Mismarked tools?

Hi guys and gals-

I have in front of me a 12 point, deep, 1/2" drive socket stamped very neatly 'Allen USA 1-1/16 12269'.

Only problem is that it is a 1" socket that measures very nearly the same across the flats as my other 1" sockets. ('Bout 1.014") It will not fit on a 1-1/16" bolt head, as you can imagine.

I bought this from my local hardware store about 8 years ago and cannot for the life of me decide what to do with the thing.

Should I Ebay it to the highest bidder of mismarked hand tools? Donate it to the Smithsonian? Mail it back to the fine folks at

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?

Any suggestion (that doesn't require me to file off the sharp edges first) would be welcome.

Muchas gracias

--Winston

Reply to
Winston
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Well if they still make identical (and I mean identical) sockets, just buy a new one that is the right size, switch it with the one that is the wrong size, and return for a refund. If they don't make identical sockets then use this as part of a unique paper weight (have something snapy engraved on the paper weight like "Quality Control is important"). Ken

Reply to
Ken Vale

Sounds like he has a real collector's item there. Almost as good as a two headed nickle. Bugs

Reply to
Bugs

Might fit a rusted 1-1/16" bolt head though. And it's somewhere near

26 mm should you encounter something metric.

Me I'm a packrat, I never throw out a wrench in case I may someday encounter something it fits. That's why some of the open-ends in my toolbox have BSW on them

Reply to
John Ings

Stop whining, you got more than you paid for, didn't you.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

...

Yes, with a nice note. Don't go ranting about what shitty products they sell. But let them know that you've been put out: "Boy, I struggled with this thing, trying to fit it on the 1 1/16 bolt and finally gave up and measured it. I never did get that bolt off." They might comp you with something nice. It's worth a try.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

Winston wrote in article ...

Not sure what - if any - value the Smithsonian might place on such a tool, but I would probably toss it into my box of adapters to use with my hydraulic press.

Reply to
Bob Paulin

(...)

(...)

Ken Mentioned: > (Swap for a refund)

Nah. Then I wouldn't have a nifty conversation piece as you mention later in your post.

I *like* it. At last an opportunity to have something plated with gold!

Bob said: > (Return it in hopes of a nice gift.)

I would expect the same deafening silence that occurs when I send a poorly designed Japanese product to Japan. (Yes I did. With a letter and everything.)

GWE stated: > (I agree with Bob. Get it out of there!)

But I see the appeal in Ken's idea. It might be more valuable as a keepsake reminder that "even the pro's get it wrong, sometimes".

Bugs observed: >(Keep it. It's valuable because it's unusual.)

I just might, Bugs.

John Ings chuckled: > (Keep it. Heck, I still have my *Whitworth* wrenches.)

The name Whitworth reminds me of a certain BSA B50T that owned me for a few years. (Shudder). But I digress.

Nah. Either it gets gold plated and mounted to a piece of hardwood in my office or it leaves the building.

Bob Paulin insisted:

Yeah, but I don't wanna be in the position of being fooled twice by the same tool. (for a change) :)

Thanks guys. You've given me good options.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

....

But this is made-in-the-USA (er, ... I think). At least I would expect that they'd send you a real 1 1/16 socket. You never know. I once found a couple of neat pocket calculators at the dump, destroyed by leaking batteries. I sent them to Duracell, with a nice note about their guarantee. They wrote back saying "Well, these batteries are 20 years old and we don't cover that. BUT, in the interest of good consumer relations, here's a $25 check and $6 of coupons for new batteries." I'd give it a shot, the alternatives leave me cold.

Bob (BTW, for value reference: 1 1/16 deep Allen socket is $11.59 here:

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Reply to
Bob Engelhardt

(...)

Jeff, you a stock broker or something? :)

Since when is 1.0 > 1.0625?

(Smirk)

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

I keep odd sockets for their square holes. The socket part can be cut off, and the square-drive part then welded to other devices rather than trying to make a square hole. For example: square key stock and a square hole makes a makeshift spline that can transmit rotation while having axial freedom.

Reply to
Don Foreman

I have a nice, new, shiney SnapOn 3/8 box/open end wrench.

Only problem is..its 1/4" on both ends.

I hang on to it simply to remind me that even The Gods step in dog shit now and then.

Gunner

It's better to be a red person in a blue state than a blue person in a red state. As a red person, if your blue neighbors turn into a mob at least you have a gun to protect yourself. As a blue person, your only hope is to appease the red mob with herbal tea and marinated tofu.

(Phil Garding)

Reply to
Gunner

| >nearly the same across the flats as my other 1" sockets. | >('Bout 1.014") | >It will not fit on a 1-1/16" bolt head, as you can | >imagine. | | I have a nice, new, shiney SnapOn 3/8 box/open end wrench. | | Only problem is..its 1/4" on both ends. | | I hang on to it simply to remind me that even The Gods step in dog | shit now and then. | | Gunner

I can easily see how all this happens. The tools are punched out (or forged) in batches with no markings on them. After that other processes occur and then the markings are engraved. In the meantime they spend time bouncing in and out of steel totes. I calibrated a scale at a place that made sockets and the scale was jammed and littered with sockets of all kinds. Shoulda thought to toss them in my tool box as they seemed to me to be better there than still in the scale. Due to the investment, most makers do tools for lots of other brands, however, the Snap On rep swore up and down that Snap On makes their tools only and for no one else. Not sure I believe that, but they do sell lines that look obviously like other companies' equipment.....

Reply to
carl mciver

Arrgh! (Falling on my sword...)

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 00:33:09 GMT, the inscrutable Gunner spake:

"shiny"

No, put it up on Ebay for sale as a collector's item with a $25,000 reserve. You'll make a MINT!

Let it expire and run it a couple times per year until you get a bite. Hook it and reel, bubba! ;)

========================================================== I drank WHAT? +

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--Socrates + Web Application Programming

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Snap-On buys tools from other manufacturers as well as making tool lines for others as well.

For instance the original Kobalt line at Loews was Snap-On made, They didn't sell a lot of tools and decided to go to a lower cost provider. The current line is made by Stanley tool. They are the same as the Stanley Professional line sold in other stores. Just stamped Kobalt.

Reply to
Steve W.

I missed the staff meeting but the minutes show Winston wrote back on Sat, 05 Mar 2005 13:22:34 -0800 in rec.crafts.metalworking :

Make sure that part of that is misspelled.

tschus pyotr

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

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