The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[Outlawmws]

Nice find Sam!

 

[twertsy]

Nice Sam!

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

 

[PFSard]

Ain't never seed a box like that, Sam. Great stuff!!!

 

[Capt. Johnny]

Hello, first post. 1964/65 Craftsmen. Craigslist find. Good overall condition, rattle can paint job on boxes, red drawers in fine condition. Came stuffed with tools (Snap-On. Craftsmen, many others.) Locks work with 2 sets of keys. Enjoy!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Nice find Sam!

Thanks outlaw!

Nice Sam!
Thanks Twertsy, it was full of junk tools so I thought it would get bid up due to the contents but I used your bidding technique and think I did ok, I was determined to leave with it.

Sent from my VS990 using Tapatalk

Ain't never seed a box like that, Sam. Great stuff!!!

Thanks, first time in the flesh for me, every bit as cool as I had imagined!

Hello, first post. 1964/65 Craftsmen. Craigslist find. Good overall condition, rattle can paint job on boxes, red drawers in fine condition. Came stuffed with tools (Snap-On. Craftsmen, many others.) Locks work with 2 sets of keys. Enjoy!

Very nice setup, I love that style of craftsman.

 

[mdbeck1]

Hello, first post. 1964/65 Craftsmen. Craigslist find. Good overall condition, rattle can paint job on boxes, red drawers in fine condition. Came stuffed with tools (Snap-On. Craftsmen, many others.) Locks work with 2 sets of keys. Enjoy!

Welcome to the forum.

 

[taumac]

Capt. Johnny that is one nice set you have.

 

[maxcarp709]

Hello, first post. 1964/65 Craftsmen. Craigslist find. Good overall condition, rattle can paint job on boxes, red drawers in fine condition. Came stuffed with tools (Snap-On. Craftsmen, many others.) Locks work with 2 sets of keys. Enjoy!

Great Score!

 

[Capt. Johnny]

Taumac, you inspired me to look for that era of Craftsman box. I've been a Craftsman guy all my life, up to the 90s anyways. I pick up older quality craftsman tools when I can so an old Craftsman box made sense.

This big beautiful box replaces an older smaller Craftsman box my wife bought me about 20 years ago. It's so good looking that it even get noticed by non wrench-heads.

I love this thing!

I'm down in Pompano Beach.

 

[Rileysan]

This Ward's POWR KRAFT stack followed me home today.
Has a bunch of honest wear.

Following up to your post a few weeks ago, here's my Craftsman version of the same top box. Is it safe to assume these were made by the same manufacturer?

PS - Thanks to Drives for pointing out this box to me on CL. I gave $75 for the box - which was full of tools from Craftsman BE era to modern Chinese junk. I had to tack weld the bottom drawer back together (you can see the discoloration on the front) and peen a few rivets on drawer handles, but it is otherwise in excellent shape and only requires a little elbow grease.

Brian

 

[Rileysan]

And speaking of Ward's Powr Kraft, here's a carpenter's box (or its it a plumber's box?) I found at a yard sale this past weekend for $5 (the axe-head did not come with it).

Brian

 

[twertsy]

Picked up this PROTO JUBILEE 75th Anniversary Edition top box at the auction the other day for 35 dollars. I need to clean it up, as it is pretty dirty. Slides work great. Box is 26" x 16" x 12". I was surprised that it still had the removable top tray. I wonder if they made a matching roller for it?

I believe this would be the roll cab for that box. http://toolarchives.com/node/1231

 

[Username already in use]

Following up to your post a few weeks ago, here's my Craftsman version of the same top box. Is it safe to assume these were made by the same manufacturer?

PS - Thanks to Drives for pointing out this box to me on CL. I gave $75 for the box - which was full of tools from Craftsman BE era to modern Chinese junk. I had to tack weld the bottom drawer back together (you can see the discoloration on the front) and peen a few rivets on drawer handles, but it is otherwise in excellent shape and only requires a little elbow grease.

Brian

I think there is enough info on here to say that your C-Man box was made by the same company. Advertising Metal Display Co - Chicago later RemLine. There may be a date in the drawer behind the logo. I can't seem to find a date on mine. Nice pickup!
I wish I had a tack welder.

 

[ecotec]

Following up to your post a few weeks ago, here's my Craftsman version of the same top box. Is it safe to assume these were made by the same manufacturer?

