Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT 1950s Craftsman Garage retro remodel

[tinbender 66]

Cough it up Dave!!!

 

[Red Leader]

Alright alright,

you guys got me

Kinda funny - I haven't been on GJ for a whole day and kinda forgot I said that. Well, not one to back out on my word, I braved the bitter cold and clear night...

By daveamy at 2011-12-22

...to walk the 5 ft necessary to get to the garage

Hey, cold is still cold, right? (weather report has it at 7 degrees currently)

In any case, here is the cabinet! Let me know what ya think:

I didn't find much on the maker, Artcrest. However, I think google books turned up this result, thought it was kind of cool:

One of these bad boys woulda set you back about $22 in 1948.

In the same transaction, picked up some other small goodies:

and

and some other small bits, mostly =V= era Craftsman. Which poses a dilemma for me. I grew up around Craftsman hand tools (raised panel type wrenches and such) and when I saw these I got pretty excited, yet at the same time have been really taken by some of the newer tools I've seen. I've started hanging out more in the 'tool' section here (trust me, it's dangerous) and have a new infatuation with Wright hand tools, which are all made in USA and seem to be of strong, better design than some/all of the older tools. I like the idea of the vintage stuff, but a part of me is wondering if I should keep it limited? I kinda had the idea of finding one of those vintage Craftsman wall-mounted cabinets like Bull (moderator) has and filling it up like it shows in the old Craftsman catalog (1954):

What do you guys think? I like the old tools, but I'm totally willing to acknowledge when the new tools are better and more functional. One of the reasons I like old woodworking tools is that I consider them vastly superior to new tools, so if new USA made hand tools are superior to the older stuff, I have no problem with that either. Quality is the the priority.

While were talking about vintage hand tools, I've been working on the Craftsman toolbox! I'd learned the secret to working on this bad boy = take the drawers out and work on them in the house where it is warm

The work is slow, but I'm thoroughly impressed at how well it has been cleaning up.

Here are some before/after shots. Enjoy

Before/After

Before

After

 

[machine_punk]

LOVE that artcrest cabinet (I really like pretty much everything Art Deco). Great find!

What's all that white stuff, piled up on the ground, outside your garage? (It was 60 degrees here today, though it has been dipping down to freezing at night).

 

[tinbender 66]

I love that cabinet!! The handles, the rounded corners, the emblem, everything.

That old tool chest is turning out awesome. Almost looks brand new.

I saw an identical one one the local CL yesterday. Just the bottom cab though. It looked about like yours when you got it. I don't really need it but I wanted to jump on it. But...........I gotta finish takin' care of some Christmas stuff first. He wants $100. What do ya think? I might see if its still there after the weekend.

 

[smschriefer]

Nice cabinet! What are your plans for it? Will you hand polish it out, or will you repaint it to match the "new" Craftsman tool chest? Which is looking awesome.

With regards to the tools. I use my vintage items for the most part. The only items I don't use are the old ratchets. If I had the rebuild kits, I would, but without them, no. Everything is stout and I feel they will endure what I throw at them. If I find a particularly stubborn bolt, I do have some modern tools that I will use to break things loose. Also, all my old tools are SAE and besides my old car, there aren't too many items that still use SAE.

 

[geologist]

It looks like you got a fair amount of snow. Normally Ohio is covered in snow by this time of year, but my neck of the wood (the southern part of the state) has been in the 60s all week. In fact, I took this photo on December 21st in one of the coils of Serpent Mound:

I think it forgot that this is December.... In Ohio... On second thought, maybe Ohio forgot it's December as well.

 

[MattDoves]

The finishing touches look really well on the tool box ... now you've also got me thinking about vintage tools ... argghhh

 

[Nighttrain]

Always enjoy your post. I really like that Artcrest cabinet.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Dave, your photo taking eye is great. The cabinet is a nice find, as it the Cman tools. I won't be of any help choosing the older tools or newer tools. The kid in me says have them all! But practically, that can't always be the case.

I sure don't miss shoveling snow. Too cold.

 

[gts340]

I think I have that same cabinet in my garage. It's buried behind my other stuff. Those were used in the kitchen back in the day. MIne belonged to my grandmother and I pulled it from the basement. I never thought of it as anything more than another steel cabinet. Now I think I might pull it out and re paint the darn thing and place it front and center.

