\"Tool Chits\"

[Ryan]

So "Jim1932" posted a thread asking to see everyone's Ford "trinkets." Among those posts were a few people t... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Ford Barn, click here.

[Mark Slight]

They were called "tool checks" used for checking out a tool from the "factory tool crib" to be used generally in a production area. Chrysler also called them "tool checks".

The tool cribs were normally located within a short walking distance of the area that tool was to be used at.

Google "chit" it normally is used by the military as a written request.

Ryan, it will be interesting to see how many variations there are!

Thanks, Mark

[Shadetree]

I remember chits in the air force. They were used instead of money in a small coffee shop just outside the hangar. This was in Germany in the mid-late 50's.

[ford38v8]

Mark, you are so right you stink. It was I who first called them chits on the other thread and I was wrong wrong wrong. Other times I may have been mistaken but that time I was wrong.

[mhsprecher]

I worked at a GM plant one summer in the early 1970s. There was a tool crib there. I don't remember if their were chits for tools, but you also had to get your items like gloves there.

[jim1932]

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You should repost Brad's russian and Brazilian ones here.

[Mark Slight]

Dear ford38v8,

Not true, I took a shower this morning! :-)

Mark

[FL&WVMIKE]

I have some FORD "chits" from the D.T.& I RR (Detroit, Toledo & Ironton) which FORD owned from 1920 until 1929.
Henry Ford got disgusted with the regulations from the government and sold it to the Pennsylvania Rail Road in 1929.
MIKE
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE - Twice

[Ryan]

I like the word "chits," so I'm sticking with it!

[Mark Slight]

It's your site! :-)

I would suggest looking at Ryan's http://atomicindustry.com/ site. Well worth the time! Neat automotive stuff among other things.

Check out Clients, Posts & Partners!

Mark

[39portlander]

Nice informative/ Ford historical thread. When I was @ Bath Iron Work's when we were sched. to do any hot work, we would have to get a "Hot Work Chit" before the job could be started

After hot work was performed and a half hour cool down the "chit" had to be turned in to safety to prove completion of task.

[Gary in La.]

Here are some of mineDT&IRR, WILLOW RUN, FORDSON, DEARBORN, HIGHLAND PARK, R.ROUGE (River Rouge), ROUGE.

[BILL WZOREK]

How did that work?
Did the Employee Have a bunch of the "Chits" with a employee # on it and he gave it to the tool crib guy to get the tool and the "Chit" was hung in place of the tool.
If this is the way it worked How many "Chits" were assigned to each employee ?
Or was the tool assigned a # that matched the "Chits"
Or still yet Was the tool & "Chits" in possession of the tool crib Guy and the employees name was written down next to the # and the "Chit" was hung in place of the tool?

One more Question what was the Title of the tool crib guy?
( and I don't mean Sir George )( or Dr.George DR. of tools )

THANKS

[oliverguy]

Almost every factory does this both with large or expensive tool and also maintenance supplies. I have a bar code on my I'd badge which says who I am. When I request a consumable such as grease or borrow a tool it's logged by the computer through barcode swipes both on the tool location tool supply and my badge. Not as neat as those chits but our system can track how many times a tool was used and by whom. Comes in handy pinpointing those who like to abuse tools

[Gary in La.]

I was in commercial aviation for 40 years and in the main hangar and repair facility each mechanic was issued 10 chits. That number on the chit was assigned to that mechanic and when he went to the tool crib for a special tool the chit was put in the space occupied by that tool. It was for accountability.

[Ken B]

Our Model A Ford Club took a trip to the Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. After the visit to the museum, someone had placed one of these "chits" in each of our Model As in the parking lot. I often wondered who did it but the mystery adds to the uniqueness of it.

[Mark Slight]

Bill Wzorek, good question.

The "tool checks" (5) were issued to workers with the same number as their Ford badge. As in my photo top of the page. It was fairly easy to cross referance who had the tool if it wasn't returned. Aslo if you quit or were fired all your "tool checks" had to be turned in or you didn't get Paid. Ford Motor Company didn't call them "Chits".

The person behind the counter was the tool crib manager. The cribs I knew were enclosed on four sides with heavy wire. You could see into them and of course out to the work floor for whoever was inside.

I my area they we called the "tool crib guy" unless you new him by name for some reason.

Look at the above posting from "ford38v8" (Alan) about "chits," it is a military term. Ryan likes it, it was not used in the factory to describe "tool checks".

