Beach "Highboy" toolbox clean-up/restoration

[k p]

As an update to my post in the toolbox thread HERE... I've finished pressure washing, scrubbing, painting (only minor drawer touch ups and inside of box), polishing, lubing, and re-assembling my new Beach box. This one took a lot of elbow grease! It's not perfect but that wasn't the intention, it still has some battle scars, scratches and a few dents here and there.

The box itself was absolutely filthy, inside and out. Lots of hardened grease and goo, leftover adhesive, and also a whole pile of punch cards and work orders that had fallen behind the drawers to the bottom. I took everything apart and cleaned everything I could reach. Many of the drawers were likely overloaded and needed some tweaking and straightening to get back square again, but nothing too crazy. Many of the drawer slides were also damaged one way or another but most of those came out straight with some creative vise work and hammering. I think it came out great, and will serve me for years to come.

Check out the before and afters below!

 

[k p]

A few before shots... I didn't realize until I got it home that all of the letters were drawn on with dry-erase markers, so they all came off in 10 seconds...

 

[k p]

Some pressure washing and scrubbing...

 

[k p]

I used some Tremclad Gloss Fire Red to do some touchups to the inside of the box and the inside of some of the badly worn drawers. The tremclad shade of red is nearly dead-on, it's just glossier than the finish on the box. All of the drawers will get a rubber bottom liner, so those touchups are mostly for piece of mind...

 

[k p]

...and then I polished the fold down covers and all of the drawer faces by hand, lubed, and re-assembled everything. Worth it!

 

[alinc100]

Great work.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Nice job. Figured you were in Canada. I can't remember seeing any Beach boxes this far south.

 

[k p]

Great work.

Nice job. Figured you were in Canada. I can't remember seeing any Beach boxes this far south.

Thanks! Yep I'm in Canada, and while Beach boxes are relatively common this specific model seems quite uncommon. Now I just need to load all my tools into this one!

 

[FJ 432]

Very nice job on my favorite layout of a Beach designed box. Thanks for sharing.

 

[FMB4]

Good going KP! That box is glad you took it in.

 

[Pontiac787]

That's a very cool box. Nice work!

 

[930dreamer]

Very nice box, great work.

 

[Shelbylex]

Got to love it! Great addition!

 

[k p]

Very nice job on my favorite layout of a Beach designed box. Thanks for sharing.

Good going KP! That box is glad you took it in.

That's a very cool box. Nice work!

Very nice box, great work.

Got to love it! Great addition!

Thank you!

 

[Ohmthis]

That is a cool old box. You did a great job on the clean up and rebuild. Any idea how old it may be?

 

[k p]

That is a cool old box. You did a great job on the clean up and rebuild. Any idea how old it may be?

I would guess sometime in the 70's? A few members on here have tracked down some catalogue pages from back in the day that show this unit.

 

[Ohmthis]

Oh wow! That’s super handy. I thought it was around 60” tall. That makes a fantastic workbench as well as a tool box.

 

[alinc100]

For those in the Metro Detroit area .It's not mine, no affiliation,etc: http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2944618275866150/

 

[mikedodge]

Those wide ones are rare. I bought the short version a couple weeks ago but its branded international and has a cupboard instead of the narrow drawers. Never saw that set up before so it must have been an international thing. At first I was going to put a box on top but I think ill put a board on it instead and use it as another rolling work bench.

 

[Technologyteacher]

I like it a lot. Great work

 

[k p]

For those in the Metro Detroit area .It's not mine, no affiliation,etc: http://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2944618275866150/

Wow that's the grand daddy, look at those side boxes too! Dang.

 

[old_smokey]

My dream box!!

 

[RickyPetite]

Great job. I love boxes with lots of drawers. Tall drawers just seem to collect junk.

 

[Jayman17]

I really like those beach boxes. I have never seen them in my area though. Great refresh on yours!

Jay