 

[Wingnut65]

Nice Artcrest, Dave. By the looks of the finish, a little Red Leader Polish on it and some wax and it will be like new. No dents or extra holes to complain about. Nice score. And those extra Cman tools will add to the inventory. I love the old metal boxes they had for the sockets. Now they are plastic holders that break.

That toolbox is looking great. Nice work (as always). For doing the work inside, don/t push it too far. Mrs. RL may draw the line in a month or so when you want to bring in a saw 'just for a little work'.

For the old vs new tools, quality does count. But I thought there was once a discussion a thousand posts back or so, that discussed the name '1950s Craftsman Garage' didn't have to be for corporate branding, but rather an adjective to compliment the user/owner/builder that plays in the Garage. It takes a real Craftsman to create the shelve and forthcoming workbench and to restore all the Vintage Steel. Go ahead and add whatever hand tools and power tolls you want. You deserve it.

BTW, Love the snow shot. But I have to agree with Steven and gts340, we don't have a December yet. Our 5-Day lookout says a low of 61 and highs of 82. Can I borrow your flip flops since you have hung them up for the season?

 

[bluebolt]

By all means use the =V= Craftsman stuff without a part number, this is the the 1945 to mid 60's stuff. It's what I am collecting for my Craftsman Crown garage when possible and I got it to use, not just look at. Take care of the ratchets and they should last, if a bolt is too tight get out the small breaker bars.

Me and you seem to be mirroring each other lately in tool box and cabinet finds, picked up a vintage Lyon wall cabinet about a month ago, guess I need to post pictures too LOL.

 

[-Brent-]

Wow, what're you doing to get that finish on the drawers? Is it clean and polish (buffed) or more?

I'd love to give this the same treatment.

 

[Red Leader]

I love that cabinet!! The handles, the rounded corners, the emblem, everything.

That old tool chest is turning out awesome. Almost looks brand new.

I saw an identical one one the local CL yesterday. Just the bottom cab though. It looked about like yours when you got it. I don't really need it but I wanted to jump on it. But...........I gotta finish takin' care of some Christmas stuff first. He wants $100. What do ya think? I might see if its still there after the weekend.

Tinbender - YES!!!

Although I should warn you - these things go extremely quick...lightning fast. I would actually be really surprised if it was still there.

You'd be paying about 1/2 what I did

If you really want it, I'd call today and get it now, because it probably won't last. If it is even still there

-Dave

 

[Red Leader]

Nice cabinet! What are your plans for it? Will you hand polish it out, or will you repaint it to match the "new" Craftsman tool chest? Which is looking awesome.

With regards to the tools. I use my vintage items for the most part. The only items I don't use are the old ratchets. If I had the rebuild kits, I would, but without them, no. Everything is stout and I feel they will endure what I throw at them. If I find a particularly stubborn bolt, I do have some modern tools that I will use to break things loose. Also, all my old tools are SAE and besides my old car, there aren't too many items that still use SAE.

Thanks for your thoughts! And yeah, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the older tools. Maybe what I'll do is over time, stock up the tool chest with new stuff, then keep on the lookout for one of those wall cabinets posted above and fill that up, and that will be my 'vintage' Craftsman tool collection.

Funny thing...the guy I got the cabinet and tool chest from has probably about 75% of the tools that went into that cabinet...so much so that I almost felt like asking him if he had one of those wall cabinets laying around.

For now, I'll probably just clean it up - the white enamel paint is in good shape. Is has some rust on the bottom, but since that is a different color, I was thinking I could take care of the rust and repair the black portion on the bottom. I'm hoping to get a vintage fridge at some point in the garage (which will probably be around the same color) and I was thinking they would compliment each other nicely.

Although the paint idea is not out of the question, I just won't do it right at the moment.

My hope is to either fill this cabinet with the hand power tools or accessories to the bigger tools.

 

[Red Leader]

LOVE that artcrest cabinet (I really like pretty much everything Art Deco). Great find!

What's all that white stuff, piled up on the ground, outside your garage? (It was 60 degrees here today, though it has been dipping down to freezing at night).

Yep, the cabinet is actually kinda flimsy haha, but really really cool!!! I could probably pick it up with one hand if I had to.

That white stuff...is work especially when it is about 12-16" high!