Mark

[modelAtony]

I also saw them marked as TOOL TAGS have fun modelAtony Lafayette,LA

[Mark Slight]

This is how they are identified for sale on eBay today. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=ford+tool+check

Up to you what you want fo call them.

Mark

[Dale Fairfax]

Mark is right on! You used those tokens to "check" out the returnable tools from the tool crib. The check was hung on a hook at the shelf or compartment where the tool was kept. At a glance, the tool crib attendant could see not only what was missing but who had it. If you lost it while you had it checked out, eventually it came out of yor paycheck.

[callcoy]

Those of you who will be visting the Model A Museum in Hickory Corners Mich. will be able to see 120 of these in an original drawer. I believe these all were from the Rouge Plant and were donated by a board member of the Gilmore Museum on who's grounds our museum is located. Grand Opening May 18th hope to see and meet some of you there.
Steve Ribeau Trustee

[ford38v8]

I think they were universally called tool checks.

A chit was a voucher in the military, to be surrendered in exchange for food. In Oakland, a recruit's first chit was given him at his initial "bend over and spread your cheeks" party.

The guy who ran the tool crib was usually called "That S.O.B. in the tool crib".

[Mark Slight]

Alan,

Your funny, you should be on the stage!

The next one leaves in a half hour. :-)

Mark

P.S. don't forget the WWII Flying Tigers "blood chits" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_chit. You could not use these at the tool crib!

[Brad in Germany]

Interesting discussion on the Ford tool checks.

The first photo I've attached shows a Ford tool check supposedly from Ford's Russian assembly plant (prior to GAZ). Does anyone have any insight on these tags? The lower letters spell out Ford in Russian: форд = Ford. Thanks Tudortomnz for passing on that the top two characters are Russian for g.4, perhaps designating the persons work area or his personnel number.

I also recently acquired several Ford tool checks that are the same format as the Rouge ones, but stamped "Brazil", apparently from Fordlandia (see second attached photo). These came from the mother of a French photographer who was killed while on assignment for National Geographic while exploring and photographing the remotest areas of the Brazilian Amazon.

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland


Click on these thumbnails for larger photos:

[Brad in Germany]

OK, so for you all who can't decide if it is a took check or a took chit...or whatever else you might call them, the Brits made it real easy and spelled it out on their version of the Ford Tool Check (see attached photos).

From the shape of this tool check, I would guess Model A era?

The other photo is of a tool check from Matford (Mathis and Ford after their merger) in France.

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland

[Mark Slight]

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Thanks Brad in Germany,

It is interesting to see on the model "A" tool check, it is spelled out "Tool Check". There is no question as to what it was intended for. Thank you very much for your input.

Mark

[FL&WVMIKE]

Did you notice in my post #8, that one ring of chits, belonged to FORD employee #54 ? He must have been one of FORD'S first employees and worked on the first FORD automobiles.
MIKE

[Mark Slight]

FL&WVMIKE,

You may want to check into that being one Ford's first employees. This was a DT&I R.R. tool check, not from a Ford Motor Co. production facility. Such as Piquette, Highland Park or Ford Rouge.

Ford Motor Co. was incorporated June 16, 1903. That would make it 17 years between 1903 and 1920 when Ford bought DT&I R.R. The Highland Part plant just outside of Detroit opened in 1911 and by 1920 they were producing one Million "Model T" vehicles a year. (Wikiedia)

With thousands and thousands off employees between 1903 and 1920 at several Ford production facilitys along the way I would guess this pertains to DT&I R.R. numbering only?

How many did the DT&I R.R. have?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History..._Motor_Company

Thanks for your photos and input. Mark

[cdan34]

I found these answers very interesting. I've worked for manufacturing companies in the Bay Area for 45 years and now retired. I went through a four year apprenticeship at Anchor Valve Co. and worked for many more machine shops, Tool and Die, and mold making. They were American Can Co, Calif. Pellet Mill, Renstrom Gear, Standard Oil, Schlage Lock, Caral Inc, Arneson Marine, Arrowhead Jewlery and the last 9 years at two City of San Francisco machine shops both cable car and muni lines. These could be reffered to as tool checks and used when you borrowed tools from the tool crib. In all the places I worked it was always called a "Tool Chip". Didn't mean this to be a resume and it is the Bay Area so there could have been other names elsewhere.

Cdan34

[TagMan]

I started work in 1964 with a machine tool manufacturer that did a lot of their business with the aircraft & automobile industries. I was issued what was refered to as "tool checks" with my employee number on them on my first day. I believe we were issued 10 of them. Ours were brass and were round in shape and we handed one over to the tool crib counter guy when we wanted to take out a fixture or special tool. We only used them for a couple of years before changing to a paper sign-out system. I think I might still have them, but God knows where..........

