My grandfather's Beach toolbox

matthew · Aug 11, 2011

Just got this home, after it sat for many years in my Gran's garage. Will probably need a repaint at some point, and it's not fancy, just an old school Beach toolbox, but I still just love it. Most of the tools were already moved to Dad's stuff years ago, but there was still a catalog that came with it, as well as some taps & dies.

So question for you other proud Beach owners - I understand they used to sell it as a basic box, and you could add extra drawers to suit. Are these still available, and will other brands drawers and slides (say NAPA UltraPro, SPG, or Gray?) fit in this box? Any recommends?

2oolhound · Aug 11, 2011

Cool, it's always special to inherit something you can use. I'm not sure about adding other drawers but was thinking, have you seen this thread?

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112707

A few guys have converted those to carts and are quite happy with them.
Just a thought.

lbgradwell · Aug 11, 2011

Nice score.

Afraid I can't help on your extra drawers question, but I'd be surprised if any pre-Stanley accessories are still available...

The Snap-on catalogue appears to be from 1971.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Aug 11, 2011

From the pics, it sure doesn't look in need of a repaint anytime soon. :dunno:

matthew · Aug 11, 2011

lbgradwell said:
The Snap-on catalogue appears to be from 1971.

Very close - the first page of this copy says "Issued January 1972."

lbgradwell said:
Afraid I can't help on your extra drawers question, but I'd be surprised if any pre-Stanley accessories are still available...

I'm guessing not exactly, but I'm thinking the old Gray boxes were built by Beach, right? It might be an outside chance, but if the newer stuff is designed for backward compatibility, it might not be out of the question that the slides and drawers would fit... For that matter the NAPA and SPG has very different style handles, but dimensions looked close, and slide design of the friction slides looked like they'd work. Just thought someone may have tried it before...

For that matter I know I can build my own drawers out of sheet metal that would look professional, just don't want to if I don't have to.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
From the pics, it sure doesn't look in need of a repaint anytime soon.

Not urgently, but the photo is a little shinier than it is in person. That dusty colour on the cover that's folded up inside isn't dust, it's some paint overspray from a car my grandfather painted years ago. There's also a little rust on a few spots. I just have to decide whether I want to make it mint, or not...

2oolhound said:
A few guys have converted those to carts and are quite happy with them.
Just a thought.

Hadn't seen that thread - thanks, that was interesting.

PCO6 · Aug 11, 2011

matthew - First, that's a great box and it's nice to see that it's staying in the family. I bought the exact same box at Canadian Tire in the mid 1970's and still have it. Back then you could buy extra drawers in 3 sizes. One was half the depth of what you have. Another was twice the depth of what you have and of course you could get ones the same size as yours. I bought 2 shallow drawers and a mid size drawer to fill my cabinet out.

I believe Gray boxes were built by Beach (see old catalogue excerpts below). I don't recall seeing many Gray boxes back then but I beleve they were a kind of blue/gray metalic colour.

Stew

lbgradwell · Aug 11, 2011

PCO6 said:
I believe Gray boxes were built by Beach (see old catalogue excerpts below).

Stew,

What years are those catalogues from?

PCO6 · Aug 11, 2011

Here's another thread with some good info on Beach boxes ...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90073&highlight=beach+tool+box

Note the extra depth drawer in the Gray box in post #20. That drawer doesn't appear in the catalogues but I do recall seeing them years ago.

PCO6 · Aug 11, 2011

lbgradwell said:
Stew,

What years are those catalogues from?

LG - I beleive they are from 1971 and 1980/1 and I think I copied them from the thread I provided a link to above.

Stew

May Pop · Aug 13, 2011

At one time Sears had the add a drawer for the boxes with a compartment at the bottom. The last time I saw them was about 5 years ago.
Ron

roalco · Sep 5, 2011

Hi there, was hunting for info on Beach toolchests and found this very interesting forum! Have joined and this is my first post. Seems Beach catalogs are kinda thin on the ground so here's one I've had in the rack of my B29 for the last 25 years, I think it's early 70's. 8 Pages so will post the last page separately!
best regards
Ross

roalco · Sep 5, 2011

Here's page 8, the back cover.

wafrederick · Sep 5, 2011

That catalog is from 1971,I have the same catalog with the original dealer's buisness card stuck on it from Urbano,Ohio and says issued May 1971 on the first page

roalco · Sep 5, 2011

Thanks! that clears it up, mine has no date on it... anywhere.

PCO6 · Sep 5, 2011

roalco said:
Hi there, was hunting for info on Beach toolchests and found this very interesting forum! Have joined and this is my first post. Seems Beach catalogs are kinda thin on the ground so here's one I've had in the rack of my B29 for the last 25 years, I think it's early 70's. 8 Pages so will post the last page separately!
best regards
Ross

Ross - Thanks for posting that! I am a big fan of Beach boxes and that is well worth saving. I have a B29 box too, plus a few others that are in that catalogue. I bought my B29 in the mid 70's after eyeing one for a few years so I would agree that early 70's is about right.

Stew

Marmaduke · Sep 5, 2011

PCO6 said:
matthew - First, that's a great box and it's nice to see that it's staying in the family. I bought the exact same box at Canadian Tire in the mid 1970's and still have it. Back then you could buy extra drawers in 3 sizes. One was half the depth of what you have. Another was twice the depth of what you have and of course you could get ones the same size as yours. I bought 2 shallow drawers and a mid size drawer to fill my cabinet out.

