Show your Crown Top Love

[zuk123]

Here's a motor from an old scroll saw that is in the pile waiting for restoration:

zuk

 

[bluebolt]

Come see the tower of Crown!

List of boxes. Many times the model number is in the top carry handle area, this coresponds to the catalog number, for example box 6500 is 99 M 6500C in the 1966 Craftsman catalog.

Left side from top
65161 hip roof box, this box is later, note the single latch with padlock hole
6517 Carpenters box. This box is later, the wood saw holder inside has two slots, earlier ones held four saws. There is a slot for a sqaure to stick up through the top of the box.
6514 Commercial box. The only all red hand carry box from the Crown era I am aware of.
8 drawer machinists chest. Mine is unfortunately missing the front panel.

Center row from top
6516 hip roof box, this is an "in-between" year box, notice the inside plastic handle that I think has has a metal core. ("Platisol" in 1966 catalog)
6516 hip roof box, this is an "in-between" year box.
6512 mechanics box, this box had a repaint but you can still see it has 5 ribs in the front panel versus 4 in the others.
6512 mechanics box, this box has 4 ribs
6512 mechanics box, this box has 4 ribs

Right row from top
6516 hip roof box, this is an early box, notice the metal handle.
65161, identical to the 6516 except it has a single latch and the "outside" handle.
6500 mechanics box, notice the 5 ribs on the front panel.
6500 mechanics box, notice the 4 ribs on the front panel.
6500 mechanics box, notice the 4 ribs on the front panel.

The second picture shows the different handles and badges
The bottom box I believe is the earliest, it has an all metal handle and the "Craftsman" lettering is raised on the badge.
The middle box has the same raised "Craftsman" badge but the handle is I believe the "Plastisol" coated metal handle.
The top box I beleive is the newest, the plastic handle is different and th badge the "Craftsman" lettereing is recessed.

 

[lbgradwell]

Nice demo of minute differences in details, bluebolt.

 

[bluebolt]

OK some more Crown goodness.
A while back I was doing a "Craftsman" search on Craigslist and a bunch of stuff showed up about 100 miles away in the "FREE" category. Tools, machinists vise, heavy steel benchs. Unfortunately I was not the first caller who had made arrangements to get EVERYTHING. I would have easily paid $200-300 for the lot.

Anyways I had seen a lightweight workbench with the Crown logo on it. I re-contacted the gentleman who was giving it away and asked if he could possibly set it aside for me since I collect it. He agreed but I had it get it NOW. Luckily I have a friend in that town and he was running around that day doing errands and he picked up my FREE bench! Whoop whoop! So a few weeks later I make a trip down there and picked it up and give my buddy a few goodies for his new shop as a "thank you very much!".

I got it home and stuck it aside since we had dis-assembled it for transport. We had Fodr 1965 F350 fenders, inner fender and other parts in the back of the Excursion and no room fully assembled.

Well I finally decided it was time for its new home. I had a low 30" deep x 48" long butcherblock workbench in the garage and I decided to put this into it's place since it would be a better fit, it's 24" deep by 60" long. Cleared out the corner and put it in. The top is in pretty decent shape for its age, its a "laminated flakeboard core tempered hardboard top and bottom" according to the 1966 Craftsman catalog. The Crown label is held on by two tacks and could be carefully removed and put on a new top if needed.

I also have pics of my Crown label inside snap gauge pouch and wooden micrometer box.

And today I picked up a 100' Crown label tape rule. It does not look quite like the normal Crown label since it is curved but has the same 6 points on top.

 

[nine4gmc]

That crown rule is crazy bluebolt, looks like possibly an early rendition. Love the new work bench and mics, OMG I see some fans too... You are holding back on us

 

[bluebolt]

That crown rule is crazy bluebolt, looks like possibly an early rendition. Love the new work bench and mics, OMG I see some too... You are holding back on us

Actually that 100' tape is later, it's in the 73/74 catalog but in the 1966 catalog it is different.

Not holding out, just havn't posted everything yet LOL.

 

[nine4gmc]

Edited my last post, I left out the word "fans". I see old fans everywhere in your pics, I think we may need an old fan thread

 

[DWise]

4 more I found laying around:

 

[jeffmoss26]

Looks like the same pipe cutter I posted above

 

[nine4gmc]

how big is that Caliper, DWise?

 

[DWise]

The caliper opens to 5 5/16 inches, inside, outside, and depth.

 

[DWise]

Here are two of my neighbors torque wrenches.

 

[jowwo]

My crown top contributions to the thread
<a href="http://s29.photobucket.com/user/zjoe/media/ladder%20rack%20and%20bugs/crowntops.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c273/zjoe/ladder%20rack%20and%20bugs/crowntops.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo crowntops.jpg"/></a>

 

[nine4gmc]

I have that same box jowwo, yours is much better condition!

 

[lbgradwell]

I have that same box jowwo...

