OP
Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT 1950s Craftsman Garage retro remodel
- Thread starter Red Leader
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
So, I decided to start cleaning up the tool chest a little bit. I wanted to be really careful to preserve the paint as much as possible, which getting off the stains, dirt, foreign paint, etc.
I am not a paint expert, either on finishing or restoring. I wanted to take it slow, and trust me, it has been
I started messing with a few different things, and found a combo that seemed to work pretty well. I have a guitar polishing kit which includes 3 levels of polish. Since I don't really use it much on the guitars, I thought I'd give it a go on the tool boxes.
So, I first clean off the dirt and use some polish to bring back the sheen to the paint, warts and all. Then, using extra fine steel wool, I lightly brush the paint where is has some stains/paint marks/etc. I then use the polish again. After than, I take a razor blade and extremely carefully remove every last paint and stain dot non original to the finish. After that, I give it another go with the polish.
Does it work well? Well, I'm not sure, but it does look better See below for the results
Before I started:
Top lid curve with some polish:
Making progess:
This drawer was getting done:
Compared to the rest:
Here is where I stopped. Pretty easy to see what I did and did not do:
It is slow going, but I think it will turn out great!
-Dave
I am not a paint expert, either on finishing or restoring. I wanted to take it slow, and trust me, it has been
I started messing with a few different things, and found a combo that seemed to work pretty well. I have a guitar polishing kit which includes 3 levels of polish. Since I don't really use it much on the guitars, I thought I'd give it a go on the tool boxes.
So, I first clean off the dirt and use some polish to bring back the sheen to the paint, warts and all. Then, using extra fine steel wool, I lightly brush the paint where is has some stains/paint marks/etc. I then use the polish again. After than, I take a razor blade and extremely carefully remove every last paint and stain dot non original to the finish. After that, I give it another go with the polish.
Does it work well? Well, I'm not sure, but it does look better
See below for the resultsBefore I started:
Top lid curve with some polish:
Making progess:
This drawer was getting done:
Compared to the rest:
Here is where I stopped. Pretty easy to see what I did and did not do:
It is slow going, but I think it will turn out great!
-Dave
Firefyter-Emt
Well-known member
Awh man, Dave... those drawers came out great! That will be worth the effort into cleaning it for sure! Make sure you get a good coat of wax on it when you are done too.
Did you get they key for it? If not, most locksmiths can hand fab keys to match. I know I had to get that done for my 1940's oak desk in my office.
I would also suggest looking into cork sheeting for drawer liners. It will be a few bucks to do it, but with some mild adhesive, they will hold up and look stunning with that color and style box.
PS: one way to find cork, is floor underlayment, it's expensive, but drawer liners are not cheap by any means! Home Depot has 200sq. ft for $118 as a 50'x4' roll. You may find some other options cheaper if you look.
Did you get they key for it? If not, most locksmiths can hand fab keys to match. I know I had to get that done for my 1940's oak desk in my office.
I would also suggest looking into cork sheeting for drawer liners. It will be a few bucks to do it, but with some mild adhesive, they will hold up and look stunning with that color and style box.
PS: one way to find cork, is floor underlayment, it's expensive, but drawer liners are not cheap by any means! Home Depot has 200sq. ft for $118 as a 50'x4' roll. You may find some other options cheaper if you look.
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Wingnut65
Well-known member
Its almost new again.
kngkong
Well-known member
Thats a beautiful box RedLeader. Nice work!
american3.14guy
Active member
Just got on to GJ and took a few hours to look through the entire thread. Awesome! The toolbox looks great! The power tools also look amazing. I kinda got started this summer when I stumbled across a Craftsman "80" and the jointer (both 103.XXXXX) when I went to buy a tile saw. Bought them for $15. I restored both, they came on the same stand, and run on separate motors. It is addicting, since I've been on CL for the past few days looking for "treasures." Around the OKC area, I found a 1957 Craftsman radial arm saw, new in the crate! It's cool what is out there!
Red Leader, you have wonderful design "sight" and you're garage is great!
