Author Topic: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set  (Read 32633 times)

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Offline d42jeep

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #90 on: August 28, 2019, 12:34:51 AM »
I saw it at the flea and was amused by it, so I picked it up.  I never considered actually using it.
-Don
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Online Jim C.

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #91 on: December 22, 2019, 04:32:21 PM »
........Very simple cars compared to today. My Riding lawn mower is more complicated to work on....

Okay, so that’s good to know.  I guess I’ll come clean.  In my original post, I ended by saying that I needed to find an old MG, so I could use my little collection of Whitworth tools.  Well, I do have my eye on a “survivor” 100% original, unrestored, unmolested, still running, 1955 MG.  The car belongs to my uncle.  He bought it in 1959 from his college roommate, who bought it new in 1955.  I’ve talked to him about selling me that car FOR DECADES!  Now in his early eighties, I think he’s getting close to parting with it.  My aunt keeps telling him to sell it.  He keeps telling me I’ll have the first shot at it.  We shall see! 

Jim C.

  I bought it!!!  :smiley:

Jim C.

Work on the MG is well underway!  (Sorry for the sideways pictures.  I don’t know how to fix that.)  The engine and transmission are out for overhauls.  The Whitworth tools have come in handy.  Every fastener is a guess between SAE, metric or Whitworth.  So far I’d say about 40% are definitely Whitworth.  While SAE and metric tools sort of fit and are close, in those instances the Whitworth tools fit perfectly.  The Craftsman tools I have are 1/2” drive, but more than once 3/8” drive tools would be more appropriate, so I made an investment in a small set of 3/8” drive Whitworth sockets made by Koken.  I’ve heard and read good things about them.  I’ll keep you posted.

Jim C.
« Last Edit: December 23, 2019, 08:20:31 AM by Papaw »
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Offline Papaw

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #92 on: December 22, 2019, 07:36:31 PM »
Fixed the pictures.
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Online Jim C.

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #93 on: December 22, 2019, 07:44:12 PM »
Thanks Papaw! :grin:
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Offline Papaw

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #94 on: December 22, 2019, 08:06:20 PM »
Use Irfanview. Free and easy to use. You can do plenty with it and no yearly fees like Photoshop.
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Offline lptools

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #95 on: December 22, 2019, 08:12:02 PM »
Hello, Jim. Thanks for the photos on the restoration, please keep  us updated!! Regards, Lou
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Offline lptools

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #96 on: December 22, 2019, 08:15:39 PM »
Hello, Papaw. Thanks for the info, but Irfanview will not run on a Mac (which I have). Regards, Lou
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Offline papadan

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #97 on: December 22, 2019, 08:46:23 PM »
Looks like you're moving along Jim, too bad you picked an ugly car to work on! ;-)  The 53 TD that I restored was British racing green, not a nasty red like yours. ;-() 
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Offline Papaw

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #98 on: December 22, 2019, 10:47:54 PM »
Hello, Papaw. Thanks for the info, but Irfanview will not run on a Mac (which I have). Regards, Lou
Try Nomacs , a free image viewer for windows, linux, and mac systems, which is licensed under the GNU Public License v3. Nomacs is small, fast and able to handle   most post processing tasks that Irfanview does.
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Online Jim C.

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #99 on: December 23, 2019, 08:02:15 AM »
Looks like you're moving along Jim, too bad you picked an ugly car to work on! ;-)  The 53 TD that I restored was British racing green, not a nasty red like yours. ;-()

Hey Dan,

When it comes to old cars, color is a little further down the list of things I look for.  Personally, I go for originality first and foremost.  Original paint (regardless of color), vintage correct parts, completeness, and overall condition are what I’m looking for.  As far as color goes, well, if everything else is right, you just go with it, like it or not.  Anyway, I’ll bet that green was sharp!  Post a few pictures of your 1953 TD. 

Jim C.
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Offline Downwindtracker2

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #100 on: December 25, 2019, 12:39:32 PM »
Keep us posted, please. Old MGs, up to the A are some of the most fun cars to drive ever made.

