The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[murph64]

I can't see the handle/lock on yours, but the drawers look the same as the one I have. It's a Union box...The green one I also think is a Union.

Is there any way to date Kennedys?

And I can't forget about JC Penny...



Andy

 

[Tool Pants]

Looks like your Kennedy has the lid stay on the right. On mine it is on the left.

 

[crewchief888]

wards powr kraft boxes saved from scrap dumpster

 

[ifpu375]

Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

I finally bought a vintage Craftsman chest and glide cabinet. Unfortunately, the chest has a lot of bumper stickers on it. I need some advice in restoring/cleaning it up and would appreciate some advice from the experts that frequent this forum.

1. Best way to get the bumper stickers off? Should I leave them? Will it look worse if I pull them off?

2. Some of the red color has faded. Is that likely because of oxidation? or faded paint color? [I am confident that the pieces were not in the sun since I bought them from a beauty salon.]

3. If the faded color is the result of oxidation, do I wax it? What is the materials and process needed for waxing?

4. Thoughts on repainting? I don't have a work space, it will be placed in a dining room, and I don't have a lot of time and money to spend on repainting. Any quick fixes?

Other advice much appreciated as well.

 

[Mickey O]

Re: Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

I finally bought a vintage Craftsman chest and glide cabinet. Unfortunately, the chest has a lot of bumper stickers on it. I need some advice in restoring/cleaning it up and would appreciate some advice from the experts that frequent this forum.

1. Best way to get the bumper stickers off? Should I leave them? Will it look worse if I pull them off?

Heat gun and/or lighter fluid (naptha).

2. Some of the red color has faded. Is that likely because of oxidation? or faded paint color? [I am confident that the pieces were not in the sun since I bought them from a beauty salon.]

No idea.

3. If the faded color is the result of oxidation, do I wax it? What is the materials and process needed for waxing?

Rubbing or polishing compound, maybe even wet sanding with very, very fine sand paper.

4. Thoughts on repainting? I don't have a work space, it will be placed in a dining room, and I don't have a lot of time and money to spend on repainting. Any quick fixes?

I wouldn't repaint it unless it was necessary, it's a tool box.

Other advice much appreciated as well.

Fill it with lots of quality USA made tools.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Re: Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

I finally bought a vintage Craftsman chest and glide cabinet. Unfortunately, the chest has a lot of bumper stickers on it. I need some advice in restoring/cleaning it up and would appreciate some advice from the experts that frequent this forum.

1. Best way to get the bumper stickers off? Should I leave them? Will it look worse if I pull them off?

2. Some of the red color has faded. Is that likely because of oxidation? or faded paint color? [I am confident that the pieces were not in the sun since I bought them from a beauty salon.]

3. If the faded color is the result of oxidation, do I wax it? What is the materials and process needed for waxing?

4. Thoughts on repainting? I don't have a work space, it will be placed in a dining room, and I don't have a lot of time and money to spend on repainting. Any quick fixes?

Other advice much appreciated as well.

For stickers, I use a razor blade. Always works fine. Just be careful not to use too much pressure so you don't scratch the paint up.

If the box is that old, then the paint is likely faded from age. You can use simple car wax on the box if you wish.

Repainting depends on the shape of the box. Also depends if you want to keep it as original as possible. I've repainted forty year old toolboxes, and decided not to on 25 year old boxes. Depends on condition...and what you'll be using it for as well. Why is it going in a dining room?

Do you have some pictures you can post?

 

[crewchief888]

Re: Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

I finally bought a vintage Craftsman chest and glide cabinet. Unfortunately, the chest has a lot of bumper stickers on it. I need some advice in restoring/cleaning it up and would appreciate some advice from the experts that frequent this forum.

1. Best way to get the bumper stickers off? Should I leave them? Will it look worse if I pull them off?

2. Some of the red color has faded. Is that likely because of oxidation? or faded paint color? [I am confident that the pieces were not in the sun since I bought them from a beauty salon.]

3. If the faded color is the result of oxidation, do I wax it? What is the materials and process needed for waxing?

4. Thoughts on repainting? I don't have a work space, it will be placed in a dining room, and I don't have a lot of time and money to spend on repainting. Any quick fixes?