PS - Thanks to Drives for pointing out this box to me on CL. I gave $75 for the box - which was full of tools from Craftsman BE era to modern Chinese junk. I had to tack weld the bottom drawer back together (you can see the discoloration on the front) and peen a few rivets on drawer handles, but it is otherwise in excellent shape and only requires a little elbow grease.

Brian

Those are stout boxes. Mine is seriously overloaded, and it is holding up fine. Are you going to repaint it or keep the patina?

 

[Rileysan]

Those are stout boxes. Mine is seriously overloaded, and it is holding up fine. Are you going to repaint it or keep the patina?

For the time being, I will keep it as-is. I'm quite fond of the rusty/well-used look!

Brian

 

[Irongrain]

Just got it aagggghhhh!!!

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

Very nice, those are one of the coolest vintage snappy boxes.

 

[Outlawmws]

Just got it aagggghhhh!!!

Great find! is the inside as nice as the outside?

 

[maxcarp709]

Just got it aagggghhhh!!!

What model number is that??

 

[Rileysan]

As I took photos of my Craftsman box yesterday, I was waiting anxiously for a return email from a CL seller. The ad simply stated "craftsman tool box with tools. $100 firm"

This was the photo:




A bit ambiguous, but I knew in my gut that I needed to check it out.

I don't have any pix of the tools yet (1960s Craftsman DBE & DOE sets, 1/4" & 3/8 RHFT ratchets and sockets in original plastic Crown-top boxes, and much more ...) but I just photographed the bottom roller with the top box I photographed yesterday.

The handles are different, so I'm guessing they were made by different manufacturers?

I'm pretty excited. This is my second set of Heritage-era boxes.

Brian

 

[sgs236]

I believe this would be the roll cab for that box. http://toolarchives.com/node/1231

That is a cool roller cabinet. The odds of me ever finding an affordable one are probably somewhere between slim and none.

 

[rlanicek]

My grandfather was 85 when he died in 1997. My uncle recently gave me one of his toolboxes. Untouched.

 

[Outlawmws]

A time capsule!

 

[Blue Frog]

That is a cool roller cabinet. The odds of me ever finding an affordable one are probably somewhere between slim and none.

You might want to consider this one.

http://www.columbusonlineauctions.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?coa11/12


Blue Frog

 

[joe.striper]

Sold a black leatherette Gerstner box to a guy in RI. He invited me to his shop. First the guys a gazzilionaire, secondly he has a thing for Gerstner toolboxes....every box here is a machinist chest most are Gerstner. He has every box Gerstner made and so many cabinets. This isbjust a 10th of his collection.

 

[bagged89s10]

Sold a black leatherette Gerstner box to a guy in RI. He invited me to his shop. First the guys a gazzilionaire, secondly he has a thing for Gerstner toolboxes....every box here is a machinist chest most are Gerstner. He has every box Gerstner made and so many cabinets. This isbjust a 10th of his collection.

That's insane!

 

[00fxd]

I recently came across s Rolla-Bench. 1953 style. It was only the second one I had ever seen so I grabbed it. It's marked KRH-300 but it has the electrics so according to the catalog it makes it a KR-300B.
The owner had a sign painter paint his name on a drawer with additional pinstriping etc which is kinda neat - it had been covered with paint in the past but I used laquer thinner and removed it as carefully as I could
I will paint the box which means removing the handles which are riveted on, but I will leave the section with painted name alone.

 

[BlueBomber]

I recently came across s Rolla-Bench. 1953 style. It was only the second one I had ever seen so I grabbed it. It's marked KRH-300 but it has the electrics so according to the catalog it makes it a KR-300B.
The owner had a sign painter paint his name on a drawer with additional pinstriping etc which is kinda neat - it had been covered with paint in the past but I used laquer thinner and removed it as carefully as I could
I will paint the box which means removing the handles which are riveted on, but I will leave the section with painted name alone.

I dunno...that box has some great patina. It's yours, of course, to do with what you will, but I'd leave it exactly like it is.

 

[00fxd]

Hey Blue, It does look better in the pics. I am also one not to disturb what I don't need to. I already have hours into cleaning and deciding. It was in a body shop so it has a thin coat of lacquer primer on it. I will not re paint the roll down door, I was able to remove most of the primer from it and the original finish is acceptable - and original. . But the sides and back aren't pretty, or the drawer fronts. I have painted boxes before and they look nice .... maybe we'll see
I hate to remove the rivets holding the handles on but it would be nice to shine them up when I paint the drawer fronts.
Maybe 100 more hours with thinner and sos pads ...... and a coat of wax ..