Red Leader, you have wonderful design "sight" and you're garage is great!
tinbender 66
Well-known member
Wow!! That is going to be fantastic!! The perfect box for that environment. You seem to have a knack for finding the cool stuff.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Wow!! That is going to be fantastic!! The perfect box for that environment. You seem to have a knack for finding the cool stuff.
To be completely fair, it seems that I have a knack for attracting generous people who have a knack for finding cool stuff for me
Really, ever since this garage thread has been going, I've been getting all kinds of people coming out of the woodwork to not only share their experiences with old Craftsman stuff, but some of them even 'volunteer' their old Craftsman stuff for the garage. Jeff led the charge with the radio, but I've had some others make some amazing offers. It really humbles me. It this project brings a smile to their faces, it was all worth it.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Hey thanks for your thoughts on the garage! I'm just getting started! I have a long ways to go, but its the journey that counts, not the destination
I'd LOVE to see pictures of that new-in-the-crate Craftsman saw - have any?
I see you are new to GJ - welcome! I hope you stick around. I am or have been a member on many forums and this has to be one of the finest groups I've ever been a part of. You make good friends here. I know I have
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks kngkong! I've just gotten started, but I think it will turn out nice. I'm really excited about that red box inside - it looked really dull when I first started cleaning it, but it is coming out amazing.
I'll try to work on it tomorrow as well and take some pictures along the way!
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Thanks for your thoughts Firefyter-Emt! I'm really glad the stains/drips/paint spots are coming out. It is tedious work, trying to be really careful with the steel wool, and having almost a surgical hand with the razor blade, but it seems to be working.
My thought is to do all this, then rub it down with the second-finer polish that I have to really bring out the shine, then finish it off with a few coats of wax for sure. I'll have a few rust spots to contend with, but some other guys have said that the grey hammertone paint is a near perfect match, so I may try to clean up the small rust spots and touch it up with that paint. Again, not doing a respray, but in the interest of preservation (even over restoration), it will be worth it to tackle the rust. Definitely don't want it spreading.
Love the idea of the cork mats - I actually read that idea in the vintage workbench thread that someone else did that with their toolbox - was it you? I heard they got some rolls at lowes and it was a decent price? I'm not sure how much it is, but yeah $100 sounds expensive. Maybe I should put some small rolls on a Christmas list? Kinda a bummer, because we just got ride of a TON of corkboard type office boards at work. Not sure if that would have worked, but I'm sure I could have made it work somehow. Oh well!
Unfortunately does not have the key. It might still be in the sellers garage, but perhaps buried under something or in a box. The place that my wife has worked in the past has a connection to a locksmith, so maybe I can chat with him.
What would you suggest as a pad for in-between the top chest and bottom rolling cart? The seller had cardboard cut to fit between them, which actually worked fine, but it would be nice to have something good looking. I know a piece of maple cut to fit would look sweet, but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
I believe it came from the original owner's household, so I don't think it was moved around much. Other than the damage that one drawer took and a small ding on the back, I can't find anything wrong with it. To be honest, the most amazing part is the bottom of the rolling cart. It looks brand new, literally. Even the casters and nuts that hold them on are still shiny. I'll take a picture once I get to the cart to start cleaning it up.
Nightshift
Well-known member
Thanks for your comment RL. I do tend to spend more time on a machine resto than the average guy but I really enjoy that part as much as using the equipment after. Here's a bit more info on it. Cheers, BillWow, that band saw is beautiful. Tell us more...
Code:
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/detail.aspx?id=11746
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
You know, after you posted I looked up DoAll at OWWM and saw it! Un-freaking-believeable. It looks like it is part-bandsaw, part steam punk, part fine art.
I'm curious about DoAlls. I never, ever hear about them in the woodworking channels. Now, I know that primarily they are a metal cutting saw, but my (limited) understanding is that you can changes the speeds on them, so could you in theory just throw on a wood cutting blade on there and go to town? I'm actually really surprised I haven't heard more about them from the wood-working guys. After all, its the same group that takes an old lead type cutting saw (Hammond) and transforms it into a cross cut beast. (EDIT: cost? Most of the wood guys I know are pretty cheap like me
)The lines and design of that saw go way beyond what a lot of similar companies did back then. Wow.
