Let's Hear it for the Old Gray/Red Sears Craftsman Tool Chests and Cabinets (60s/70s)

[Rileysan]

Very well built cart, indeed! I will be building something similar with one of my earlier 3 drawer rollers this winter.

For those who are wondering, the earlier version of the gray & red rollers didn't use drawer slides, the drawers roll on tracks. Besides the drawers, the earlier boxes can also be distinguished from the later "I-frame" rollers by the smooth sides (as opposed to recessed) and bolt-on handle. If none of those things jump out at you from a picture from an online ad, look at the location of the lock. The earlier rollers have the lock located on the cabinet door instead of the frame below the door.

Great find!

I have attached a capture from a 1964 Craftsman catalog as well as two photos I took of the tracks & rollers used on the early drawers.

Brian

 

[ndfan6464]

Man I wish they would have stayed with those types of slides over the friction slides. I have one like it as well and to this day it's still smoother then the others.

 

[markbugno]

Ndfan6464: yes, it was on a farm outside Salem.


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[ndfan6464]

Ndfan6464: yes, it was on a farm outside Salem.


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HAHAH man thought so. It's funny cause I sent that add to my wife, she's up in OH with her parents while I am deployed. I said I need you to go pick this up, her reply was NO WAY you enough..haha.. plus it wouldn't fit in her car..lol. glad you got it man.. it looks tough

 

[6pony6]

Picked this up today for $40. It's super clean! Dated 05 76.

Does anyone have a guess on when the red/grays went from the chevron logo to this one? Took a quick look through a 76 catalog and only saw the black and red boxes.







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[Rileysan]

Picked this up today for $40. It's super clean! Dated 05 76.

Does anyone have a guess on when the red/grays went from the chevron logo to this one?

Took a quick look through a 76 catalog and only saw the black and red boxes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I KNEW they existed! A gray & red box without a "chevron" logo. Grats on a great find!

brian

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Picked this up today for $40. It's super clean! Dated 05 76.

Does anyone have a guess on when the red/grays went from the chevron logo to this one?

Took a quick look through a 76 catalog and only saw the black and red boxes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great find and nice price! I don't know the answer to your question about the chevron emblem but I've got gray & red 12-drawer top & bottom born 01 76 with it.

 

[gregaz]

Score!!!!!

 

[maxcarp709]

I KNEW they existed! A gray & red box without a "chevron" logo. Grats on a great find!

brian

Another item to use in dating the Gray/Red tool boxes.I call the boxes with the rectangular badges as being from the Sears Best era.I think I remember them being advertised as Sears Best back in the 70s.It could be that as the transition to the Red/Gray lines was being planned,Waterloo ran out of chevron badges,and just slapped on one of the new badges on the boxes with the old color scheme.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Picked up a new gray & red Craftsman yesterday in Carrollton near Dallas. I didn't get a "you ****" price but I'm hopeful it'll be cheap (or free?) after I get rid of some of the tools that were in the box. Born on date of 08-67. This is my first older style Craftsman gray & red. Even more hefty than the mid-70s ones I believe. Very solid. In good shape despite the horrible job the previous owner did with the gray paint. Gentlemen was somewhere in his 80s I'm quite sure but still getting around well. Insisted on helping me load it in my vehicle.

Right now I'm thinking I want to take it down to bare metal and repaint it but we'll see. I'm curious to know about the handles on the ends. Were these chrome plated originally?

I'll post a new thread about the tools in the box as I've got some questions about some of them.

The rod holder was a nice bonus. After I saw he had two of those on his wall I asked if I could take a pic so I could make one for myself. He said sure but then insisted I take one as he only had enough rods to fill one not both. Real nice guy and I love the toolbox AND the fish!

 

[Zeeman]

Nice find there, and a start to an addiction I bet. I think the handles were some kind of plate, but I don't think it was chrome. I sanded and polished one set to get them shiny, and another set was sort of gold in color. I just wire brushed it and put a coat of wax on.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Picked up a new gray & red Craftsman yesterday in Carrollton near Dallas. I didn't get a "you ****" price but I'm hopeful it'll be cheap (or free?) after I get rid of some of the tools that were in the box. Born on date of 08-67. This is my first older style Craftsman gray & red. Even more hefty than the mid-70s ones I believe. Very solid. In good shape despite the horrible job the previous owner did with the gray paint. Gentlemen was somewhere in his 80s I'm quite sure but still getting around well. Insisted on helping me load it in my vehicle.

Right now I'm thinking I want to take it down to bare metal and repaint it but we'll see. I'm curious to know about the handles on the ends. Were these chrome plated originally?

