Any idea what this Snap-On tool is for?
Whatzit? (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Waorani
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
U-joint tool: Vintage Snap On S9580 Universal Joint U-Joint Installer Tool Chevrolet Pontiac - https://simhq.com/store/Vintage-Snap-On-S9580-Universal-Joint-U-joint-Installer-Tool-Chevrolet-Pontiac_144221606649.html
It clamps on the U-joint and keeps the bearing trunion caps from falling off and losing all the needle bearings.
It clamps on the U-joint and keeps the bearing trunion caps from falling off and losing all the needle bearings.
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks, looks like they're common on ebay. Lifelong GM mechanic with just about every Snap-On handtool ever made picked it an estate sale but says he's never seen/heard of it.
- Thread starter
- #4
Neighbor picked this up at estate sale but has never been able to figure out what it was for. Box label suggests something to do with musical instruments. Look like lead fishing weights but are steel with no markings.
Well, here is Ferree's website: Ferree's Tools - https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/
Looks like a set of dent balls: Dent Balls - https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/collections/dent-ball-sets
You use them with a tool like this: P56 French Horn Dent Ball Driver/Retriever - https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/collections/dent-ball-cable/products/p56-french-horn-dent-ball-driver-retriever
This video gives you a basic description - and looks like he has the same set as your neighbor:
Looks like a set of dent balls: Dent Balls - https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/collections/dent-ball-sets
You use them with a tool like this: P56 French Horn Dent Ball Driver/Retriever - https://www.ferreestoolsinc.com/collections/dent-ball-cable/products/p56-french-horn-dent-ball-driver-retriever
This video gives you a basic description - and looks like he has the same set as your neighbor:
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks. That's one of those things I'd have never come up with but makes perfect sense once you know what they are. Was going to try to google name on case but I couldn't make out what the second R was.
I was familiar with the name. An art group I belonged to had a guy who repaired violins and other string instruments as well as making a few from scratch. I really loved some of the clamps he had. I'm always keeping an eye out for tools others are using that I might apply in what I'm doing.
- Thread starter
- #8
Anyone recognize these? Crimpers of some sort but for what?
I was going to say that the ViseGrips are a flanging tool, but that I wasn't sure why it was ridged like that. Then I did some searching and that seems to be a typical design for them:
www.blairequipment.com
The Utica pliers may be a bit harder to pin down as they'd actually make whatever you wanted - as evidenced by the "custom built" on your specimen:
Flanger for Making Step Joints | Blair Equipment
The Blair Flanger makes perfect step joints without stretching or deforming the sheet metal. After step is made, weld two panels together.
www.blairequipment.com
The Utica pliers may be a bit harder to pin down as they'd actually make whatever you wanted - as evidenced by the "custom built" on your specimen:
- Thread starter
- #10
Flanging tool! I was stuck on some type of wiring crimper and never would have thought of that. Both came from same source so maybe the Utica was also used in sheet metal work.
Now I'm curious as to the why of the teeth. The one I have is just smooth like this:
The confusing part of the Utica pliers is the double pivot. For extending the reach, it's also pretty bulky. The tips still come together when you squeeze the handles, right? For a moment I thought it reversed them and spread them as you squeezed the handles.
The confusing part of the Utica pliers is the double pivot. For extending the reach, it's also pretty bulky. The tips still come together when you squeeze the handles, right? For a moment I thought it reversed them and spread them as you squeezed the handles.
Ok, here are some Utica typewriter repair pliers that are similar:
They say they are for aligning the type bars.
And these ones say they are watch repair pliers:
Awfully big to be repairing watches. I can see needing to reach down into a typewriter with such pliers, though.
They say they are for aligning the type bars.
And these ones say they are watch repair pliers:
Awfully big to be repairing watches. I can see needing to reach down into a typewriter with such pliers, though.
- Thread starter
- #13
Agree, I can't see them used for watch repair either but aligning type bars makes sense. No idea on why the teeth on the flanging tool other than maybe for better grip? Or maybe those w/o teeth are cheaper to make?
Gotta remember back in the day lots of people had to modify what they had to fit what they were doing.
We're pretty lucky now, can buy a specific tool for almost every specific need. I've got a couple of custom
ground tools to fit specific needs. Cool to see an interest in these. I like that dent ball driver tool
We're pretty lucky now, can buy a specific tool for almost every specific need. I've got a couple of custom
ground tools to fit specific needs. Cool to see an interest in these. I like that dent ball driver tool
ntsqd
technerd
The Utica pliers look like perhaps they're intended to manually pinch-off copper tubulations. Sometimes those are part of a hermetically sealed assembly of some sort (say high performance contactors like these: Sensata | Gigavac | Sensata Technologies - https://www.sensata.com/gigavac-redirect) and sometimes they're part of a refrigeration system. I will speculate that the double pivot is a means of increasing the force at the jaws.
- Thread starter
- #16
I can see how they could be used for something like that but the crimp area is only ~ 1/4" long. They do have the same B 269 markings as the example above.
ntsqd
technerd
The tubulations that I encounter daily are 3/32" diameter. 1/4" long would be plenty!
- Thread starter
- #18
Here's another one. Looks like something I've seen before but can't pin it down. Beam clamp? Travel stop for some machine?
Without any other context, it looks like a beam clamp to me. Similar to these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BVBDH2X4/ref=twister_B0BTWWRKBP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
- Thread starter
- #20
Shaft coupler but can anyone explain the design/put a name on it. Orange housing clamps on and from what I can find helps hold grease/lube. Seems like an odd design for a coupler so assume it has a reason.