I'm going to post big photos of this for all to see (hope you don't mind):
I'd love to see a close-up of that panel just above the switch.
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flybefree
Well-known member
DoAll saws are the cat's meow! I thought some of them can even spot weld bands...could be wrong, but they are serious machines. You NEED one.
Shaun
Shaun
Hemihead2
ALLIANCE MEMBER
In college I worked part time for a research program and there was workshop in the basement of the building we were in. There was a DoAll in there just like in the pic above. I was building 'ganged' lantern slide projector system for the research group and used that saw a lot. You could trim and weld broken saw blades back together with the equipment along that left side panel. A great saw.
They can indeed. I worked in a machine shop during summer vacations when I was in college. Not only did we weld saw blades, we used the blade welder to weld together steel rings about 6" dia. Forget what they were for but remember how hot my fingers got on that job! To repair blades the ends of a broken blade are put in the fixture holder, brought together and fused.
They are indeed very fine machines.
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Stuart in MN
Well-known member
If you haven't seen it already, you need to go through A_Pmech's photo thread on the restoration of his DoAll: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34928 It's pretty amazing work.
Nightshift
Well-known member
You know, after you posted I looked up DoAll at OWWM and saw it! Un-freaking-believeable. It looks like it is part-bandsaw, part steam punk, part fine art.
I'm curious about DoAlls. I never, ever hear about them in the woodworking channels. Now, I know that primarily they are a metal cutting saw, but my (limited) understanding is that you can changes the speeds on them, so could you in theory just throw on a wood cutting blade on there and go to town? I'm actually really surprised I haven't heard more about them from the wood-working guys. After all, its the same group that takes an old lead type cutting saw (Hammond) and transforms it into a cross cut beast. (EDIT: cost? Most of the wood guys I know are pretty cheap like me
The lines and design of that saw go way beyond what a lot of similar companies did back then. Wow.
I'm going to post big photos of this for all to see (hope you don't mind)
Couple things RL relating to wood cutting ... first, these metal saws only run up to 1,500 sfpm ... in most cases that's only 1/2 the speed they should be for clean wood cutting. My 30" wood bandsaw for example runs at 3,100 sfpm. And the second big reason is cost ... this DoAll cost $14,700 ... and it's only a 16" throat. These are the Rolls Royce of metal cutting saws though ... American made and bullet-proof!
Here's the switch plate RL. Originally, it was just a 2-button C-H switch. When you pressed it on, the saw would start, and ALSO, it powered up the welder ... which makes no sense to me. Since you use the blade welder so infrequently, I didn't want that big transformer energized every time I wanted to cut something. I had a 3-button C-H switch sitting around, so I changed it so the top button now powers the saw, and the bottom button powers the welder. You can only have one or the other powered at once. I still need to figure out how to etch an aluminum plate to attach below the switch with something like "welder power switch" to add the finishing touch. Since it's now too easy to forget to shut the power off the welder after use (since the saw doesn't run at the same time), that's why I added a green pilot light below the speedometer to remind me it's still energized. Cheers, Bill
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Stuart in MN
Well-known member
There's a pretty good how-to thread on the HAMB about how to etch brass name plates: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=540911 It's not aluminum, but may provide some pointers.
american3.14guy
Active member
Here is the posting for the new 57 radial arm saw.
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/2725617404.html
I would love to see this saw. It would be a great find, just a little out of my price right now, not to mention the distance to get it.
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/2725617404.html
I would love to see this saw. It would be a great find, just a little out of my price right now, not to mention the distance to get it.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Wow, that is fantastic. I hope I'm not sounding too pushy, but I'd love to see the 'neck' of that saw where that big control panel is with all the buttons and switches and who knows what else.
I mean, c'mon...if you do such a beautiful job on the resto, you gotta be able to handle demands such as these, right?
Still, I'm in awe. One day I'll be there, for now I just admire from afar. You are a man of incredible talent.