I'll post a new thread about the tools in the box as I've got some questions about some of them.

The rod holder was a nice bonus. After I saw he had two of those on his wall I asked if I could take a pic so I could make one for myself. He said sure but then insisted I take one as he only had enough rods to fill one not both. Real nice guy and I love the toolbox AND the fish!

This was the first original key I've seen. Pretty cool key! IMO. Wish the replacements Waterloo sells looked like the originals.

 

[Rileysan]

This was the first original key I've seen. Pretty cool key! IMO. Wish the replacements Waterloo sells looked like the originals.

Check eBay for originals. I purchased one original key to one of my boxes for ~$10 shipped. They are easy to find since the numbers on the locks correspond to the numbers on the original keys.

Brian

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Check eBay for originals. I purchased one original key to one of my boxes for ~$10 shipped. They are easy to find since the numbers on the locks correspond to the numbers on the original keys.

Brian

Thanks Brian. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Since you know a lot about the Craftsman gray & red...do you know when they stopped using that interesting shaped key? Just curious.

 

[Rileysan]

Thanks Brian. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Since you know a lot about the Craftsman gray & red...do you know when they stopped using that interesting shaped key? Just curious.

That style/shape of key was used well into the 90s but I don't know if they are still available. I haven't tried going to Sears to have new keys made yet, so don't know what's available.

Now I want to check that out ...

Brian

 

[Hiatt1991]

Scored a top and mid box filled with vintage USA craftsman and cornwell tools for 75 bucks. They are both in great shape under all the dirt.

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/FQzz4XF' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/FQzz4XF.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

 

[Rileysan]

Scored a top and mid box filled with vintage USA craftsman and cornwell tools for 75 bucks. They are both in great shape under all the dirt.

Um - even without tools you deserve a "you ****!". Well done!

Brian

 

[Hiatt1991]

Haha. If this forum didn't exist, I probably wouldn't have picked it up! I'm glad I did though as the mid box will get a lot of use and replace my newer midbox that doesn't match.

 

[Rileysan]

Haha. If this forum didn't exist, I probably wouldn't have picked it up! I'm glad I did though as the mid box will get a lot of use and replace my newer midbox that doesn't match.

Without this forum, you would probably lead a normal life! You are a quick learner, young padawan!

 

[Hiatt1991]

Here are some of the tools I found in the box. A ton of USA v and vv craftsman wrenches and screwdrivers along with some proto, matco and snapon tools.

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/HS0hXEP' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/HS0hXEP.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/servMs7' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/servMs7.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/HOMDaKG' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/HOMDaKG.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/6QBRnZ3' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/6QBRnZ3.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/qwlGZ3V' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/qwlGZ3V.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/PgAw3TI' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/PgAw3TI.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/p1VplKo' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/p1VplKo.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/G37Us5W' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/G37Us5W.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/5jB8ikX' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/5jB8ikX.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Your pics are so large it's difficult to view them. Nice haul though on the tools!

 

[Hiatt1991]

Your pics are so large it's difficult to view them. Nice haul though on the tools!

Im sorry about that. Im still figuring out how to upload pictures.

 

[Rileysan]

Here are some of the tools I found in the box. A ton of USA v and vv craftsman wrenches and screwdrivers along with some proto, matco and snapon tools.

Outstanding haul!

As for the size of your pix, it's because you're using imgur to host the photos and the links are embedded in the post and therefore will be displayed full size. If you use the built-in tool (the paper clip on the toolbar) when you reply to a thread, the site will manage the size of the images.

Brian

 

[taumac]

Without this forum, you would probably lead a normal life! You are a quick learner, young padawan!

Bhahahahahahahaha.... I forgot what normal is. I'm too far gone and there's no coming back.

 

[taumac]

Here are some of the tools I found in the box. A ton of USA v and vv craftsman wrenches and screwdrivers along with some proto, matco and snapon tools.

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/HS0hXEP' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/HS0hXEP.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/servMs7' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/servMs7.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/HOMDaKG' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/HOMDaKG.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/6QBRnZ3' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/6QBRnZ3.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/qwlGZ3V' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/qwlGZ3V.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/PgAw3TI' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/PgAw3TI.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/p1VplKo' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/p1VplKo.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/G37Us5W' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/G37Us5W.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/5jB8ikX' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/5jB8ikX.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

Damn, good prices on the boxes and looks to be all useable tools also.