 

[lilredex]

Thanks to Slimpickins and Beatcad, I can now put a name to my Test Rite combo that I got for $2, at the end of an estate sale.

The drawer slides are very basic and are just flat surfaces scraping together. To remedy this I had thought of gluing in a strip of arborite to act as a bearing, then I remembered having some super slippery tape, found earlier at Lee Valley. You can see it in picture #2.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=3,43576,53293&ap=1

I plan to use the upper box for lathe tooling and should fit at the end of my old Southbend.

Probably, the lower section will be wall mounted.

 

[slimpickins]

that box is a test rite.
i had one just like it. it was my 1st stand alone(non carry) box.
i got mine from some antique/junk shop maybe 20/25 years ago for about 80 bucks w/ tools in it.
i outgrew it pretty quick and gave it away a looong time ago.

Thanks to Slimpickins and Beatcad, I can now put a name to my Test Rite combo that I got for $2, at the end of an estate sale.

The drawer slides are very basic and are just flat surfaces scraping together. To remedy this I had thought of gluing in a strip of arborite to act as a bearing, then I remembered having some super slippery tape, found earlier at Lee Valley. You can see it in picture #2.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=32182&cat=3,43576,53293&ap=1

I plan to use the upper box for lathe tooling and should fit at the end of my old Southbend.

Probably, the lower section will be wall mounted.

This is cool. Small world of toolboxes here on GJ!

Test Rite eh!!

This was my main tool box until my dad passed in 2008 when I inherited back the big beach box I gave him.

Cheers!

 

[slimpickins]

here is my beauty that was my grandfathers that he made from scratch it is all hand riveted and soldered joints . I have had this up in my attic for 22 years and thought it would have to get put back in use! I really debated about leaving the patina that it had got over the years but decided to powder coat it but I left the dents in it just as a remembrance of the work that this thing has been through. now it is front and center on my newly restored pullmax machine!

This is wonderful. One of a kind and looks very well made!!!
I detest the new plastic **** boxes that everyone is selling now with the "honeycomb" lid they make for strength. Half the inside space is useless and you can't close the frickin' things if anything is sticking up on the top tray.

One question: What is that red marble looking surface under the toolbox? It almost makes it look like a jewelry box!

Your grandfather had some skill!!!
Hang on to that gem and pass it on to your kids along with the stories!

Cheers!

 

[slimpickins]

That is a cool roller cabinet. The odds of me ever finding an affordable one are probably somewhere between slim and none.

Sorry, never seen one anywhere close to me and I never met anyone named "None"!!!

Sorry, bad jokes... couldn't help it.

Cheers!
Slim

 

[Revere Cycles]

I just bought this red Kennedy stack off a guy from Craigslist; an uncommon intermediate box and bottom roller cabinet. The drawers work perfectly, actually a little nicer than the two wrinkle brown Kennedy cabinets in my basement shop. I have seen other red Kennedy cabinets like this locally, but not with these pulls and the rounded corners.

Unfortunately, in the process of cleaning up the boxes with a mild detergent, I lost one of the wet transfer decals and the White Kennedy logo on the bottom cabinet. Anyone have a good source for replacement decals? I've emailed Kennedy in the past about decals and I did not get a response.

 

[Revere Cycles]

I recently came across s Rolla-Bench. 1953 style. It was only the second one I had ever seen so I grabbed it. It's marked KRH-300 but it has the electrics so according to the catalog it makes it a KR-300B.

Looks great to me! I also have the 300-B with the wiring kit, it came from the estate of a former Coca-Cola fleet mechanic. It looks like yours has a newer badge than mine, plus the optional bottom three drawers which mine does not have.

 

[Mooreag47]

Picked this up last week end

 

[crewchief888]

Picked this up last week end

PLVMB ?

 

[Mooreag47]

Yes got it up in la

 

[FJ 432]

I've been collecting boxes for about 7 years now. I have a small garage which doesn't allow me to keep many but when I saw this one for sale I decided to make to take a 40 mile drive to buy this one off of CL for 400.00. Certainly not a bargain but it has been taken care of very well by the PO.

A 1957 Snap On top box KR61 with a 1957 bottom roller a KR302. The patina and the overall condition made me fall in love. Trying to fit it in I decided to take a couple of family photos: (from the left)

1940's pair k60 top and k200 bottom
1940's plomb project that I hope to complete this fall
1957 boxes mentioned above
1967 KRA61B top and KRA300B

 

[taumac]

FJ 432 That's a really nice family you have there. [emoji1303]