I have decided to restore my 1975 Craftsman top tool chest and roller cabinet. It is grey with red drawers. I am having difficulty finding a good color match for the grey. It appears to be a grey hammered type paint, and not a solid color. Krylon has a close grey hammered product. Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated.
1975 Craftsman Top Chest Restoration
- Thread starter Gvos
- Start date
Cdstahlman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2014
- Messages
- 141
That looks really good! I also like the prop you have hanging on the wall in the background.
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That looks really good, nice job! Also I believe they had a couple of hammered gray metal rods that ran across the inside of the top lid about 1/4 of the way up to hold papers in place. Check if you have a couple of holes on each downside flap of the top. The holes did not go all the way through the lid to the outside.
retfr8flyr
Well-known member
I have a that box and the roller cabinet base. They belonged to my father and I plan on refinishing them this summer.
Thanks! That prop got a lot of looks in the Vintage toolbox thread.
Thanks. I will have to look for the holes tomorrow. I have often wondered what the raised rectangle is for under the top lid. I guess just reinforcement.
Both of these refinished boxes are outstanding. I only my project turns out as nice as these two. Thanks for the paint color tips. I have found some rust on the box bottom any suggestions on what rust converter primer to use prior to paint?
i have the same box i picked up at an auction i hope mine looks that nice when i am done
I would sand/wire wheel/ whatever to get the rust down to bare metal. That's the only way to stop it for good. Then clean the box real well with mineral spirits. I used an "etching" primer in a spray can. Several coats sanded with 150 grit between costs. I wiped it down with a tag rag after sanding. Once the surface was smooth enough I painted it. I sprayed the hammertone in light costs so not to overdue the hammer look. On the red I used rustoleum gloss cherry red. Sunrise red is a better match though. I just liked the color better. If you have touch up the red it must be bone dry. Like several days. If not the second coat bubbles up badly. I had totally sand a drawer down and start over. So on the other drawers I sprayed it rather heavy but not heavy enough to run. So you might prime a piece of metal and practice. I hadn't had paint do that before and I have spray painted a lot of things over the years. After I got the box and drawers painted, I copper wire brushed the handles. Then polished them about a dozen times with Mother's brand metal polish. I then lined the drawers with cork from Lowes. Not the sticky backed stuff. Most of all I had a lot of fun. I hope you have fun as well. It turned out well, almost too nice. But I am using at intended.
torqueman2002
Well-known member
I did several CM boxes with RO Hammered Grey spray. More expensive than can, but better result. Post up pics of your project.
Now I'm thinking it may have been Silver.
Now I'm thinking it may have been Silver.
Last edited:
jakemac
Well-known member
No, No, No !
We like pictures of projects in progress as well.
We like pictures of projects in progress as well.
retfr8flyr
Well-known member
I did several CM boxes with RO Hammered Grey spray. More expensive than can, but better result. Post up pics of your project.
Now I'm thinking it may have been Silver.
I think it's silver the Hammered gray looks like it's a lot darker then that.
Just finished the roll away this afternoon. Top chest is in progress. Primed with a zinc primer. Used Krylon Hammered Silver and Banner Red. Pretty close match.
That looks awsome. Great job!!!
Just finished the roll away this afternoon. Top chest is in progress. Primed with a zinc primer. Used Krylon Hammered Silver and Banner Red. Pretty close match.
Very nice! Hats off to ya!
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Gvos: do you have a before picture of the bottom box? it looks new now so if you do as well on the top box you'll have one sweet "old school" set up in your shop.
I didn't think to shoot pictures of the bottom cabinet prior to starting out. Pretty rusty around bottom of it. Spent the time to take it all down to bare metal and ground out the rust (mostly surface stuff) and primed with a Krylon zinc rust preventing primer. It will be interesting to see how it stands up. Thanks for the kind words. This has been a fun project.
Joe Burger
Active member
As a fellow owner of the same toolbox and live in minnesota, you did an awesome job, looks great!
Hemlock
Well-known member
Came out great! I always wondered what those rods under the lid were for.
looks great you did a mighty fine job
Lassen Forge
Well-known member
The origiinal "silver" was like a silver graphite grey. I have an original unretouched one (same era and everything) in the shop, it's not silver (or aluminum), not gray, it's like a dark silver. Yours is darned close, and the resto job looks amazing... nicely done!!!
methomas70
Well-known member
Looks super!
The sheet metal looks straight too which adds to the overall nice appearance.
The sheet metal looks straight too which adds to the overall nice appearance.
bought a 12 drawer top chest over the weekend. surface rust only. has a date of 3 75. could you please tell me the model number and how to remove the drawers. they have black clips in the slides. is there any pictures on how to do this? also looking for a 1975 logo to go on the bottom drawer. thanks