Paint or Patina? CL Craftsman Tool Box

[hdv32]

I picked up this box on Craigslist for $200 over the weekend. It is an early to mid 90’s roller and chest. I already have a complete set and have been looking for a matching set for quite some time.
It is a 16 inch deep 10 drawer chest and 8 drawer roll away. It also has a pull out tray and folding table on the roll away. Not a perfect match for my set, but close enough.
The real question is should I clean it up and use as is or strip it down and repaint? It has been used and abused, but all drawers work well.

I have attached pictures of the top after about 30 minutes of Simple Green, polishing compound, and wax. I put a piece of masking tape down the middle to see the improvement.

 

[hdv32]

This is my box from the early 90’s I was trying to match. It is a 16 inch deep 14 drawer chest and 9 drawer roll away.
I bought it new and is still in good shape. I will be removing the side cabinet and putting the other box on the right side.

 

[ScottsGT]

What's your time worth? If you want shiny and pretty, HF box the same size is a better value.
Keep the patina would be my choice vs. time invested.

I just bought a used Rockwell drill press that had some minor surface rust on the pole and table. I used sandpaper and cleaned it up. Painted surfaces got a rag soaked with Simple Green. Spent about an hour and a half. It looks 90% better.
But stripping down a tool box and starting over? Maybe if it was a high end Snap On.

EDIT: Ahh.... Now I see you want to match an existing box. Still won't match unless you paint both in my opinion.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

For now it is your choice. It might affect the value in the future if those boxes become rare collectibles.
(BTW: Before I joined this site I didn't know that any Craftsman tools were "collectibles". As far as I know some of the craftsman tools I've been using regularly are highly sought after).

 

[driftpin]

Are you obsessive-compulsive? Spend many hours stripping it, painting it, and enjoy the trip.

I would just do what you already started, and clean it, make needed necessary repairs, and put it to-use. Who's gonna care, but you?

 

[hdv32]

What's your time worth? If you want shiny and pretty, HF box the same size is a better value.
Keep the patina would be my choice vs. time invested.

I just bought a used Rockwell drill press that had some minor surface rust on the pole and table. I used sandpaper and cleaned it up. Painted surfaces got a rag soaked with Simple Green. Spent about an hour and a half. It looks 90% better.
But stripping down a tool box and starting over? Maybe if it was a high end Snap On.

EDIT: Ahh.... Now I see you want to match an existing box. Still won't match unless you paint both in my opinion.

I already have 2 HF 44 inch boxes used as base for a workbench and 1 more I use for auto comsumables and speciality auto tools. They are great boxes for the money. This box will be for handtool storage.

I think I am going to just clean the red part of the boxes up and then scuff and respray the dark gray fronts of the drawers.

 

[ToolsAreLikeToys]

I'd say park it beside your box as is.

Back in the 1970s my Dad had a 1938 Hudson Terraplane that looked pretty good like your box. One time we went to a Hudson meet and saw another 1938 Terraplane that was the same color but it's condition was more like the box you bought. At ten years old I didn't really understand why my dad was so happy to park beside it until he told me, "We have to park here, it will make mine look better."

 

[Mr_B]

To match other one would be massive effort and not from spray cans and simply not worth effort or cost .
clean it use it and look for better then flip it .

 

[71goldss]

I bought that exact same set in 1980 or 89, and they were my only home boxes until about 5 years ago when I gave the set to my son. This photo was taken last week when he was reorganizing his garage. The boxes still looked nearly new when I gave them to him, and still do today. I would have kept them myself, but he needed a box at the time and I had just upgraded to new larger boxes with ball bearing slides. I opened a few of those friction slide drawers on the set last week and was amazed at how much more stiff they are to open than I remember, now that I'm used to bearing slides. They were still nice boxes for the years that I used them and I was proud to own them!

 

[Blind1]

OP it’s YOUR box. Do YOU want it painted or as is?

That’s the only question. It’s a craftsman box, it’s not like you are cutting up a 250gt to drop in an American small block.... (and even if you were... that’s your damn car, do what you want).

 

[driftpin]

OP it’s YOUR box. Do YOU want it painted or as is?

That’s the only question. It’s a craftsman box, it’s not like you are cutting up a 250gt to drop in an American small block.... (and even if you were... that’s your damn car, do what you want).

Cut-up this 275 GTC instead:

https://www.motorauthority.com/news...964-ferrari-275-gtb-c-speciale-go-up-for-sale

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-03/is-this-the-most-valuable-car-in-the-world

 

[ffemtdisp]

I would let it go.

I'm not always a 'patina' guy, but in this case I would make an exception.

I inherited a box of tools that one of my friends said had patina. I held them in my hands and got rust on my hands. I cleaned them up.

No, I didn't give a rip about collector value.

To the OP: it is your world, do what you feel like.