The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!

[1982fxr]

Does anyone recognize the make of this roller cabinet? Owner thought it was Craftsman but closer look shows Proto on the drawer pulls. I have no other info besides this one photo.

Consensus on those seems to be either made by Remline or the toolbox division of MAC that spun off into Matco.

They were sold under several brands. Good boxes.

 

[c1504]

Thanks DD T/A and outlaw. Both those things did cross my mind, but I think oldtuleguy figured it out in the wizard thread. It is identical to one offered by sk and sk made western giant hand tools, so I’m going with that.

 

[bmwrd0]

I have a Cornwell marked cab like that. No double lock though.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

The extra lock is for the whiskey drawer

 

[piehammer]

Just picked up this morning - SK Tools 5 drawer machinist's chest with leather handle and Corbin locks (no key). Not the greatest shape, but still a really nice box.

Would love to hear any thoughts on value.

Thanks!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not the greatest shape,

??!! No major visible dings or dents, straight drawers, little to no rust and most of the original finish remaining, with intact drawer pulls, handle, drop front panel, and decal?!! That box is in VERY GOOD condition! I see the spatter on the front and drawer faces. Not sure what it is, but it might come off with careful very light applications of SG, at first, or acetone. On a scale of 0 to 10, that is a strong 8.5. Especially for a 1930's to 1945 chest.

 

[piehammer]

??!! No dings or dents, straight drawers, no rust and most of the original finish remaining, with an intact handle, drop front panel, and decal?!! That box is in VERY GOOD condition. I see the spatter. Not sure what it is, but it might come off with careful very light applications of SG, at first, or acetone. On a scale of 0 to 10, that is a strong 8. Especially for a 1930's to 1945 chest.

The drawers are a little rougher than what shows in the photos. Do you know who made it? It kind of looks like an early Kennedy except for the pulls.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The drawers are a little rougher than what shows in the photos. Do you know who made it? It kind of looks like an early Kennedy except for the pulls.

I happen to have a very similar Kennedy Bighorn chest, with steel handle, probably later, and a different style center clasp, and it has the same drawer pulls, but I am not a Kennedy guy, nor an expert in identifying other steel machinists' chest makers in this era. Does your chest have three round indents (stiffeners/small parts holders) in the drop-front panel? I'll see if I can locate some photos of it.

EDIT: Easier to just re-take a few...

 

[piehammer]

I happen to have a very similar Kennedy Bighorn chest, and it has the same drawer pulls, but I am not a Kennedy guy, nor an expert in identifying other steel machinists' chest makers in this era. Does your chest have three round indents (stiffeners/small parts holders) in the drop-front panel? I'll see if I can locate some photos of it.

EDIT: Easier to just re-take a few...

Three round indents in the drop-front panel, yup.

 

[piehammer]

Interesting find from inside one of the drawers.

The back says:

"Receipt for Making Home Brew"

"Chase a bull frog three miles and gather up the hops, to the hops add three gallons of dog barks, three pints of shellac, and six bars of soft soap. Boil the mixture for 36 hours and strain through an I. W. W. banner to keep it from working. Then bottle and add one grasshopper to give it a kick.”

 

[Cruzan80]

Joe Hill never dies...

Sent from my IN2015 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[outofbounds]

Can't quite make out the badge, looks like Montgomery-Ward? The box looks identical to a '57 Craftsman that picked up recently. I wonder if there's a manufacturer stamp inside the bottom drawer?

I have a top chest that is an excellent patina match for this roller.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Interesting find from inside one of the drawers.

The back says:

"Receipt for Making Home Brew"

"Chase a bull frog three miles and gather up the hops, to the hops add three gallons of dog barks, three pints of shellac, and six bars of soft soap. Boil the mixture for 36 hours and strain through an I. W. W. banner to keep it from working. Then bottle and add one grasshopper to give it a kick.”

Double whoa! First of all, that is from a tavern about 30 miles from where I was born and raised. Secondly, it's a pretty cool historical artifact from the early 1920's. That humorous little folklore ditty made the rounds all over the country during Prohibition in pamphlets and newspapers and newsletters that had had several variations. "I.W.W. sock" instead of "I.W.W. banner". And sometimes "Plutocrat's sock" instead of "I.W.W. banner." And an extra line - "Pour a little into the kitchen sink. If it takes the enamel off, it's ready for bottling."