I believe Gray boxes were built by Beach (see old catalogue excerpts below). I don't recall seeing many Gray boxes back then but I beleve they were a kind of blue/gray metalic colour.

Stew

Cool, I'm in the process of cleaning out my uncles tool box, its the exact same roll cabinit the chest is a Hubert. What a job sifting through everything.

lilredex · Sep 5, 2011

Thanks for posting that catalogue. I also have the red 12 on 12 from 1982 and the 207 and 201 green machinist's boxes. Now I also have catalogue info for them.

Early Gray boxes, I believe, were made by Beach. Here are a couple I acquired last year.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Those drawers in the lower are a form of "add a drawer" They can be disasembled and moved around. After I cleaned up this guy I moved those drawers from their top position..........thought it was more practical and looked better that way. If I ever get ambitious, I plan to make more drawers to fill in that open space.

matthew · Sep 5, 2011

That vintage Gray box is cool, had a chance to buy one some time ago but didn't have space. Could you take a photo of the drawers when open (curious about the slide design)?

I had found an industrial supplier that still had old stock Beach drawers in their catalog, but unfortunately they had sold out not too long ago...

lbgradwell · Sep 5, 2011

roalco said:
Seems Beach catalogs are kinda thin on the ground so here's one I've had in the rack of my B29 for the last 25 years, I think it's early 70's.

Outstanding first post!

Thank you for posting this Ross & welcome! :thumbup:

tatra · Sep 5, 2011

matthew, pm me as i may have a drawer for you, it would be the narroe size...........

lbgradwell · Sep 5, 2011

lilredex said:
Here are a couple I acquired last year.

I still regret not grabbing those...

They're excellent...

lilredex · Sep 6, 2011

Matthew.....as requested.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

And the one on my twelve drawer lower Beach.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Those small drawers on the Gray are 1 1/4" deep versus 2" (front depth) on the Beach, which I find even more useful. A lot more work, that's why all the newer boxes have those full width things that sag with the slightest load.

The only flimsy parts on that Gray are those doors on the lower, should have been made a lot thicker.

matthew · Sep 6, 2011

lilredex said:
Matthew.....as requested.

Thank-you. It's very interesting that, as old as the box is - and as different as it looks from the Beach - construction details look quite similar. Very nice.

pcos · Sep 6, 2011

matthew said:
So question for you other proud Beach owners - I understand they used to sell it as a basic box, and you could add extra drawers to suit. Are these still available, and will other brands drawers and slides (say NAPA UltraPro, SPG, or Gray?) fit in this box? Any recommends?

You did not say where you are located but . . . I have a red Beach 4"H x 24"W x 16"D drawer (face measurement) w/o slides that you can have for free if you are close enough - handle is tight, needs a good cleaning and some tlc but would work I'm guessing.

I'm in Southern Ontario, Canada - if you are close enough it's yours.

Paul

dxdexter · Dec 18, 2011

lilredex said:
Thanks for posting that catalogue. I also have the red 12 on 12 from 1982 and the 207 and 201 green machinist's boxes. Now I also have catalogue info for them.

Early Gray boxes, I believe, were made by Beach. Here are a couple I acquired last year.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Those drawers in the lower are a form of "add a drawer" They can be disasembled and moved around. After I cleaned up this guy I moved those drawers from their top position..........thought it was more practical and looked better that way. If I ever get ambitious, I plan to make more drawers to fill in that open space.

Man, I sure would love to have that box. Here are a few pages from a 1968 catalog showing the same boxes. Yours, I believe would be between 1962 and 1970. This is judging from the decal (started using in 1962) and that they were not in the 1971 catalog.

seabich · Jan 4, 2012

Beach Toolbox

This my first post here.

My name is glen & Im a motorcycle mechanic here in Toronto.

This is my Beach Toolbox. I was given the top box as a gift 10yrs ago & the bottom box was a Kijji purchase.

Im looking for the small side cab that hung/bolted to the bottom cabinet....any leads appreciated.

Thanks guys

Glen

lilredex · Mar 6, 2012

Welcome, Glen!

Assume this is what you desire? ...............Me too!

They are kind of rare.

lbgradwell · Mar 6, 2012

Here are my Beach boxes:

The small, bright green one front right is badged Craftsman while the red cantilever in front of the cabinet is an older box from Canadian Tire (though it is not badged Mastercraft or anything else)...

EDIT: CORRECTION! The red cantilever in front of the cabinet that is an older box from Canadian Tire is NOT a Beach; it is a HBC-2100RD (B-529) from SPG International. Oops.

seabich · Mar 7, 2012

Yup that's just what Im looking for. I need the extra space for a bunch of factory tools that I have just picked up.

The search goes on.

Glen

lilredex said:
Welcome, Glen!
Assume this is what you desire? ...............Me too!

They are kind of rare.

lilredex · Feb 4, 2013

dxdexter said:
Man, I sure would love to have that box. Here are a few pages from a 1968 catalog showing the same boxes. Yours, I believe would be between 1962 and 1970. This is judging from the decal (started using in 1962) and that they were not in the 1971 catalog.

Thank-you for the info and catalogue pages. Was arranging my tool box info today, and it looks as though I neglected to say thanks!

The Copilot · Feb 4, 2013

Why repaint? I think it looks great as-is.

My grandfather's Beach toolbox

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