If B-K checks his PO Box, he can add to his Indestro overload.
-Don
If B-K checks his PO Box, he can add to his Indestro overload.
-Don
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ It's definitely Indestro. Too bad it's marked up!
my mistake:
four different flavors of "D I"
right.
my mistake:
four different flavors of "D I"
d42jeep
Well-known member
They look some better now. 
-Don
-Don