The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Interesting stuff. Lots of Tim Hortons down here too.

Regarding the tool box, I don't know if these are unique to Canada but the lid is very simple. Up or down, that's it. There is no hinged panel to cover the drawers when not in use. The drawer lock is a manual bar at the inside back of the box ... very simple.

From the back it's almost identical to my KR537D...(the first link in my signature). It's nice how the lid covers the front drawers and all, but I've always wondered how necessary that was...

 

[VegasBruce]

I picked this up off CL yesterday.

 

[Mickey O]

That's a sweet MBC chest!! It wouldn't happen to be for sale?
http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/tls/1496781421.html

It is, so is this one (below) and a few more, I'm cleaning house.

 

[Fhunter1]

Just remember...you asked for it!

The only box I have that's less than twenty years old is a Craftsman rollaway from '94.


Snap Ons...made between '83-85...last one is '77

Old Craftsmans...

'87 Craftsman, '77 Waterloo...

'78 Waterloo

I see a WCSX Bumper sticker. Are you orginailly from the Motor City or only the box?

 

[Don 18]

Here is my contribution:

and my favorite drawer

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I see a WCSX Bumper sticker. Are you orginailly from the Motor City or only the box?

Very observant. I grew up in Michigan.

I even remember when WCSX was a great station!

 

[lkg907]

OLD tool boxes

I'm sorry. I thought you guys said you wanted to see OLD tool boxes.
LKG

 

[old salvage]

Tool **** threads are always awesome. ' Whoofffff '

 

[Bull]

VegasBruce, that thing rules. How much did you snag it for? probably a song!

 

[VegasBruce]

VegasBruce, that thing rules. How much did you snag it for? probably a song!

Pretty much so, my wife bought it for me. It was only 75 bucks.

 

[torqueman2002]

Here's a couple of those "grey and red" Craftsman boxes. The roller/chest combo was given to me by my Dad about 10 years ago as a wedding present. It was one of his first tool boxes. He re-painted it prior to giving to me. As I was cleaning up @ his shop a few weeks back, I found a matching "roadbox" as he called it. He let me have it also, so I cleaned and painted it up too. All three are 1966 models.

Great vintage boxes! Good to see you keeping them alive!

 

[mjozefow]

I love how all of the old boxes had real handles. The more modern setups are nice too, but handles make the unit look very purpose-built.

 

[VegasBruce]

The new stuff is more industrial looking, it doesn't have the art deco style of old.

 

[JohnFreeman]

Man, that's a beautiful box. I love C'man stuff from this era.

Great resto job!

John

Here is my CMan from the 40s, top and bottom box. Restored and used every day. This thing was also filled with tools when I got it at an estate sale....for $35!

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

bump

C'mon guys, I know there's more of you out there w/stuff to post!

 

[mjozefow]

btt....Any more of those neat Matco's?

 

[wreckercologist]

Lots of nice, old iron (er, uh.....sheetmetal) here!

Here's a few pics of my dad's old Craftsman top chest and my Kennedy.

The Kennedy is from Ebay for cheap. I also used to own a old square top Kennedy but I gave it away to a friend. He uses it to store his reloading tools and such.

The Craftsman top is IIRC late sixties and there is a matching roll cab out back in the shed (no pics and it's plenty worn out). There are about three heavy coats of paint on the chest. The original gray/red, a coat of gray, a coat of Yellow Freight yellow(actually called Swamp Hollow Orange, go figure), and another coat of gray. Some of the drawer faces have been pulled off and repaired. Still in fair, usuable condition. The roll cab is another story.

 

[colt zantop]

that grey craftsman box is bad a$$!!!!

 

[thirdmouse]

Here is my Kennedy on an old bottom cabinet. I picked this up at a barn sale. I have no idea what the bottom cabinet is. It's possible it could even be a shop made piece. I stood the toolbox of up off the base with a couple 2x6s. It gives me a little bit more room to set **** on top of the cabinet and not interfere with the toolbox drawers.