Joe Hill never does...

I know you meant "dies." I didn't know you were a scholar.

 

[Cruzan80]

Thank you. Stupid autocorrect

Sent from my IN2015 using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[bbbarracuda]

I recently picked up this "well used" chest. On the metal cabinet thread Oldtuleguy suggested it might be Snap On from the 40's or 50's. Any other ideas of who might have made this? The original color seems to be green under several layers of paint dirt and general grunge. The handles on the drawers were spot-welded instead of bolted or screwed, if that gives any hints.
Thanks

 

[RTM]

The drawer pull handles look like an Art Steel Company ASCO, but that’s al I know. Several in this thread, but none match. Here is one

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6898688&postcount=8544

 

[Outlawmws]

Are there rivet holes where the SO label would be?

 

[bbbarracuda]

No holes where any labels would have been. No lock holes. Box seems very plain.

 

[dodge610]

I recently picked up this "well used" chest. On the metal cabinet thread Oldtuleguy suggested it might be Snap On from the 40's or 50's. Any other ideas of who might have made this? The original color seems to be green under several layers of paint dirt and general grunge. The handles on the drawers were spot-welded instead of bolted or screwed, if that gives any hints.
Thanks

I had one simular to that i got off a cornwell guy if he knew what he was talking about lol

 

[bbbarracuda]

I recently picked up this "well used" chest. On the metal cabinet thread Oldtuleguy suggested it might be Snap On from the 40's or 50's. Any other ideas of who might have made this? The original color seems to be green under several layers of paint dirt and general grunge. The handles on the drawers were spot-welded instead of bolted or screwed, if that gives any hints.
Thanks

Anyone recognize this hinge on the top? Looks like 4 separate hinges, but there is one pin goes thru all. Kinda a poor man's piano hinge. Does this point to a particular manufacturer?

Thanks

 

[leg17]

Anyone recognize this hinge on the top? Looks like 4 separate hinges, but there is one pin goes thru all. Kinda a poor man's piano hinge. Does this point to a particular manufacturer?

Thanks

Wonder if it might be hand-made or shop-made.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

I am starting to lean that way

 

[bbbarracuda]

I’m leaning that way as well. Not finding any markings or evidence of who made it. Whoever made it did a nice job. It seems solid and well built. I’m going to clean it up and use it.
Thanks for all the comments and help.

 

[Huot Mfg. Company]

Wondering if any of these pics help attribute my humble set to Huot. No evidence of any markings or details to that effect......

Absolutely, those are Huot boxes

Art Huot

 

[Mark Stansbury]

I'm looking for scanned or photographed tool box manufacturer ads, brochures, and catalogs for the International Tool Catalog Library. Here's what I have in tool boxes and chests, sorted by most recent. Master Metal Products and Outing Manufacturing Co. were recent additions. Thank you.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I'm not much of a woodworker or a vintage woodworking tools collector, but I snapped up this Stanley No. 904 tool chest right quick at the flea market yesterday. I like the look, love the message on the decal, and perhaps I'll try to fill it up just for the heck of it, or move it along eventually to someone who needs it more than me.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I found a No. 902 and a No. 903 in the 1929 Stanley catalog on ITCL, and a No. 904-1/2 on the following page (not shown here). The No. 904 appears to be a sort of hybrid of the two. It's the same size as and built like No. 902, with the same clasps and handle, but it's meant to stand upright on end like No. 903, with the same built-in toolholders.

 

[RTM]

The 1996 v2 Stanley bible lists the 904 as being offered 1923 to 1942. 12 tools provided

The 904-1/2 from 1932 to 1935. 14 tools provided. Obviously the 1929 catalog is mistaken.

Here is a listing of tools from 1934.

https://archive.org/details/StanleyCatalogueNo341934/page/n186/mode/1up

Interesting that this August 1922 listing shows the 904 available (Hardware World)

https://archive.org/details/StanleyToolChests1922/page/n1/mode/1up

Guess I need to make some notes in the bible.

Nice box tho. Usually when I find them they are missing all the internals, half the hardware, and the finger joints are half broken.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Very nice Lugz. I think most of us would have snapped that chest up.

