The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[crice63]

Dudes! Look what I found! It's like a treasure hunt.



I took the second handle off the Duplex box and the key was hidden inside it, along with the little key code badge. So along with both boxes I have both keys. I don't know why that is so satisfying, but there you have it.

Soaked both handles in LCR overnight, got them out this evening and brushed them off. There's no chrome left on the handles proper, but plenty on the bases. The handles brushed out to a fair shine, so I think I will just find some paste and buff them up more and seal them. The screws likewise provided an acceptably clean look, so I'll try to use all the original hardware.



Pulled the casters off the bottom box and they all seem to be OK. The one that I thought was sticky does not seem to have any problem, so I'll have to check it out better when I put it back on. Maybe the base is slightly bent or something, though from the eyeball perspective it doesn't seem to be.

 

[jakemac]

THAT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO HIDE A SPARE KEY !!!!!
Easy to get to, and no-one would look there.

Glad the CLR worked for you. They're looking good.

 

[Screwtape]

THAT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO HIDE A SPARE KEY !!!!!

At least it was until everyone read about it on GJ

 

[beatcad]

THAT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO HIDE A SPARE KEY !!!!!
Easy to get to, and no-one would look there.

maybe, maybe not.
yes its a great hiding spot, but i guess it depends on if its a work or home box.
if its a work box and you just got to work and realized that you left your key at home and cant call your wife what are ya gonna do if your a lonely guy in a one man shop?
sure you only need a flathead screwdriver to remove the handle/hidden key.
but guess what? your flathead is locked inside your tool box!

yes you could ask other techs to borrow a flathead for a few minutes, but you've just given up your hiding spot.

maybe i'm overthinking this
its still pretty cool

 

[jakemac]

Ever use a penny, or the head of a key, to get a screw out ?
When there's a will, there's a way.

 

[79silverado]

very cool. you got a better pic of the PROTO?

sent from my HTC ONE using tapatalk

 

[ZRX61]

THAT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO HIDE A SPARE KEY !!!!!
Easy to get to, and no-one would look there.

Glad the CLR worked for you. They're looking good.

Lots of motorcyclists put a spare ignition key in one of the turn signal housings. Lot easier to borrow a phillips screwdriver from someone than go home to retrieve a spare key.

 

[jim]

tool box top oil canning

i have a vintage tool box that i am restoring and the top cover is oil canning. for those of you that don't know what that is, it is when the top flexes up and down or in and out like a old oil can. this top is 10 X 21.5 and moves about 1/8 of a inch in the center of the top. does anyone know how to fix or adjust this so it will not happen? thanks jim

 

[Outlawmws]

ZRX, I LIKE your new sig addition!

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: this Blackhawk toolbox is a beast. i was going to take it down to bare metal and either keep it like that with boiled linseed oil or paint it my favorite color. then i saw the Blackhawk label sitting on the inside of the cover. now i'm not sure what i'm going to do and if i try to keep it this color how do i clean it. also there are places in this toolbox i don't think i can access. any help is appreciated.

 

[Outlawmws]

Clean carefully (esp. on that decal) with WD-40 and see where you are.

 

[jim]

is wd 40 the best thing to clean the decal with? jim

 

[Outlawmws]

It's probably the least harsh of the available "Cleaners"

 

[dwysywd]

picked up a couple of vintage Craftsmans boxes and a nice Kennedy. Best part was, I didn't even know the seller was a GJ member, Thanks Alinc100 for the deal and being so accommodating.

1942 Craftsman (3) drawer with flip lid. Filled with tools.


Help me out with year of my second box. I believe it is a 1951.
1951 (?yr) Craftsman (2) drawer with flip lid. Filled with tools.


Kennedy (6) drawer lower on 4 swivel casters.

I plan to stack the 1942 Craftsman on top of a newer (4) drawer Craftsman BB drawer stack and put those on the Kennedy. This will be may main garage tool setup.

The 1951 Craftsman will head to the cabin. It will be placed on top of the old home made base that came with the deal. That way I can keep all my tools up there in a cool vintage box!

Edit: Pics

 

[beatcad]

sent from my HTC ONE using tapatalk

thanks man. that proto toolmobile is close to mine. that's why i asked.
i've been looking for a while for another and yours is the only one ive seen.