 

[Red Leader]

(It was 60 degrees here today, though it has been dipping down to freezing at night).

It looks like you got a fair amount of snow. Normally Ohio is covered in snow by this time of year, but my neck of the wood (the southern part of the state) has been in the 60s all week.

I think it forgot that this is December.... In Ohio... On second thought, maybe Ohio forgot it's December as well.

BTW, Love the snow shot. But I have to agree with Steven and gts340, we don't have a December yet. Our 5-Day lookout says a low of 61 and highs of 82. Can I borrow your flip flops since you have hung them up for the season?

You guys!!! Not making me feel better!!! It's almost like you are all forcing me to go find a heater for the garage

(at least when the wife asks about it, I can blame you all)

 

[Red Leader]

The finishing touches look really well on the tool box ... now you've also got me thinking about vintage tools ... argghhh

Vintage tools are INCREDIBLE!!!!

1. Made in USA
2. Look awesome
3. Many times built much better than modern counterparts
4. Usually when found can be a lot cheaper than newer stuff

The trick is you have to wait for the right thing, which in a society when most wants are met via instant gratification any any big box store, is somewhat of a rare thing.

But many times, it is worth the wait

 

[Red Leader]

Always enjoy your post. I really like that Artcrest cabinet.

Thanks Nighttrain. I know things can sometimes get a little boring/repetitive as I am not really focusing on the garage, but I'm glad you still enjoy the filler material

 

[Red Leader]

Dave, your photo taking eye is great. The cabinet is a nice find, as it the Cman tools. I won't be of any help choosing the older tools or newer tools. The kid in me says have them all! But practically, that can't always be the case.

I sure don't miss shoveling snow. Too cold.

Yep, not very enjoyable! Actually, if it wasn't for the strain on the back, I'd very much enjoy it for the workout. Kind of like chopping wood...its work, but its really not. It's therapeutic.

Thanks for your kind thoughts as well! Much appreciated!

My photo eye has lots of room for improvement, but it is something I enjoy

 

[tinbender 66]

OK, I'm an idiot. My memory *****. That tool box on CL is the top box not the bottom. I still think it's probably worth a hundred. It's still there and he is willing to hold it for me. I told him I'd take it. Did I screw up?

 

[tinbender 66]

Oops! Here's the link if you want to see it.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/tls/2721764477.html

 

[smschriefer]

I'd pay $100. It isn't like you would find anything new that is comparable at that price. I wish one would come up for sale in my area.

 

[gts340]

I think $100 is a fair price, especially if your LOOKING for one of that vintage.

 

[Red Leader]

Paul,

That is a 1960s top chest. It is virtually identical to mine, even down to the red tool tray in the top hatch area. The only difference is the logo, which gives away the slightly younger manufacture. Craftsman switched to the crown logo somewhere around 1959-1960 on a lot of tools (but not all). If you aren't absolutely dead set on 1950s Craftsman (like me) I'd still pick that bad boy up. Looks like it even has the same color as mine, which is a very nice finish. That one just looks dirty, not scuffed up or rusty. Looks like the back has some damage, but the good think is it is in the back Top has a ding or two, but you are a tinbender

You know, once you pick that up, then you'll have to get the rolling cart to go along with it

EDIT: I checked the 1960 and 1964 Craftsman hand tool catalogs and cannot find that exact model. I know that style of chest was in the 1957 catalog with the earlier logo, so there is a chance that it was a 1959-60 model, or a special order. Maybe they were phasing that style out for the 1960 year, but already switched to new logos. In either case, it is cool!

When I did some research on my combo, I found out that out of all the options, it was the top-of-the-line, with the most drawers and storage. It is a good chest. I'm sure it would look great in your shop. You'll then be on the lookout for a Craftsman 'Chevron' style logo bottom rolling cart to match it

 

[Red Leader]

Wow, what're you doing to get that finish on the drawers? Is it clean and polish (buffed) or more?

I'd love to give this the same treatment.

Okay, here is how I did it. It is really easy, but takes patience.