Nightshift
Well-known member
Here u go bud ... that "big control panel" is a DoAll blade welder. Has it's own work light and on the bottom a small grinder to smooth off the weld on each side of the blade. You can also use it as an etcher for marking any tools to help prevent "wander-lust". Half of the label plates for the controls are off it still as I want to etch new ones for it. Cheers, Bill
ps ... I'm not sure why these pics uploaded sideways ... I can imagine everyone now with their heads cranked left (LOL)
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Nightshift
Well-known member
Thanks for the link Stuart. Worse case I could make new ones for everything out of brass. Cheers, Bill
Firefyter-Emt
Well-known member
Hey... I think you will need a small hand box too. Here is a great deal, and the seller "might" ship it. Cheap money for a really cool old box! (Located in central Conn.)
http://newlondon.craigslist.org/atq/2746082450.html
http://newlondon.craigslist.org/atq/2746082450.html
Zengineer
Well-known member
One of the most epic threads on the Garage Journal. Everything you want to know about a Doall bandsaw and more...
Wingnut65
Well-known member
Man, the things you didn't know you didn't know... I'd never heard of a DoAll before. Those are awesome machines!. I skimmed thru the rebuild thread, but I'm sure there is a place to put the whole coffee beans that it can grind and then brew! One tool that seems to DoAll!
But, Dave, I don't think you have room in your place for one of those. Better start thinking about adding on to the shop.
But, Dave, I don't think you have room in your place for one of those. Better start thinking about adding on to the shop.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Man, the things you didn't know you didn't know... I'd never heard of a DoAll before. Those are awesome machines!. I skimmed thru the rebuild thread, but I'm sure there is a place to put the whole coffee beans that it can grind and then brew! One tool that seems to DoAll!
But, Dave, I don't think you have room in your place for one of those. Better start thinking about adding on to the shop.
Jeff,
You're right! I need to just knock out the wall between the back of the garage and the baby's room. Then I'll probably be able to put a few DoAlls in there. When do you think I should tell the wife, before or after the wall is gone?
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
Hey... I think you will need a small hand box too. Here is a great deal, and the seller "might" ship it. Cheap money for a really cool old box! (Located in central Conn.)
http://newlondon.craigslist.org/atq/2746082450.html
Cool box! People are usually really leery of shipping items on Craigslist - maybe I could keep an eye on on ebay?
The guy I bought the Craftsman chest from has a smaller square Craftsman toolbox. It would need some body work and a restoration, but hey, might be an option! Thanks for pointing that out to me!
-Dave
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
I saw this over at Practical Machinst - he must have posted the resto in both forums. For sure, it is totally sweet. That is a big saw, and you can tell that it is a whole different caliber of machinery - using the pallet mover and forklift...which brings up an interesting philosophical question of machinery.
A while back I was talking to a local friend who is also into OWWM (old wood working machinery) and we were talking about different items, including some of the heavier 1500-2500lb sliding table saws from back in the 1920s-1930s. He told me that he would never be there because the guys who go after those type of tools usually find them in another state, which isn't a problem because they hook up a big trailer to their super duty dually truck and head out, then once they get home, bust out their forklift and and get the machine down, etc etc. He told me that he would never really be at that stage, plus machines of that caliber would become a huge burden for his wife should something ever happen to him.
That last sentence really got to me. I started thinking...wow, what if something did really happen to me? And what if I had my dream 2500lb saw in the garage? What would she do with it? I can only imagine the ensuing nightmare to try and get someone over to the garage who even had the ability to get it in the first place, getting a forklift in there, trying to find some way to load it into who knows what and have to do that with several other machines. It got me thinking about my responsibilities. It made me start wondering if having 10 table saws was really the best thing (for others)...or wanting the biggest, baddest industrial equipment. The more I thought about it, the more I started having a paradigm shift in my mind. When I go to estate sales, I can easily find some pretty neat and cool stuff, including big tools. A lot of the time, I think "why don't they just keep this great stuff?" ...and there is an answer to that - it is because the 'stuff' became a burden to the family and they just want it gone. I think I realized I don't want that to be me.
