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The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

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Tejaas

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Mar 13, 2013
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TX Hill Country
mechanicalmoron said:
Why's everyone so obsessed with restoring awesome boxes that are in fine condition, and look really cool with their original wear?
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Haha, I knew a guy once who was giving someone hell about this exact subject....

The guy asking "why would you do that?" had a truck in the paint shop having a few scratches/gravel chips touched up at the time.

I also had a buddy who got his grandad's box passed down to him and didn't want to lose the "character" it had... So he just clear coated over the box to preserve it, scratches and all.

Corrosion prevention, personal choice, pride in ownership, or "just because" are all valid reasons I suppose.

¡Hasta Luego!


~Tejaas~

WTB: Snap-On Orange Hard Handle SSDP63 in Very Good Condition!
 
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D

drivesitfar

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Oct 23, 2013
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Pacific Northwest
i'm not sure how vintage these toolboxes are, but they were a 50 year old's Grand dad's. they are in great shape and i think i'll just put tools in them without even having to clean them. the Beach upper box has carpet inside the drawers that i might change and cut up a yoga or gym mat later.

i'm not sure how to date the Beach and can't remember where the Waterloo bottom box is stamped if Zkling or others might know then i'll check.
 

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PCO6

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Dec 25, 2008
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Location
Newmarket, Ontario
drivesitfar said:
i'm not sure how vintage these toolboxes are, but they were a 50 year old's Grand dad's. they are in great shape and i think i'll just put tools in them without even having to clean them. the Beach upper box has carpet inside the drawers that i might change and cut up a yoga or gym mat later.

i'm not sure how to date the Beach and can't remember where the Waterloo bottom box is stamped if Zkling or others might know then i'll check.
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It's hard to say exactly but that style of Beach box was sold through most of the 70's to about the mid 80's.
 
M

mechanicalmoron

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Apr 28, 2014
Messages
178
ZRX61 said:
I don't want **** in the garage that looks like I just dragged it home from the city dump.
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I didn't say it should look like ****....

Just that if you want stuff that looks brand new, maybe brand new is the way to go? I love old stuff... new stuff is cool, but I still don't want to turn my old stuff new.

If it looks like you dragged it home from the dump, by all means, refurbish it. It's just so rare, in ANY field, that refurbished stuff turns out as nice as it was new, and I'd take wear on an OEM job, than an unworn but not as nice job, any day.

I'm not saying never refinish anything, dun worry...
 
S

sloppy

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Mar 3, 2013
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481
Location
Ohio
mechanicalmoron said:
I didn't say it should look like ****....

Just that if you want stuff that looks brand new, maybe brand new is the way to go? I love old stuff... new stuff is cool, but I still don't want to turn my old stuff new.

If it looks like you dragged it home from the dump, by all means, refurbish it. It's just so rare, in ANY field, that refurbished stuff turns out as nice as it was new, and I'd take wear on an OEM job, than an unworn but not as nice job, any day.

I'm not saying never refinish anything, dun worry...
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Well to each their own.. You dont have to restore your box.. :bowdown: Some people like to clean up maintain stuff so it looks good for the next 20 years..
 
A

Alienbaby17

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Jan 27, 2014
Messages
338
Location
Minnesota
On Sunday I went to a swap meet with a friend. I left with these two Snap On boxes. The larger one is a KRA 53B from 1977. The smaller one is a KRA 25.
I got the pair for $46 so I was pretty happy about that.

7eaf67b05c1a44bc7d68338771ef17ca_zps3bc2869c.jpg


bb0724f8de84f44ae2fe324fcc34ab08_zps57191986.jpg


I will probably blast and repaint the smaller one. The bigger one I cleaned, lubed and polished.
 
T

taumac

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Aug 30, 2011
Messages
8,104
Location
Brooksville, Fl
mechanicalmoron said:
Why's everyone so obsessed with restoring awesome boxes that are in fine condition, and look really cool with their original wear?
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That MBC box deserves some paint and trying to have all the same color red in my garage.
Now this is original.
Old craftsman machinist in that Kennedy wrinkle brown. This looks cool. Havnt decided to restore or not.
uploadfromtaptalk1399602884497.jpg

Now this one got from a friend yrs ago.
uploadfromtaptalk1399603078237.jpg
Idk if he or someone before him decided to slap some gray paint with a paint brush but they covered that beautiful silver hammertone. This one going to try and strip just the outer layer of gray and get that orginal hammertone paint back.

This is 70 craftsman chest I got from a fellow GJ who got it from orginal owner.
uploadfromtaptalk1399603323276.jpg
The original owner drill holes for some reason so I'm going to weld holes up and repaint. Then painting outer face of drawers cherry red to match my HF 44. Same will happen on my 2 bottom rollers to. The hammertone I will try and clean up on them.

