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Author Topic: britool socket set  (Read 9119 times)

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Offline benjy

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britool socket set
« on: May 11, 2011, 12:41:32 PM »
i thought i would show this hex drive britool socket set as i havent seen any britool on this or the old forum, and some of you guys seem to have an interest in brit tools. britool is probably the british answer to snapon.. old whitworth britool still command a good value
this set is af and whitworth
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lzenglish

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2011, 01:32:52 PM »
Very Nice Looking Set, and appears to be Complete, is it?. I have not heard of this brand "britool", and will now have to research it. Thanks for sharing.

Wayne
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Offline benjy

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2011, 01:49:42 PM »
RE ..I have not heard of this brand "britool",
thats really why i put this on as i have never heard it mentioned here. very suprising as its known to be british at its best ..although i believe now owned by facom?
 a brief history is here   http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/Museum/metalware/britool/britool.htm
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Offline benjy

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2011, 01:51:22 PM »
forgot to mention,,it is missing the extensions sadly,hex drive replacements are hard to find
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Offline Nolatoolguy

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2011, 02:29:01 PM »
Just like lzenglish, I never heard of them. Will have to look them up.

Thanks for sharing, sure do love the case an the speeder
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Offline eddie hudson

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2011, 05:48:40 PM »
benjy

Thanks for the Britools (and others) link. I see quite a few different ones on ebay but never bother because they are usually listed in GBPs or AU $.
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Offline fliffy42

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2011, 06:37:16 PM »
your set looks like the one in the 1955 catalog on the link you provided.
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Offline humber2

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2011, 04:43:18 AM »
These were called .448" hexagon drive sockets and were not deleted from the Britool range until after the mid 1960's.

(Noted deleted in undated Catalogue 107 with prior page references in Cat 106.)

At this time also deleted was the range of 9/32" square drive sockets series.

Time for pics of a small whitworth cased set I have.

Note the shallow 6 point unplated sockets, I'm missing the 3/16"

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Offline Charles Garrett

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2014, 11:06:46 AM »
One reason that Whitworth, BSF & CEI tools command good prices is that they don't seem to be available anymore.  When in UK in1994 I thought  I would load up on them for my British Bikes & car.  I stopped in an Auto parts store and inquired but they didn't even know what I was talking about.  Everything is now Metric.  Bot such tools at Boot Fairs (Fleas).  Have a beautiful set of Snapon 1/2 drive W/BSF sockets.  Also at Fleas you will find AF marked sizes- American Fine(SAE ).  Resulting from the flood of US equipment during WW2.   Chuck Garrett
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Offline amecks

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2014, 05:33:05 PM »
Chuck, No question that British size tool are hard to find and expensive.  EBay items are often posted but end up being bid higher than you can buy outright.  However tools are still being manufactured by several makers.
A good source (and local to me) is www.britishtoolsandfasteners.com .  Excellent customer service and sometimes bargain prices on closeouts.  I needed an inexpensive socket to make a clutch adjuster tool.  It wasn't listed online but he did have one and mailed it to me.
Al
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Al
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Offline Lostmind

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2014, 06:36:06 PM »
Interesting set. Thanks for starting the conversation. Learned much already.
I worked at a British car dealer in the '60's , I only owned two whitworth wrenches.
The others I needed , I got out of the cars tool kit , or found a metric or SAE tool that would fit.
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Offline lbgradwell

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2014, 07:39:49 PM »
Quote from: Charles Garrett on August 10, 2014, 11:06:46 AM
Have a beautiful set of Snapon 1/2 drive W/BSF sockets.

Can you post a photo, Charles? Snapmom has a collection of Snap-on BSW...
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Kijiji King

Offline amecks

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2014, 09:31:13 PM »
I have a lot of Snap-on BSF tools most of which I purchased when I was a tractor and equipment mechanic in the 80's.  They have come in very handy over the years working on Brit bikes.   A set of short combination wrenches, a small set of 1/4 drive sockets and a larger set of 3/8 drive.  Somewhere I picked up one used Snap-on double box end wrench - I don't use that very often. 
I have a group of dbl open ends of various makers for back ups and tool kits.
When I got the Royal Enfield I found I needed obstruction type wrenches.  I dug through my spare 1/2" US wrenches and found three which I heated and bent to shape.  The openings were filed to BSF spec.  Those have been a great help to reach the carb nuts and cylinder head bolts.  Almost every thread on the Enfield and my Triumph Cub is CEI - British Cycle Thread - mostly 26 TPI - and fit the Whitworth pattern.
The small Ford open end wrenches that are so common - they are approx 7/16" x 1/2" - seem to be Whitworth size and are great to use in a tool kit.  There must be a story behind that.
Al.
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Al
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Offline lbgradwell

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2014, 10:29:36 PM »
Quote from: amecks on August 12, 2014, 09:31:13 PM
I have a lot of Snap-on BSF tools...

Let's see yours too, Al!
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Offline Chillylulu

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Re: britool socket set
« Reply #14 on: August 13, 2014, 06:09:07 AM »
Quote from: lbgradwell on August 12, 2014, 10:29:36 PM
Quote from: amecks on August 12, 2014, 09:31:13 PM
I have a lot of Snap-on BSF tools...

Let's see yours too, Al!

I just gave these away on GG pay it forward:
Heyco whitworth wrenches:



From the responses I don't think that many understand whitworth sizes. My understanding is that the size refers to the bolt size.  So, if you grab a 3/8W it would equal a 9/16 sae wrench. Is this correct Papaw?

Chilly

Edit:  I measured the wrenches, here are the results:
1/8W = slightly under 3/8"
3/16W = slightly over 7/16"
1/4W = 17/32"
5/16W = slightly over 19/32"
3/8W = 11/16" (disproving my previous theory)
7/16W = slightly over 13/16"
1/2W = 15/16"

I have no idea what this means without further research....
« Last Edit: August 13, 2014, 06:29:33 AM by Chillylulu »
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