Gotta have the right tools!

[GH85Carrera]

One of the good parts of being a geezer is a decent lifetime collection of tools.

The fan speed switch on my trusty El Camino lost the speed I use the most. One step down from max hurricane blow. The fan blew fine at every other speed. No fancy touch climate control of computers to worry about, just a 4 position mechanical switch.

Four screws takes off the radio faceplate, four screws take out the fan control plate.



A slight wiggle and the switch is visible, and the connector pules off. Then all that is needed is removing a screw in a very hard to get to place. My 1/4 inch sockets fit right on, but no way to turn them as my shortest extension is too big. The photo is the new switch almost back in.



OK, what would be perfect is a 1/4 box end wrench! Go dig in the SAE wrench drawer in the far back, and lo and behold, a stash of tiny wrenches.

I am pretty sure these were my dad's set from his very limited tool collection. Why he had them I have no idea. A few turns of the 1/4 box end and the screw is out, and the $7.48 replacement switch is installed.

The old switch was labeled Made in USA. No such luck with any switch now days. I will order another one as a backup because I bet the Chinese crap switch will not last as long. It is a "Four Seasons" brand and the best switch on the market. The old switch only lasted 35 years and 362,000 miles. The don't make em like they used to.

[pwd72s]

Good post...I have a little talk with my dad when I use one of his old tools...

[GH85Carrera]

I have lots of dad's and both grandfather's tools. Even stuff from my father in law. I do think of them every time I use those.

I have a metal covered wooden tool box that was made with hand made nails. I believe it was my great grandfather's tool box. Dad said he used to dig into it when he was kid to work on his bike. I have told my nephew I want him to have it since he works as a carpenter and I don't want it to be sold in some garage sale for a dollar.

[fastfredracing]

I have those same wrenches, and they were also my Dads. They came in a little plastic envelope , black on the back side, and clear in the front . I have lots of my Dads, and Grandpaps tools .

[pete3799]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

I have those same wrenches, and they were also my Dads. They came in a little plastic envelope , black on the back side, and clear in the front . I have lots of my Dads, and Grandpaps tools .

I've got the same set. Just used one of them the other day on something.
I think the bag the wrenches are in is marked ignition wrench set.

[oldE]

30 years ago my FIL offered an old tool chest to me as he was tearing down a woodshed. It belonged to my wife's great grandfather. He was a ship's carpenter and the village pump maker when he came home from the sea.
I have cheaned and sorted the wooden planes, but the tools I find myself using most are dividers, a draw knife and a mill file. Each piece was stamped with his name and the edged tools hold a lovely edge. They are a pleasure to use.
I also like the way my MIL smiles when I have finished some project and mention I used one of her grandfather's tools.
My grand daughter also knows some of that man's story here because of the old tools.

Best
Les

[matthewb0051]

I realized recently that after my father died I missed out on the only tool I would have ever wanted of his. Very nice hammer from Craftsman I believe.

I did get some old stuff from my maternal GF. Got a couple of these old Craftsman ratchets.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

I realized recently that after my father died I missed out on the only tool I would have ever wanted of his. Very nice hammer from Craftsman I believe.

I did get some old stuff from my maternal GF. Got a couple of these old Craftsman ratchets.

I have one like that from my dad's stuff...only it has a semi clear yellow plastic covering the grip...plastic partially broken off in places. Still functions well...3/8" drive.

[911boost]

I too have those exact wrenches still in the bag. I use them often….

[GH85Carrera]

I have this old wrench with the Ford logo on it. It is actually metric, and I have always wondered what it was for. As far as I know he never owned a Ford, he had a Whippet as a first car and other non Ford vehicles later in life. He never drove, grandma did all the driving.

It was in the old tool box from my grandfather. He knew as much about cars as I know about ancient French poetry.

The wrench is just a wall hangar, next to my timing light, brace and hand drill.

