Unidentified maker of sockets

[Snaparxon]

Anyone know who made these 1/2" drive sockets? No numbers or makers marks. They include all the 32" sizes and 4 point sockets so I assume they are fairly old.  I thought they were Snap on or Hinsdale at first glance but soon noticed the quality of the broaching was sub- par. The socket size is oriented like a Snap on and Hinsale. The 7/8" socket doesn't even have a hex because it was never broached! it is perfectly round.

The other odd tool was with the sockets and appears to be some kind of a adjustable spanner. Appears to be made to be driven by a 1/2" drive female ratchet.

[rusty]

The bottom tool is almost certainly a valve lapping attachment.
I have never seen one for a square drive ratchet/socket set before tho...

[Snaparxon]

The bottom tool is almost certainly a valve lapping attachment.
I have never seen one for a square drive ratchet/socket set before tho...

Can you explain how that tool would work for that. Valve lapping was a little before my time.

[rusty]

Old valves had 2 holes, or sometimes a slot in the top. The tool fits in the 2 holes. You put grinding/lapping compound on the lip of the valve and spin the valve around(back and forth) with the tool to finish fit the valve to the engine head.

Modern valves and more accurately machined, and self rotate in use, so they self lap after installation for the most part. Valve lapping tools are more or less obsolete except for small engine repair & antique restoration...

Your tool would probably need a bar rather than a ratchet, so it can be turned both ways. The screws are for setting it to match the hole spacing in the particular type of valve you are lapping...

The tool may be a clue on the sockets, as there were a relatively small number of companies making those things compared to the number of folks making socket sets...

There is not all that much functional difference between the valve lapping tool and a face pin spanner, but the 2 piece stamped metal design with a screw is very common for valve lapping attachments..

[crankshaftdan II]

Anyone know who made these 1/2" drive sockets? No numbers or makers marks. They include all the 32" sizes and 4 point sockets so I assume they are fairly old.  I thought they were Snap on or Hinsdale at first glance but soon noticed the quality of the broaching was sub- par. The socket size is oriented like a Snap on and Hinsale. The 7/8" socket doesn't even have a hex because it was never broached! it is perfectly round.

The other odd tool was with the sockets and appears to be some kind of a adjustable spanner. Appears to be made to be driven by a 1/2" drive female ratchet.

Jake:
The mystery sockets look somewhat like the early snappy SO sockets--did you look at the opposite side at a 180 degree's real well??  The stamp over sockets that I have is very lightly stamped and sometimes is not noticed unless you use a magnifier glass to see the stamp!  I have seen similuar sockets to these and maybe they could also have been made by bog or walden ???

[Snaparxon]

Old valves had 2 holes, or sometimes a slot in the top. The tool fits in the 2 holes. You put grinding/lapping compound on the lip of the valve and spin the valve around(back and forth) with the tool to finish fit the valve to the engine head.

Modern valves and more accurately machined, and self rotate in use, so they self lap after installation for the most part. Valve lapping tools are more or less obsolete except for small engine repair & antique restoration...

Your tool would probably need a bar rather than a ratchet, so it can be turned both ways. The screws are for setting it to match the hole spacing in the particular type of valve you are lapping...

The tool may be a clue on the sockets, as there were a relatively small number of companies making those things compared to the number of folks making socket sets...

There is not all that much functional difference between the valve lapping tool and a face pin spanner, but the 2 piece stamped metal design with a screw is very common for valve lapping attachments..

Thanks for the explanation Rusty. All the valves I have seen didn't have 2 holes on the valve face.

Anyone know who made these 1/2" drive sockets? No numbers or makers marks. They include all the 32" sizes and 4 point sockets so I assume they are fairly old.  I thought they were Snap on or Hinsdale at first glance but soon noticed the quality of the broaching was sub- par. The socket size is oriented like a Snap on and Hinsale. The 7/8" socket doesn't even have a hex because it was never broached! it is perfectly round.

The other odd tool was with the sockets and appears to be some kind of a adjustable spanner. Appears to be made to be driven by a 1/2" drive female ratchet.

Jake:
The mystery sockets look somewhat like the early snappy SO sockets--did you look at the opposite side at a 180 degree's real well??  The stamp over sockets that I have is very lightly stamped and sometimes is not noticed unless you use a magnifier glass to see the stamp!  I have seen similuar sockets to these and maybe they could also have been made by bog or walden ???

I compared them to my old Snap on's and they are not the same sizes O.D wise and not as good of quality. Also the size marking is oriented different. I went back to the yard sale and found an old Ray brand speeder so I suspect they are made by Ray.

[crankshaftdan II]

Never seen a Ray tool to my knowledge-how about a picture if & when you have time?

[Snaparxon]

Never seen a Ray tool to my knowledge-how about a picture if & when you have time?

Here is a little history. http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/other-makers-p3.html

I will go back tomorrow and buy the Ray speeder if it is still there.

[crankshaftdan II]

Never seen a Ray tool to my knowledge-how about a picture if & when you have time?

Here is a little history. http://home.comcast.net/~alloy-artifacts/other-makers-p3.html

I will go back tomorrow and buy the Ray speeder if it is still there.

Very interesting set of tools Jake-just spent 8 hour's at a swap meet today--no sign of Ray stuff here--will keep you posted as the summer hunt goes on!   Cranky

[Bill Houghton]

The 7/8" socket doesn't even have a hex because it was never broached! it is perfectly round.

That's for use with nuts/bolts that have been rounded off by application of an adjustable wrench, alligator wrench, wrong size, etc.

Thanks for the explanation Rusty. All the valves I have seen didn't have 2 holes on the valve face.

At one time, you could buy valve lapping tools for valves without the holes; they used a suction cup instead, which you would stick against the face of the valve.  The fancy version looked vaguely like an eggbeater drill, but the action was back-and-forth, back-and-forth.  The cheap version was a stick with a suction cup on the end, which you would twirl between your palms like a Boy Scout trying to start a fire without matches.  It may still be possible to buy at least the cheap version, but it's been a while since I had occasion to look for one.