Newly aquired Starrett Toolbox

[nia573]

Picked up this Starrett toolbox today from a car boot sale here in the UK (yard sale)
Its been painted by its previous owner, & has had a newly fabricated galvanized sheet front panel. But its very straight & solid. Came with 2 keys & I got it for a good price too!
Was wondering if anyone had any information about this type of box & what would the original colour have been? (Is it basically a modern version of the wooden machinists chests Ive seen?) & what would the model number be?
Apologies for the phone pics

 

[Chandos]

Looks like a Kennedy 520 to me, with a new lock.

C

 

[dr_clyde]

I also concur on the Kennedy 520 with a starrett nameplate. Starrett never made that type of toolbox, AFAIK. Still a good box though.

Originally would have been wrinkle brown.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004Z8UGKM?pc_redir=1410586128&robot_redir=1

 

[zkling]

It's a legit Starrett branded box. For a while Starrett sold rebaged Kennedy 520 boxes under their own name. Someone gave that one a horrible paint job, but... It should be wrinkle brown with red felt. They also made them in wood.

 

[dr_clyde]

So it is a legit rebrand of a Kennedy. Interesting. Never saw one like that before. You learn something everyday.

 

[Murphy4570]

I never even knew Starrett made toolboxes. I do love their machinist tools though.

 

[lilredex]

Probably looked very much like this one...

Post #2935

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4176524#post4176524

 

[Carla]

Yes, as others have said its a, a 're-badged Kennedy' box, sold by suppliers who carried the Starrett line.

Most of the Kennedy boxes had brown felt drawer lining, but the ones badged 'Starrett' had red felt.

Wooden Starrett boxes will also be found, which were built by the Gerstner works, with a slightly different drawer arrangement than had the standard Gerstner boxes. The 'Starrett' Gerstners were mahogany, instead of the usual Gerstner oak, and, like the 'Starrett' Kennedy boxes, had red felt lining. (and the 'trade-mark' Gerstner mirror mounted 1/4th turn differently)

I think..........but this is from memory, and could be mistaken, that Starretts offered the mahogany boxes in the late '50's to late '60's time-frame, after which they offered the re-badged Kennedy boxes. I vaguely remember seeing both the mahogany and the steel boxes on display at supply houses, with the price being sufficiently higher for the 'Starrett' badging that relatively few were sold. They really did 'look pretty' as part of a Starrett tool display, tho.......... : )

cheers

Carla

 

[Stuart in MN]

Craftsman also sold the same box for a period of time, I have one.

 

[Chandos]

Montgomery Ward sold them badged "Powr-Kraft," as well. It seems a little 'less' finished, but it is a Kennedy. I love these little boxes.

 

[gus1962]

It's a rigid looking tool box! Should last for years.

 

[zkling]

Montgomery Ward sold them badged "Powr-Kraft," as well. It seems a little 'less' finished, but it is a Kennedy. I love these little boxes.

Do you have a picture? I think those were actually made by waterloo or remline. It seems as if almost every box manufacture dabbled in 7 drawer machinists chest at one point in time. Obviously kennedy is about the only one that has succeeded the test of time.

 

[Dave455]

That is a Starrett No.200 tool chest!

They maybe, in fact I'm sure were, made for Starrett by someone else, but they were good solid boxes.

I have my fathers, which he bought used in the 80's, and was a good decade old then! They are still listed in the last Starrett catalogue I have, which is 1996!

The box I have is finished in a a brown crinkle paint (to use the British term) but the one in the catalogue looks like it may be more of a maroon colour! The drawers are lined with red felt.

Starrett boxes were easily available in the U.K. whereas Kennedy would not have been!

 

[oldldh]

Now you NEED a Starrett clamper to go with it...


One must have a set, don't you know!!!

 

[Chandos]

Do you have a picture? I think those were actually made by waterloo or remline. It seems as if almost every box manufacture dabbled in 7 drawer machinists chest at one point in time. Obviously kennedy is about the only one that has succeeded the test of time.

I'll take and post a couple tomorrow.

 

[Adam.C]

That box is a great candidate for a restoration!

You can buy the Kennedy spray paint from Kennedy (or any industrial supply house)- it's a hard color to match. I think I would apply some sort of wrinkle first, then top coat with the Kennedy spray paint. Its expensive, but unmistakable. The hardware could be removed, replaced with new or I might suggest it could look cool painted satin or flat black - possibly epoxy.

For felt, see if you can source true 100% wool. I installed felt in my box using wall paper paste. Worked great. You can move it around using an old credit card as a squeegee, such that it doesn't have to be cut 100% accurately. I think cutting first is preferable to cutting after installation because the knife will scratch the paint, and could lead to rust down the road.

The Kennedy 520 is a classic box- sort of their base model.

 

[nia573]

Thanks for all the info!
Its a good sturdy old box. Im unsure as yet whether Ill restore it or perhaps sell it on as it is

 

[ALFA]

the Starrett tools box was in use to the team tyrell
any of you have pictures maybe of the content?