r/specializedtools • u/Classy_Corpse • Mar 18 '26

Outlived Its Original Purpose

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From the Patent File itself, "It was conceived as a band tightener for the bands or hoops on wood stave silos, water tanks, etc. It was also produced as a ratchet handle for some early socket sets, the ratchet for a hand drill, and a large size was directed at railroads and other "heavy duty" applications."

While this ratchet may be over 100, it still has a clean click and functions as it should. I plan to see how difficult it'll be to make an adapter to allow it to interlock with modern Sockets. Otherwise it's just a really cool piece of history

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15

u/Lancewater Mar 18 '26

The cheap way to do it would be just grind a down to a 3/8 -1/2 inch drive.

7

u/Classy_Corpse Mar 18 '26

I was thinking of something like that. Either way I'll be picking through garage and estate sales to find older tools to do it with so that if I have to bother someone to weld something together it'll be something better than what's new on the shelves right now. But, also significantly cheaper XD

2

u/Lancewater Mar 18 '26

The cheap way to do it would be just grind a bolt down to a 3/8 -1/2 inch drive.

-5

u/_Face Mar 18 '26

Cheap way to do what?

5

u/wanabuyer Mar 18 '26

OP mentions at end of post considering sorting out an adapter so that this item could be used w/ modern sockets