Another Saturday In Des Moines

[dimwittedmoose51]

Had another physical therapy appointment to keep, so I brought my empty tool bag along just in case.  This trip I focused on indoor flea markets and couldn't believe that they were having an indoor flea market at the 4H building at the State Fair Grounds and no admission fee.  Over 200 vendors, but as I found out soon, not many selling tools at reasonable prices.  I hit a few small shops and one pawn shop on  the way from West DSM to the East side, , but not much there. 

Once I got to the state fairgrounds, it was a long cold walk to the 4H building.  Guessing the building was around 100k square feet.  The boss man said you got a 12x13 spot for $45 for the Sat/ Sun. sale and could rent tables for $4 each.  They apparently do this the first and 2nd w/e of each month except during the state fair.  Some vendors were willing to dicker, but most weren't.   The rest of the finds were "bottom feeder-approved".  One of the last stops a guy had a whole 4 table set up of nothing but hardware and tools for .50 each.  My shoulder bag was getting a bit heavy so I was picky.  Found 7 items I couldn't live without.  Another vendor had an immaculate Bonney line wrench(maybe 1/2x9/16), but wanted $6 for it and 3 feet away he had the two Bonneys (in the photo below) for .69 each.  Go figure.  One gal had 4 flying V C-man 3/8" rats in immaculate condition for $10 each, but I took a pass.  Her modern C-man rats were also $10.  The one pawn shop I did spend money at had a stubby Spiegel slot screwdriver I'd never seen before, so I gave him a dollar for it. Not sure if it was from a Spiegel catalog, but it did have Chicago Ill. stamped on the handle along with "noncombo"  whatever that means. The final flea market I visited on East Euclid had 3 or 4 absentee vendor booths that had a bunch of tools and I killed 45 minutes in there sniffing around.  I paid $10 for the Williams S-52 ratchet....begrudgingly and $6 for the P&C extension(since I've never seen so much shiny chrome on a P&C tool before) , but all his C-man sockets were a flat $4 each.  I didn't need to tell him I'd just unloaded $500 worth the previous week.  With guidance from Bonneyman, I got the Williams apart and it was filthy inside  Unbelievably heavy duty guts inside this rat.  Used Brakleen and the red straw to hose it out and a special mixture of Triflow and Permatex Antiseize compound to protect it going forward.

TOP ROW:
7 or 8 US Crescent items for HeelSpur, 2 "RAY" sockets(brand name or owner?  you be the judge),followed by a None Better, Matco 1/4" swivel(.99), Fairmount, really cherry old knurled 1/4 dr. Husky and then 7 or so Thorsen/Wizard Hi-Torque items for Oily.

MIDDLE: Williams S-52 1/2"  rat, P&C 1/2" extension(6205), P&C 1278 Pliers(again I paid $5 for them due to condition),  The small yellow screwdriver is a Bridgeport, then the Spiegel, The larger yellow one is a Bell Systems "E", and then a like new Pratt Read stubby and an SK 72001 stubby

LEFT SIDE BOTTOM: 
Pennens DBE, and a 6018 combo
Proto Combo and  Proto pebble DBE(pretty rusty)
Plomb 1125 DBE and a really rusty 3021 DOE pebble
Filson DBE,Williams 1731 DOE, Big V-Series DBE, Channellock 440

LOWER RIGHT SIDE:
GB battery pliers(can't find out much about these, but they were made in Corydon Iowa and I've emailed the county's historical society folks to find out if they have any info on the Co.)
Sparta US combo, 2 Bonney wrenches, Albert Lea Combo and a neighboring Lesota DBE
"P-S"(?) 301 S wrench, Canadian Gray DOE(either an 867 or B67, can't tell),None Better DOE, and a German Hazet 6mm combo.

[rusty]

"P-S"(?) 301 S wrench

Yes (P-S) Page-Storm Drop Forge Company,  Chicopee, MA  , nice find

[dimwittedmoose51]

Thanks Rusty....still haven't heard back from the historical society folks on the battery pliers....

DM&FS

[OilyRascal]

That does it!  I must move out of po-dump Arkansas and get closer to such sales.  Nice finds!

[dimwittedmoose51]

Oily:  Have you ever seen this "Hi Torq" line of Wizard tools?  They are new to me.  Dates they were available??  Just curious.......

DM&FS

[bonneyman]

Glad I could help on the Williams rat.
I noticed the battery pliers right off, though I have no information to add for you. I have a new Channellocks brand of battery pliers. They will come in handy on my "old" Toyota truck that has vintage top-side posts on it.

[dimwittedmoose51]

think I saw that tool in Menards tonight.  It was a two pack with some other fold up tool.....
DM&FS

[Chillylulu]

Des Moines just went up a couple of notches on my list......

[OilyRascal]

Oily:  Have you ever seen this "Hi Torq" line of Wizard tools?  They are new to me.  Dates they were available??  Just curious.......

DM&FS

I have not.  Now curious myself.

[dimwittedmoose51]

The GB pliers are actually made by another company for the GB battery Co(not Gould Battery as I surmised).  They made VOLTMASTER batteries until .....well heck, just read the response I got from the lady at the historical society.  Kind of a cool synopsis from the last 100 years or so. She tells it better than I could have....lol



Good Morning,

I had noticed your message on the museum facebook page but just hadn't had a
chance to reply.  There was a GB Battery Company in Corydon in the early
half of 1900's.  It produced batteries and a hand cleaner.  Original GB tin
cans that held the hand cleaner can still be found in antique stores and we
have some on display in our museum.  We also have a sign for GB Voltmaster
Batteries.

The GB battery company made Voltmaster Batteries and later the company name
was changed to Voltmaster and was one of the largest employers in Wayne
County.  A few years ago the owners sold to East Penn and the battery
factory is still a large employee in Wayne County.

There was never a foundry here so most likely the pliers were special made
for the GB Company elsewhere.  Possibly promotional items given to dealers
selling the batteries and soap, especially since they are battery pliers.
We do not have any of the GB tools here at the museum so they apparently are
not plentiful.

Hope this gives you a little information about the pliers.


Brenda DeVore, Manager
Prairie Trails Museum of Wayne County
Hwy 2 East P.O. Box 104
Corydon, IA  50060
641-872-2211
ptmuseum@grm.net


I thanked her for responding and now maybe we'll find a retiree or two that might know where the pliers were made...

DM&FS

[Plyerman]

That was very nice of her to give such a detailed reply.

[dimwittedmoose51]

Agreed!!

DM&FS

[rusty]

Yes, very nice. Our hysterical society seems to be dedicated to buying rare documents and burying them in a basement never to be seen again by anyone..:(