Older Snap-On tool box

[Tool Pants]

I like old stuff. I have been thinking of an old or older Snap-On, Mac, Craftsman, or something like this. I am interest in a vintage something that is not expensive. I already have Craftsman 26" and 40" combos in my garage. A vintage box would be for my second house that is an old cottage with a 1 1/4 car garage.

This one on Craigslist about an 1 1/2 hours from me. $425. I have not seen it. Just emails to the seller. Looks pretty in the pictures.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/tls/1009673401.html

It has been repainted and the castors replaced. I assume it is a KR series. I know next to nothing about Snap-On boxes. I asked for the model numbers so I could gather information. Told the seller they should be stamped on the back, because I read that on this message board. The seller said he looked over the outside of the boxes but could not find numbers, but he remembered numbers inside when he had the drawers out (I guess when he painted it). Seller said getting all the drawers out was a job, and he does not want to do it again.

I seen messages about older Snap-On boxes with dividers in the drawers, and I see that in the open drawer. Do all the drawers have dividers?

What can anyone tell me about these boxes? Age, possible model numbers, and so on. Where do you look for the model numbers without taking out all the drawers. If I take a trip to look at it what do I look for. Unfortunately I think it will be gone by the time I can get away to look at it.

 

[Junkman]

I have the same boxes, just not one on top of the other. They both use friction slides, and are both good boxes, if you only put old Snap-On tools in them. I put a set of modern Gearwrenches in a drawer, and that drawer has been sticking ever since. There are times that I can't even get it open. The lock stopped functioning also. Once I removed the Gearwrenches, and installed a set of 1960 OEX100 to OEX210 wrenches in the drawer, all was well again.

 

[Tool Pants]

That is ok. I must be the only person in the world that does not own GearWrench products.

Anyone else with info on this tool box?

 

[krusty the clown]

i don't own a single gearwrench product either..........





i don't have much info on the box either. i suspect it to be 1960's vintage and a 31" set.
a fairly complete list of models and dates http://collectingsnapon.com/Site/ToolStorage-743.html

 

[Nuit Damnant]

I have almost the same top box, been looking for a bottom. The box is very solid. The only noticible differences on mine are there are 2 rows of 3 nararow drawers and only 3 ful width, and the lock is at the bottom of the front cover. Mine is a little over 31" wide, so I imagine krusty is correct. I've been looking for a bottom locally, with little luck so far but I'd love to have a setup like that eventually. I'd say for the shape its in the price is ok compared to what I've seen around. I'd buy it or at least it's worth a look see. I don't have a model number or anything for you, wish I did, because I'd like to know what mine is lol! I do know my grandfather purchased it in the late 50's or early 60's.

 

[Tool Pants]

It is listed a 31". I have a 1985 Snap-On catalog and nothing looks exactly like it. Wish it was not so far away and during work or I would have looked at it by now.

 

[fotoflojoe]

I don't know anything about that particular box. But in regard to drawer dividers; I have an old Snappy KRA box, it's the 1984 version of this one. Every drawer had a divider running right down the middle. Always found that annoying. Good thing is though, they're just spot welded to the drawer bottoms. Half-hour drilling out the welds, a little grinding, a little primer, cover with new liners, and ****, the dividers are gone. But then, my box is pretty beat up, unlike the one being advertised

 

[Tool Pants]

Lucky I am in no hurry to find a third combo. I should have said old/vintage or unique.

I remembered I have a friend in that area I just called and he is going to look at the Snap-On deal for me. He is a former machinest and says Kennedy is the best. of course. I am not excited. Don't like old stuff that has been repainted. Friction sliders do not bother me. I can live with dividers since that is what it appears Snap-On did in the old days. The $425 price is right.

Now if I could just find something like this locally for the right price. Unique.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Looks like a decent set up for the money. If he did a quality paint job...esp. with the correct color paint, I wouldn't be all bothered about a re-paint.

 

[Tool Pants]

My friend has not been able to see the first set yet. He has called and spoken to the sellers wife, but the seller has not called back.

Here is a second set about an hour or so away from me. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/1016049995.html It says the bottom is a Blue-Point. I do not know what a Blue-Point looks like. The bottom has the silver metal on the corners like a Snap-On. I sent an email to the seller asking for the model numbers of both boxes, and asked if he was sure the bottom is a Blue-Point because it looks like a Snap-On to me.

Seller did not give me the model numbers. Seller says he does not know if the bottom is a Blue-Point, but thinks it is because it looks like a picture of one he saw on the internet.

Does anyone know what this seller has? Can you tell from the pictures what the bottom is? Where are the model numbers on these boxes?

 

[billymade]

I don't believe either are bluepoint; they typically, do not have chrome on them.