Online Jim C.

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #101 on: December 28, 2019, 02:24:49 PM »
........Very simple cars compared to today. My Riding lawn mower is more complicated to work on....

Okay, so that’s good to know.  I guess I’ll come clean.  In my original post, I ended by saying that I needed to find an old MG, so I could use my little collection of Whitworth tools.  Well, I do have my eye on a “survivor” 100% original, unrestored, unmolested, still running, 1955 MG.  The car belongs to my uncle.  He bought it in 1959 from his college roommate, who bought it new in 1955.  I’ve talked to him about selling me that car FOR DECADES!  Now in his early eighties, I think he’s getting close to parting with it.  My aunt keeps telling him to sell it.  He keeps telling me I’ll have the first shot at it.  We shall see! 

Jim C.

  I bought it!!!  :smiley:

Jim C.

Work on the MG is well underway!  (Sorry for the sideways pictures.  I don’t know how to fix that.)  The engine and transmission are out for overhauls.  The Whitworth tools have come in handy.  Every fastener is a guess between SAE, metric or Whitworth.  So far I’d say about 40% are definitely Whitworth.  While SAE and metric tools sort of fit and are close, in those instances the Whitworth tools fit perfectly.  The Craftsman tools I have are 1/2” drive, but more than once 3/8” drive tools would be more appropriate, so I made an investment in a small set of 3/8” drive Whitworth sockets made by Koken.  I’ve heard and read good things about them.  I’ll keep you posted.

Jim C.

As I previously mentioned, I’ve been working on the MG mostly using the Craftsman 1/2” drive Whitworth socket set featured way back in this thread’s initial post.  While it’s been adequate for the most part, there have been several instances where smaller tools would have made things easier.  Since the car is 99% factory original, and I want to keep it that way, I’m really trying to be careful not to round the corners of factory installed hardware by using smaller SAE and metric tools that sort of fit when the 1/2” drive Craftsman sockets are too cumbersome.  Many of the bolt heads have distinctive markings that indicate they were clearly manufactured by UK based companies.  Obviously I want to keep those looking good.  Consequently, using the right Whitworth sized socket is imperative.  Anyway, a good basic set of USA made Whitworth sockets is tough to find.  After doing a little research on the Internet, I came across a 3/8” drive Japanese set made by Koken.  They’re probably one third the cost of a similar set of Snap On sockets, but I gotta say, their quality is right up there with Snap On.  I’m impressed with them.  I used them yesterday and came away a fan of Koken sockets.  Normally I look for new or used USA made tools.  That being said, Koken sockets appear to be a pretty good alternative when USA made tools are unavailable or too costly.

Jim C.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2019, 10:17:02 PM by Jim C. »
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Offline Bill Houghton

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #102 on: January 04, 2020, 12:11:08 PM »
When I was young, "Made in Japan" carried the same overtones as "Made in China" does now.  It was inaccurate, or at least incomplete, even then; Nikon's S2 camera, for instance, was no slouch.  But a lot of junk got produced in Japan (although, to be fair, a lot of junk back then got produced in the U.S. too, but somehow that didn't get attention).

But Japanese industry long ago made the decision to focus on quality products, so I'm not surprised those sockets are quality.

Offline Downwindtracker2

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #103 on: January 06, 2020, 12:00:43 PM »
Before "Made In Japan", there was " Made in West Germany ". I have a set of metric 1/2" Stahwille sockets from the early '90s . They are so nicely finished you could put a string though them and wear them as a necklace. A necklace of pearls wouldn't be half as pretty, a bit lighter though. Now being on a pension, I'm pretty careful about my new tool purchases. My latest stubby set is "Made in India" .

Online Jim C.

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Re: Sears/Craftsman Whitworth Tool Set
« Reply #104 on: January 29, 2020, 10:24:20 PM »
Ever since I started my MG project, I’ve been a lot more vigilant when looking for Whitworth sized tools.  I recently picked up this set of Superslim wrenches.  The project itself is going well.  I’m making good progress.

Jim C.
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