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"Yankee Spiegel Dandy" - Precision-Bilt Toolbox Restoration

Private Lugnutz

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As most of you know, I am inclined to preserve old toolboxes and do a full restoration (strip and repaint) only when absolutely necessary. And when a box is just too far gone to save “as is”, and I have to restore it, I don’t like the fresh-out-of-the-factory look. I prefer to use artistic techniques to make the box look like it’s an authentic, well-used, well-worn, but well-maintained original survivor. If you haven’t seen it, I have a thread on that subject linked here.

Every once in awhile, though, I get a wild hair up my you know what and do something outlandish. Take “Black Hills Gold”, for example, the name I gave my tricked-out customized Blackhawk 32-CD Q.D. socket wrench set, linked here.

Well, I’ve done it again – and I’m calling it “Yankee Spiegel Dandy.”

Quick backstory here is me finding a Spiegel Precision-Bilt midget socket set at a flea market in June 2017. Since then I have accumulated enough 1/2- and 3/8-inch drive pieces to make up a complete 47-piece Master Deluxe Combination Wrench Set, including the hip roof box to keep them in. These were made by New Britain in the late 40's and early 50's and I showed my sets previously here.

The tools are so pristine I could literally use them as utensils along with my finest silver.

The box was in great shape, too, with no cancerous rust, and fairly straight, with no major dents or dings – but, it had maybe 10% of its paint remaining. It offended my sensibilities to have such a mismatch. I think I fixed that. I may have gone a little too far. But I really like the way it turned out.
 
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Private Lugnutz

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Before I unveil it, here are some BEFORE photos, so you know what I started with...
 

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Private Lugnutz

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And here are some AFTER shots...

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Private Lugnutz

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Thanks, guys! I appreciate it.

In case anyone is wondering, the liners are cork. I bought a typical roll at the hardware store, cut the shapes out, and stained them with a rag sopped in a mix of Rustoleum Colonial Red spray paint cut 50/50 with paint thinner.

The handle is genuine leather salvaged from an old 14 oz sparring glove. (My dad was a boxer in the Navy, he passed it on to my brothers and I, and we passed it onto our sons. I still have a heavy bag and a speed bag in the garage.) I was going to take the leather material for re-cladding the handle from an old catcher's mitt at first, and leave the cork original brown. When I spotted the old sparring glove, lightning struck! I immediately knew I was going to go with a red handle - even though it was brown originally, and that I would stain the cork liners red, too! :pimpflash
 
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Private Lugnutz

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I have used handles scavenged from old luggage on leather-handled toolboxes before, but now that I have done one by sewing a new leather covering on by hand, I think I will probably try to find more leather donor material instead.

I took some photos to document the process in case anyone else wants to try it...
 

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Private Lugnutz

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I actually ended up using a different piece than the piece shown in Pic 1. I though I could use the curled finger part of the boxing glove, which was a nice fit, but realized it would have to be sewn on the bottom of the handle shape. But I forgot to take a pic of new piece, already half sewn-on in Pic 2. The original handle covers were wet and stretched to get rid of wrinkles that will occur with a flat piece of leather. I didn't do that. Instead, I had to keep stretching it tight as I sewed, and it still wrinkled a little. But I'm okay with that, as well as some of the uneven stitches. It's more of a custom 'homage' box than an original reproduction.
 

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r_olson_06

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Well done as always. I love watching members who are talented enough to do these restorations.

Looking for a Plomb 3061 Pebble Open End.
 

Farmer J.

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It looks good Lugz, the red liners and handle tie in with the colour of the badges.
It must be nice for you to have something shiny and colourful once in a while, makes a change from all that olive drab!
 

Oregon rock crusher

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That Yankee Spiegle Dandy project sure turned out nice Lugz and the tool set looks great in it. I might have to take on a few leather handle overhauls someday. Not sure my sewing skills are up the the task but yours sure came out pretty darned good. Ed.
 
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Private Lugnutz

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Thanks, fellas. The funny thing is, red is really not my color. I never wear it and I don't like it much on anything else. I have to accept it when it's the original color of a box, but in this case, I have to agree, it really works because of the badges. Honestly, I was more worried about the blue! You can see how light it is in the BEFORE pics. I was going to ignore that and go way darker, and then, once I decided to stay as close to the original as possible, I couldn't match it with an off the shelf spray can. Rustoleum Cornflower was too vivid. This is Rustoleum French blue. Maybe a shade lighter. Full admission, I think the original finish may have been a metallic blue, and I tried to get that effect with a hammered clear coat using the bottom of the tray as an experiment. But it just didn't work. I was a little worried about all that solid light blue but unmasking the badges helped and the handle and liners really helped. It is certainly unique!

Farmer J: I do have some color in the Lugzsonian, but yes, lots of OD. Haha. Believe it or not, I have more wooden toolboxes than steel though.

