New Member and another Snap-On Box Restoration

[///MPower]

Hello everyone, new GJ member, I am already loving this site! So, over the past few months I have been obsessing over garage organization and decided I needed more tool storage. I was about to pull the trigger on a Harbor Freight box to go along side my Craftsman, which is creeping up on 20 years old now and for the most part still looks new. With just home use, it has held up extremely well which led me to think that a HF box would do the same. I might even say the new HF boxes seem to be of better quality than my old Craftsman box and would probably suit me just fine.

However.... after some Craigslist lurking, I started searching Snap-On boxes. I am a long time Snap-On fan, I own a decent amount of Snap-On tools and have ALWAYS wanted a SO Box. I think I am going to hold off on buying a large box until I can afford it and find a lightly used Snap-On. But, I still had the bug for a project and a Snap-On box so I decided to get this and see what I could do with it. I just picked it up last night and I am anxious to get started. My plan is to completely tear it down and restore it.

My initial questions:

The side locker says Canada 1986 on it, I can't seem to find any markings on the roller cabinet, any guesses? I have looked through some of the catalogs on collectingsnapon.com but haven't found an exact match.

Would it be more trouble than its worth to paint them a different color?

 

[FJ 432]

Would it be more trouble than its worth to paint them a different color?

Worth is a question only you can answer. Restoring a box is not easy but once the job is done it becomes yours; a unique item only you have.

Changing colors would probably decrease the value unless you find someone who loves the color you've chosen. But in the end you should not choose to change color to add value because it will not.

I have restored over 12 boxes and I have changed the color on all of them. My opinion is that you should either restore entirely (Not to paint just the outside of the box) or leave the box alone and clean, grease and wax it.

But my restorations have been a labor of love not to increase value. It is not an easy job.

 

[///MPower]

Worth is a question only you can answer. Restoring a box is not easy but once the job is done it becomes yours; a unique item only you have.

Changing colors would probably decrease the value unless you find someone who loves the color you've chosen. But in the end you should not choose to change color to add value because it will not.

I have restored over 12 boxes and I have changed the color on all of them. My opinion is that you should either restore entirely (Not to paint just the outside of the box) or leave the box alone and clean, grease and wax it.

But my restorations have been a labor of love not to increase value. It is not an easy job.

I agree with everything you said here, maybe "worth" was the wrong way to ask that question. If I change the color I am currently leaning towards the Snap-On white or lime green boxes I have seen. I had a buddy that had a large roller cabinet in white and it looked like a work of art!

As far as value of these things, I am not at all concerned about that... I got these for a steal and will most likely never sell them, especially if I put the work in them to restore. My plan is to completely restore, as you said... I want to completely dismantle these and do everything I can to make them look new again. I am fairly handy with a spray gun so I will probably do the full primer, paint, and clear.

My only real concern with changing colors is how to handle the hinges on the locker box, I don't want to gunk them with paint and clear coat...

 

[///MPower]

so, I have ran into my first issue... I got all of the friction slides out without much of a problem. However, the bottom slide seems to be ball bearing? Is this common, to have two different slide types?

I can't seem to figure out how to get the BB slide to release... any suggestions?

 

[FJ 432]

Common for the bottom roller to have ball bearing slides. Your box is probably from the mid to late 80's. Snap On's thought was this drawer would get loaded up so, the bottom drawer being usually the deepest, would get the ball bearings. Someone more knowledgeable than me will come along on a way to remove the sliders, I don't know.

Piano hinges just require a light touch when spraying so that you paint them but slightly.

White would be sick. Show us when you're done.

 

[///MPower]

Thanks FJ! As a side note, it looks like you are a Toyota (and Jeep) fan. I just bought my first Toyota ever, a 4Runner TRD Pro in Cement and I absolutely love it!

I will definitely post pics of the box along the way, if I go white I'm thinking black accents to give it that Storm Trooper look.

 

[///MPower]

So, it's been a while since I posted this... Since then I have done quite a bit of work including finishing the original Snap-On box, purchasing another, and painting the garage. =) Here are some photos of the finished work.

 

[Toothaker]

Very nice!