If one thing I hate is when someone that tries to sell a something (in this case a toolbox) that looks like someone gave Stevie Wonder a spray can . Ill much rather see a slightly worn but in tack original than a half *** attempt someone called a restoration.







Have a good one, Gerard

Florida GJers ( FGJ)
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The 5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
 
T

taumac

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Z

zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
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Alienbaby17 said:
On Sunday I went to a swap meet with a friend. I left with these two Snap On boxes. The larger one is a KRA 53B from 1977. The smaller one is a KRA 25.
I got the pair for $46 so I was pretty happy about that.

I will probably blast and repaint the smaller one. The bigger one I cleaned, lubed and polished.
Click to expand...

Key and all :drool: :thumbup:
 
B

beatcad

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Sep 15, 2013
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Location
NOVA
dang! I've been lazy. these are my latest scores.
1st is an early 40s leatherette gerstner. its ruff, but it has a lot of character :D
IMG_3812_zps1dfd2494.jpg

a week later I grabbed this off local CL. its mid/late 40s. it was lightly used or well cared for. it's pretty damn nice for 60/70 years old.
IMG_3820_zps8bfc1fe0.jpg


P.S. I do know how to spell the word rough.
I was making an old joke......
what did the dog say when he sat on sandpaper?
ruff!:lol:
 
I

Itinerant

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Nov 17, 2013
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Behind the Zion Curtain
Damn Beat, how many does that make? Nevermind, it was impolite of me to ask. That second box is a beaut.

I picked up this 26" Matco roller yesterday, it had a mis-matched 12 drawer Craftsman on top of it. The drawers are really sticky, most of the slide channels are full of nasty old grease that I'm not looking forward to cleaning up. I can just make out enough of the data to see that it was made in Aug. '78 but that's it.
 

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beatcad

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Itinerant said:
Damn Beat, how many does that make? Nevermind, it was impolite of me to ask. That second box is a beaut.
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haha! not impolite at all. now I got 12 wooden machinist chests.
8 gerstners.
1 national(gerstners econo line up to the 80s?)
1 gerstner international(their modern econo box made in china)
1 sipco
1 starr

for now i'm now actively looking for more, but I aint done yet:beer:
 
K

Kent_B

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Jul 4, 2013
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MI
Itinerant said:
Damn Beat, how many does that make? Nevermind, it was impolite of me to ask. That second box is a beaut.

I picked up this 26" Matco roller yesterday, it had a mis-matched 12 drawer Craftsman on top of it. The drawers are really sticky, most of the slide channels are full of nasty old grease that I'm not looking forward to cleaning up. I can just make out enough of the data to see that it was made in Aug. '78 but that's it.
Click to expand...

I do like that box!
 
N

nine4gmc

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Mar 24, 2012
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Dallas
beatcad said:
haha! not impolite at all. now I got 12 wooden machinist chests.
8 gerstners.
1 national(gerstners econo line up to the 80s?)
1 gerstner international(their modern econo box made in china)
1 sipco
1 starr

for now i'm now actively looking for more, but I aint done yet:beer:
Click to expand...

I need to find a better barter item :lol_hitti :evil:
 
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FJ 432

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Littleton Colorado
A pair of Herbrand boxes that I picked up yesterday for 200 full of tools. The upper chest has Keep Out painted on the inside of the lid in the same script that Herbrand used in their logo. I wonder if that was an option back in the day?

Some of the best hardware (drawer pulls, handles) that I've seen on any older chests which to me would indicate 1950's or older.
 

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ganymede

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I love the top long narrow drawers in that Herbrand.
That, and the fact that it doesn't have one of those fat square drawers in the middle.
Also like the color . Like the classic Herbrand logo too. I like that it's in good condition too.
Yup, that's an awesome box.
 
O

Outlawmws

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The Badlands
Nice finds FJ, both that top and bottom have unusual configurations: the drawer setup on top, with the two mini center drawers, and he roller with the single exposed drawer, and the others covered by the cover. Usually its all drawers exposed or the covers cover them all...

Gany, the tall fat drawers were usually in the ten drawer tops. I can't recall seeing one in the smaller tops.
 
F

FJ 432

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Outlawmws said:
Nice finds FJ, both that top and bottom have unusual configurations: the drawer setup on top, with the two mini center drawers, and he roller with the single exposed drawer, and the others covered by the cover. Usually its all drawers exposed or the covers cover them all..
.
Click to expand...

The bottom roller is configured differently than anything I've seen. Some old tools in it as we'll including a MAC sabina wrench.
 
