Lyon tool chest/lower roller

[tedsters]

bringing this home tomorrow be cool if the date is on it good old heavy metal

 

[tedsters]

thought a couple of the guys that knows tool boxes pretty good would chime in here with some info, I can not find these particular boxes in any search

 

[countryroad82]

No help here but looks pretty sweet!

 

[zkling]

It's a standard, basic older friction slide 26" box. Pretty sure they were made by waterloo. 70's - 80's would be my guess.

 

[drivesitfar]

i'd bet Z is right on "again" about your new tool boxes which look great by the way.

i do own a Lyon cabinet that i might be buried in because my kids can't move it. it's 559 pounds and only 4 foot wide and 6 foot tall and 2 foot deep. Lyon makes awesome cabinets now and similar to Stronghold if you might know that name better.

 

[bobcatdan]

Lyon makes industrial cabinets and work benches, most of their stuff is expensive top notch products. I have seen a few Lyon tool boxes, but I think they are fairly rare. I have no idea if they were in house built, or as Z said, rebadge waterloo. Maybe just a sideline to pair with their benches.

 

[Packard V8]

New name to me. Never seen a Lyon toolbox.

jack vines

 

[joecon]

I believe that Lyon bought waterloo in the 80's I have a roll cab. that I bought new
in the late 80's I think.

 

[zkling]

Lyon makes industrial cabinets and work benches, most of their stuff is expensive top notch products. I have seen a few Lyon tool boxes, but I think they are fairly rare. I have no idea if they were in house built, or as Z said, rebadge waterloo. Maybe just a sideline to pair with their benches.

I'm fairly certain they were subbed out. Mostly sold through large industrial places, like MSC, grainger, mcmaster, etc. I've never seen one in person but quite a few detailed pics. They even made standard 7 drawer machinist. They share many build qualities as the waterloo made late 70's to very early 90's Mac, matco, proto, etc, that used those drawer pulls and slide style. As Drivesitfar brought up, Lyon is well known for their industrial cabinets up there with Lista, equipto, vidmar and the like.


Reference photos to support my claims via ebay and other.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LYON-Cat-No...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

http://www.fleamarketeersmall.com/Churches/product/299/lyon-machinist-table-top-tool-box.html

 

[bobcatdan]

I was farting around on their site and they to this day offer 26", 32" and 40" set ups. Once again, I don't know if they rebadge or not. The 40" combo looks pretty close to the HF, but I didn't look at actual specs to see how close number wise.

 

[tedsters]

well i got them home and these are pretty heavy for the size scratches and dings here and there but not all beat up, someone put the lock hasp on both boxes which were put on W/spot welder pretty sure the top original lock looked just like the bottom one but i am very happy with my find.
some of the drawers have organizers and its almost 49inches tall

 

[tedsters]

It's a standard, basic older friction slide 26" box. Pretty sure they were made by waterloo. 70's - 80's would be my guess.

I looked under the top drawers on each box inside all of them on the bottom of the roller i can not find a name i have not pulled any drawers yet there may be something on the back of one they all work great except the T/C one is a little sticky need to take them apart and clean them up a little, You are probally right on the waterloo would be cool to find out i have never seen one

 

[WWIIjeep]

I believe that Lyon bought waterloo in the 80's I have a roll cab. that I bought new in the late 80's I think.

Not according to Waterloo's website.

Waterloo was family-owned until 1976, when it was purchased by Beatrice Foods, a conglomerate later owned by Kolberg Kravis Roberts, who broke up Beatrice Foods and sold its many holdings piece by piece. The end result for the Waterloo Industries division being that KKR sold it to American Brands in 1989.

In 1997, American Brands changed its name to Fortune Brands.

In 2011, Fortune Brands formed a new company called Fortune Brands Home & Security, and Waterloo Industries is one of its subsidiaries.

http://www.waterlooindustries.com/about-waterloo/history

Lyon is, and AFAIK always has been, independently owned and not connected to any of the aforementioned companies in any way.

If the tool cabinets were made by Waterloo for Lyon, they probably have the typical Waterloo date stamp on them. Likely somewhere on the left inside of the top till of the chest, and on the lower right or left front of the roller cabinet.

 

[Packard V8]

While not an expert on either, don't some of the older MAC and Matco boxes have similar handles?

jack vines

 

[zkling]

well i got them home and these are pretty heavy for the size scratches and dings here and there but not all beat up, someone put the lock hasp on both boxes which were put on W/spot welder pretty sure the top original lock looked just like the bottom one but i am very happy with my find.
some of the drawers have organizers and its almost 49inches tall

Check the outside of the box, back side, left side facing front. They stamped them in a multitude of locations. Can you take a pics of the slides. Do they have black retainer clips on them?

While not an expert on either, don't some of the older MAC and Matco boxes have similar handles?

jack vines

It helps if you read the entire thread Jack.

They share many build qualities as the waterloo made late 70's to very early 90's Mac, matco, proto, etc, that used those drawer pulls and slide style. A

 

[tedsters]

zkling

i can not find a name no where on the outside of boxes no where except the tags and handles i looked inside of all the drawers on the bottom of both boxes and there is nothing the next thing i guess would be to take the drawers out and look on the back of them, i checked the casters, the plates, the slides the top hinges, side handles and no markings
please pay no attention to the mess its been that way every since i repainted

 

[worknhard]

Lyon builds a very nice box... well constructed and quite heavy. No date stamps anywhere on mine. When the top drawer is closed, all other drawers are locked closed -- this feature was intended to keep drawers from opening when rolling the box around the shop.

