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Identifying Vintage Craftsman Tool Chest

xstreampros

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Hi all. My first post and I am looking to identify this Craftsman Tool Chest. It's a little rough but all drawers pull out fine.

Thanks in advance.
 

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DFB

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Its believe they may referred that as a "Workbench" in the old catalogs and flyers and not as a Tool Chest ( though they did have some "rolling or "mobile" tool carts" as they called them then...an actual tool box lower with a flat top work surface.


They often offered different surface material with these workbenches most came with a particle board type top (they called it fiberboard) and there was also galvinized top option

Later years offered painted "automotive steel top" was optional

My year 2000 reference catalog by then only has all black frames with ball bearing drawer slides either painted steel/galvanized tops. One option for fiberboard.

My old FIL had a red and black workbench with fiberboard top but no drawers or doors that was like back in 81 I remember he bought it for the garage when he built his new house :thumbup:
 
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xstreampros

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Re: Identifying Vintage Craftsman WorkChest workchest

Its believe they may referred that as a "Workbench" in the old catalogs and flyers and not as a Tool Chest ( though they did have some "rolling or "mobile" tool carts" as they called them then...an actual tool box lower with a flat top work surface.


They often offered different surface material with these workbenches most came with a particle board type top (they called it fiberboard) and there was also galvinized top option

Later years offered painted "automotive steel top" was optional

My year 2000 reference catalog by then only has all black frames with ball bearing drawer slides either painted steel/galvanized tops. One option for fiberboard.

My old FIL had a red and black workbench with fiberboard top but no drawers or doors that was like back in 81 I remember he bought it for the garage when he built his new house :thumbup:

Thank you for the reply. I updated the title to reflect your comment. I have searched every possible combination of workbench, 9 drawer and have not found any images that look like the one I posted. Most are vertical. Any thoughts?
 

4xdog

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I'm not sure I'd call that workbench "vintage". It probably dates from late 1980s-early 2000s (if my memory isn't wrong). Barely old in fact.

Welcome to TGJ --
 

DFB

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Re: Identifying Vintage Craftsman WorkChest workchest

Thank you for the reply. I updated the title to reflect your comment. I have searched every possible combination of workbench, 9 drawer and have not found any images that look like the one I posted. Most are vertical. Any thoughts?

Glad to help here if I can

Well if I remember correctly workbenches came in various configurations of drawers and or shelf space with or without hinged doors to cover them,

Drawers may have sold separate too I tend believe as add on

Like 4xdog said...early 80's and up from there a decade or more is the most likely the timeline. Not quite sure when red and black became the color late 70's maybe though gray and red was prominent on the boxes into mid 70's we have several on going threads here on TGJ for C-MAN tool boxes. I just resto'd one. And there are a few that know alot more than me. Many have old catalog sources too.

This photo is just one I quickly found 4 drawers on the left match yours

It's definitely not a toolbox though with the bolts heads showing its frame assembly. I'll keep looking though to see if I can find a red and black 9 drawer.

My 2000 catalog does show a 9 drawer unit along with an 8, 10, and 12 and also some combos with shelf and doors

Yours may have tag with a model number?

You also may want to repost this outside of the vintage forum maybe general tool discusion be better and also do a search for Craftsman tool box to find other threads
 

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Brad54

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I'm not sure I'd call that workbench "vintage". It probably dates from late 1980s-early 2000s (if my memory isn't wrong). Barely old in fact.

Welcome to TGJ --

Well... 1980 was 40 years ago, so...
 
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LNKMK8

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I pulled this from the 1982 catalog... seems you could order drawers individually for these work benches if you wanted. They also offered some with drawer setups.
 

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taumac

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2a81e7e6559e0ee829021da46eb1cabe.jpg

Here’s a link to a guy the restored one.

 

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taumac

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70481aaf989cf6a9142a9c44aff70115.jpg

I really like this idea. Hmmmm, now we know where Steevo got inspiration for his Steevo bench. LOL
 

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Provincial

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I used one like the OP shows to mount a 10" Atlas lathe in the mid-1980's. I doubled-up sheets of 1-1/8 plywood to make a top, covered with a sheet metal tray to contain the oil and chips. I store the extras from the lathe in the drawers. I added adjustable feet so I can level the top.

Keep the drawer slides lubed. I use beeswax.

I believe these were made for Craftsman by Waterloo.
 
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