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Restoring my two vintage Blackhawk toolboxes

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y'sguy

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Tulsa, Oklahoma
Oldtuleguy said:
Very nice!
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Thank you very much!, Oldtuleguy
Shelbylex said:
Nice!Great job!
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Glad you like it, Shelbylex
JoCoSawdust said:
Fantastic job bringing that thing back to life!
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JoCoSawdust It's not done yet, but I'm workin' on it!
Private Lugnutz said:
I'm sending you all the toolboxes in my 'To Be Restored' Queue.
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Hey!! Private Lugnutz I am too slow and grouchy to do more work! But thanks anyway, I guess! ;)
bj383ss said:
Looks awesome!
Bret
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Thank you, thank you Bret
FJ 432 said:
What a transformation. Can’t wait to see the bottom roller.
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FJ 432Sorry for the wait, here is the start of it, anyway. Thanks for checking up.
930dreamer said:
Very nice, I need the two chrome edge pieces for mine.
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930dreamer Well you can't have mine! but, today I found something that just might work for you, 930dreamer at the auto parts store. Chrome strips come in 3/4" and 1" about 15- 19 bucks for a role. I bet it would be a good substitute for you. :thumbup:

thehorse13 said:
Wow, this looks great. I'm already jealous of the roller and I haven't even seen the finished product yet.
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thehorse13 Please don't be jealous of me just because I have a beautiful toolbox! :bowdown: I couldn't resist typing that.

So today was again 97 degrees in the shop! (More on why I don't have air con out there at a later date or thread!) My fantastic wife heard my feeble plea and thought it would be OK to bring the box into the back bedroom to work on. Woohoo! She's great.

So, one would hope that productivity would increase…:headscrat

It did if you consider that I continued to install panels and hardware in the opposite position they belonged. And yes I did have reference photos, you may ask! Oh well, I learned a lot more patience and grace by the today's process.

I measured these different brackets and convinced myself where there proper location was. 180 degrees off. So the rebuilding was kinda like that this afternoon. But I was cool and comfortable and learned by continuing to make mistakes. It all works out.
:beer:

These are the little buggers that threw me off today. But I conquered them finally!

 
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Farmer J.

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Progress looking great so far, shame you have to do some of it twice but that happens sometimes.. Boxes look so clean and white maybe they could become permanent bedroom furniture!
 
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twertsy

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Man those are awesome. To quantify my jealousy, I have a nationwide CL search set up for these that runs each morning...........NEVER see them come up (or they're mis-identified.)
 
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y'sguy

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Farmer J. said:
Progress looking great so far, shame you have to do some of it twice but that happens sometimes.. Boxes look so clean and white maybe they could become permanent bedroom furniture!
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Farmer J yes, surprisingly one of the first mistakes I've ever made! NOT. Thanks, they are clean!, I have already broken in one of them with a scratch though. Had to happen sooner or later. They are just toolboxes, right? My understanding wife allowed me to do this assembly insidde the house on a limited time basis! I can't push my luck with it as bedroom furniture. But those times that I get to spend QST it will already be out there.

twertsy said:
Man those are awesome. To quantify my jealousy, I have a nationwide CL search set up for these that runs each morning...........NEVER see them come up (or they're mis-identified.)
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twertsy Yeah, I am fortunate to have this one. The top box I came across by accident. That was about 40 years ago. Gadzooks!

Got the casters setup and on it's feet again. Used some silcone sealer to add some bumpers inside to keep the panel doors from clanking against the back inside. The brackets and slides were bent from over the years when I took it apart. As some of you know these originally had a cool art deco wheel fairing on the bottom. I never saw it and my Dad installed this setup eons ago. The originals did not swivel, you had to lift with the handles and turn, as I have been told.

View media item 95537
Was anxious to put the stainless trim back and dreading it. The tape turned out to not be necessary, really. I used pet. jelly on the trim brackets, and a rubber mallet. The popped right back on without any chipping or damage. It might be a miracle! :bounce:

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Back on it's feet, with doors adjusted.

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Fixed the S C R E E C H ing sound of the handles moving in and out with some silicone sealer and scraps of radiator heater hose. Also bump stops on them. :thumbup: smooth as buttah…now

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Just a few more things to do to completion. Thanks for hanging in there with me!
:beer:
 
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Oldtuleguy

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That's why those had the nice pull out handles (so you could lift it and turn it)
 
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y'sguy

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Oldtuleguy said:
That's why those had the nice pull out handles (so you could lift it and turn it)
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Agreed!,Oldtuleguy and I am now able to move it around easily with the handles AND they are silent when you pull them in and out.

Unruh said:
Wow! Great work. Thank you for taking the time to share!
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Thank you,Unruh glad you stopped by.

don long said:
Y'sGuy
I see some nice reflection in your paint job. The box looks great.
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Thank you,Don Long It has good to get encouragement from you, the Master! :bowdown:
Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
These boxes need to go on tour when you finish! :lol_hitti
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Lookin4'67Galaxiecon, the tour starts now!
Flatcapped said:
Fantastic job, those are turning out slick! Can't wait to see them stacked up!
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FlatcappedThanks, here they are stacked up. Have the original key for the bottom roller. I am still sorting tools and loading them back up and thinning the herd some. As far as I can tell Dad never had one Blackhawk tool? just the one roller box. He was however a Snap-On guy so that's whats going to remain.

I'm passing most of my craftsman and roller cabinet to my Son. He's never taken to mechanics much but I still hope he will use them some day. Different world today, He has four young daughters so time will tell. He works hard at his job everyday providing for all our girls. :bowdown:

I bought some liner for these but somehow can't find the rest of the roll! Doh, I must have tossed it in a fit of clean up of all my mess in the garage:wtf:

I am very satisfied with the way they turned out The round badge on top box really closed the gap on making for a complete job. I also made some minor improvements in some of the slides and glide mechanisms with bumpers, silicone rubber and the application of BOESHIELD on the slides.