 

[scoutkid]

It's getting there I am working between my home garage and my shop right now, so i have tools and chests all over the place. This is the one I am leaving at home, for now.

 

[T56 Impala]

Not much of a photo, but here is my fathers USAAF Simonsen tool box. Circa 1944.


Pre restoration:



After restoration:

 

[colt zantop]

wow...that turned out nice!

 

[TheGrooveking]

not sure of the other one though.

The other one is a Kennedy VersaCart, they made them in 3 configurations, one for 27" wide roller cabinet to be placed on it, one for 29" wide roller cabinet and one that had a tooling holder for CNC machine setup for holding the tooling in CAT40 or CAT50 tapered collets.

I have the exact model for the 29" roller cabinet that was thrown out by the punch press department that we had converted over to hydraulic clamping systems for the dies. I bought a Kennedy 295 off a maintenance guy who was quiting for $200 back in 1987. I still use it to this day, I keep at work so when I get called out to a machine I can roll it right up. I covered both a piece of 1/2" plywood and a piece of 1/2" PVC on top of that (I used to do a lot of work with corrosive liquid pumps in my circuitboard days). I also mounted a Wilton vise on top of it, so it is literally a rolling bench right where I am working. I'll post pictures of mine when I get back to work, mine was originally red, but I sprayed it textured brown to match the roller cabinet. Mine has had brake fluid split on it and the paint is as fugly as can be, but it is a good box.

TheGrooveking

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

PLOMB "Toolmobiles"

Only ones I've ever seen..................other than the catalog...............must be from different years, as one is ink stamped Plomb, the other is embossed. Mid 1940's??.........1948 or prior for sure (Plomb became Proto roughly in 1948/1949).

Need restored. Unusual features, they have "louvers" at the bottom of the cabinets, and at least one drawer in each have fine mesh for drawer bottoms......presumably to dissipate moisture, and help keep things dry???

The one on the left has the optional piston/connecting rod/valve rack.

 

[selohssa]

These are some boxes that I bought the other day. I wanted some of the tools that came with it. The top box I will re-sell but the middle, I think that I will restore it and use it on my desk as my in / out box. I assume that the 56 on the model number is the year that the top was made but the bottom has no stamp at all.

 

[Flash21]

Cool old Duplex

Jim (or anyone else) -

Do you have any history or details on Duplex? I have one too that I'll have to post a picture of all cleaned up and filled. I've searched the net trying to find information on the company and couldn't come up with any history. A recent thread here, didn't get a single response which suprised me:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52190&highlight=duplex


I think my father bought this tool box around 1964 or 1965. It is VERY well built and reminds me of the Snap-On boxes from the era. Check out the handle on the vintage Cornwell in this thread and the handle on my top box, same handle.

I was extremely lucky to run into a garagejournal member that was selling this so I bought it. I've never seen another set like this. The set is united and looks awesome together.

Check out that bolt together construction! The guy I bought it from bought it from an old skool retired machinst that worked at McDonnell Douglas in CA.


Here is is together, this is before the clean up.

 

[Flash21]

I have to add this for Ramblur, he bought this at the Crane Cams liquidation auction. this is the box I think of first when I think cool vintage box, 1965 vintage.

found under the drawers:

Restored / Restoration photos:

More here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/...8&highlight=crane+cams+snap+toolbox&showall=1

 

[tortron]

My Britool box -circa 1946-56

now full of vintage tools - some 100 years+

Just picked up this set, unsure on age - but easily 20 years old

an early made in Japan set - unsure on age but is still using the hex drive rather than square drive on the sockets

I keep all my paint guns in an old army ammo box - date stamped 1946
all my taps and dies are in an old handyman sidchrome box with a nice swage line around the lid

 

[MOPARHOUND!]

Late 1940's Snap-On, top/middle/roll cab........(middle box purchased separately)..................

