The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[555]

Picked this up about a year ago for ~$120. Not all the goodies inside are shown as I've been going through it since getting it. No idea who made it. Wish that label was still there. I may restore it fully, but not sure if I want to. The blue paint is neat but it's filled with lead, lol.

Looks like an early Army Engineer carpenter's box to me.

 

[Shelbylex]

The seller agreed to lower it to $375 (I guess 555 posted while I was writing - price is for Bonney boxes)

 

[fishwatcher]

Nice collection of Spyderco and SAKs. Great wooden tool chest too! For $20?? That deserves a You ****.

 

[bmwrd0]

I picked up this socket box yesterday, but the maker remains a mystery to me:




It is a decent little box, with an unusual latching system. From the raised top panel, I first thought Hinsdale, but I haven't seen anything like it in a catalog, and they didn't use crinkle paint. Maybe New Britain? If anyone has a guess, let me know.

 

[Mintgrun]

That's the first one of those boxes I've seen with textured paint. I'll bet it's older than the smooth brown ones I have. I seem to recall reading that these were supplied by wards, but I might be misremembering.

 

[bmwrd0]

That is a definite match, minus the paint! Thanks!

So I am going to guess Duro/Indestro, and go from there.

EDIT: Found it. 1935 Indestro catalog

 

[930dreamer]

Spotted this one on FB MP, I don't know who made it.

Vintage Tool box antique tools​

$150
Listed 17 weeks ago in Roseville, CA

 

[RTM]

Friend was at an Estate sale back East, saw this on the only tool chest, and immediately thought of me .



And in other news, I saw a beautiful handmade toolbox, long and skinny like a carpenter's box, but with multiple cantilever decks inside. You could see the folded edges over single layer dividers, like a sheet metal shop built it. There was a plaque on the front lid that said to so and so. On the front of the top cantilever deck was a similar plaque to so from ** and yy. The corner reinforcements did not look factory boring. Fortunately someone bought it before I could go back for it cuz it was a beautiful box and a great price. The seller said it was disgustingly greasy when he got it and he spent a lot of time cleaning it up. No pictures, which was stupid of me. When I saw it we'd had very poor luck selling at the flea market and I was afraid I wasn't going to have room in the truck for it on the way home. When I went back 3 hours later, fortunately, it was gone.

 

[INSP380]

I’ve been searching for a nice 6500 or 6512 from this era… scored this 6500 this afternoon…

Steve

 

[Shelbylex]

I am wondering what toolbox is this one
? modified Blackhawk?

 

[Mintgrun]

I have no idea, but it's pretty stinkin' cool. No drawer glides and the drawers appear to have handles down the middle, so they can be lifted like trays. The diagonalized tray design is sure unique. I like how you can reach down into the box as far as the top remaining drawer/tray.

 

[Shelbylex]

High suspicion of personal modifications by PO.
Seems to be similar to this one:

 

[bmwrd0]

I believe that Blackhawk and Bonney both used that box, pre-WWII, and maybe Armstrong? Looks pretty well done if it was home rolled.

 

[Smokeshow69]

High suspicion of personal modifications by PO.
Seems to be similar to this one:

It’s 100% like this one. Look at the tray holder on the right hand side of the upper portion of the box. Angled just like the one in the picture. Also look at the clasp/ lock retention in the front of the box on the bottom edge…. Both boxes have it. It’s 100% a factory made box. Probably langenau made

 

[Shelbylex]

It’s 100% like this one. Look at the tray holder on the right hand side of the upper portion of the box. Angled just like the one in the picture. Also look at the clasp/ lock retention in the front of the box on the bottom edge…. Both boxes have it. It’s 100% a factory made box. Probably langenau made

I am wondering if the person took an older Blackhawk and modified it by making tool trays. I definitely never saw the same combination of tool trays before.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I've seen it before, possibly on this thread

 

[Shelbylex]

This is from 1948 Armstrong Catalog

 

[Shelbylex]

I've seen it before, possibly on this thread

We are at post 16817 : ( I wonder if somebody remembers
OldTuleGuy, do you remember the original color, tools, comments or anything associated with the original post? (? how long ago)

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I remember those trays

 

[Shelbylex]

... I guess I will try to go through 421 pages 10-20 at a time... Starting at 100 (why not...) I hope the picture is in this thread and not lost (photobucket pictures got erased if I remember correctly...)