Other advice much appreciated as well.

just my 2 cents,
i like the look of vintage boxes, they have character, and a "story" behind them.
if the paint is badly faded, the area under the stickers probably wont be faded. it's gonna look like hell.
the last new boxes i bought in 1986 or so, they are slightly faded, ive used wax/cleaner with color match on mine. it'll never look new again, but it has character

ive repainted a couple boxes over the years, a set of kennedy boxes that i sanded the rinkle finish off of and painted black, and a dumpster salvaged snapon theat was painted red/ white/blue , white lightning bolts and stars to match our race truck.
it was our roll out box from the race trailer. we kept stuff that we used to prep the trucks for racing, tire pressure guage, jet kit, tools to swap radiator, electrical connectors and tools, spare rolloffs, gloves, cordless drill, slef drilling screws and impact to zip off panel bolts.
built a frame out of an old hand truck with a steering handle on the front wheel.

looked great sitting outside the trailer next to the 2 red white& blue race trucks

 

[ujmchris]

Ward Powr Kraft I started cleaning up a bit tonight. I'd love to leave the patina but I think it's gonna need a blast and paint.

 

[Hellcat6]

Re: Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

I finally bought a vintage Craftsman chest and glide cabinet. Unfortunately, the chest has a lot of bumper stickers on it. I need some advice in restoring/cleaning it up and would appreciate some advice from the experts that frequent this forum.

1. Best way to get the bumper stickers off? Should I leave them? Will it look worse if I pull them off?

2. Some of the red color has faded. Is that likely because of oxidation? or faded paint color? [I am confident that the pieces were not in the sun since I bought them from a beauty salon.]

3. If the faded color is the result of oxidation, do I wax it? What is the materials and process needed for waxing?

4. Thoughts on repainting? I don't have a work space, it will be placed in a dining room, and I don't have a lot of time and money to spend on repainting. Any quick fixes?

Other advice much appreciated as well.

What a great story, a toolbox from a beauty salon ends up in the dining room. My wife always makes me repaint the dining room toolboxes!

 

[Mickey O]

Re: Help with Clean Up of Craftsman

What a great story, a toolbox from a beauty salon ends up in the dining room. My wife always makes me repaint the dining room toolboxes!

Nothing wrong with a dining room toolbox, just so long as there is enough room for the motorcycle:

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Ward Powr Kraft I started cleaning up a bit tonight. I'd love to leave the patina but I think it's gonna need a blast and paint.

That one will definitely look better with a repaint.

 

[arkangel06]

wards powr kraft boxes saved from scrap dumpster

Now thats a nice find!

I dont know who would put that in a dumpster

 

[crewchief888]

Now thats a nice find!

I dont know who would put that in a dumpster

you would be surprised at what people toss in dumpsters, or leave out for the tarshman to pickup. couple years ago, i found a large metal wall cabinet alongside the road for trash pickup, while i was loading it up i noticed some square tube laying there, i figured what the hell, never know when i may "need" it. after pulling out a couple of pieces i found out i had an engine hoist minus the hyd jack. quick trip to HF and a few 1/2" bolts and i had a complete hoist.
i have a snapon roller cab that i pulled from a scrap dumpster at work one day, seems the guy was moving and the box rolled out of the back of the truck. it was tweaked pretty bad. i pulled out the drawers, pushed, pulled and beat on the outer shell till the drawers would slide easy

wife gets mad at me for not tossing things away after a remodeling project in the house, but her one daughter wnted to move her bedroom downstairs, and wanted a screen or something for a little proivacy, i went in the pump room downstairs and pulled out 3 doors that we had removed from the kitchen/ back stairs, recut the hinge mortise, and screwed them all together, instant room divider

 

[arkangel06]

you would be surprised at what people toss in dumpsters, or leave out for the tarshman to pickup. couple years ago, i found a large metal wall cabinet alongside the road for trash pickup, while i was loading it up i noticed some square tube laying there, i figured what the hell, never know when i may "need" it. after pulling out a couple of pieces i found out i had an engine hoist minus the hyd jack. quick trip to HF and a few 1/2" bolts and i had a complete hoist.
i have a snapon roller cab that i pulled from a scrap dumpster at work one day, seems the guy was moving and the box rolled out of the back of the truck. it was tweaked pretty bad. i pulled out the drawers, pushed, pulled and beat on the outer shell till the drawers would slide easy

wife gets mad at me for not tossing things away after a remodeling project in the house, but her one daughter wnted to move her bedroom downstairs, and wanted a screen or something for a little proivacy, i went in the pump room downstairs and pulled out 3 doors that we had removed from the kitchen/ back stairs, recut the hinge mortise, and screwed them all together, instant room divider

Thats pretty awesome!

talk about living in a ''throw away'' society no one fixes things they just get thrown away

 

[Shadowdog500]

Now thats a nice find!