3bay: Honestly, I had never lined a toolbox before, preferring naked steel. The main compartment went well, and the tray pieces, too. But I had to re-do the midget set piece THREE times. The cork liner has a sticky backing and it kept getting hung up on the bottom before I could slide it under the socket divider. The first time I pinched the whole corner off manhandling it. The second time went even worse - it just crumbled. I was thinking of just putting it in without peeling the backing when I had an idea. I rubbed some spit on the bottom, near the divider, just enough where the glue wouldn't hang it up. Victory! LOL.

Ed: One tool that is a necessity with leather is a palm. I couldn't find mine, inherited from my dad, so I wore a leather work glove with a drift shoved in there. LOL.
 
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Cable

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Really awesome job!! I especially love the red cork lining!
Great idea using the glove too. Nice having something of your dad's around. I have been getting into leatherwork lately and I found a lot of great videos on YouTube on how to do stitching. Check this one our:

You don't need the fancy hole punching tool he has, I have used a fork to line up the holes, then punch them with a nail or awl.
Love the little socket set too!
 

Cable

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Hi Cable. I was thinking about making the holes first with a punch, but I was concerned about it being too loose when I threaded them, so I went with freehand.

Thanks, Bob.

If its leather, make the hole roughly the same size as the thread. Use a finishing nail or something. Dont use a drill bit! I have made that mistake...
:thumbup:
Seriously, that box is awesome though!!
 
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Private Lugnutz

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If its leather, make the hole roughly the same size as the thread. Use a finishing nail or something. Dont use a drill bit! I have made that mistake...
:thumbup:
Seriously, that box is awesome though!!
Thanks. The punch I was going to use was a leather punch, made explicitly for punching holes in leather, rubber, canvas, duck and other thick upholstery material. I have a dozen or so vintage jobbies in a range of sizes, including pin punch sizes. But I ultimately decided on using the needle itself with a makeshift palm, the way my dad would mend sails and canvas.
 

Madc

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Fantastic job!

Really like the blue and red combo, reminds me of the vintage european sports cars that often had red interiors with subdued exterior colors.
Well Done.

MADC
 

Dave455

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That really is a superb job!

Glad you mentioned the lining. I couldn’t work out what it was when I started looking at the pics.

As a matter of interest, I always line boxes I make or restore. I tend to use thin dense foam that I get from a craft shop. I can colour match it to the box so it’s not intrusive, but it protects the tools and the box. I cut it accurately but don’t stick it, so it’s removable.

This post was a bit of education for me, as I’d never heard of that brand. I’d have bought those tools if I’d seen them in that condition though. They’re obviously very decent quality.

Shame that Billings and Spencer box that outofbounds found isn’t original. What a set if it was!
 
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Private Lugnutz

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Thanks, Dave.

I love that box with the cut-outs and I don't think the homemade quality detracts. It would be fun to fill and even more fun to show off. But not at that price or with the shipping.
 
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Private Lugnutz

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....reminds me of the vintage european sports cars that often had red interiors with subdued exterior colors.
I have to admit, it matches the classic Volvo P1900 speedster, too (see Pic 1) - but these are SAE size sockets, of course, so they'd look better in the trunk of the '58 Vette (See Pic 2)! :pimpflash :lol:
 

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Private Lugnutz

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Thanks, Sonny. That's some high praise.

I have to admit I can't stop looking at the photo of the open boxes next to that powder blue/red leather '58 'Vette! If I had one, I think I'd have the trunk open with the boxes inside at a show! :lol:
 

Farmer J.

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the photo of the open boxes next to that powder blue/red leather '58 'Vette! If I had one, I think I'd have the trunk open with the boxes inside at a show! :lol:

Yea, I was thinking the same thing! I never was 'in to' sports cars and toys of that ilk, (being a 'beauty rests on utility' kind of chap) but they do look good together, very eye catching.
 

Oldtuleguy

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Not as fancy, but here is a 1/2" drive set. Actually thought it was new britain when I first saw it. Was surprised to see precision stamped on it.
 

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Private Lugnutz

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Great job! I'm also not a fan of red, but it is the perfect color for that box.
Thanks, sir!

Was surprised to see precision stamped on it.
Nice grab! Welcome to the club.
:beer:

It's my favorite NB brand. Mustang is cool, and Craftsman BE and (H) the most popular, but I like everything about Precision-Bilt. The concept (precise), the alternative spelling, and the style.
 
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Private Lugnutz

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I didn't think I'd ever have a reason to bump this thread - and then I got a big surprise at the flea market this morning. These combo wrenches were on a $1 table with a mess of wrenches and other tools. I found one, then another almost immediately, and after my heart skipped a few beats, I started digging in methodical earnest. I was a little worried the guy was going to notice they were a set and pull an unscrupulous fast one, but he kept his advertised promise.

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