The Pressteel company tool box thread

frontierhistorian · Apr 26, 2020

Oh, got it. Nope, no vents. Sides are flat.

frontierhistorian · Apr 26, 2020

bmwrd0 said:
I think the lower door is factory, but not hinged. I bet it was converted to a swinging door from a normal slide panel.

Yes, I'm sure that's the case. There's the original grab hole (I assume that's what it is), at the bottom of the panel.

And the outside mounting of the hinges and the fact that the latching mechanism is attached by screws and not rivets also indicate non-factory installation, I would think.

I'll come back with a few more photos, including details of the inside of the panel.

frontierhistorian · Apr 26, 2020

Here are several photos, left side, right side, back, front panel outside and inside, custom drawer. Looks like the original green on the inside. Also looks like he made the stencil but never painted is name on it. Didn't know this was hiding back inside there!

propmaker · Apr 26, 2020

Oregon rock crusher said:
That is a pretty interesting bench propmaker. Love that full stack of drawers down the left side and isn't that an upper cabinet on top....very cool. Ed.

I saw another one a little while back that had a row of drawers on each side with the sliding doors in-between. It did not have the upper part though. The owner was hesitant about giving me a price and I didn't push because I dont really have the room for it and didn't want to move it if he gave me a "too good to pass up price" I know where its sitting if I ever feel up to moving it

It was in great condition

Smokeshow69 · Apr 26, 2020

propmaker said:
I saw another one a little while back that had a row of drawers on each side with the sliding doors in-between. It did not have the upper part though. The owner was hesitant about giving me a price and I didn't push because I dont really have the room for it and didn't want to move it if he gave me a "too good to pass up price" I know where its sitting if I ever feel up to moving it It was in great condition

Could you get any pictures? Sounds like an interesting combo

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outofbounds · Apr 27, 2020

Curious if this "bare metal" drawer is some sort of standard or perhaps was stripped at some point in its life. I've been interested in this roller to sit below a 1940s Snap-On K-55-W Chest of mine, but the seller is non-responsive. When he did bother to answer, he crowed that he had a "California buyer" interested an that they were researching shipping. A) Is this thing worth the price + minimum $150 shipping? B) Anyone here working on that deal? If so I'd prefer not to step on toes. It's useful to me, but not life or death.

https://www.letgo.com/en-tr/i/vinta...ox-chest_2b5957ed-e9c2-457e-b003-d4faae62b386

Oldtuleguy · Apr 27, 2020

They typically are 100$ or less here locally. Some parts of country you may have to ship one.

outofbounds · Apr 27, 2020

Oldtuleguy said:
They typically are 100$ or less here locally. Some parts of country you may have to ship one.

Thanks OTG. What about the drawer? Is that bare steel look a thing?

Smokeshow69 · Apr 27, 2020

outofbounds said:
Thanks OTG. What about the drawer? Is that bare steel look a thing?

No, someone stripped it! To my knowledge they were painted. I had that exact model/color and it was painted

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outofbounds · Apr 27, 2020

Smokeshow69 said:
No, someone stripped it! To my knowledge they were painted. I had that exact model/color and it was painted

Thanks, Smokeshow!

Jammer1329 · May 4, 2020

Acquired my second Toolmobile today. Original paint is not too bad. The original casters are long gone. The replacements that were added aren’t bad, but inexplicably painted beige.

Pretty significant dents on both the front rounded corners, and the drawer with the Plomb embossing is caved in on one side. Hopefully I can bang these out respectably without causing more harm than good.

Serial number 5289, so clearly no year of manufacture in there.

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Oldtuleguy · May 4, 2020

Looks like pretty minor damage. Nothing a little elbow grease won't fix. Nice grab!

Shelbylex · May 4, 2020

Jammer, do not worry about the minor things. The most important thing is that you got a great and rare toolmobile!
Even if you do not have the skills to fix it pperfectly, you already have a great piece and down the road can pay somebody to straighten all the dents and even sandblast and powdercoat if you will want to!
Enjoy a great addition to your tool collection!!!