[Ian NZ]

I worked for a large old engineering firm in New Zealand for some time up to 9 years ago when I retired, who mainly supplied the dairy and wine industry with stainless steel products and they issued all their employees in the workshops with 10 tool checks on a looped piece of wire made out of st/st punchings with your number stamped on it, and we handed them over in the store when you required a tool and they hung your check on a peg alongside the tool that you received and this system was still operating this way 9 years ago after using this system for several decades.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

Did you notice in my post #8, that one ring of chits, belonged to FORD employee #54 ? He must have been one of FORD'S first employees and worked on the first FORD automobiles.
MIKE

Mike, each plant had their unique set of employee numbers, many plants being so large that each department within the plant would be denoted by a prefix letter followed by the employee number.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Mark Slight ......................
I'm sure that you are correct on that.
MIKE

[Nodakwalleyer]

When I was in the Air Force we had a ring with 10 Chits on it, we would check out special tools or vehicles during the day from our tool crib, each person assigned a number, after about 10 years we got rid of the chits and everything was bar coded and scanned.

[Pete/Ct.]

Well you guys just talked me into getting these chits so I bought some on Epay by buy it now. I guess I'm easily swayed. Pete/Ct

[Mark Slight]

Here is a "Ford Tool Check" I've never seen before. Ford Motor Casting Center Flatrock, Michigan. Must have been after my time at the Rouge plant.

Mark

[1930pu]

They talked me into it also!! I bought 3 on Ebay, buy it now also I will put 1 on each key ring thanks for the good idea..

[RENNERS CORNER]

Its odd to me how many from the Ford Rouge plant there are out there for sale. Must be everyone kept theirs when leaving? That Ford Rouge complex is huge they have school buses to transport the workers around. I have only ever seen one for sale from the Ford / Manchester Michigan plant, I am in the market for one from there (my home town). Almost every large plant I have ever been in has a method like this to keep track of tools. They make cool collectibles. David

[Lawson Cox]

Who gives a chit what they were called?

[ford38v8]

Might'a know'd Lawson would go an' get hisself a chitty attitude.

[sprink88]

Are there any tool checks known for the Twin Cities assembly plant? I would like to get my hands on one of those since that is where my car was produced.

[fordy_nine]

When I started working (1961) at a General Motors Division in Dayton OH, they also called them tool checks.....Bob L

[Tommy Gun]

Those chits are the shit....I need one for a key chain in my Model A..

[Strick]

Old post…..but acquired this one recently. Guess I need to find a 1939 Ford next!

[Jake dalka]

Used tool checks/chits like that in high school shop class…..tool room guy was a week long assignment

[T Scott]

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Reminds me of when I was an apprentice at the GE Riverworks plant in Lynn Massachusetts. Some unsuspecting "newbie" would be sent to the tool crib to check out a "size 3 uterus borer". Of course, the guy in the crib would play along and tell the kid it was over in building 32 and send him over there. The guy in building 32 would do the same and by the time somebody clued him in the poor kid had spent half a day tromping all over the plant!

[APDAVE]

When I started at the Rouge Plant in 1965 I was issued 6 tool checks with the same number as My badge. When you took a tool from the crib you left a check and got it back upon its return. Different buildings Had different letters as there were twelve plants in the Rouge. Dave

[Mtn Wudy]

I'd love to find an Iron Mtn. one...Where they built the "Wooden Bodies.."

[nelsb01]

Yes, there are Twin Cities Ford Assembly Plant and multiple Iron Mountain tool tags.
The Iron Mountain ones occasionally show up on eBay.
The Twin Cities -- you have to be in the right place at the right time to find those.

[Rougewelder]

Originally Posted by sprink88

Are there any tool checks known for the Twin Cities assembly plant? I would like to get my hands on one of those since that is where my car was produced.

I have a Twin Cities, very hard to come by.

[nelsb01]

Interesting that there is no employee number on it.

[Ray in La Mesa]

I have collected a number of both badges & tool chits that are unstamped. They are rarer but not impossible to find.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Rougewelder

I have a Twin Cities, very hard to come by.

[nelsb01]

Mine

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by nelsb01

Mine

[Rougewelder]

Originally Posted by nelsb01

Mine

Very cool, I have a Twin City badge as well. I'm a badge collector myself. Love this stuff, if you have any cool extras, let me know.
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