I dont know who would put that in a dumpster

I hate to say it, but sometimes allot of good stuff gets tossed out when people die. When the family cleans out the house they don't always want the stuff and don't want to go through the hassle or have the time to find a good home for it, so they put it out in the trash. I would never threw out tools but I'm guilty of throwing out good stuff when my father in law died last September. Like allot of depression era people he never threw anything out, and his house was literally crammed with enough stuff to fill at least 5 to 10 dumpsters, and we had to clear out the house, so anything that could not be donated to charity went to the dump.

Chris

 

[crewchief888]

Thats pretty awesome!

talk about living in a ''throw away'' society no one fixes things they just get thrown away

wife gave me a big thank you that night

 

[crewchief888]

I hate to say it, but sometimes allot of good stuff gets tossed out when people die. When the family cleans out the house they don't always want the stuff and don't want to go through the hassle or have the time to find a good home for it, so they put it out in the trash. I would never threw out tools but I'm guilty of throwing out good stuff when my father in law died last September. Like allot of depression era people he never threw anything out, and his house was literally crammed with enough stuff to fill at least 5 to 10 dumpsters, and we had to clear out the house, so anything that could not be donated to charity went to the dump.

Chris

when my mom sold her house several years ago, she had 30+ years of "stuff" some went in a garage sale, some was given away, and she wanted me to have some of it. i realy didnt want most of it, but i took it anyway, and sorted through the stuff at my place before i tossed most of it.

when i bought my house, the original owners had both passed away, grown kid divided up the stuff, gave some of his wookworking tools to a long time neighbor, but left his woodworking bench in his basement shop. it's ugly as hell, beat up, but i'll probably never get rid of it.
like all the original stained and varnished trim in the house it's part of the house.

 

[regguy1]

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

Andy

FYI: I have one that appears similar in construction but with a different drawer configuration. I bought it used in 1967 from a tool man, he took it in trade on a new one...a Chevy dealer had been broken into and tools stolen. This box had the lock pried open. I bought it as is and repaired it and put in a new lock. I repainted it some years ago and now use it in my basement workroom. I think I've gotten my 45.00 worth? The Mfg. Tag was / is still on it : MBC Metal Box and Cabinet Co. Chicago, Ill

My guess is it was a year or two old when I bought it (?)
The dealership broken into was Edgewater Chevrolet in Cleveland, Ohio
maybe someone remembers it. It was a popular dealer for GM high performance parts back then.

 

[murph64]

The layout is a little different, but the profile of the drawer pulls looks exactly the same. Interesting...


Andy

 

[selohssa]

It has only been a couple of months that I have been really looking at vintage tool boxes. Now I see them everywhere. I was at a friends house the other day and got to looking at his old toolbox. It has not been used in years because he bought a much larger box to replace it. I thought that the little side cabinets might be cool to see so I am posting some pics. He bought them new in 87 for $200 a piece. I have never seen small ones like this before.

 

[ears]

I picked up another pair yesterday, an MBC bottom box, pretty similar to a SO kr396. It is dirty but everything works fine, even has a key. Could use a repaint but that probably wont happen. My best guess on date would be 50's the side shelf is a '54 and everything else the man had was more or less from then.

The top box I think is a Snap on K60, but cant find any marking. It needs, and will get redone, the front panel is missing and the top needs fixed, the rest of the box is not too bad, just clean and paint, whack a few dings out. The lid needs the spot welds drilled and a new hinge welded on and a front cover made. Now if I could stop buying stuff to fix up and actually fix something up.

 

[jshillin]

Sweet, I thought someone put the receptacle on the side of the MBC box I picked up a couple weeks ago, but I guess it came like that now... Look for a date stamp, it should be on the front, very bottom left corner. Nice box... How much did it set you back??