Never mind it's your second one! Allow me to be first to say "You ****!"

Jammer1329 · May 4, 2020

Shelbylex said:
Jammer, do not worry about the minor things. The most important thing is that you got a great and rare toolmobile!
Even if you do not have the skills to fix it pperfectly, you already have a great piece and down the road can pay somebody to straighten all the dents and even sandblast and powdercoat if you will want to!
Enjoy a great addition to your tool collection!!!

Never mind it's your second one! Allow me to be first to say "You ****!"

Thanks for the suckage!

Definitely not complaining about the condition, just accessing it. It is in much better shape than the first one I found. Remarkable how well some of these hold up for being around 75 years old

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tin medic · May 24, 2020

Here it is in all its glory. It has one repaint over the original red. This box actually came out of Colorado. I had a friend pick it up for me. This box according to the original owner this box never had the piston rack.

d42jeep · May 24, 2020

Nice box! You ****!
-Don

Cruzan80 · May 24, 2020

I was wondering who was the final recipient was. Saw that box, and the obscene price they were first asking. Glad you got it for a reasonable price.

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Shelbylex · May 24, 2020

Tin_Medic, it looks great! Second "you ****" from Don

Oldtuleguy · May 24, 2020

Rare box! Congrats

Smokeshow69 · May 25, 2020

Cruzan80 said:
I was wondering who was the final recipient was. Saw that box, and the obscene price they were first asking. Glad you got it for a reasonable price.

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I have often wondered about the pros and cons about starting this thread in terms of driving the market up... on one hand we have educated a lot of people who didn’t know what pressteel was but on the other hand, has it also served to inflate prices above what they would have been if someone had not seen this thread?

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Oldtuleguy · May 25, 2020

While prices may have come up, that motivates people to find them and put them up for sale.

Smokeshow69 · May 25, 2020

Oldtuleguy said:
While prices may have come up, that motivates people to find them and put them up for sale.

Totally agree. As we know tool box values can vary wildly based upon region so that is another thing to contemplate. Sometimes you get lucky!

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Cruzan80 · May 25, 2020

I know this sale was very hot/cold, depending on who had done the pricing. The toolbox, along with several other items, had been looked up to find its value. I dont know where they looked, specifically, but know the estate company, and heard her telling someone about looking up other items.

Tin-Medic can disclose what he paid if he chooses, but the original sticker price was $250 for the box empty. Comparatively, I got a Rock Island Coachmakers vise 155 for $50 and a Hein Werner O-Boy for $10, both priced at the moment by the garage guy. So very hot/cold.

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outofbounds · May 26, 2020

Not sure if this is....or isn't....a Pressteel manufactured cabinet. Snagged off of FB for a song. What I do know is it is/was labeled originally as a Black & Decker valve grinding station. What I don't know is if Pressteel ever made cabinets that were not embossed. Seems to feature the same door pulls and deco style shape that I see in all the boxes above in this thread. The white strip seems to be some sort of heavy duty tape, almost padded if you will. My takeaway on this for the most part is this cabinet is as nimble and graceful as a prima ballerina whipping out pirouettes on the stage during the Nutcracker. I'd never had a cabinet or chest move so effortlessly. I'm pleased as punch to have found something to rest my 1941ish Snap-On K-55-W top chest onto until some unicorn flies in to take it's place.

Smokeshow69 · May 26, 2020

outofbounds said:
Not sure if this is....or isn't....a Pressteel manufactured cabinet. Snagged off of FB for a song. What I do know is it is/was labeled originally as a Black & Decker valve grinding station. What I don't know is if Pressteel ever made cabinets that were not embossed. Seems to feature the same door pulls and deco style shape that I see in all the boxes above in this thread. The white strip seems to be some sort of heavy duty tape, almost padded if you will. My takeaway on this for the most part is this cabinet is as nimble and graceful as a prima ballerina whipping out pirouettes on the stage during the Nutcracker. I'd never had a cabinet or chest move so effortlessly. I'm pleased as punch to have found something to rest my 1941ish Snap-On K-55-W top chest onto until some unicorn flies in to take it's place.