 

[FJ 432]

thanks man. that proto toolmobile is close to mine. that's why i asked.
i've been looking for a while for another and yours is the only one ive seen.

That is a cool box. Do these have bearing sliders? The tool mobile is what has me asking if it's similar to the Plomb tool mobile.

 

[Bill Ramsey]

THAT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO HIDE A SPARE KEY !!!!!

Always nice to find something a little "extra"! For me it would be not about security or needing to get into the box if I left my keys at home, but about HAVING the original key if I were to lose mine, and knowing WHERE that original key is.

 

[zkling]

picked up a couple of vintage Craftsmans boxes and a nice Kennedy. Best part was, I didn't even know the seller was a GJ member, Thanks Alinc100 for the deal and being so accommodating.

1942 Craftsman (3) drawer with flip lid. Filled with tools.


Help me out with year of my second box. I believe it is a 1951.
1951 (?yr) Craftsman (2) drawer with flip lid. Filled with tools.


Kennedy (6) drawer lower on 4 swivel casters.

I plan to stack the 1942 Craftsman on top of a newer (4) drawer Craftsman BB drawer stack and put those on the Kennedy. This will be may main garage tool setup.

The 1951 Craftsman will head to the cabin. It will be placed on top of the old home made base that came with the deal. That way I can keep all my tools up there in a cool vintage box!

Way cool boxes, I really like that kennedy/craftsman stack. I think the cman box in question is from the late 40's, possibly the very early 50's. Cman boxes were pretty hard to hammer down an exact year on.

That is a cool box. Do these have bearing sliders? The tool mobile is what has me asking if it's similar to the Plomb tool mobile.

If you look close it appears there are provisions to add additional drawers via rail mounts in the inner wall. I think beatcad and alinc100 both of one of that vintage.

 

[Outlawmws]

dwysywd, take a look on the back side where the Craftsman oval is, and see if it has the "metal advertising Co" stamping. If so some also had the date stamped.

 

[park city flyer]

Picked this up the other day for $15 at a yard sale. The hing was frozen and broken away from the hinge box and lid, and the lock is locked with no sight of a key. Anyone know where I can source another lock?

Try this site: http://machinistchest.com/site/

That latch looks like one they sell. Attention machinist box restorers!

 

[79silverado]

thanks man. that proto toolmobile is close to mine. that's why i asked.
i've been looking for a while for another and yours is the only one ive seen.

Believe it or not i was given that for free

sent from my HTC ONE using tapatalk

 

[beatcad]

Believe it or not i was given that for free

i believe it. i also believe you ****

 

[Drake9]

Just posted in the garage sale thread too, just picked this guy up. Need to track down the date code and decide if I should just use it or do some sort of restoration. It is pretty rough so I will probably just use it. It is missing the roller door and the lower section has a piece bolted on to it for what appears to be reinforcement.

 

[zkling]

Just posted in the garage sale thread too, just picked this guy up. Need to track down the date code and decide if I should just use it or do some sort of restoration. It is pretty rough so I will probably just use it. It is missing the roller door and the lower section has a piece bolted on to it for what appears to be reinforcement.

Cool box, are you sure the door is missing (look under the top flap real well)? If so that *****, coolest feature of the box. Should be 50's era, it may or may not be stamped on the back.

 

[nickelTwin]

I just bought this Hout rolling tool box. It needed some cleaning , otherwise it's seems to be in good shape.

The paint on the cabinet box is in pretty good shape. There is some rust on the drawer fronts.

I'm thinking I am going to finish cleaning and clean and lube the slides, fill it up with tools and use it for now.

I might redo the drawer fronts later.

For some reason the picture keep loading sideways.

 

[Scimonetti]

Picked this up the other day for $15 at a yard sale. The hing was frozen and broken away from the hinge box and lid, and the lock is locked with no sight of a key. Anyone know where I can source another lock?

Mine is a Union super steel too! They weigh a lot for their size.
I have a couple questions. How do you like the slides? Mine are a bit sticky. And also, is your top handle plastic? I don't like carrying it around over my feet fully loaded! Thanks!

 

[jakemac]

I just bought this Hout rolling tool box. It needed some cleaning , otherwise it's seems to be in good shape.

The paint on the cabinet box is in pretty good shape. There is some rust on the drawer fronts.