 

[ears]

Sweet, I thought someone put the receptacle on the side of the MBC box I picked up a couple weeks ago, but I guess it came like that now... Look for a date stamp, it should be on the front, very bottom left corner. Nice box... How much did it set you back??

I looked for a stamp couldn't see anything, you can see the clean spot. Monday or tuesday I will clean it up better and look again. I paid $150 for the pair full, a lot of junk I threw out. Probably $50 or more in scrap brass.A good bit of decent older tools.

This is what I managed to salvage.

 

[xodeuce]

My uncle gave me his second toolbox set that he bought as a professional mechanic. The top box is a Mac Tools circa 1971, and the bottom is a Craftsman Commercial circa 1973 or so. There were quite a few tools in both of them, as well as an assortment of gaskets, hoses, and other assorted small automobile parts. It's been really fun going through all the tools. I'm planning on degreasing everything and cleaning it up. Barring any major rust that needs to be taken care of, I want to leave it in its current state. It's cool how much history it all has, and I don't see any reason to make it look brand new.

 

[selohssa]

I picked up another pair yesterday, Now if I could stop buying stuff to fix up and actually fix something up.

I can relate. Nice score on the boxes.

 

[jbbies]

Hey your MAC box looks alot like mine....I have been looking for info on them...do you know about what years they were made. I have had mine for years its in good shape.

 

[jbbies]

Selohssa Do you have shelves in the side locker or is it all open?

 

[dustin19]

i have my grandpas sk toolbox from the 50's when he worked at cambells soup he bought it from a guy who worked at are local sk plant for a meager 50 bucks cause it had a couple scratches on it..... ill post some pics later this week when i get out to garage still not up to full strength after being sick.... its beat up but still works

 

[selohssa]

Selohssa Do you have shelves in the side locker or is it all open?

That box belongs to EARS, not me.

 

[jbbies]

Sorry for the Mixup got into a hurry

 

[willy3486]

How are these for vintage? The first one is a original Packard automotive wiring tool box. I have never seen another one. Its in really great shape. I bought what was left of a old radio repair shop out over 20 years ago. This box was in it. The other box is one I have had for years. I have no idea what year or brand. They may have been military. They were a dark green. I had two of them just alike but I don't know where or if I still have the other. Does anyone know the year or age of them?

 

[tvacula]

Here's my Duplex top box I inherited from my brother back in the late '70s on top of an S-K roll cabinet I bought from a local mechanic in the mid '80s. Took this picture right before I put my new Horror Freight 13 drawer bottom box under the Duplex.

View media item 3207

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Duplex? Who made those?!

 

[Flash21]

Duplex? Who made those?!

As far as I know, they did! I've tried to dig up someone on the board that knows something (anything) about Duplex boxes and I've struck out. No info yet, I'm hoping someone shows up that knows something about Duplex.

 

[p1mlb03]

Ran across this old box this AM on CL. Any idea who made this box and about how old do you think it might be? Worth looking into to keep it out of the scrap pile?

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/tls/1581512500.html

 

[murph64]

For 25 clams? Schitt yeah...How far of a drive is it?



Andy

 

[dustin19]

Ran across this old box this AM on CL. Any idea who made this box and about how old do you think it might be? Worth looking into to keep it out of the scrap pile?

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/tls/1581512500.html

kennedy......... have one exactly the same i got for 15 at a garage sale last summer ....... in a whole lot better shape..... pass unless u think u can clean it up....

 

[p1mlb03]

For 25 clams? Schitt yeah...How far of a drive is it?



Andy

Ad says midtown, so it cant be more then a couple miles since that's where I'm at.

-----------------
kennedy......... have one exactly the same i got for 15 at a garage sale last summer ....... in a whole lot better shape..... pass unless u think u can clean it up....
Yeah, thats about what I was thinking, $15 is about top dollar for that box in that condition. Thanks, Mike

 

[orsche]

I am new to this site and it is awesome! I have come across this 1927-1929 Snap-on Tools Cabinet recently that I wanted to share with everyone. Even has some original tools with it. (Sorry for the bad picture, took it with my cell phone...It was up in a loft in garage in Mass. It has some original tools with it too..I will get better pictures (including the inside and tools) tomorrow if anyone wants to see it. Let me know what you think...Robert

 

[selohssa]

WOW! that is a great first post.