Author Topic: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!  (Read 2533 times)

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Offline woodland_hank

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Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« on: February 22, 2018, 03:02:39 PM »
In 2006 my father-in-law gave me a small bag of miscellaneous wrenches he was clearing out. In the bag was a 1/4"x5/16” wrench that looked very interesting to me. It had some style to its design unlike most wrenches I had seen. I thought it would be nice to put together a set of wrenches in that style and didn’t think it would be very difficult. After all, how many wrenches could be in a set? Usually a set would be anywhere from 5 to 8 wrenches. A big set may have as many as 12. After researching the manufacturer, I found a catalog from the mid-1950’s showing this particular wrench. I was very surprised to discover the set actually had 46 unique wrenches in it. They also made metric and Whitworth sets but I only focused on SAE sizes.

With that one little wrench I began an 8 year search to assemble a complete set of Williams Superrench double open end wrenches. I scoured ebay, Craigslist, antique stores, farm auctions, car shows, garage sales, flea markets, web sites and pawn shops. Early on this search lead me here to Tool Talk too!  I found some of the wrenches locally but most came from all corners of the US via ebay. Finally on April 9th, 2014 I bought the last wrench. Since then I’ve spent the last 4 years trying to figure out what to do with 46 wrenches. A couple weeks ago I finally came up with a solution for a wooden display board. The logo across the top and the wrench numbers are vinyl cut-outs. Weeding the numbers after cutting was a bit of a challenge! The set will eventually end up in my next workshop or perhaps a man-cave down the road.

The board is made of 3/4" maple plywood with a maple frame. It will mount to the wall with a wooden cleat type mount to support the weight. I think all together it weighs over 125 pounds.

Offline Lewill2

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2018, 03:18:02 PM »
Great set of wrenches and a really nice display board. Well Done.

Offline gibsontool

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2018, 03:26:06 PM »
Very well done,that looks real nice.

Offline lptools

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2018, 03:58:04 PM »
Nice job on the search, & the display!!!!!!
Member of PHARTS-  Perfect Handle Admiration, Restoration and Torturing Society

Offline leg17

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2018, 04:08:21 PM »
Hank
That is beautiful.
I've been wondering how you made out since I PM'd you back in April 2014.
Glad to have played a part in your project.
Tom

Offline leg17

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2018, 04:09:57 PM »
Hank
Would you explain the vinyl cut-out business for us?
I love it.

Offline p_toad

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2018, 05:50:07 PM »
Downright beautiful (can i say that about tools?).   :grin:

Offline bill300d

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2018, 06:37:06 PM »
Verrrry Nice!     I really like that style Williams.
A person who could really read human minds would be privileged to gaze on some correct imitations of chaos.

Offline Papaw

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2018, 06:45:10 PM »
Great set of wrenches and a really nice display board.
Member of PHARTS - Perfect Handle Admiration, Restoration and Torturing Society
 
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Offline amecks

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2018, 07:53:36 PM »
I had never seen this wrench until your recent posts.  Beautiful wrenches and if anything like the very few "Superrenches" I have they deserve the name.  Excellent job on the display, really nice.
Al
Jordan, NY

Offline Northwoods

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2018, 09:34:13 PM »
Outstanding!
I respect the determination.
The ORIGINAL Northwoods.

Offline john k

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2018, 09:06:15 AM »
Good work, and perseverance in the hunt.   Have to make a board for the set of New Britain wrenches I have been after for 15 years. 
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Offline turnnut

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2018, 09:17:04 AM »
hello woodland_hank,  thanks for sharing your tool board project. it looks like it just arrived at a auto parts store from the factory.

they were called "the silent salesman"  placed near the checkout counter lie they do with candy in the stores today.

 I am interested in how you made the spec sheet at the bottom of the board, is that also made of vinyl ????

 thank you, Frank

Offline johnsironsanctuary

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2018, 09:38:14 AM »
Your display is beautiful! Very ice work. A few years ago, Northkid, showed us a Williams display that he found. It is shaped like a big Open End and I have been accumulating wrenches to build it ever  since. Congrats on getting yours done.
Top monkey of the monkey wrench clan

Offline woodland_hank

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Re: Williams Superrench Display - FINALLY!
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2018, 10:50:36 AM »
Hank
That is beautiful.
I've been wondering how you made out since I PM'd you back in April 2014.
Glad to have played a part in your project.
Tom
Tom, I'm very grateful for you pointing out that last wrench!  It allowed me to draw the collection to a conclusion.  I've been meaning to thank you for that!  As for the vinyl, we have a computer controlled vinyl cutter at work that operates similar to a CAD plotter.  Instead of printing with ink it uses a blade to cut out the vinyl which comes on 24" wide rolls.  I think ours is a Gerber brand if I'm not mistaken.  I had to scan the Williams logo off the catalog and use Adobe Illustrator software to vector the image into a cuttable file for the Gerber.  Also, scrap-bookers use consumer grade cutters called Crickets.  The Spec Sheet is simply a scan of the catalog which was photo printed at Walgreens.