Craftsman Toolbox Thread

[ooba tooba]

Question for the Craftsman Toolbox aficionados.....I've picked up a few blue crackle boxes like this one pictured in 2nd pic. No Craftsman logo, but assumed it had worn away. I see some differences in this box, and others I've seen, such as in the first pic, which is a pic originally posted by JoCoSawdust I believe. Note the different method of attachment of the hardware, welded in one, riveted in the other. My question is, do I really have a Craftsman box, or were there other blue crackle boxes out there? Dimensions would appear to be identical. Thanks


My 2 craftsman boxes hardware

 

[ed4banger]

Well, from these pics (thx ooba), and a response or two on the metal cabinet thread, I believe the two blue crackle boxes I have are not Craftsman, and the Excelsior made blue crackle which I thought was not Craftsman, is in fact Craftsman........weird

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Here's another wrinkle Ed. This box (I do not own it) has the welded on hardware and remnants of the Craftsman logo.

 

[ed4banger]

Here's another wrinkle Ed. This box (I do not own it) has the welded on hardware and remnants of the Craftsman logo.

Now I'm really confused, same exact construction/hardware style of the two blue crinkles in question, and even same tray configuration......

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Yup. Craftsman rabbet holes! I have two boxes of this style. Both have riveted on hardware. Two different style of trays, one like in the pic I posted, the other like the last box you posted.

I'm thinking two different OEMs, based on shipping region. Just a guess.

 

[JoCoSawdust]

Been a while since this thread was kick started!

This oddball just popped up on my radar. A blue roller with a Heritage tag?????? It caught my attention. Seller also posted pics with the cover open. No drawers with it but it's obviously a factory blue chest. I zoomed in as close as I could on the logo. Before it started pixelating, it looked to have flat top A Craftsman font on the Heritage tag. I'm thinking somebody possibly added it to the box. I'll be passing through the sellers area in a couple of weeks. If it's still available, I plan on taking a look. If it looks legit, it'll be coming home with me, drawers or not.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Been a while since this thread was kick started!

This oddball just popped up on my radar. A blue roller with a Heritage tag?????? It caught my attention. Seller also posted pics with the cover open. No drawers with it but it's obviously a factory blue chest. I zoomed in as close as I could on the logo. Before it started pixelating, it looked to have flat top A Craftsman font on the Heritage tag. I'm thinking somebody possibly added it to the box. I'll be passing through the sellers area in a couple of weeks. If it's still available, I plan on taking a look. If it looks legit, it'll be coming home with me, drawers or not.

Joco-glad to see you putting a little Nitro back into this thread...I have something I picked up yesterday that I will be adding to it soon...

In terms of this lower roller...I cant tell it the badge was added by someone or if it is actually legit. I do wonder if perhaps the blue paint off the cover has transferred to the badge ? Looks like it was stored upright with the cover folded all those years like most of them....over the years, the heat could have caused the paint to stick to the badge... so far the lock looks good and the paint color is good as well ? Even with no drawers, if the price is right , you could buy it for parts ? I think there have been some early heritage badge rollers posted up thread but those all where the greenish paint iirc ? Any way, I hope you get more photo's and maybe you find something really uncommon ?

 

[Smokeshow69]

I have been pursuing this 10 drawer Heritage Era top chest for quite some time now! It is really straight aside from the missing lid and the well done spray painting. BMWRDO sold it to me for a paltry sum and I was really excited to get it. I will weld another correct lid on it and replace the handles and put it onto my Crowntop badged 8 drawer roller. I can't tell if it is dated '53 or '58 ??

 

[jywilli69]

Here's just a couple of what I've acquired. Unfortunately a lot of em I get are pretty rotted at the bottom from sitting on the floor, condensation n concrete sweat I'd guess. Least they look good on the shop shelves.

I have the middle one in your picture. Mine was built Nov 1972. Mine is missing the Top Lid. Now it is time to find one.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

Four weeks ago I found a carpenter's tool box at the fleamarket. They are 8x8x32, and have a knock out for a rafter square and place in the tray for a level. They all use 4' levels now instead of the 28" ones. I have a Beach from my days as a carpenter, but it's used as storage for some brace and bits . I needed one for volunteer renovation job, turning a coal bin in a 90 year old community hall into a lapidary workshop. Now completed .So it got three weeks of work.

Since I'm in Canada, I thought it would be the same as the Beach except grey instead of blue, but the front stamping is a little different.

 

[outofbounds]

Not my auction, but ran across this one, and posting here since I've never seen a wood Craftsman machinist's box before.

