Pratt &Whitney
Ok so this is a bit of a random one I am hoping one of the wise members will be able to help me with. I inherited a rather nice, large Whitworth tap and die set made by the USA company Pratt & Whitney, from my grandfather (along with a couple of mowers!).
As with lots of things made back in the day, they are beautifully engineered, especially the dies but I have no idea why he would have had them as I don’t think he had anything big and hefty enough for them. They feel more steam engine than mower scale (or motorbikes, his other passion). That said he was a hoarder like me so maybe he just rescued them.
Anyway if anyone on here knows anything about their history or knows anyone from another preservation society (ie steam??) who might know, please let me know!
Will post separately about my Anzani restoration which I finally completed, hope to bring it to next year’s rally.
Many thanks as ever.
Forums
Pindernick, Pratt & Whitney…
Pindernick, Pratt & Whitney Machine Tool were around before they started to make aero engines (a separate company). They were top end quality machines. I have seen lathes and milling machines made by them but I believe they made all kind of other machine tools too as well as hand tools.
I can't see in your picture but do they actually have BSW engraved on them? P & W could well have made BSW tools (I know they did make BA taps & dies) but being American and old there is a good chance they may be NC (National Coarse) pitch. They would still have imperial sizes (1", 5/16" etc) but the thread flank angle is 60 degrees. Whitworth threads have a 55 degree flank angle and the two are not interchangeable. So if you plan to use them it would be worth checking beforehand.
Whatever size they are they are I think they are very desirable! I have an old large set of BSW taps and dies that a bought for a job on my old fire appliance. It was cheaper to buy a whole set of second hand tools than a single brand new one of the size I needed! They do take up extra space in one of my tool cupboards but they may come in handy some time in the next decade!? You can never have too many tools, though my family may not agree ;- )
Regards Rob.
I too associated the name…
I too associated the name with large aircraft engines like the famous Pratt and Witney 2800 double wasp which powered many American aircraft of the WW2 era but also as my father was a tool maker he took me around his work toolshop when I was a kid where there were milling machines bigger than houses sunk into the floor and up to the rafters flinging massive blue smoking chips all over the beds! Lo and behold up on the name plate was Pratt and Witney!
Just another thought, was…
Just another thought, was your grandfather in the military? Before becoming a tool maker my dad was a staff Sgt in REME and most of the tooling I inherited has the MOD/war department arrow or "Crow foot" stamped into them also I definitely recognise the brass grease gun in the set as my father had one too exactly the same.
The crow foot or broad arrow…
The crow foot or broad arrow symbol was used on all government body purchasing, not just the military. This pair of extremely useful Maun parallel jaw pliers were bought from a junk shop in the seventies for ten shillings / 50P. I’m told that the long number identifies the purchase contract number. They can still be purchased today but are a bit more expensive.
Lovely set from Pratt and…
Lovely set from Pratt and Witney with interesting provenance . I associate the name with huge turbo fan engines hung under the wings of air liners; I wonder what other hand tools or even machine tools , they made.
However , I too have a set of Whitworth taps and dies that my parents gave me when I was around eight ! Almost certainly they came from a local ironmongers shop that used to sell proper ironmongery and quality tools including my first electric drill a Wolf Cub . I’ve not still got that as after a while I traded it in for a Wolf Safetymaster , their first double insulated drill.