B

beatcad

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FJ- that is a cool set up.
i'm not sure about the drawer knobs(instead of handles) but the side handles look like PROTO or MAC from the 60s or 70s.
 
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sdavis622

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G

ggoss

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Feb 10, 2014
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Cary, NC
Just finished a toolbox resto. Picked up this Craftsman machinist chest a while back for $6, albeit filled with lizard eggs, oil, and dead bugs.

As I was missing a few plastic drawer pulls (and those I had were in questionable shape), I made some from wood scrap and used 1/2" wood screws to fasten them in place (using the existing holes in the box and pre-drilled holes in the wooden pulls). Installed these after a emptying a couple Rustoleum Dark Bronze rattle-cans and changing the lock.

Wool felt (from an immaculate piece I bought for $10, reclaimed from a pool table and thrown in the wash) was cut, smoothed, and adhered to all compartments using 3M Super 45 spray adhesive (awesome stuff, and can be used for archival photos, so it isn't acidic), which bonds immediately. I used a straight-edge to press the felt into all of the corners and edges of the drawers.

Lastly, the side handles were tumbled briefly to remove surface rust and flaking chrome, wiped down, and given a cost of paste wax. Didn't want to pretty these up completely.

In the end, i'm really satisfied with how it turned out. I'll use this one for my woodworking hand tools (planes on the top, chisels, scrapers, rasps, calipers, etc in drawers). I'm working on several other vintage boxes now as well, and will post pictures of those when complete.

Before:


After:



Wooden drawer pulls:

Added a few strips of felt down here to keep from scratching up the front cover when stored:

 
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R

rickhigginshtbr

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Aug 7, 2012
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Lower Bucks, PA
Itinerant said:
Damn Beat, how many does that make? Nevermind, it was impolite of me to ask. That second box is a beaut.

I picked up this 26" Matco roller yesterday, it had a mis-matched 12 drawer Craftsman on top of it. The drawers are really sticky, most of the slide channels are full of nasty old grease that I'm not looking forward to cleaning up. I can just make out enough of the data to see that it was made in Aug. '78 but that's it.
Click to expand...

That's odd, theres someone near Philly selling the matching Mac top with a CMan bottom...
 
G

ggoss

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Cary, NC
nine4gmc said:
NICE :drool:
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Itinerant said:
That sets the bar! :bowdown:
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Thanks guys, that means a lot! I've seen a lot of great work here, and I'm glad to contribute something where I can. [emoji1]

chopper1 said:
WOW that turned out great. Nice work.
But you didn't tell us how you restored the box itself. Blasted, sanded ??
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I random orbit sanded in larger areas, and finished by hand with a trapezoidal flexible sanding block. I wish I had the setup to blast it, but I don't have a compressor, and couldn't justify getting and maintaining one for what little I would do with it most frequently (basically blasting and painting).

There are a bunch of small dents on the thing (especially on the back), but I left most of them alone because I wanted to keep some of the original character. I did, however, straighten out any dents that hurt the functionality (e.g. that kept drawers or the top from closing all the way) by squeezing them with a large pair of Knipex pliers-wrench.

I removed the existing, really nasty felt with a putty knife, while wearing a breathing mask (it had mold growing on it). Adhesive residue was either scraped out sanded-off.

I drilled out the original rivets on the logo plates for painting, and pop-riveted them back on. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the rivets I grabbed were actually period-correct sears-craftsman cad-plated ones. [emoji41]

taumac said:
That came out great. I especially like that red felt against the gray. One question, when breaking it down did you happen to find a date stamp anywhere?
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Honestly, I didn't look all that closely. Where might I have found it if I did? Might still be able to see it if I'm lucky.
 
T

taumac

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I honestly don't know where to look. Those craftsman machinist where made by Kennedy and rebraned craftsman. It also could be made by Waterloo from what o was told also depending on slides. I spoke to few ppl and search the internet but can't find how Kennedy date stamped there boxes. I have 2 and can't find anything except stamp on latch. I thought since you redid yours maybe you saw something.



Have a good one, Gerard

Florida GJers ( FGJ)
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

The 5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
 
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ggoss

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Feb 10, 2014
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Location
Cary, NC
taumac said:
I honestly don't know where to look. Those craftsman machinist where made by Kennedy and rebraned craftsman. It also could be made by Waterloo from what o was told also depending on slides. I spoke to few ppl and search the internet but can't find how Kennedy date stamped there boxes. I have 2 and can't find anything except stamp on latch. I thought since you redid yours maybe you saw something.



Have a good one, Gerard

Florida GJers ( FGJ)
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=117

The 5 Stitches Garage
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211899
Click to expand...

Yeah, no dice. I'll take a look later to see if I can find anything. As fast as I could tell, there's certainly nothing under the felt.
 
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