I think I can be okay with the smaller home/hobbiest type tools. Perhaps a good rule of thumb is anything that I can move myself can stay. So far, just about everything in the garage I've moved myself, including that ridiculous lathe haha (I did get a bit of help from my brother-in-law moving the 18" band saw). But really, the bottom line is that life is finite and I would hate to saddle someone else (especially my wife) with the burden of having to deal with this stuff. Like my friend said, it isn't really about value because even though we both love these fabulous old tools, they aren't worth much. It is much more about making your time count with loved ones instead of racking up the biggest, baddest, and heaviest tools that you'll leave for someone else to deal with some day.
So...where are you guys on this continuum? I think it is a natural progression to start little and keep going bigger. However, I think I've plateaued and now it is about staying in the sweet spot. And lets be realistic - I am a family man with a 2-car garage, not a business owning machinist with a 30x60 and a huge truck/trailer. I'm okay with that
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TireTracks
Well-known member
I saw this over at Practical Machinst - he must have posted the resto in both forums. For sure, it is totally sweet. That is a big saw, and you can tell that it is a whole different caliber of machinery - using the pallet mover and forklift...which brings up an interesting philosophical question of machinery.
A while back I was talking to a local friend who is also into OWWM (old wood working machinery) and we were talking about different items, including some of the heavier 1500-2500lb sliding table saws from back in the 1920s-1930s. He told me that he would never be there because the guys who go after those type of tools usually find them in another state, which isn't a problem because they hook up a big trailer to their super duty dually truck and head out, then once they get home, bust out their forklift and and get the machine down, etc etc. He told me that he would never really be at that stage, plus machines of that caliber would become a huge burden for his wife should something ever happen to him.
That last sentence really got to me. I started thinking...wow, what if something did really happen to me? And what if I had my dream 2500lb saw in the garage? What would she do with it? I can only imagine the ensuing nightmare to try and get someone over to the garage who even had the ability to get it in the first place, getting a forklift in there, trying to find some way to load it into who knows what and have to do that with several other machines. It got me thinking about my responsibilities. It made me start wondering if having 10 table saws was really the best thing (for others)...or wanting the biggest, baddest industrial equipment. The more I thought about it, the more I started having a paradigm shift in my mind. When I go to estate sales, I can easily find some pretty neat and cool stuff, including big tools. A lot of the time, I think "why don't they just keep this great stuff?" ...and there is an answer to that - it is because the 'stuff' became a burden to the family and they just want it gone. I think I realized I don't want that to be me.
I think I can be okay with the smaller home/hobbiest type tools. Perhaps a good rule of thumb is anything that I can move myself can stay. So far, just about everything in the garage I've moved myself, including that ridiculous lathe haha (I did get a bit of help from my brother-in-law moving the 18" band saw). But really, the bottom line is that life is finite and I would hate to saddle someone else (especially my wife) with the burden of having to deal with this stuff. Like my friend said, it isn't really about value because even though we both love these fabulous old tools, they aren't worth much. It is much more about making your time count with loved ones instead of racking up the biggest, baddest, and heaviest tools that you'll leave for someone else to deal with some day.
So...where are you guys on this continuum? I think it is a natural progression to start little and keep going bigger. However, I think I've plateaued and now it is about staying in the sweet spot. And lets be realistic - I am a family man with a 2-car garage, not a business owning machinist with a 30x60 and a huge truck/trailer. I'm okay with that
I like my little homeowner sized Arn. My plan is to only advance to the " large" homeowner Arn. You know, floor standing 150 drill presses, 12x36 metal lathes, 16x48 wood lathes. 2 men or cherry picker sized tools.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
Well, if you do bring home one of those gigantic tablesaws some day, one advantage is you can use it for a bed after your wife kicks you out of the house.
Nightshift
Well-known member
I also started (years ago now) with small homeowner arn ... but once I bought my first industrial piece of equipment, I gradually switched everything to "large" homeowner arn. It's just FAR superior to the small lightweight stuff and a pleasure to refurb/use IMHO.