Okay, we will use the 'cool' drawer for the demo

Another angle

I masked off some areas to work on to be able to show the difference

This is what I have been using on these drawers

I figure I've never going to use this much on my guitars, so why not? What we have is a swirl/haze remover and some polish/conditioner. As you can see, these products were made for Fender by Meguiars, so I'm betting you can pick up a paint reconditioning/polishing kit from your auto parts store that would equal or exceed this. The swirl remover has a bit more cut to it (although still extremely mild) and the polish is very, very fine. We're not talkin' about sandpaper here

First things first - get a drop or two of the swirl remover on there.

And go to town

Next, I take a razor blade to very carefully remove most of what didn't come up with the swirl remover, which included stuck on paint, dirt, grime, etc. It is important to do this AFTER you use some swirl remover on it, because the first polish puts a smooth top surface on the paint, which allows the razor blade to 'float' over most of the original paint and pick up the foreign debris. That being said, you have to find the sweet spot for the razor - too shallow and it glides over everything. Too steep and it cuts into the actual paint. A little bit of a trial and error process.

After this step, I used to use some very fine steel wool to go over the front of the drawer lightly, but now I'm trying to avoid it because I want to be as least invasive as possible. I will say that some steel wool was necessary on some of the metal handles.

After the razor, I did redid another round of the swirl remover.

Then I switched to the polish and conditioner

And this is the result

I'm on the last 3-4 drawers and then I'll just need to do the rest of the entire toolbox and rolling cart

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

R.L., that box is loving all your TLC! Thanks for the tips on technique. Have you tried Q-tips and/or old toothbrushes to work the areas not reached by the rag?

I've been wanting to get a Dremel type of tool, cut a Q-tip in half, and chuck up the half to get cheap, disposable cleaning/polishing tips. What do you guys think? Anybody tried this trick with any success? This may be OCD overkill, but if it saves time and effort... why not? LOL

 

[-Brent-]

Cool, RL, that's what I would have done. The drawer looks fantastic. I'm definitely putting this on my project list.

Great great work, it's the little things - like this - that make big differences later.

 

[tinbender 66]

Ok, thanks for the advice guys. It's mine. I just can't get away to pick it up until Wednesday. I'll post a pic when I get it although the pics from CL will probably suffice.

I'm not going for any particular "theme", I just would like vintage stuff. I've been watching CL for drill presses. Craftsman, Delta, Rockwell etc. I'm not looking for a specific brand. I just has to work right and look good doin' it.

Yeah Dave, now I have got to find a matching roller. You're such an enabler. In a good way.

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

Looking awesome Dave! There is a very good chance that the finish on that box is poweder-coat, which helps with the cleaning of the surface. Those ratchet sets are a great find, clean them up and display them in the top of your box....

 

[jim m]

Really enjoy this thread Red Leader. I also share your like of vintage Craftsman tools her is some of mine.


Jim

 

[jim m]

 

[GirlnAgarage]

Thanks for the photos on the polishing. That makes a huge difference and you don't have to disassemble the drawers.

jim m, very neat Cman cabinet.

 

[Red Leader]

Really enjoy this thread Red Leader. I also share your like of vintage Craftsman tools her is some of mine.


Jim

Jim,

Very nice! You have the elusive Craftsman wall cabinet, with a bunch of the tools in it!

I'm going to be keeping my eye open for one of those.

Glad you enjoy the thread and hope you stick around!

-Dave

 

[FritzA]

That toolbox is cleaning up nicely!!!

If you put a coat of good wax on it after the cleaning it will keep new gunk from getting stuck on it.

 

[Bob Heine]

There is a very good chance that the finish on that box is poweder-coat, which helps with the cleaning of the surface.

I think the 'magic' coating in the '50s was similar to today's powder coating but the ads called it "baked enamel."

 

[Red Leader]

Merry Christmas Garage Journal!!!




I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and blessed holiday with your family, friends, and loved ones

 

[smschriefer]

Merry Christmas to you as well Red Leader. I hope Craftsman Claus was good to you!

 

[abstamaria]

Red Leader, a very interesting read, as usual. Good and instructive
reading over the holidays, so thank you.

Andy

PS: Our garage band plays vintage Ventures and Shadows music, so I have some Fender guitars. From the posts, I gather you play too. Great!

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

I think the 'magic' coating in the '50s was similar to today's powder coating but the ads called it "baked enamel."

Bob, I feel like an idiot! I should of known that, they did not even HAVE powder-coating back in the 50's . I was putting it in today's perspective and did not even stop to think about that!