[Zeke]

I think my dad had an Eastwing claw hammer, a hand saw, a set of sockets that stored on the hex handle, a few screwdrivers and pliers, rounded out with a Crescent wrench. Maybe a clapped out chisel and dead hacksaw. Nothing worth caring about as I had more tools than he at age 12.

I have an angle hex drive with some of the sockets that live on the long side and a Eastwing hammer like his. The sockets maybe, but the leather wrapped hammer was likely not his.

I'm the only mechanically minded family member in all the generations that I know of. My mom was handy and could sew up a storm, and she was a fledgling artist, but that's as close as it got.

The rest were sad sacks when it came to tools. And so it goes, my stepson wouldn't know a screwdriver from an ice pick.

(his hammer)



(the sockets)

[911 Rod]

I have a drawer full of my dad's old wrenches. I go in there whenever I need to make a SST for a project I'm working on. After they have been cut or ground they go into another drawer with the rest of the altered/special tools.

[Scott Douglas]

I have a set of those ignition wrenches, someplace. Danged if I can find them right now though. I know they're 'in there' some where though. My travel tool box has changed radically since I first got it. My dad is with me on most of my projects as a lot of his tools are now mine and have been for a long time.

[sugarwood]

I don't get it. Why did your 1/4" socket not work? The bolt has open access above, which is the only issue that prevents using a socket. Swing path of wrench and ratchet is the same. In fact, a fine tooth 1/4" ratchet has tighter swing arc than a box end wrench.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-120-Teeth-1-4-in-Drive-Quick-Release-Ratchet/1000594925

[A930Rocket]

I have a few tools from my father and my grandfather, but 95% of them are mine over 45 years.

My grandfather’s files, measuring tools and curved crescent wrench. I have a Snap On 1/2” ratchet that looks similar to the craftsman ratchet above. All are over 60 years old.

[Ayles]

Been working in my dads shop getting things sorted and found this in his tool box:

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I don't get it. Why did your 1/4" socket not work? The bolt has open access above, which is the only issue that prevents using a socket. Swing path of wrench and ratchet is the same. In fact, a fine tooth 1/4" ratchet has tighter swing arc than a box end wrench.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-120-Teeth-1-4-in-Drive-Quick-Release-Ratchet/1000594925

There was no room to attach any type of tool to turn the socket. For a 1/4 socket to have the force to rotate it has to be seated dead on straight and square, and the area is just too small to fit a extension or ratchet the the socket and have the socket turn the screw, it would just slip off the screw head. If it was a 1/2 or bigger socket the angle can be just a little off of dead square and still work.

The box end made it a 10 second removal or installation and super easy. The threads are very coarse so just a couple rotations and it is tight.

[mattdavis11]

There a couple near the radio on my 944 that are like that. Might be the trim piece screws, I forget. Small socket and pliers, using both hands to twist them out.

Keep that wrench handy though, four seasons is a supplier I avoid at all cost when it comes to A/C parts. Never, I repeat, never put one of their R4 compressors on your Elky.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by mattdavis11

There a couple near the radio on my 944 that are like that. Might be the trim piece screws, I forget. Small socket and pliers, using both hands to twist them out.

Keep that wrench handy though, four seasons is a supplier I avoid at all cost when it comes to A/C parts. Never, I repeat, never put one of their R4 compressors on your Elky.

Yep, the only other brands were the really crappy ones. The good news is the fan switch swap is a 30 minute project for the world's slowest mechanic, me. I looked at the resistor coils and tested them hoping that was the issue. That was a 4 minute R&R and test. I can swap the alternator in 15 minutes.

The new switch looks nice, but we will see how it holds up in function.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

There was no room to attach any type of tool to turn the socket. For a 1/4 socket to have the force to rotate it has to be seated dead on straight and square, and the area is just too small to fit a extension or ratchet the the socket and have the socket turn the screw, it would just slip off the screw head. If it was a 1/2 or bigger socket the angle can be just a little off of dead square and still work.

The box end made it a 10 second removal or installation and super easy. The threads are very coarse so just a couple rotations and it is tight.

Ok, so you are saying the socket could not stay seated squarely on the bolt.