Picked up this Craftsman rolling chest today
- Thread starter vrinner
- Start date
Here2Learn
Well-known member
Looks cool. 1960's maybe?
mikehaugen
Well-known member
I have the same one lol... was given to me by my dad. Not sure if he was the original owner though.
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ColumbianRon
Well-known member
Cool. A good candidate for restoration. Some Evapo—Rust, a cable wire wheel and it will be ready for painting. There is a post in one of the bench vise threads on removing the decal without damage. If I run across it, I will post a link.
Edit Note: Or it might be easier to just mask the decal. That ensures no damage.
Edit Note: Or it might be easier to just mask the decal. That ensures no damage.
So it appears to be missing either a drawer or the door that might slide up into a channel under the bottom big drawer. The three drawers are "locked" unless I push up on a tabs that are in that channel.
From other pictures I've searched for it appears to be a door for the big opening that maybe slides up into the channel and when doing that it pushes up on the tabs so you can open the drawers.
Can you confirm?
mikehaugen
Well-known member
Sorry to say, but now that I'm at home looking at it... it's slightly different. Mine has a fold-down drawer cover that covers all of the drawer and locks to the brace under the lower drawer.
Excuse the mess, this one is in a corner with seldom used tools in it.
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bpjr
Well-known member
It looks like the same door setup that my 30+ yr old CM chest has. It's a flat steel sheet with a u shape bent into the top edge. The u shape slides in at the top of the cut out, hinges there and slides in to conceal it when opened. I don't have my chest model number but it's the small red one they sold for yrs and yrs without bb slides. That door might fit yours.
mikehaugen
Well-known member
If you decide to restore it, make sure to post pics and include details about the paint you used. I've been thinking about doing this one... thinking for about 20 years lol.
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TalonFE
Well-known member
Mister vrinner, you have a bona-fide safety hazard there, an accident waiting to happen. Best idea is to send directly to me so I can set my matching top box on it to absorb any shrapnel when it explodes.
mikehaugen
Well-known member
strangely enough, I just came across one on craigslist just now. Maybe the pictures will give you a clue?
https://rockford.craigslist.org/tls/d/south-beloit-vintage-craftsman-tool/6980934257.html
https://rockford.craigslist.org/tls/d/south-beloit-vintage-craftsman-tool/6980934257.html
driftpin
Well-known member
Always helpful to post whatever pics accompany the ad, because once it's deleted from CL, the link is useless. The CL ad asking price is $80. Seems like a reasonable price.
here's a good deal for someone in so. FL:
Rare 8 drawer tool chest with two keys. Locks. Metal handles. Made better than new craftsman tool boxes.
All drawers work. No stickers on box. Has some paint drips on top lid. Small surface rust on inside top compartment. Some small surface rust spots on outside.
It's the blue box (second attachment). Not sure if it's ball-bearing, but it has the extruded-aluminum handles which is usually a sign of a thicker-gauge metal, and better construction.
https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/tls/d/boca-raton-craftsman-tool-chest-8/6978745651.html
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brooktre
Well-known member
ColumbianRon
Well-known member
Right, it is a plate and not a decal. I used the wrong term. But there is a post on here, probably in the vise restoration thread, that tells how to remove it without damage.
Minnesota Steve
Well-known member
I have the exact same tool chest that I inherited from my father. Gotta be the same vintage as he bought it when he was a mechanic just before joining the Air Force in '58.
I'll check when I get home, and next week can take some pictures as I was planning to clean it up. I'll see if the bottom door comes out easily to take some pictures and measurements.
I'll check when I get home, and next week can take some pictures as I was planning to clean it up. I'll see if the bottom door comes out easily to take some pictures and measurements.
Elsinore13
Well-known member
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- Sep 20, 2017
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Maybe a little later than my son's Craftsman bench. Same style rounded corners.
emeraldcoupe
Well-known member
i'm betting that was made by hout. I had a '57 hout chest that was identical to the op's chest
mikehaugen
Well-known member
You guys are a bad influence...
I'm really thinking about going and picking up that one for sale that I posted earlier.
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I'm really thinking about going and picking up that one for sale that I posted earlier.
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Minnesota Steve
Well-known member
Ok, mine is similar but logo and handles are different. I think it might be older. Looking at the back of the drawer behind the logo plate I don't see any date code.
The door on the bottom slides down and would have a lock on it to lock the entire chest up.
The door on the bottom slides down and would have a lock on it to lock the entire chest up.
Is it at all possible for you to take a picture of the inside of the lower locking door. I want to build my missing pieceOk, mine is similar but logo and handles are different. I think it might be older. Looking at the back of the drawer behind the logo plate I don't see any date code.
The door on the bottom slides down and would have a lock on it to lock the entire chest up.