The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[34andy]

Quick pictures of the 1954 vintage K56 Snapon box that I picked up at the Goodguy's swap meet in Pleasanton CA a few weeks ago. It is in GREAT shape and cleaned up very well. My vintage tools have a new home... -Andy

 

[ersatzs2]

Quick pictures of the 1954 vintage K56 Snapon box that I picked up at the Goodguy's swap meet in Pleasanton CA a few weeks ago. It is in GREAT shape and cleaned up very well. My vintage tools have a new home... -Andy

nice, I have a similar vintage top box. what did you pay?

 

[Lump]

This is one of my most prized possessions. This box was a constant in my life; always on my Dad's bench wherever we lived. The letter tells the story. Dad passed last year at age 85.

I'm really happy to have this.

Fabulous box, Squirlz, but that letter is even more wonderful. Someday you too will pass it along. Make sure you tell kids/grandkids how special it is, while they are still young. When they grow up they will remember.

I certainly treasure my dad's, grandfathers', and great-grandfathers' tools.

 

[flathead74]

Here is my New Britain top and bottom, both dated 11/69. My dad bought them new, and they are now my main mechanics tool boxes. Most of the tools inside are 40-60 years old, Powr Kraft and Speedmaster always gaining drawer space. The middle box is a Dayton, have yet to find the mfg. date on it. Only plans for these call for some new, more heavy duty type casters. Thanks to everybody for a great source of information and inspiration.

 

[crewchief888]

Here is my New Britain top and bottom, both dated 11/69. My dad bought them new, and they are now my main mechanics tool boxes. Most of the tools inside are 40-60 years old, Powr Kraft and Speedmaster always gaining drawer space. The middle box is a Dayton, have yet to find the mfg. date on it. Only plans for these call for some new, more heavy duty type casters. Thanks to everybody for a great source of information and inspiration.

cool boxes

look like they're in great condition

 

[wxm]

Speak of Simonsen. Here is my around house go to box.

 

[flathead74]

Very nice. Has a lot more class than some plastic box. Looks to be in very good shape too.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Speak of Simonsen. Here is my around house go to box.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this box!!! My father had the identical box, which was his main box for the whole time I grew up. When I got to the ripe age of 12 I learned how to use mom's visegrips and a hammer to pull the hinge pin from the back and open it up so I could gain access to the tools I needed.

My father passed away in 2006 and I have looked all over my Dad's place and cannont find it and with these pictures I'll be able to ask a few of his friends and my uncle who helped around his place if they know where it may be.

Thank you,

TheGrooveking

 

[wxm]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this box!!! My father had the identical box, which was his main box for the whole time I grew up. When I got to the ripe age of 12 I learned how to use mom's visegrips and a hammer to pull the hinge pin from the back and open it up so I could gain access to the tools I needed.

My father passed away in 2006 and I have looked all over my Dad's place and cannont find it and with these pictures I'll be able to ask a few of his friends and my uncle who helped around his place if they know where it may be.

Thank you,

TheGrooveking

I know exactly what you meant. Those "my dad used to have..." kind of memory is indeed priceless. It is probably the main reason how we onboard here in this forum. Hope you recover your dad's box, good luck!

 

[RMR&C]

I bought this old Craftsman at a farm auction just to get the masonry tools in it. Don't know how old it is, but I've never seen one like it before. Anybody ID it?

 

[JC23]

Here's one I snagged at my local Habitat for the princely sum of $1.00. It was all rusty and my GF questioned my sanity. (C'mon, it's a BUCK!) Took it home, lost the rust and painted the inside gray.

No labels, tags or ID so no history. I gave it some by throwing a bit of One Shot at it. When people ask about the signs, I tell them it still glows in the dark but don't tell anyone.

It's now a perfect home for my pinstriping/lettering brushes and a few related items.

Anybody have any idea what it is?

 

[mjozefow]

Here is my New Britain top and bottom, both dated 11/69. My dad bought them new, and they are now my main mechanics tool boxes. Most of the tools inside are 40-60 years old, Powr Kraft and Speedmaster always gaining drawer space. The middle box is a Dayton, have yet to find the mfg. date on it. Only plans for these call for some new, more heavy duty type casters. Thanks to everybody for a great source of information and inspiration.