Curiosity kills the cat...

 

[Beerhippie]

... I guess I will try to go through 421 pages 10-20 at a time... Starting at 100 (why not...) I hope the picture is in this thread and not lost (photobucket pictures got erased if I remember correctly...)

Curiosity kills the cat...

You can search "within this thread". It sometimes works for me.

 

[Shelbylex]

You can search "within this thread". It sometimes works for me.

The question is what to search for - I do not know which company sold it

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Here's a plomb and a snapon with some random old tools I found on Craigslist

 

[Smokeshow69]

Here's a plomb and a snapon with some random old tools I found on Craigslist

Does
Your snap on have the hammered finish paint?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Kind of a dark gray krinkle

 

[INSP380]

Saw this one pop up the other night, saved the listing and sent the message the next day during lunch. Agreed on sale last night and waited till afterwork to go grab it. Pretty solid box, very impressed with condition so far. I’m going to pull it apart this weekend for a good cleaning & see if I can save the history. Kennedy 270, figure it to be circa 69, same era as my 520 & 260. Looks like it has a new home..

Steve

 

[Cruzan80]

Picked these up last weekend, no name on them that I can see. Nylon rollers at the back of the slide, locking bar in the back twists with the key. They have latches, but multiple drawers can be open at once. Looks like the drawers can be re-arranged internally. Build quality is nice, but not quite Lista/Vidmar/Equipto level. The drawers have a rolled lip that may help. Only identifying part is the label I took a pic of. Any ideas on maker?

 

[Cruzan80]

BTW, to close the loop on an earlier question...

Anyone have ideas on the maker? Looks to have started life all red, then someone painted it. Drawers are friction slide, but fairly beefy. Last one is laying down in my truck, only paid $25 for it.

Finally found a similar one on FB MP. It turns out it is an old ATD tools box. The one I saw had drawers all the way down, but the ad was deleted before I remembered to save a picture.

 

[1982fxr]

BTW, to close the loop on an earlier question...

Finally found a similar one on FB MP. It turns out it is an old ATD tools box. The one I saw had drawers all the way down, but the ad was deleted before I remembered to save a picture.

I don't recall ATD. We're they a manufacturer?

Where did they sell?

 

[Oldtuleguy]

They had a warehouse here in Phoenix somewhere. Sell mostly foreign tools

 

[Cruzan80]

I don't recall ATD. We're they a manufacturer?

Where did they sell?

Not sure if they were a manufacturer or re-brand. So far, they are the only ones to have this specific layout/type of side-box I have seen.

 

[four.cycle]

I knew it rang a bell:

ATD / ATD Tools Inc., 160 Enterprise Dr., Wentzville, MO 63385 / https://atdtools.com/ / est. 1977 / importer and distributor automotive hand tools and equipment "ATD" private label, product outsourced from Asia /

 

[Outlawmws]

So ADT = "Asian Tools Direct"?

 

[Provincial]

They put out fliers that were on the counter at many auto and truck parts stores. I started noticing them there in the 1990's.

 

[TattooMike]

Long time lurker. It’s time that I contribute. Picked this up today. Needs a good cleaning. Hopefully I can get that white stuff off of it.

 

[Outlawmws]

Long time lurker. It’s time that I contribute. Picked this up today.

Starting off with the holy grail of tool box stacks earns you a post #1 "you ****"!!

 

[930dreamer]

Long time lurker. It’s time that I contribute. Picked this up today. Needs a good cleaning. Hopefully I can get that white stuff off of it.

We'll need the back story on this find!

 

[TattooMike]

We'll need the back story on this find!

Facebook Marketplace find… sorta. Guy posted a Park Tool bike stand for sale. Saw this in the background. Messaged him asking if he would ever want to sell.

 

[930dreamer]

Facebook Marketplace find… sorta. Guy posted a Park Tool bike stand for sale. Saw this in the background. Messaged him asking if he would ever want to sell.

Was the set more then the bike stand? Asking for a friend!

 

[TattooMike]

Was the set more then the bike stand? Asking for a friend!

Lol. Yes, a bit more. A older gentleman in his mid 70’s. Had inherited it from his dad about 30 years ago.

It was two hours away from me and I didn’t have a truck. Took a week before I was able to make it up to get it (my dad passed away last month and I bought his truck from his estate). Glad that it wasn’t noticed by other tool guys.