Metal Tool Cabinet W/ Craftsman Toolbox | Live and Online Auctions on HiBid.com

michigan.hibid.com

 

[radrush]

Nice thread...

 

[ed4banger]

Not my auction, but ran across this one, and posting here since I've never seen a wood Craftsman machinist's box before.

Metal Tool Cabinet W/ Craftsman Toolbox | Live and Online Auctions on HiBid.com

michigan.hibid.com

Made by Union, 1940s.

 

[outofbounds]

Made by Union, 1940s.

Sold for $68 with the metal work van chest as well. Someone got a great deal I think.

 

[ed4banger]

Sold for $68 with the metal work van chest as well. Someone got a great deal I think.

Those boxes usually sell for a couple hundred, they are not common......

 

[radrush]

Color match..

OK...so I'm finally fed up with the newer side boxes being different colors than my main middle set.

For the boxes I'm going with Rust-oleum Sunrise Red.

The drawers??? The color is continually referred to as Charcoal Gray. I read recently that the best match is Rust-oleum 312818 Deep Slate. I can't find a can of this locally.

I got a can of Rust-oleum Gloss Charcoal Grey and in my opinion it's too too light.

I'm thinking seriously about using Cyber Gray Metallic (same color as my Corvette.)

 

[radrush]

 

[ed4banger]

Mid 40s Mechanics Chest I recently picked up. Edit: got criticized elsewhere for using a saw badge as a replacement, LOL, so swapped it out for the proper one. Got to keep the purist happy.

out ag View attachment 1535189View attachment 1535190View attachment 1535241

 

[Smokeshow69]

Mid 40s Mechanics Chest I recently picked up. Edit: got criticized elsewhere for using a saw badge as a replacement, LOL, so swapped it out for the proper one. Got to keep the purist happy.

out ag View attachment 1535189View attachment 1535190View attachment 1535241

Nice top chest ed! Should be good just to clean up and put it to use!

 

[ed4banger]

Nice top chest ed! Should be good just to clean up and put it to use!

Thanks, I disassembled it, straightened a minor bend or two, and now its full of period correct tools in my "Craftsman Room"

 

[Smokeshow69]

Thanks, I disassembled it, straightened a minor bend or two, and now its full of period correct tools in my "Craftsman Room"

Nice work. It is nice when you find a good one that is well cared for enough that you can just clean and put to work

 

[db130]

Could one of you eagle-eyed folks provide a rough estimate of how old this box is? I picked it up today at a 2nd hand shop. Other than needing a quick cleaning, it's in remarkably good shape.

 

[thehorse13]

Could one of you eagle-eyed folks provide a rough estimate of how old this box is? I picked it up today at a 2nd hand shop. Other than needing a quick cleaning, it's in remarkably good shape.

1960s/1970s.

They are becoming harder to find in nice shape. Your exact box appears in the 1964 catalog but could run as far as the early 70s.

 

[d42jeep]

Based on the Crown label and the handle shape, my opinion is from right around 1970. The handle on my ‘67 box is a different design.
-Don
My box from around ‘67

 

[FSS56]

Here's a capture from the 1977 catalog, showing the "Sears Best" along side the 26" wide stacks.

It's worth noting that the 33" rolling cabinet is never depicted in any year of catalog as having any half-width drawers, unlike most of the other models. I would say it's safe to use that as a litmus test for determining the possibility of a Craftsman 33" roller.

Brian

Hello Rileysan, I came across your detailed descriptions of the “Craftsman Commercial, Super Duty, Sears Best” 33” wide boxes Here on GJ. You detailed the years they were offered for each model. My question to you is Sears offered a “Pro Set” in the mid 80s that is also 33” wide x 18” deep. It was a 12 drawer top with a drop down lid for additional security and an eight drawer bottom with the bottom two deep drawers double tracked for additional support. Is it safe to assume that this is a continuation of earlier discussed 33” wide series?

 

[d42jeep]

I don’t believe that Rileysan has posted on the GJ for a couple of years. It’s too bad. He was a valuable contributor.
-Don

 

[FSS56]

Thank you for the update. I went to him because he commented on the particular boxes in Dec 2020. I didn’t think that was so long ago. If any other GJ members have any insight on my questions I would welcome there input as well. Thanks again Don.

 

[Smokeshow69]

I don’t believe that Rileysan has posted on the GJ for a couple of years. It’s too bad. He was a valuable contributor.
-Don

He’s a personal friend. We met through tool collecting . He’s a wealth of craftsman knowledge. We attended a big swap meet here this weekend. He’s part of 2 craftsman tool collector groups on fb. Or perhaps send him a pm?