 

[krusty the clown]

snap on only sold boxes under the blue point name for a few years. they were about the same quality as waterloo. that one is definatly a snap on.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Here is a second set about an hour or so away from me. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/tls/1016049995.html It says the bottom is a Blue-Point. I do not know what a Blue-Point looks like. The bottom has the silver metal on the corners like a Snap-On. I sent an email to the seller asking for the model numbers of both boxes, and asked if he was sure the bottom is a Blue-Point because it looks like a Snap-On to me.

Seller did not give me the model numbers. Seller says he does not know if the bottom is a Blue-Point, but thinks it is because it looks like a picture of one he saw on the internet.

Does anyone know what this seller has? Can you tell from the pictures what the bottom is? Where are the model numbers on these boxes?

I have that exact same 7 drawer bottom box. It's definitely a Snap On.

$450 isn't bad for that...esp. if it's not all banged up. Not bad at all.

Show up with $400 cash and pick up that bad boy!

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

snap on only sold boxes under the blue point name for a few years. they were about the same quality as waterloo. that one is definatly a snap on.

Krusty, what year catalog is that from?

 

[krusty the clown]

1992........


the box in the thumbs is obviously older....70's for the top 80's for the bottom. same box though.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

1992........


the box in the thumbs is obviously older....70's for the top 80's for the bottom. same box though.

Yep, I think you're spot on. The rollaway I have looks like the one on CL...and it's 1984. The top box I have has the chrome on each drawer, and it's 1983...so I figured the top box on CL was a few years older at least.

 

[Chris Adams]

I have that exact same 7 drawer bottom box. It's definitely a Snap On.

$450 isn't bad for that...esp. if it's not all banged up. Not bad at all.

Show up with $400 cash and pick up that bad boy!

The ad says 'well used'. Don't know about where he lives but here it means 'thrashed to within an inch of its life'.

Otherwise, yup, 400 would be a good deal on good boxes.

 

[Tool Pants]

Think you guys got it. This is a picture from a 1985 catalog I have. KR537 top and KR557 bottom is my guess, 32 1/2". There are letters after the part numbers but I think Snap-On changed the letters over the years. Catalog says the bottom has those drawers dividers. Second pic is one like it I saw on ebay a while back, with the intermediate box.

Guess the nameplate is missing from the bottom box. Shouldn't there be 2 holes for it?

Well used means the same thing here. Looking at the cover for the top it looks like a bunch of dents. Not vintage or unique for the old cottage. Guy said I can look at it, but it could be 3 hours on the road depending on the traffic.

 

[Tool Pants]

My first friend flaked out so I had another friend look at it last night. This friend owns a body shop.

The seller painted over the dings and dents, as I suspected. Has the original castors which I guess are junk. Seller is a young guy that sells used tools who lives with his parents. He bought it for himself but does not want it. Some of the drawers stick. Friction sliders of course. I take it you cannot get replacement sliders for something that old. Those dividers are in all the drawers, but it looks like that is a fact of life for an older box. It is about 4 feet tall. My friend said he would not buy it, but he needs an old Snap-On tool box like a hole in the head.

Sure looked pretty in the pictures. Wish I had it for cheap in the original condition. Would have ask my body shop owner friend to have one of his guys straighten it out and repaint it properly.

I'll think about it if I decide to take the trip to look at it myself.

 

[Vinko]

I have an (early?) 60's 59A chest. I had my SO man look at it and he thought you could still get parts but he wasn't sure. He thought either the slides or the stainless pulls were made in Canada last time he checked. I could have this all backwards, so I can double check for you if no one else has more info.

 

[Brad54]

Seems to me like you could detail the sliders with a little effort. See if any of them are bent and then straighten them, file off any burrs, and grease them. They're just simple metal.
I've got a 1940 snap-on box, and several of the slides were bent. The problem I had was a lot of them were missing the stop-tabs. But none of them were worn through from years of use.
It looks good in the picture. If you're REALLY picky, sand it back down and pick out any dents.
I don't think I'd worry too much about it though.

If I was in the market, I think $400-$450 is a good price for what you're getting. There's something enjoyable about going to an old tool box.

-Brad

 

[mbatarga]

Those boxes look just like the ones I recently picked up off Craigslist - KR537A and KR557B - both for $200.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28089&highlight=craigslist+score

 

[Tool Pants]

Does anyone have one of these? KR7100 about 10 years old. No longer made. Side cab was added.

 

[Tool Pants]

Here is another KR7100.

Looks like a Coke machine.

 

[Tool Pants]

I'll bump this for the Coke machine KR7100.

I did say vintage or unique, and unique it is.

It is a 5 hour round trip for me to look at it.

Any guesses on what something like this is worth?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Any guesses on what something like this is worth?

What it's worth? Or what you should pay?

 

[Tool Pants]

That is an interesting response.

What a seller thinks it is worth, is not usually what a buyer wants to pay. If you come to the middle then you have a deal.

As a potential buyer I am on the paying end.

Still looks like a Coke machine. But it is unique.

Coke, we bring good things to life.

Or maybe that was the GE slogan....