40 Year old Craftsman Toolbox resto

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

Bought this box in February. I'd been keeping my eye out for this model. A friend's dad had one like this that I remembered when I was a teenager. Always liked it.

Sanded it with a Ryobi sander and wet sanded with 60, 150, and 320 grit paper.

Used Walmart regular black spray paint for couple base coats...then Krylon Gloss Black for top coats. Sanded with 1000 grit paper in between coats. The original lock isn't usable, but I put it back in. Not b/c I need one on it but it looks better with it in there. I've got a couple toolboxes with non functional locks that I put back in just for looks.

wrenchr · Apr 13, 2009

That turned out very nice!!!

billymade · Apr 13, 2009

OMG! That thing looks unbelievable! Good job!

Was it originally Black/Red or Silver/Red?

wrenchr · Apr 13, 2009

Silver red.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

Originally silver or Craftsman gray. Those rattle can paints can give you a nice paintjob if you manipulate them enough. The last coat on the sides, I covered everything else and sprayed them. Then a couple days later, covered everything but the top and gave that one last coat. This was after gently wetsanding the sides and top with 1000 grit paper.

I still have the three rods that go inside the lid. I'll eventually get around to cleaning and painting them, then stick them back in.

autoace · Apr 13, 2009

Looks great! You can really tell the old stuff was made better than todays stuff.

Snappy · Apr 13, 2009

Wow, Beautiful job refinishing that box ! Thanks for the ideas of sanding between coats and covering one section before spraying the other. :thumbup:

It makes me want to get my 38 year old Mac top box started. I can't wait to get it done and post pics too.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

When I did the base coats over the primer, I knew the finish was going to be crappy, which was fine. So after that dried, I wetsanded it. Then I started painting it with the Krylon Gloss Black. But after I put two coats on, it was still a little tacky. So I figured I'd have to wetsand some more, and did another coat. Still tacky. So it sat for a couple weeks while I did other stuff, then realized, I've got to cover up the other areas or I'll never get a nice finish b/c of the overspray. After I painted the sides, all the overspray on the newspaper on top was showing how much paint I got where I didn't intend to.

This summer, I'm planning on doing my first respray on a toolbox with the paint gun.

Adam McLaughlin · Apr 13, 2009

Huh. I have that exact same tool box, given to me by an old neighbor before he moved away. Where did you find that date stamp? I even have the working key and lock mechanism...

Adam

r0meyrome · Apr 13, 2009

Man that looks real good makes me wanna repaint my whole tool box...first i should start with the right equipment to start this project.(Sander)....meaning buying more tools! haha

mkdive · Apr 13, 2009

looks freaking great! Projects are always fun. That's a nice job.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

Adam McLaughlin said:
Huh. I have that exact same tool box, given to me by an old neighbor before he moved away. Where did you find that date stamp? I even have the working key and lock mechanism...

Adam

Looking inside the top from overhead, it's in the area on the far left side in the middle.

GeorgiaHybrid · Apr 13, 2009

A great job and a beautiful looking box. If you can do that job with rattle cans, you are going to love your HVLP gun with a base coat, top coat system.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

Thanks for the comments, guys. :bounce:

This box is kind of the "little brother" to the other one. I re-did this one back in 1996, the second one I had done to that point. I don't remember finding a date code on this one, but I believe it may be a few years older than the three drawer box b/c of some paperwork I found inside when I bought it.

This box was originally silver with red drawers. It came out so well, I decided to do the other one the same color combo. Even has some of the same stickers!

Brad54 · Apr 13, 2009

Nice job!
I've painted a lot of home-made shop equipment with Rust-oleum "hard hat" or "High Performance" red rattle cans.

My method is pretty simple: one medium "dusting" coat, to give the additional coats something to grab onto. Let it get tacky, then give it a second complete coat--not heavy. Let it get tacky for about 45 minutes to an hour. The surface will be glossy, but it won't be smooth. It'll have a texture to it, almost like primer, but glossy.
then give it a third coat, spraying it on until you can see that textured coat turn slick.

So far it's worked pretty well.

Your success with that Craftsman box makes me really want to start in on my three tool box projects: the old Craftsman I got from you (welding cart conversion), an old Snap-on valve grinder box I'm going to convert to hold my calipers, dial indicator, etc., and a 1939 Snap-on "Red Cap" chest and box combo.

I have too many projects...

-Brad

goodfellow · Apr 13, 2009

That is beautiful -- very nice attention to detail. Good work, you have talent!!!

davestlouis · Apr 13, 2009

Nice work! What did you do to restore the Creftsman emblem?

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Apr 13, 2009

davestlouis said:
Nice work! What did you do to restore the Creftsman emblem?

Forgot to mention that. The trim pieces on the drawer fronts, and the Craftsman emblem were a pain to get off. I used a plastic hammer and scraper to get the fronts off. Once I got them going, they weren't hard to get off. Just hard to get them going...after forty years, they didn't want to move!