That sure looks like pressteel with the louvered pulls. I wonder if it is slightly more modern pressweld manufacturing? Is the tray on ball bearing rollers?

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Oldtuleguy · May 26, 2020

Probably contract production for black and decker. They use to make a pretty decent valve grinder.

Outlawmws · May 26, 2020

Those both make sense!

tin medic · May 27, 2020

I think that was made by Simonson. I have one of their tool caddy’s and the construction is very similar.

bmwrd0 · May 27, 2020

Later Pressweld/Pressteel cabnets have different pulls that the louvered ones we all like so much. You can also see them in early Proto catalogs

Smokeshow69 · May 27, 2020

bmwrd0 said:
Later Pressweld/Pressteel cabnets have different pulls that the louvered ones we all like so much. You can also see them in early Proto catalogs

Yes, good point

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prine · Aug 31, 2020

With my first Pressteel, I've joined your ranks! I really like this little 4 drawer bottom. But I'm afraid maybe I didn't score the best example that I originally thought I did. Looks like the original color was a hammer blue. I removed the padlock but as you can see now left with original color and holes. Also what is the correct way to remove drawers?

Smokeshow69 · Aug 31, 2020

prine said:
With my first Pressteel, I've joined your ranks! I really like this little 4 drawer bottom. But I'm afraid maybe I didn't score the best example that I originally thought I did. Looks like the original color was a hammer blue. I removed the padlock but as you can see now left with original color and holes. Also what is the correct way to remove drawers?

That one looks pretty good now that I have seen more pictures! Nice grab! To remove the drawers you need to start with the bottom drawer. Pull it out all the way and when it hits the stops, tilt the bottom of the drawer towards the ground. Once you tilt it far enough, you can just pull straight towards you. Continue on up the drawers from the bottom to the top. Reassembly is just reverse order of top drawer first on down!

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bmwrd0 · Sep 1, 2020

I have a later dark green Pressteel box, three drawer with barn doors on the bottom, and it has a similar color underneath the liner that protects the top. But, the dark green is so well done, and there are trim pieces on it that convince me that it was done at the factory.

Why? We may never know, but it is consistent with what is out there.

ETA: That blue is not P&C blue by any means.

Hoorn · Sep 2, 2020

Just picked this up for $40 on OfferUp. That $40 included a Craftsman crown top machinist chest with Starrett depth micrometer in the original wooden box, Mitutoyo Dial Caliper and thickness gauge, alone with the usual mixed bag drill bits, screwdrivers, etc.

I have missed out on 2 really great Pressteel/Pressweld cabinets until I figured out how to set search alerts on OfferUp. This one hit and within 3 minutes I met his price, and he was the next city over.

Hoorn · Sep 2, 2020

Couple more pics of unique angles I haven't seen posted yet. Here is the CM that came with it.

Oldtuleguy · Sep 2, 2020

Nice find hoorn!

mcspeed · Sep 2, 2020

Picked this one up over 30 years ago. Not sure if it is a Pressteel or not

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Hoorn · Sep 2, 2020

Thank you! I had to have a

Oldtuleguy · Sep 2, 2020

All of the pressteel stuff I have found is stamped pressteel or plomb/proto. They could certainly made stuff for other companies that was unmarked.

Hoorn · Sep 2, 2020

Thank you! I knew I had to have a Pressteel/Pressweld when I saw they were manufactured in El Monte. I went to school in El Monte and a vendor I frequent for my business is located off Garvey Ave., Pressteel Co.'s building was on Garvey Ave. The roller drawers are every bit as smooth as everyone says, but I can see why they were discontinued, impossible to pull drawer out full length.

Has it ever been determined what, if any difference there is between the Pressteel/Pressweld? I've seen both in exact same cabinet form, etc. and both appear to be from the same era.

Also, if anyone in So. Cal is interested, there are 2 full Pressweld workbench's available on OfferUp.

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