 

[taumac]

Picked up a new gray & red Craftsman yesterday in Carrollton near Dallas. I didn't get a "you ****" price but I'm hopeful it'll be cheap (or free?) after I get rid of some of the tools that were in the box. Born on date of 08-67. This is my first older style Craftsman gray & red. Even more hefty than the mid-70s ones I believe. Very solid. In good shape despite the horrible job the previous owner did with the gray paint. Gentlemen was somewhere in his 80s I'm quite sure but still getting around well. Insisted on helping me load it in my vehicle.

Right now I'm thinking I want to take it down to bare metal and repaint it but we'll see. I'm curious to know about the handles on the ends. Were these chrome plated originally?

I'll post a new thread about the tools in the box as I've got some questions about some of them.

The rod holder was a nice bonus. After I saw he had two of those on his wall I asked if I could take a pic so I could make one for myself. He said sure but then insisted I take one as he only had enough rods to fill one not both. Real nice guy and I love the toolbox AND the fish!

Nice find. Those handles I can't tell you about. Some of mine where plated with something but couldn't tell you with what. There's many silver chrome paints you can redo them with. I redid mine but I used paint all up and don't have cam here to post. Here's what it looks like finished.

 

[Zeeman]

Here are two of my handles. They are different colors. One is wire wheeled, sanded, and polished. The other is just wire wheeled.

 

[xman_charl]

small little roller, about 35 years old...




Charl

 

[Hiatt1991]

small little roller, about 35 years old...




Charl

Nice. I got one of those too as well as a top box from my grandfather a few years ago. They work a lot better than the new craftsman box I have.

 

[Rileysan]

small little roller, about 35 years old...




Charl

It's a little bit older than that. The last year(s) these were available in this color was ~1976-77 You should be able to locate the stamped manufacturing date on the front. Find the lock. Move your eyes all the way to the right side, just above the right/front wheel. It should have a 4 digit code stamped into the face.

Brian

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Here are two of my handles. They are different colors. One is wire wheeled, sanded, and polished. The other is just wire wheeled.

Thanks for the pics Zeeman. I'm thinking mine will clean up like the two in the right pic. Good having an idea of what they should look like when finished.

 

[Zeeman]

No problem TX. Post some pictures when you're finished. I'm curious about what the finishes would have been. The ones I posted above (on the left) were toast when I started. so I could see no plating. I'm thinking that the gold-ish color might be one of the steps in the plating process, and the final coat flaked off???

 

[Hiatt1991]

Ended up getting another box. Guy had some older proto and craftsman tools in it he forgot to take out so he threw them in. He was asking $200 but I talked him down to $120. I have a replacement craftsman badge for the lower box but it came with the original one. It has broken mounts so I may just glue it back on and save my spare badge.

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/TfNySWp' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/TfNySWp.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

 

[ndfan6464]

Just picked these up the other day. Little rough on the outside. Could use some TLC. But everything works like factory new. The born on dates are 66, 67 and 74.

All of the boxes came chock full of tools. Some **** tools but most were definitely keepable.

 

[maxcarp709]

Good score ndfan! I got my top chest and mid box repainted.I think they turned out great.

 

[ndfan6464]

Man those came out killer maxcarp!! Nicely done.

What brand and color did you use to paint them? I picked up a mid box FINALLY! going Tuesday to pick it up

 

[Rileysan]

Nice find - all of you!

I picked this 2d hand carry box up yesterday at a swap meet.

When I saw it, I obviously noticed the color of the box and the later Craftsman badge. Up until this point, I had assumed that these boxes were made during the transition of colors from gray w/ red drawers to red w/ gray drawers from 1976-77. The square Craftsman badge also started appearing around that time as well, which made it easy to assume this box was from that time period.

Throw away your timelines, people!

This box was stamped "11-82" or, November, 1982. I never imagined that any gray & red box was made in the 80s, but this one definitely proves it since it has the original decal on it from the day it was sold; the paint is original from 1982!

Brian

 

[Zeeman]

Very good information Brian. Do you think the two drawer is more of a silver color than gray?

 

[Rileysan]

Very good information Brian. Do you think the two drawer is more of a silver color than gray?

Two things you need to consider. One, I took the photo with a cheap LG smartphone so the color in the photo may be inaccurate, B) it's a portable box so the possibility of sun exposure causing colors to fade is a possibility, and 3) I'm color blind and am totally unreliable when it comes to determining color. Remember: I bought a 3d roller and had no idea it was painted green!

Brian

 

[Zeeman]

That's funny! I'm colorblind too, but not that bad. I was mainly wondering if some of the smaller carry boxes were actually silver and not gray.