I'm thinking I am going to finish cleaning and clean and lube the slides, fill it up with tools and use it for now.

I might redo the drawer fronts later.

For some reason the picture keep loading sideways.

That one is is great shape. Nice box.

 

[taumac]

Thought pass this along. Looks to be late 60's by badge location being on the right not the left as the 70's do.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/tls/4777134703.html

Have a good one, Gerard

 

[bluebolt]

Thought pass this along. Looks to be late 60's by badge location being on the right not the left as the 70's do.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/tls/4777134703.html

Have a good one, Gerard

It has the rarely seen mid-box!

 

[FJ 432]

I just bought this Hout rolling tool box. It needed some cleaning , otherwise it's seems to be in good shape.

The paint on the cabinet box is in pretty good shape. There is some rust on the drawer fronts.

I'm thinking I am going to finish cleaning and clean and lube the slides, fill it up with tools and use it for now.

I might redo the drawer fronts later.

For some reason the picture keep loading sideways.

Good job. I love those two tone Hout's. I would do as you suggest... clean and use.

 

[taumac]

It has the rarely seen mid-box!

I might ask seller if willing just to sell the mid. I saw other few weeks back and email the seller if willing to sell just the intermediate and no response back.

Have a good one, Gerard

 

[zkling]

I just bought this Hout rolling tool box. It needed some cleaning , otherwise it's seems to be in good shape.
.

Very nice box.

I might ask seller if willing just to sell the mid. I saw other few weeks back and email the seller if willing to sell just the intermediate and no response back.

Have a good one, Gerard

Come on Gerard, you know you need another tool box, plus it matches your others.

 

[abk241]

Okay, so I had to search for this old Kennedy - bought new 45 years ago and forgotten for the past 12 years.
Some of the tools found in there brought responses from me like 'I wondered where that was' and 'what the heck is this'.
Photos of some of those are posted here.

BTW...anyone have a spare knurled nut for the 6" Rigid pipe wrench?

I was unable to post my photos....will try again after hearing back from system administrator.

 

[taumac]

Come on Gerard, you know you need another tool box, plus it matches your others.

My heart skips a beat when I see those vintage craftsmans on CL in my area. They are really nice looking and price is fair. The wheels are turning on how I could fit them in my garage. I thought if I couldn't get them someone on the GJ would appreciate them and maybe get them.


Have a good one, Gerard

 

[taumac]

I found thus Kennedy on side of road slated for the dump.

I stopped the truck and grabbed it. I got it home and start going through the drawers. I threw out some of the junk and kept the good.

A lot in all I was feeling real good until I got a closer look at why it was tossed out.

Plans for this.......? Well I did tell wife I wanted a mixed tank for my welder so ill probably cut the bad out and use this welding practice on sheet metal.


Have a good one, Gerard

 

[zkling]

My heart skips a beat when I see those vintage craftsmans on CL in my area. They are really nice looking and price is fair. The wheels are turning on how I could fit them in my garage. I thought if I couldn't get them someone on the GJ would appreciate them and maybe get them.


Have a good one, Gerard

Who are you kidding? you need them and they match your others, go get them.

Nice find on the kennedy, it will at least be good for parts. Does it have the front drawer cover?

 

[beatcad]

damn taumac! for free that's cool.
but that cancer hole in the bottom is rough.
fix it and use it for "dirty" little tools like taps & dies files and bits.
bring it back to life

 

[beatcad]

Thought pass this along. Looks to be late 60's by badge location being on the right not the left as the 70's do.
http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/tls/4777134703.html

Have a good one, Gerard

almost exactly like my dads set up that hes had since before i was born(69).
although that one is in just a bit better shape

 

[taumac]

The Kennedy doesn't have a front cover. I did find a temp home for it next to my others. LOL

Have a good one, Gerard

 

[Outlawmws]

Okay, so I had to search for this old Kennedy - bought new 45 years ago and forgotten for the past 12 years.
Some of the tools found in there brought responses from me like 'I wondered where that was' and 'what the heck is this'.
Photos of some of those are posted here.

BTW...anyone have a spare nut for the 6" Rigid pipe wrench?

I was unable to post my photos....will try again after hearing back from system administrator.

posting pics 101:

(From the ""advanced posting"" menus; and at step 5 copy it into the URL field after hitting the ""postcard"" button):