Tool Talk

Wrench Forum => Wrench Forum => Topic started by: Neals on June 14, 2012, 12:55:17 AM

Title: Lectrolite
Post by: Neals on June 14, 2012, 12:55:17 AM

Anyone know anything about this wrench?

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: OilyRascal on June 14, 2012, 01:03:18 AM

I think its a Ford flathead V8 wrench.

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: Papaw on June 14, 2012, 03:56:58 AM

I think it is a Maytag wrench. The spline is for holding a shaft.

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: rusty on June 14, 2012, 05:39:14 PM

One of the many many 'universal' service wrenches, copied from New Britians's design, didn't know lectrolite made one tho...

hmm....

(Maytag wrenches are around 5" long, all are flat)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: OilyRascal on June 14, 2012, 05:50:26 PM

I have a New Britain version, and I "thought" I had researched it to understand it was marketed as a "Ford Flathead V8 Multiwrench".

I need to look again at the details.  I could be wrong - thought I was once, but turns out I was mistaken.

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: geneg on June 14, 2012, 07:48:56 PM

I always thought they were drain plug wrenches, Fit most automotive & tractor oil plugs.  Guess we need to get out the catalogs or look up a patent to know for sure.  Is there a number on it?

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: OilyRascal on June 14, 2012, 07:52:01 PM

You all may well be right.  I'll go on a hunt for the NB tomorrow.  I know it was marked..........well, I think I know it was marked :-)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: Bus on June 14, 2012, 10:31:23 PM

Here's a scan of the label from a NOS Apco Mossberg drain wrench that looks identical to the Lectrolite.

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/message-board/mossberg-drain-wrench-label.jpg)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: Neals on June 15, 2012, 12:07:50 AM

Thanks a bunch. This wrench may be older than I thought. There is no mention of Rambler (introduced 1955) on the list Several of the ones on the list went out of business in 1940, 1941.

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: OilyRascal on June 15, 2012, 05:46:30 AM

Quote from: Bus on June 14, 2012, 10:31:23 PM

Here's a scan of the label from a NOS Apco Mossberg drain wrench that looks identical to the Lectrolite.

(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/buswrench/message-board/mossberg-drain-wrench-label.jpg)

I don't think it gets much more conclusive than that.  Appreciate yall keeping my memory honest.

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: OilyRascal on June 15, 2012, 06:45:25 AM

A Herbrand No. 194 sure seems more substantial in construction.  Were the brands that far apart in quality, is the Lectrolite version (and others) just a low-end wrench with higher quality drain wrenches offered within each brand, or could somebody otherwise explain the drastic differences in construction?

(http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p534/alphinde/Tools%20Talk/CIMG3461.jpg)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on June 15, 2012, 09:06:32 AM

I thought that this looked kinda familiar.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-MOSSBERG-No-748-Wrench-/150833489590?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231e6066b6 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-MOSSBERG-No-748-Wrench-/150833489590?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item231e6066b6)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: rusty on June 15, 2012, 05:35:42 PM

The interesting thing is the lectrolite still has the spline socket on the end, all the cars that used that type seem to have been ones that vanished early (A in Bus's list)....

>drastic differences in construction

Cost, drop forged was expensive, machine stamped was cheap....

Stamped tools were almost a fanatic fad for a while, they were easy to make, cheap, and you could sell them to anyone who hadn't bought one before.

Mossberg got into it because Frank owned a stamping company, many of the other tools makers got into it because it seemed like the next best thing, tho, some of them should have known better...

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: HeelSpur on September 02, 2013, 08:58:44 AM

Had this hanging on the wall and forgot all about it. Great info in this thread.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img191/5682/u21f.jpg)
(http://imageshack.us/a/img513/1503/z9yd.jpg)

Title: Re: Lectrolite
Post by: lbgradwell on September 02, 2013, 03:02:43 PM

Sears sold them until at least 1955...

Here's 1952:


(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/lbgradwell/Craftsman1952DrainPlug.jpg)