 

[selohssa]

I have to add this for Ramblur, he bought this at the Crane Cams liquidation auction. this is the box I think of first when I think cool vintage box, 1965 vintage.[/url]

That is hands down my favorite box. Other than the catalog pictures of these I have never seen one before. Does anyone else have one or know of one? I would love to see more pictures of this model. I was searching for used Snap on boxes the other day and found a different model with the wood accents. How long did Snap on do this?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

These are some boxes that I bought the other day. I wanted some of the tools that came with it. The top box I will re-sell but the middle, I think that I will restore it and use it on my desk as my in / out box. I assume that the 56 on the model number is the year that the top was made but the bottom has no stamp at all.

Man, I wish you were closer. I'd love to buy that top box off you.

 

[55Savoy]

i just picked this one up, Maybe a bit later Duplex?? Tag missing and no other markings.

Jim (or anyone else) -

Do you have any history or details on Duplex? I have one too that I'll have to post a picture of all cleaned up and filled. I've searched the net trying to find information on the company and couldn't come up with any history. A recent thread here, didn't get a single response which suprised me:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52190&highlight=duplex


I think my father bought this tool box around 1964 or 1965. It is VERY well built and reminds me of the Snap-On boxes from the era. Check out the handle on the vintage Cornwell in this thread and the handle on my top box, same handle.

I was extremely lucky to run into a garagejournal member that was selling this so I bought it. I've never seen another set like this. The set is united and looks awesome together.

Check out that bolt together construction! The guy I bought it from bought it from an old skool retired machinst that worked at McDonnell Douglas in CA.


Here is is together, this is before the clean up.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Here are my boxes, I know the first two are old, and the third may be.

Box #1. Bought used out of the back of a Snap on truck in the mid eighties, someone traded it in earlier in the day. Forget what I paid, but I think it was around $100 cash. I was thrilled to have it, and painted them so they match. Top box is a Mac, and the bottom is a Rem Line.

The second was bought in the late '80s when a friend upgraded to one of those humungous boxes that started to come out back then. The top and bottom are Craftsman and I really don't know what the middle is. I think I paid him like $50 or $75 bucks.

The third was bought a few years ago at a yard sale for around $25. it is a Crafstman.

Chris

 

[crewchief888]

kr550/555 i bought new around 1986 for $2250, along with the other boxes i was using at the time


craftsman red/grey from the 70's flea market find for $25

old MAC side box (possibly mid 80's ?) that i use for air tool storage in my service truck

 

[jwitt]

Jim (or anyone else) -

Do you have any history or details on Duplex? I have one too that I'll have to post a picture of all cleaned up and filled. I've searched the net trying to find information on the company and couldn't come up with any history. A recent thread here, didn't get a single response which suprised me:

Sorry, I don't know any history but I think mine may have been military as it is olive drab on the inside with a bad black repaint on the outside.

Jim

 

[Flash21]

Sorry, I don't know any history but I think mine may have been military as it is olive drab on the inside with a bad black repaint on the outside.

Jim

Thanks anyway, appreciate the reply It is a mystery so far, hopefully one day someone will show up here that knows something about Duplex

 

[TheGrooveking]

That is one sharp setup. I've never seen that model before.

TheGrooveking

I have to add this for Ramblur, he bought this at the Crane Cams liquidation auction. this is the box I think of first when I think cool vintage box, 1965 vintage.

found under the drawers:

Restored / Restoration photos:

More here:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/...8&highlight=crane+cams+snap+toolbox&showall=1

 

[trailwart]

i know he bought it at a liquidation, but does anybody know what that box would sell for. anybody know of past sale prices on these. just curious

 

[Flash21]

i know he bought it at a liquidation, but does anybody know what that box would sell for. anybody know of past sale prices on these. just curious

I posed that thought on one of the other threads...very curious to wonder what that would bring on an open auction format with all the right buyers there.

I didn't see anyone comment on seeing another one like it or any past sales.

 

[murph64]

Here's mine. My wife picked up all three pieces at a garage sale for $10. Looked pretty bad & had obviously been left out in the rain. I sandblasted them & just painted them with what paint I had lying around. I've no clue as to the manufactuer.

[/IMG]

I think I have that top box, and it might still have a sticker or stamp on it. I'll check tomorrow.

Andy