RL ... you're stuff is on ground level in a 2-car garage. I have things like my compressor, shop press, sandblast cabinet and welding equipment in my 2-car garage also, BUT my entire machine shop is in the basement 10 feet below grade. And I put everything down there from my garage by myself! Ok, with a lot of help from my shop crane and chain falls. The heaviest piece is my Bridgeport vertical milling machine at about 2,400 lbs. It went down in several pieces. Where there is a will ... there is a way! I'm not too worried about what my wife will do with the stuff once I'm gone ... she would just call some of my friends who will either buy the stuff and get it out, or help her arrange to sell it. So it really doesn't matter what you put in your grade-level garage my friend ... it will be a snap to get out compared to my situation. Cheers, Bill
bimmer1980
Well-known member
I really enjoy the discussions on the old iron. I'm a big fan myself. Sometimes I have to show some restraint on purchasing equipment. I think of it as we are just guardkeepers of the equipment for the short time that we are here. And sometimes, just because you could buy something, doesn't mean that you should. I was at and auction this past summer and there was an old large horizontal mill that went for cheap. I could have easily bought it, but it would have been a huge burden to bring home and unload and move into a spot--and I have a forklift!! but it would have been too large for my forklift....and I don't have a trailer large enough to haul that.
I like the delta jointer--I've got the matching band saw and belt sander that have the art deco base. I also have the delta 17" drill press of that vintage.....
Now if only I could get my new garage done so I can get these goodies moved in and hooked up--they're currently in the small attached garage.......
Nice work on the garage and the goodies! I've enjoyed reading this thread!
I like the delta jointer--I've got the matching band saw and belt sander that have the art deco base. I also have the delta 17" drill press of that vintage.....
Now if only I could get my new garage done so I can get these goodies moved in and hooked up--they're currently in the small attached garage.......
Nice work on the garage and the goodies! I've enjoyed reading this thread!
FritzA
Active member
There is a power bronze @1957 radial arm saw (on the expensive base cabinet) for sale here in Denver about $100. The guy also has a matching 100 table saw (with extensions, fence and stand). Both are used but beautiful. You could get both at a good bargain.
Let me know if you're interested. Can give you the guys email.
rickairmedic
Well-known member
Jeff,
You're right! I need to just knock out the wall between the back of the garage and the baby's room. Then I'll probably be able to put a few DoAlls in there. When do you think I should tell the wife, before or after the wall is gone?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh young grasshopper
Ancient garage proverb " It is always easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission " .Rick
Wingnut65
Well-known member
+2. But include something in it for her to make it easier to accept.
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
+2. But include something in it for her to make it easier to accept.
I'll make sure her and the baby get their own DoAll
OP
Red Leader
Well-known member
I'm glad you enjoy the discussion! I was kinda worried since I really didn't have a lot of garage updated (garage 'off season' so-to-speak) but if folks are enjoying the 'tool filler' material, then its all good
Sounds like you have some nice items there! I'd love to get a Delta 1160 table saw (like the one Paul restored in his thread 'The Pedestrian Garage') on a cast iron base - a simply stunning and beautiful tool.
If I wasn't such a Craftsman guy...I wouldn't be able to resist filling the shop with Deltas.
Wait...I kinda already did that too
machine_punk
Well-known member
That's the cool thing about having your own all-inclusive garage thread...you can talk about whatever you are doing at the time (I find myself starting very few new threads now...I just put whatever I am working on in my Aerodrome Studio thread).
Keep up the good work. I cannot wait to see the finishing touches on your garage, when it finally warms up enough to get back out there. Part of me understands the desire to have 'all Craftsman' tools...the rest of me is just impressed with the old iron you already have.
You have inspired me to look a little harder for older tools in the local area (unfortunately, California doesn't seem to be quite the mecca of old tools...and what old tools there are seem to be made of gold or platinum, at the prices people are asking).
Keep up the good work. I cannot wait to see the finishing touches on your garage, when it finally warms up enough to get back out there. Part of me understands the desire to have 'all Craftsman' tools...the rest of me is just impressed with the old iron you already have.
You have inspired me to look a little harder for older tools in the local area (unfortunately, California doesn't seem to be quite the mecca of old tools...and what old tools there are seem to be made of gold or platinum, at the prices people are asking).