Antique Tool Box

[hotsam]

This was my grandfather's. It hasn't been opened since 1977.

Dimensions: 40" long by 24" wide by 21 1/2" high.

Apparently, inset into the inside of the lid are carpenter's squares. Then there are "drawers" (more like boxes), that you lift out. There are 2 or 3 levels of these boxes. Then on the bottom of the box there are slots which saws slip in to.

Right now the box is in Maine, and I need to drive up and bring it back to my home, where I will open it and go through the contents.

Has anyone seen a box like this?

 

[Cryo Gal]

gorgeous! A time capsule, how cool!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Dude, what are you waiting for ? Go get it !

 

[Outlawmws]

None of the rest of us can see the pic. you need to load it to the site, not use flickr where views are limited...

 

[hotsam]

Added as an attachment.

 

[Outlawmws]

That is one cool looking box. Can't wait to see what is inside.

 

[tvfd911]

I've seen a box like that before. It was my grandpa's and I forget if it was his dad's or Grandma's dad's. From my research, there's a good chance that it was from a generation prior to Great Grandpa having it. There's likely spots for different sized hand planes as well.

Right now, it is still in the same place as its been as long as I can remember. Hopefully my uncle doesn't do something stupid with it. My grandma would give it to me in a heartbeat, but I don't have a place for it where it'd be any safer.

A prized piece for any wood worker. Please don't repurpose it or anything like that. I don't think there are too many of these left.

 

[hotsam]

I've seen a box like that before. It was my grandpa's and I forget if it was his dad's or Grandma's dad's. From my research, there's a good chance that it was from a generation prior to Great Grandpa having it. There's likely spots for different sized hand planes as well.

Right now, it is still in the same place as its been as long as I can remember. Hopefully my uncle doesn't do something stupid with it. My grandma would give it to me in a heartbeat, but I don't have a place for it where it'd be any safer.

A prized piece for any wood worker. Please don't repurpose it or anything like that. I don't think there are too many of these left.

I plan on using it to store the stuff I don't use very often. I'll rest it (not attach it) on some mover's dollys and clean it, but that's about it.

 

[justanengineer]

Thats an old carpenter's trunk and theyre common as the day is long (today = very long). Depending upon whether it was store bought, home made, and the maker, it could be very plain or very ornate inside. Ive seen them sell for anywhere from $25 to $1000+ in that shape on the exterior, but being Gpa's its fairly obvious you wont go that route. Im not sure you will find much useful inside unless youre a fan of the woodwright, but they definitely are neat and worthy of saving. Be careful of the missus, they love to "repurpose" those.

Thanks for preserving a little bit of history. Please dont refinish or repurpose it unless its really horrible inside.

 

[Outlawmws]

Thats an old carpenter's trunk and theyre common as the day is long (today = very long). Depending upon whether it was store bought, home made, and the maker, it could be very plain or very ornate inside. Ive seen them sell for anywhere from $25 to $1000+ in that shape on the exterior, but being Gpa's its fairly obvious you wont go that route. Im not sure you will find much useful inside unless youre a fan of the woodwright, but they definitely are neat and worthy of saving. Be careful of the missus, they love to "repurpose" those.

Thanks for preserving a little bit of history. Please dont refinish or repurpose it unless its really horrible inside.

I can't agree with that at all. I'm working more and more with hand wood working tools, and with he exception of production wood working, and doing lots of cutoff or ripping, the hand tools have their place in any homeowner's wood shop. I do more work with hand planes, and a Japanese saw than all my other wood power tools combined, outside of the ripping and chop saw work on big jobs.

 

[Shipfittin]

They had one of these on "Pawn Stars" on The History Channel. I don't think they bought it off the guy, believe he wanted an arm and a leg for it.

They are very nice tool boxes and would have been essential for someone such as a carpenter/ wood worker in the past. My tool box I have at work is a crude modern version of it, but it's basically built for the idea that all your tools are in one place and it can be moved around.

Some of the intricate ones are really amazing.

 

[hotsam]

I finally made the journey to Maine to get the box.

No real treasures inside, beside a few planes.

I'll post pics of the box when I unload it tomorrow.

 

[bacpacker]

I think it's awesome. Sentimental value alone.

 

[hotsam]

I'm debating restoring it (leaning toward not...just cleaning and preserving it). The reason to restore it would so that I could eventually hand it down to my son in good shape...apparently this was also my great grandfather's who had it in the early 1900's.

 

[woody 73]

Very nice box and tools you have there
If you get the chance take an old rag and put some oil on it, then wipe down everything at least it will slow the rust down and help preserve the tools for the next generation to enjoy.