Similar, but his is much smaller. I think it originally housed a socket set...

 

[Fyrme]

1969 model





I know I have more. Just all I have pics of at the moment

 

[nine4gmc]

Similar, but his is much smaller.

That's what she said

I see now that I look at it.

 

[beerdog]

The old Crown top carry boxes are pretty common around here. I see them every week at estate sales or the flea market for $5-20. I will not pay more than $5 simply because they are so common. I would have way too many if I did.

 

[Fyrme]

Almost forgot I had this one. Complete with my Father-in-law's OCD, defaced name and ssn 17 times. Guess he was always worried about people stealing his stuff. I've had to grind off hundreds of his engravings over the last 17 years.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Picked up this little cool offset screwdriver over the weekend.

 

[fflintstone]

no pictures now but yesterday while looking for the key to a motorcycle I found a crown top picture frame clamp, and a drill bit sharpener accessory for the bench grinder.

I will post up a pic and hopefully someone can com up with a PDF of the instructions on how to mount and use the sharpener.

 

[eborcim]

Hm...learned something today. Did not know crown top was a moniker.

 

[d.mcfarland]

I'll add a few off beat items ... brand new router bit ($5.48 retail sticker) and router attachement.

 

[rooney00]

 

[jeffmoss26]

This is not the for sale section.

 

[nine4gmc]

Here's my Carpenter's Tool Box for sale for $80. Whole table of CM for sale $400.
Thanks for lookin'!

Nice box but it's not a Crown Top and this ain't the classifieds

 

[bluebolt]

I have been eying this Crown label Craftsman soldering kit for two months on Ebay. After several relistings he lowered the price and I pulled the trigger today, $42 shipped. Here is a quick photo until it gets here.

 

[M-EGT]

Come see the tower of Crown!

List of boxes. Many times the model number is in the top carry handle area, this coresponds to the catalog number, for example box 6500 is 99 M 6500C in the 1966 Craftsman catalog.
.

interesting, thanks for that.

Here are two of mine.
65161 (in front) and 6520.

 

[930dreamer]

I saw this at the indoor flea market in Abq, NM. It was priced at $7.95. No idea why my pics rotate?

 

[fflintstone]

WAAYYYY TOO much money but love the box

 

[fflintstone]

I saw a 1/3 sheet sander today in a metal crown top case. also saw a crappy soldering iron in a crown top cardboard box.
I wouldn't have bought the soldering iron but the sander was tempting, but I picked up a vintage power plane instead.

 

[The Ratchet Man]

Won this off Ebay the other day. My dad loaned me his vise many years ago that has been beat on pretty hard ever since. It's not really repairable so I found an exact NOS replacement w/ box and paper work I will give to him. The shipping label is on the box and lists it for $17.99 back in 1981.

 

[fflintstone]

I found some little magnetic levels today while cleaning out a machinist toolbox.

 

[BradTx]

Here's all I have in the Crown Top variety.

A drill case - sadly empty.




And a couple of boxes of staples - all inherited from my wife's grandfather.

 

[fflintstone]

From Grandpas machinist box.

 

[rpenterics]

Picked this up Saturday for $15:


And I was surprised to find this mounted underneath:

 

[ilovevocs]

^^ I have the same router that dad gave me. Its a tank, and I have enjoyed using it. Hoping to upgrade to a unit with a plunge base. For what you paid for it that's a great score.

 

[torqueman2002]

Nice pieces of yester-year in this thread.

I know there are more than these 2 in my basement and shop, if/when I can remember I'll post-up some more Crown Tops.

For now, here are a couple of cleaned up Crown Tops.

The tag needs careful stripping to preserve the original underneath, whish me luck.

I didn't need another drill press vise, but this CM will go so nice with the CM floor drill press.

It has a lot of the same styling features of the adjustable Palmgren, with the same sliding jaw fasteners, large screw and it's retaining set screw.

 

[bluebolt]

Went to a small town flea market yesterday where they close off several streets and the booths are in the street parking spaces. Was going through a building full of stuff, heading out the door when I saw something goldish buried in the corner. A closer look revealed a Power Bronze Craftsman Crown lablel 6"x48" belt/9" disc sander on a stand, an item I have been having a hard time locating. Asking price? $100 and it is supposed to work. We dig it out, plug it in and hit the switch. NOTHING! Fiddle with it some more, try again. Nothing still. We know we have power to the plug so I ask what price as is? $25! SOLD! It even has the original belt which is the old style underlined Craftsman logo.

Alos pictured is a Crown label wood rasp I found today while cleaning up the garage.

A little update I have been working on the sander, after pulling off the junk spliced in power cord that had bare wires touching a quick tempory plug setup and the motor works perfect!

 

[jakemac]

Just thought that I'd share some of the Crown Top love that I got from my grandfather. There is still more, but he's still holding on to it for now. The tool boxes are ones that I picked up over the years in my quest to duplicate his tools.