Older Snap-On Tool Box Clean Up

[Burnside]

Hey everyone new to the fourm but have been watching silently for a while now. I have purchased an older snap on tool box and am in the process of cleaning it up. The tool box has wear and scratches but is very solid and the price was right. Im not really looking to repaint i really like the used look but with all the stickers removed there is major ghosting/fading in the paint you can still read some of the decal out lines. I have buffed by hand using fermicula g3 and then waxed and can still see very well what was there. Would wet sanding almost completly remove the ghosting or am i just going to have to live with it. I will have Model numbers and pictures soon to follow its early 80s i think haha i might need help from the group to id them properly. any ideas on what i can do with this problem
Thanks James

 

[fatfillup]

Welcome and I'm so sorry you are burdened with an old toolbox,,,,,,,,,,,,,you lucky dog!!!

As far as the ghosting, you may need to hit it with a little more aggressive compound and a buffer. I am no expert on buffing (unless you like burnt and missing paint) but if one grade didn't do the job, I think you need to go more aggressive. If you know anybody who details cars or does autobody work, you may get some advice on what polish and pads to use.

 

[HandyManny]

Congrats on your purchase.

Don't bother tyring to buff or smooth out those ghost rings from your box. All you'll most likely end up doing is thining the layer of paint on your box making it less durable. Those ghost rings are a result of the paint under the stickers being permanently protected from any atmosphereic conditions and some the adheasive filling the pores of the paint under them. The paint elsewhere has aged differently leaving two different surface appearances. I use Ronson or Zippo lighter fluid to remove sticker adheasive from stuff. Only time I ever used it on a tool box was to remove the factory stickers that came on the box itself when new.

 

[jshillin]

You can polish the paint with a medium cut polish to brighten the rest of the box so the sticker rings blend in or atleast make them less noticeable.

 

[Burnside]

Thanks for the fast replys and tips!! I will try a more agressive approach i guess i could just live with it but i would like it to look some what respectable. If all else fails i could repaint but i have a tendency to get carried away! haha Thanks again James

 

[Packard V8]

the adheasive filling the pores of the paint under them.

As mentioned above, the sticker adhesive gets into the paint. Try cleaning the entire box with a citrus-based solvent such as GooGone or similar. Then polish it again. Getting all the adhesive out sometimes makes a difference.

thnx, jack vines