 

[ooba tooba]

I would have. Nice grab Lugz!

 

[compunaut]

I found a No. 902 and a No. 903 in the 1929 Stanley catalog on ITCL, and a No. 904-1/2 on the following page (not shown here). The No. 904 appears to be a sort of hybrid of the two. It's the same size as and built like No. 902, with the same clasps and handle, but it's meant to stand upright on end like No. 903, with the same built-in toolholders.

I picked up a vintage metal Stanley Handyman hanging tool cabinet for just a few bucks the other day (empty). I think it's H895, from the 50s or 60s (?). Guess I should get a photo or 2 posted here.
Not a Stanley collector, but a decent excuse to hunt for some old hand tools...

 

[pfaustus]

The Stanley fan boys spend a lot of time and money collecting those and the correct tools to go in them. For some reason I recall that the saws are particularly rare. With the label, you should have no problem flipping that, if you so desire.

 

[RTM]

Yup, Stanley makes it sort of easy to refill them, especially with their tools, they give you the part number. The saw doesn’t have one, nor the auger bits, two things Stanley didn’t make back then. Ran into a guy looking for the pliers for a different set, again un numbered.

 

[bmwrd0]

Stanley lists auger bits in the '58 catalog, on page 69 I believe. And as that cabinet dates from the fifties from that decal that is a pretty easy correlation. But, although they specifically mention Russell Jennings type bits, the catalog listing for that cabinet fails to mention whether they are for hard or softwood, ie 101 or 102 bits with a different lead screw. (In fact, they don't use the correct sizing nomenclature of listing all bits by /16s, instead merely stating 1/4" and 3/8"s.

And yes, I am a Stanley fanboy.)

 

[MShaw]

I have a #61 marking gage that would be at home in that kit. I got it from my father. I am not sure if it goes back another generation or not.

 

[RTM]

Stanley lists auger bits in the '58 catalog, on page 69 I believe. And as that cabinet dates from the fifties from that decal that is a pretty easy correlation. ....
And yes, I am a Stanley fanboy.)

Not being a fanboy, I don't know the decals. The bible mentions them only being available through 1941, and I don't see them in the 1953 catalog (only 3 boxes listed)

I see the box in 1941 catalog, but no auger bits. The searches for auger brings up the boxes.

The decal in the '41 catalog doesn't match Lugz's. Was his decal replaced? Are there more boxes available in 195?'s that the bible or catalogs don't know about? The 1959 Logo looks similar, but kinda tiny. So many questions, so many options.

https://archive.org/details/StanleyToolsCatalogueNo341941/page/n145/mode/1up?q=auger

https://archive.org/details/StanleyToolsCatalogNo341958/page/n144/mode/1up

The 1957 price list doesn't include a 904 tool chest
https://archive.org/details/StanleyCombinedPriceBook1957/page/n8/mode/1up

 

[bmwrd0]

Here is a 910 from the '53 and '58 catalogs, and you can clearly see the decal.


Now, that particular model, the 904, is not listed in those catalogs, and as far as I can tell, no boxes/sets are listed in the '49 catalog, but it is listed in the '41 cat, albeit with a different decal:


So, that leads me at least to date the box at 50-52. And they do list bit accessories in the '49 catalog, such as countersinks, dowl sharpeners, etc. Not too far of a jump to selling bits at that point. Again, they don't list any boxes in that catalog, possibly a result of the war.

And I know that you covered all of that in your post, but I thought pics would help some others. And until we see a catalog from those years, we can only speculate what would have been!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Very nice Lugz. I think most of us would have snapped that chest up.

I would have. Nice grab Lugz!

Not a Stanley collector, but a decent excuse to hunt for some old hand tools...

I have a #61 marking gage that would be at home in that kit. I got it from my father. I am not sure if it goes back another generation or not.

The Stanley fan boys spend a lot of time and money collecting those and the correct tools to go in them...[ ]...With the label, you should have no problem flipping that, if you so desire.

Thanks, guys. Not being a Stanley fanboy, I will be moving it along to a GJ'er who will make it a better home for cost + shipping. I will let the new owner take it from there in his own good time.

 

[dodge610]

Got this at a garage sale today full of tools Union chest and cabinet Troy NY


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[RTM]

Probably LeRoy NY