I like it!

 

[YZ Rider]

Heres Mine, Top is a mac, middle is a c-man, and the bottom I dont know.

 

[Ditchdigger]

I finally got around to refurbing that old crafty

The handles were sandblasted and powder coated "chrome". I sanded down the carcass to bare metal and mixed together some leftover auto paints until I had enough to cover everything. I lined the drawers with self adhesive polymeric mastic sound deadening sheets. Well pleased with my days work. Now I need to buy and install a lock and come up with some sort of work surface for the top.

 

[wxm]

The handles were sandblasted and powder coated "chrome". I sanded down the carcass to bare metal and mixed together some leftover auto paints until I had enough to cover everything. I lined the drawers with self adhesive polymeric mastic sound deadening sheets. Well pleased with my days work. Now I need to buy and install a lock and come up with some sort of work surface for the top.

Nice Job.

 

[Even 11]

Looks great Ditchdigger! Very nice Work!

-Dane

 

[flathead74]

Very nice work on the roll around. Powdercoat on the handles looks great.

 

[mofo62]

I just sold these Snap-On Boxes.



Top '86

Ohhhhhh!



Very very very Pretty ,that beautiful Snap On!


Congratulations!

 

[crewchief888]

picked these up today


KR537a '79
KRA 300e '76

actually i should say i stole these today,
traded a set of 26" remline pro's that were salvaged from the scrap dumpster !!

 

[flathead74]

Great score. Two of my favorite Snap On boxes. Owned both back in the eighties..should have hung on to them.

 

[crewchief888]

Great score. Two of my favorite Snap On boxes. Owned both back in the eighties..should have hung on to them.

ive been waiting patiently for over a year to grab these boxes.
they had been "donated" by a former employee for shop tool storage.
he's been gone for 18 months or so, and never asked for them back.
i had saved the old remline pro boxes we used as shop boxes, and finally got the OK to swap them back.

back in the day i wanted a kr537, ended up buying a kr550/555.
i have a newer version SO/harley 90th anv with the full drop front, i dont care for the small, narrow drawers at all

they work fine as home boxes, but i wouldnt want to use them for work boxes.

 

[Blue Gator Six]

Here is one that I inherited from my Grandfather (on Fathers side). I have begun a restoration on it that has cost quite a pretty penny.

 

[wxm]

Here is my SK Box:

and Powr Krft

 

[flathead74]

Like them both. They are both in really nice shape. The Powr Kraft box is really cool.

 

[flathead74]

Here is my little Huot box. It is a sturdy unit, it weighs more empty than a lot of carry type boxes do with tools in them. Have two Huot chests as well, both presently getting some repair.



Looking for Huot intermediate middle box in the usual blue color.

 

[crewchief888]

Here is my SK Box:

and Powr Krft

nice SK

 

[Ditchdigger]

I was so happy with how this one turned out I bought two more this weekend.

The plan is to match them to the first and then build a workbench around them. A steel framed bench with 3 bays that the chests can roll into place underneath.

Oddly enough I passed up a very cool largish Plomb chest for $40 and several Kennedy cantilever boxes for these lowly craftys. Crazy? Sure but honestly I could use these old craftsmans as kitchen cabinets I like the look so much.

If you look closely you can see the advancing years. The first box with it's wide strap drawer pulls is obviously earlier, then the rusty box is identical but with narrow stamped pulls. The third and nicest chest has the same drawer pulls but the back corners are square instead of rounded indicating more modern construction.

 

[willy3486]

It may have been asked before but does anyone have info on taking apart a kennedy machinists toolbox? I just picked up a old one that needs to be redone. It is complete except for the key. Its in decent shape but needs a repaint. The paint is off in many places and the name was partially gone. But there was enough I could see it was a kennedy, I think 520. I was wondering how the drawers came out as I am thinking about painting behind the drawers as well.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Here is one of my vintage toolbox sets. This is a 1976 Bicentennial Snap-On set. I'll post the other after I get it cleaned up.