Thank you for the update. I went to him because he commented on the particular boxes in Dec 2020. I didn’t think that was so long ago. If any other GJ members have any insight on my questions I would welcome their input as well. Thanks again Don.

Please see my response above

 

[Smokeshow69]

I picked up this crown top hip roof box this weekend with rileysan. He missed it and I didn’t

 

[1982fxr]

Hello Rileysan, I came across your detailed descriptions of the “Craftsman Commercial, Super Duty, Sears Best” 33” wide boxes Here on GJ. You detailed the years they were offered for each model. My question to you is Sears offered a “Pro Set” in the mid 80s that is also 33” wide x 18” deep. It was a 12 drawer top with a drop down lid for additional security and an eight drawer bottom with the bottom two deep drawers double tracked for additional support. Is it safe to assume that this is a continuation of earlier discussed 33” wide series?

I can only add that those are Waterloo Magnum boxes that were also sold in black in the Craftsman Industrial catalog up into the 90's I think. They offered a few more models than the red one pictured.

Napa also had them in blue and I'm sure they weren't the only other ones reading those.

I had one of the old 33 inchers and it was just a bigger version of the regular toolboxes, not in the same league as the Magnums. They are heavy bastards.

 

[FSS56]

Thanks for the reply’s guys.

 

[Provincial]

I picked up this crown top hip roof box this weekend with rileysan. He missed it and I didn’t

It is amazing how often, when two (or more) experienced collectors pick through a swap meet or flea market, one will miss an item and his companion(s) will spot it!

 

[Smokeshow69]

It is amazing how often, when two (or more) experienced collectors pick through a swap meet or flea market, one will miss an item and his companion(s) will spot it!

We were doing this to each other all day at the track. Luckily we have some brands that we don’t compete on as much so it wasn’t all competition all the time.

 

[Robs94Bronco]

Has anyone seen this Tool Caddy before? I posted a YT video hopping someone would chime in....
Craftsman #965202

 

[worldcargo]

Check out this Sears Craftsman cantilever tool box I just bought from a collector. He purchased it in 1980 from Sears in Burnaby, BC, Canada. Never been used! No scratches or dents. I was going to use but I think that’s a foolish idea. Thoughts?

 

[mritchie77]

Check out this Sears Craftsman cantilever tool box I just bought from a collector. He purchased it in 1980 from Sears in Burnaby, BC, Canada. Never been used! No scratches or dents. I was going to use but I think that’s a foolish idea. Thoughts?

You'll give mixed opinions. Many (if not most) of the collectors here use their tools and toolboxes on top of collecting. However, something THAT pristine will only de-value if you use it as intended. All depends on what you plan to do with it in the future.

I'd have a hard time putting that to use. Probably why I don't collect pristine examples of anything, as I am afraid to damage them.

 

[d42jeep]

I found this box in 2016. I’m careful with it and don’t move it around much but I use it for tool storage. It’s Craftsman not Snap-on. Even if it was NOS Snap-on I would probably use it.
-Don

 

[worldcargo]

You'll give mixed opinions. Many (if not most) of the collectors here use their tools and toolboxes on top of collecting. However, something THAT pristine will only de-value if you use it as intended. All depends on what you plan to do with it in the future.

I'd have a hard time putting that to use. Probably why I don't collect pristine examples of anything, as I am afraid to damage them.

Thanks for the feedback. It reaffirmed my plans for it. It’s gonna sit on display in my shop.

 

[Isaiah6113]

Check out this Sears Craftsman cantilever tool box I just bought from a collector. He purchased it in 1980 from Sears in Burnaby, BC, Canada. Never been used! No scratches or dents. I was going to use but I think that’s a foolish idea. Thoughts?

Beautiful box, likely made by Beach. I’d be hard pressed to use it. Thing is though, those boxes are heavy as sin when you load them up, hardly portable at all!

So leave it in your shop in some hallowed place, but use it to store other precious tools that are important to you and retired from active service, and/or pristine wrenches, etc that you are also collecting.

That way you are using it, but not really using it, using it.

Matthew

 

[d42jeep]

We checked out a S Lake Tahoe estate sale this morning. I had some interest in a Craftsman roller that would match my upper box. I have always wanted one of these with no wasted open space at the bottom. it was made in Jan ‘82 but I can’t quite make out the patent number.
-Don