Odd box for 1/2 socket set

[skruft]

When I bought some assorted stuff this weekend there was a small, old,gray, very heavy metal box for a limited 1/2 drive set, without a top. It is not long enough to hold anything much longer than a regular ratchet.

In it were some fairly old Craftsman and Williams sockets.

The unusual thing about it is that it holds the sockets by means of solid square metal posts, so you must actually slide each socket straight up or down. I hadn't seen this before.

I see no names or numbers. Any idea who made this?

 

[Exceller8]

Got any pictures?

 

[skruft]

Sure, here is a photo.

 

[rusty65]

Are there any marks where old hinges could have been?

 

[skruft]

No, I see no marks for hinges. Just the plain box with the holders for sockets.

 

[Matt018]

thats slick.... i would try to clean it up a bit, shoot it with some paint if youd like and put it into service.

 

[RCStocker]

The squares don't look streight, they are twisted. Are they glued or welded on? Did someone take square stock and make thier own. The tray does not look like a comercial box. It looks like it has welds in the corners. I think the whole thing is home made. It has no signs of a hinges or a top. 50 years of junking and I have not seen one. Not even in all the machine shops I have worked in.

 

[PaulsGarage]

I agree with RCstocker, it looks home-made. It also looks cool and useful so clean 'er up and put the sockets back in!

 

[skruft]

Thanks very much.

I think you're right about it being home-made because the squares are not exactly straight. It does have welds at the corners. A nice job though. I'll clean it up and use it.

 

[MustangFJ]

50 years ago some guy made that box and was probably pretty pleased with it. I bet he would never have guessed that people all over the world are looking at and are impressed with what he made.

These interwebs are kind of cool.

 

[RCStocker]

At first I thought it was a bread pan with an extra weld. I have seen a lot of home made socket holders. I make them up all the time.

 

[skruft]

Looking at it carefully, there are faint, uniform round marks on the bottom under each of the socket holders, so that it looks like they were spot welded on.

The maker may have been the father of the guy who was selling it, as they said the tools had been his, but who knows.