I outgrew this box years ago. It was the box I did all my sidework out of at home. I've since retired and my other (larger) vintage box has replaced it. (sorry about the big photos I need to figure out this resize thing)

 

[Tim Cowan]

Hey Justinmc,
That snap on box looks like a case box for a valve seat grinder tools. Different size and angle grinding stones would fix up top and the lower part with the holes could be for the pilots that fit different size valve guides. I have a SO box very simular to yours and that is what mine is. It also holes the motor head and a diamond dressing cutter for the stones.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

I finally almost moved in to my new so box. Three weeks of shuffling, sorting & adding drawers has paid off nicely.all of the so & blue point stuff came with the box. My metric wrenches are in the hazet box on top for now, until i find a top box that will work with this box. It is actually called a rolla-bench. not a bad set up for a shade tree kinda guy

 

[crewchief888]

Here is one of my vintage toolbox sets. This is a 1976 Bicentennial Snap-On set. I'll post the other after I get it cleaned up.

I outgrew this box years ago. It was the box I did all my sidework out of at home. I've since retired and my other (larger) vintage box has replaced it. (sorry about the big photos I need to figure out this resize thing)

cool boxes

dont see too many kr 272 side boxes around anymore

 

[NOTABLAZER]

Here's mine,it was my dad's original box from when he starting working in repair shops. The bottom is an old waterloo,next one up is craftsman,and the top is an old snap-on. 95% of the racing decals were on there since "back in the day". The third box from the bottom is a waterloo I added on a few years ago when I started running out of room.

I would never get rid of it.

 

[blue dog]

I finally almost moved in to my new so box. Three weeks of shuffling, sorting & adding drawers has paid off nicely.all of the so & blue point stuff came with the box. My metric wrenches are in the hazet box on top for now, until i find a top box that will work with this box. It is actually called a rolla-bench. not a bad set up for a shade tree kinda guy

I dig both boxes Johnny, does the Snap On box have a roll down front?

 

[bronc3buster842001]

Here is mine.

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

I finally almost moved in to my new so box. Three weeks of shuffling, sorting & adding drawers has paid off nicely.all of the so & blue point stuff came with the box. My metric wrenches are in the hazet box on top for now, until i find a top box that will work with this box. It is actually called a rolla-bench. not a bad set up for a shade tree kinda guy

Love those vintage pieces!

 

[johnnybentwrench]

I dig both boxes Johnny, does the Snap On box have a roll down front?

Yes, In really good condition.

 

[ZRX61]

I was so happy with how this one turned out I bought two more this weekend.

I have the twin of the one on the left Let me know if you find a date on yours.

 

[Deskmechanic]

I have a very very similar Craftsman but the entire front is covered by the panel not just the section below the drawers. Next time I'm near it I will get a picture.

I was so happy with how this one turned out I bought two more this weekend.

The plan is to match them to the first and then build a workbench around them. A steel framed bench with 3 bays that the chests can roll into place underneath.

Oddly enough I passed up a very cool largish Plomb chest for $40 and several Kennedy cantilever boxes for these lowly craftys. Crazy? Sure but honestly I could use these old craftsmans as kitchen cabinets I like the look so much.

If you look closely you can see the advancing years. The first box with it's wide strap drawer pulls is obviously earlier, then the rusty box is identical but with narrow stamped pulls. The third and nicest chest has the same drawer pulls but the back corners are square instead of rounded indicating more modern construction.

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

Wow, lots of awesome old steel in this thread! I don't have anything to contribute at the moment (working out of a 2005-ish Task Force box and a Harbor Freight 4 drawer cart), but I've got my eye on this ol' ******* Craigslist:
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/2093857163.html
I'm guessing it's an 80s model, seems to have a lot of character. If it's still available once I get some other stuff sold I might make him an offer.

Years ago my dad gave me his late 70s or early 80s wrinkle brown 4 drawer Kennedy rollaround box, but my pig-headed stepdad decided to mount it in his service truck while I was gone to Basic Training and absolutely destroyed it. I also caught him one time using a magnetic base for a dial indicator as a hammer, and died a little bit inside...