I wetsanded them with 60, then 150 grit paper. There was a lot of buildup on them. Then primed and painted the emblem and the fronts with aluminum color paint.

jim m · Apr 13, 2009

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
Forgot to mention that. The trim pieces on the drawer fronts, and the Craftsman emblem were a pain to get off. I used a plastic hammer and scraper to get the fronts off. Once I got them going, they weren't hard to get off. Just hard to get them going...after forty years, they didn't want to move!

I wetsanded them with 60, then 150 grit paper. There was a lot of buildup on them. Then primed and painted the emblem and the fronts with aluminum color paint.

looks great I have one from the same era a 4 drawer that Im going to be doing Ive been looking for that same emblem as mines missing if anyone has an extra
its hard to tell in your pics but does your box have a 2nd plate on the inside of the lid this one does
and the lid has been smashed down so im going to have to remove it to fix the lid

Jim

zuspiel · Apr 13, 2009

Great job! :thumbup:

JMartin · Apr 13, 2009

Very nice. Makes me want to try a little SO box I recently bought.

Jay

Chief · Apr 13, 2009

zuspiel said:
Great job!

+1 outstanding

Uncle Buck · Apr 13, 2009

Very nice, well done!

fatfillup · Apr 13, 2009

Loooooking Gooooood!!! That's some fine work!

BrokeEF · Apr 13, 2009

Makes me want to paint my new box, just for something to do. Looks great man, nice work.

Sean

GDA · Apr 13, 2009

Excellent! Your time and effort are rewarded each time you see and use it.

cnyeco1 · Apr 13, 2009

Very nice. Love the old boxes redone...

Thumper · Apr 13, 2009

That is sweet !! Very nice work !

Vinko · Nov 7, 2009

Brad54 said:
My method is pretty simple: one medium "dusting" coat, to give the additional coats something to grab onto. Let it get tacky, then give it a second complete coat--not heavy. Let it get tacky for about 45 minutes to an hour. The surface will be glossy, but it won't be smooth. It'll have a texture to it, almost like primer, but glossy.
then give it a third coat, spraying it on until you can see that textured coat turn slick.

I'm not a very good painter, and so wanted to ask what's the benefit to painting after it gets tacky, rather than waiting until a coat dries?

a 1939 Snap-on "Red Cap" chest and box combo.

I have too many projects...

-Brad

Some of those Red Cap boxes are really nice, as far as I can see from the '39 catalog.

D50boy · Nov 7, 2009

Good job on the box! I just refinished a 67 Craftsman top and bottom box. Pics are on pg 125 of the toolbox thread.

gonzoengineer · Dec 1, 2009

That's a very tidy little tool chest. I love how it came out after the repaint in black; looks like a product of the early 60's.

SuDZ · Dec 18, 2009

I started stripping/sanding an old toolbox last night. I have it close to being ready on the outside for some paint soon after another round of sanding. I was looking to see how you work with handles and latches. I have one handle on the top and three latches across the front. I wasn't sure how you go about these and if it is just more finer detail sanding. I would love to bring out the metal/silver finish on them.

Thanks

crewchief888 · Dec 18, 2009

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv said:
Bought this box in February. I'd been keeping my eye out for this model. A friend's dad had one like this that I remembered when I was a teenager. Always liked it.

Sanded it with a Ryobi sander and wet sanded with 60, 150, and 320 grit paper.

Used Walmart regular black spray paint for couple base coats...then Krylon Gloss Black for top coats. Sanded with 1000 grit paper in between coats. The original lock isn't usable, but I put it back in. Not b/c I need one on it but it looks better with it in there. I've got a couple toolboxes with non functional locks that I put back in just for looks.

looks great, i picked up one of these boxes in great shape at a flea market last summer for $25

jamesemery728 · Dec 18, 2009

Have the original top and bottom boxes, but the top box is only a 2 drawer with a date stamp of 5/63. Original colors are grey and red. Got them for Christmas back in 1963. Still look like new. Mine does not have the StoVall symbol on it.

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv · Dec 18, 2009

jamesemery728 said:
Have the original top and bottom boxes, but the top box is only a 2 drawer with a date stamp of 5/63. Original colors are grey and red. Got them for Christmas back in 1963. Still look like new. Mine does not have the StoVall symbol on it.

That was just something the previous owner glued on it. I took that off as well as scraped off the stickers on the sides and back before the resto.

jamesemery728 · Dec 18, 2009

It is funny but I never realized that there was a date code inside that top box for as many years as I have had it. With the original paint still in good condition the date is filled in with paint and barely visible. I learned something new thanks to your post.

Hellcat6 · Dec 18, 2009

Nice work, another old warrior lives to fight again!

Even 11 · Dec 19, 2009

Man, That looks Great!! I gotta start looking for an old box to bring back to life!!

-Dane

flathead74 · Nov 8, 2010

Excellent work. It is always great to see old tools and boxes given a new life. Congrats!

Canadian Charlie · Nov 8, 2010

**** box, nice to see an old box come back to life again

40 Year old Craftsman Toolbox resto

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