Garage Hangout

How many shops still use this style grease gun system. Not many id think with modern cars having virtually nothing to grease.

Quote from: 1965 Comet Caliente on May 26, 2026, 05:59 PM

Quote from: Muddy on May 26, 2026, 02:47 PMMy parents haven't had theirs pumped in 30 years....

When I lived in Michigan, we didn't get ours pumped the first eight years we were there.  Then what started happening was every time someone would take a shower or we'd do the laundry, afterwards it would smell like a giant fart.  Got it pumped pretty quickly after!

I wonder if your parent's tank is deteriorated and everything is settling around it?

The house was originally a one room shack. It was "renovated" and a second story added in in the early 70s. Mostly by a flipper/hack

If the work inside the house is any indication. I'd assume your right and the tank is long gone and it's just seeping

Hopefully not much changes.

I just got the email today.
https://youtube.com/shorts/z3pyDGt_sgU?si=CeijAEQTj3GYjnCW


It looks like the two head employees have stayed on to run things but the rest of the employees who must have been there a long time retired.
Hopefully things stay running well and they maintain their success.
They're one of my favorite American tool manufacturers, I'm a huge believer in their products and would hate to see them go.

After more than a decade of wanting one and watching eBay I finally just scored a Snap-on KRA149.

Sadly I'm limited to eBay for finding many cool old tools and that means eBay pricing, but for eBay pricing the cost was reasonable.
The last one I found at a price anywhere near this was missing the lock and a ton of paint.



I can't wait to finally get this thing in hand and think about loading it up.
I'm hoping my 1/4dr kit that I have in the little snap on party box will find it's new home in this.





The drawer dates it to 1974.

Did you post a pic?  Can't see it.

 

I found my box using my wife's facebook marketplace about an hour from the house. After a short phone call, we made a deal (lets just say I was very happy to get this for less than a new 56" US General), I loaded it up the next morning.

Many of the slides have already been replaced. It has general scratches and dents from being worked out of for 25 years but that doesn't bother me, in fact I like it better since I won't be afraid to scratch it myself. I went from an old 42" US General crinkle finish box with a side cabinet and two random top chests to this one box with one drawer left over. I love that all of my sockets and ratchets are in one drawer, all SAE and MM wrench's in their own drawers, and pliers laid out nicely where they can be found. This is without a doubt the best improvement I have made to my shop.     

I also really like old micrometers. One of my favorites were the Tubular Micrometer Co known as TUMICO.

They had a hollow body and as a result were very light but still very stable and accurate. For a 1" maybe not a big issue but for larger sizes it made a difference. They later were bought by or merged with George Shurr to become Shurr Tumico and after another buy out/merger  became ST Industries.

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They also made a ribbed body micrometer .

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Unfortunately, these are not my pix. I had a couple but traded them since I already have some B&S and Starret. Much as I'd like I can't collect everything that catches my interest.

I really love Lufkin micrometers in particular, but always liked equally well their entire precision measuring line. Brown & Sharpe, pretty much the same, and likewise with Starrett.

Growing up, dad had one micrometer, a well used 1" Lufkin, no case, but he always treated it with the greatest care and taught me how to read that and his cheap  I think Dunlap (General) vernier caliper  by the time I was 10-12 YO.

I prefer vintage measuring equipment for the most part and only 1 digital caliper, no digital mics, numerous vernier reading measuring devices due to lower acquisition cost (only old men and hobbyists want them)

If you ever have an old Lufkin or Brown and Sharpe micrometer or other piece from their precision line that is the old black wrinkle finish that you wish you could refresh/repaint/replicate I have found that Krylon brand Fusion all-in-one paint and primer textured black finish paint. I have used it with great satisfaction on several brands of vintage micrometers to both touch up scars and blemishes, or totally repaint frames and felt it a very close match to those original finishes.

You always show some of the most delighted unexpected stuff we in the states never get to see! I just love it!