 

[tedsters]

Lyon builds a very nice box... well constructed and quite heavy. No date stamps anywhere on mine. When the top drawer is closed, all other drawers are locked closed -- this feature was intended to keep drawers from opening when rolling the box around the shop.

yep these drawers are the same way only the bottom storage drawer when closed locks the rest of the drawers on bottom box, top chest closed locks all the drawers
BTW thats a nice box you have there

 

[drivesitfar]

Tedsters: thanks for starting this thread because i really like Lyon cabinets and didn't know they made these awesome tool boxes. here's a couple pictures of my 550 pound cabinet made by Lyon that is 6 foot tall and 4 foot wide and 2 foot deep. I've had over 1000 pounds of weight plates on each shelf and no issues.

Knowing how Lyon builds cabinets, i'm on the lookout for one of their toolboxes now. are you going to just clean yours up or do a new paint job with a different color?

 

[tedsters]

Tedsters: thanks for starting this thread because i really like Lyon cabinets and didn't know they made these awesome tool boxes. here's a couple pictures of my 550 pound cabinet made by Lyon that is 6 foot tall and 4 foot wide and 2 foot deep. I've had over 1000 pounds of weight plates on each shelf and no issues.

Knowing how Lyon builds cabinets, i'm on the lookout for one of their toolboxes now. are you going to just clean yours up or do a new paint job with a different color?

I am not kwite sure yet someone has painted it once already, thats a nice cabinet you got sure is heavy for the size

 

[zkling]

zkling

i can not find a name no where on the outside of boxes no where except the tags and handles i looked inside of all the drawers on the bottom of both boxes and there is nothing the next thing i guess would be to take the drawers out and look on the back of them, i checked the casters, the plates, the slides the top hinges, side handles and no markings
please pay no attention to the mess its been that way every since i repainted

Check over the back of the bottom box real well. I'd be willing to bet it is stamped. Sometimes they can be really hard to see depending on paint thickness, grime and just how heavy the stamp was hitting the day it was made. Odd angle with a flash light can really help. They have mid to late 80's style waterloo slides on them.

Lyon builds a very nice box... well constructed and quite heavy. No date stamps anywhere on mine. When the top drawer is closed, all other drawers are locked closed -- this feature was intended to keep drawers from opening when rolling the box around the shop.

WOW, That is a very nice setup with the KRA56 top. I like the centered drawer pulls on the bottom and the large drawer count. Lots of storage for the floor space. The bottom looks like a few waterloo made boxes. Mac, Matco, Cornwell, Proto, others of that era used the same locking mechanism. At time a royal PITA IMHO with the top drawer being spring loaded.

 

[tedsters]

zkling

I will look and see if i can find a name or date and it has been lightly painted i have noticed a light will show a date if held at the right angle with close inspection

 

[worknhard]

tedsters, zkling, I looked over my Lyon cabinet very closely and couldn’t find any date markings. I then contacted Lyon and they informed me that their cabinets do not have date stamps/marks. From the looks of mine, I’m guessing it’s 80’s vintage… or maybe into the early 90’s. As you say, there are a lot of Mac, Matco, and other brand boxes that look very similar having the same style drawer pulls, just a different name casted in. The SO kra56 sitting on top was my first tool set/box purchased new in 69… my rite of passage into wrenching with fine tools.

 

[zkling]

tedsters, zkling, I looked over my Lyon cabinet very closely and couldn’t find any date markings. I then contacted Lyon and they informed me that their cabinets do not have date stamps/marks. From the looks of mine, I’m guessing it’s 80’s vintage… or maybe into the early 90’s. As you say, there are a lot of Mac, Matco, and other brand boxes that look very similar having the same style drawer pulls, just a different name casted in. The SO kra56 sitting on top was my first tool set/box purchased new in 69… my rite of passage into wrenching with fine tools.

Interesting. Did they say that applies to the age of boxes we are talking about or just current production? Did they mention who actually made/makes the boxes? I'm not doubting you, just my experience with box companies knowing much about the older boxes they produced is pretty dismal. More than once I have been told "we never made that". Uhm, OK. :

 

[worknhard]

I sent them an email message telling them I had an old Lyon mechanics roller cabinet that I thought was approx 20 - 30 years old. I asked if there were any date stamps on Lyon cabinets that would tell me the year it was built. Their response was very brief -- “Sorry, but there are no date stamps”.

 

[drivesitfar]

Workinhard: that bottom Lyon box is awesome and glad to hear the top box has almost had 50 years of your company.

 

[tedsters]

tedsters, zkling, I looked over my Lyon cabinet very closely and couldn’t find any date markings. I then contacted Lyon and they informed me that their cabinets do not have date stamps/marks. From the looks of mine, I’m guessing it’s 80’s vintage… or maybe into the early 90’s. As you say, there are a lot of Mac, Matco, and other brand boxes that look very similar having the same style drawer pulls, just a different name casted in. The SO kra56 sitting on top was my first tool set/box purchased new in 69… my rite of passage into wrenching with fine tools.

well i am glad to hear you confirm that because i can find nothing either, I would like to find a bootom box like yours

 

[sk farmer]

i am very confident that is a rem line setup. very similar if not the same as gray boxes. they have some similar items in their current lineup. gray is a canadian tool company.

 

[sk farmer]

i just went looking. brophy over at the gazette won a limited edition gray anniversary set and posted pics of it. he also posted a link to a limited edition pink 6 drawer identical to the op's that gray did for breast cancer. the search engine works great over their. just punch in gray tool box.

 

[drivesitfar]

SK: can you post that link? i googled gazette and nothing looked right. thanks

 

[sk farmer]

try garage gazzette