I do have some redundant extra tools I would like to trade if anyone is interested, I will get photos of them soon.


Also need to finish mounting the vise.

:beer:
 
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CRTDI

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WOW! Those boxes turned out super nice. Excellent job.....:bowdown:

Your next project will be hoarding vintage Blackhack tools to fill 'er up....:)
 
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LXCam

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Holy ****, those are just insanely cool. You’ve obviously attended the Don Long school of rehab perfection.
 
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Shelbylex

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Y’sguy, this is a work of art! Great job!
Do not add the vise - this looks so clean, the vise would take away from it....
 
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thehorse13

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Wow...I cannot believe how great these boxes look. Spectacular.

As already revealed by Twertsy. Both he and I do national searches for the rare Blackhawk stuff. I've never seen anything like this come up before. You're certainly a lucky fellow.
 
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y'sguy

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Oldtuleguy said:
Wow that is clean looking. Super job!
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CRTDI said:
WOW! Those boxes turned out super nice. Excellent job.....:bowdown:

Your next project will be hoarding vintage Blackhack tools to fill 'er up....:)
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JoCoSawdust said:
Incredible job on those boxes! Thanks for letting us follow your project, it's been fun!
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930dreamer said:
Sweet, nice work on the combo.
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Oldtuleguy, CRTDI, JoCoSawdust, 930dreamer Thanks for looking in and all your comments.
I am still sorting thru tools!, Mine and my dad's. CRTD I did find one Blackhawk Universal swivel-drive in all this stuff. So the hoard might be beginning!

LXCam said:
Holy ****, those are just insanely cool. You’ve obviously attended the Don Long school of rehab perfection.
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LXCam I DID ATTEND The Don Long school of restoration, but I was kicked out for being unable to keep up with Don!

FJ 432 said:
WOW!!!!! I'm in love!
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:thumbup:

Shelbylex said:
Y’sguy, this is a work of art! Great job!
Do not add the vise - this looks so clean, the vise would take away from it....
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Shelbylex Thanks for looking in

Provincial said:
I just went out a rubbed a mixture of dirt and grease on my roller so it would look like it was just dirty, instead of beat up.
Provincial OK/ not sure what this means but…Thanks I think?
Nice work!
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Oldtuleguy said:
I would also say no vise necessary
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thehorse13 said:
Wow...I cannot believe how great these boxes look. Spectacular.
Thanks Mrhorse13! :bowdown: I am very grateful to have them both for all of this time.

As already revealed by Twertsy. Both he and I do national searches for the rare Blackhawk stuff. I've never seen anything like this come up before. You're certainly a lucky fellow.
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Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
Very nice! I just picked up a Wilton like that. :)
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Lookin4'67Galaxieconv The Wilton I ve has always been with the set. As other have suggested, I will probably leave it off. Of course I would like to find a good place to keep it maybe just display it. I have a bigger utility vise. I would like to find a swivel base for this one. Any ideas?

beatcad said:
that is more than awesome. to nice for my garage:beer:
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Thank You beatcad I probably get it dirty soon! :beer:

don long said:
Those final shots of your tool box are fantastic YsGuy
I'd be proud to have that set up in my garage. I'm sure you made your pappy proud.

Don
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Thanks Don Long! I'm real happy with the way it all came out. It would take me a lot more practice to get things up to your level of shine! And, yes Dad would have liked it.

Farmer J. said:
Final result looks great and those boxes will be an heirloom to keep. Thanks for posting the progress, the setbacks and the finished job it's been an inspiring thread to follow. J.
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Farmer J Thank you kind Sir!

Flatcapped said:
Agreed, this has been an excellent follow. The end result is stunning, and I love the pop of red from the tray! I may have to rethink my next repaint.
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FlatcappedThanks a bunch, I thought it needed a throwback to Blackhawk red somewhere.

rtglbi said:
Good for you! fantastic job I love
The Wilton but leave it off .
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rtglbiProbably so, Thank you.

So, I'm waiting on the new liner material to arrive before I can return tools back in. I'm culling out some as I have many duplicates. I will be handing over my old box to my Son with a lot of my old craftsman tools and things. He may never use them, in this day and age. but I still feel it's the way to do it.
I will also offer up a few items for trade if anyone is interested as I get to them.

I have ideas for an overhead light cabinet/shelf for this whole thing. So that is in the concept stage. I will post on this when I get there.

Here is some of what came out and needs to go back in.:shocking:

:beer:
 
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y'sguy

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Just wanted to say sorry for not being on here for some time. Lots of things happened that aren't worth discussion here.

Hope to get some new pics up soon and show some more of how it is to have the box back in action now.
 
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r_olson_06

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y'sguy said:
Here's how it looks with liners and most of the tools back in . I did not reinstall the wilton vise, instead I gave it to my Son for his workbench.

[emoji481][emoji481]
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Very well done. The color is perfect.
jabberwoki said:
Very nice, do you just sit and stare it them?
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I know I would.

Looking for the following Plomb Pebbles Wrench 3061
 
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y'sguy

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jabberwoki,
haha, yep sometimes! I think my Dad would have liked the way it all turned out
I used them alot on a project I had going on today with my truck.

Oldtuleguy
Thanks again Sir!

Farmer J.
Glad you are enjoying!

r_olson_06
Thanks so much! These turned out well enough I may do an old set of metal deco storage cabinets that I have. They would match pretty well in style I think.

bj383ss
Glad you like. I am relieved it turned out without going off the rails somehow. Ever do a project without completion? not me. :lol_hitti

:beer::beer:
 
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