Painting a old Craftsman toolbox

[tom-ky]

Suggestions on cleaning up and painting this old box. I guess originally is was the gray with red drawers. Thought about a solid red or even one of the gray hammered paint finishes. I have a Mac box in the shop also so thought red to halfway match it. Doesn’t have to be a perfect finish.

 

[southalabama]

Good luck.
I’ve seen some good restored boxes using the hammered paints.

 

[harley jim]

That's a lot of work. I did my matco top,bottom, and side box inside and out. I went from red to black base coat clear coat.I sanded everything with 120 grit with a D/A sander did some hand sanding in the corners. Just like doing body work on a car There will be a lot of disassembly. It's just a lot of elbow grease and patients. I repaired some dents and straightened some damaged areas, It looked great when I got done with it. I am going to redo my Dads old Remline next summer but I am going to powder coat it red drawers and hammered cabinets as it was when he bought it. My brother had it for a while and really did some damage to it so it will be a big job to fix. Post lots of pics and ask questions as you go and there will be plenty of help here to answer those questions. Jim

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[DFB]

There has been some threads in the past suggesting several current paint color offerings for a close match to Craftsman red, blacks and grays

 

[harley jim]

Are you going to spray it with a gun or rattle can it

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[giants]

There has been some threads in the past suggesting several current paint color offerings for a close match to Craftsman red, blacks and grays

Are you going to spray it with a gun or rattle can it

I saw those, but my Lowe's doesn't sell Valspar any more.

I would use a rattle can, though if there's a lot of painting to be done, maybe buy a quart or gallon of non-spray paint and use a roller.

 

[harley jim]

You can get a good finish with rustoleum that box would look good with regal red drawers and hammered bronze box, both are rustoleum. Sand it with an electric palm sander. Primer and hand sand with 180 grit a couple of times to get a good smooth finish on the drawer fronts, the bronze will hide a lot of flaws in the box

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[harley jim]

This cabinet was painted 10 years ago.
Regal red and hammered bronze rustoleum

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[DFB]

I saw those, but my Lowe's doesn't sell Valspar any more.

Ratle can, though if there's a lot of painting to be done, maybe buy a quart or gallon of non-spray paint.

Rustoleum Sunrise Red and Regal Red paints are often suggested

I have to search back for what grey was suggested for mine I have top chest I picked up for song that I am going to do over

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7977770&highlight=craftsman+paint#post7977770

 

[tom-ky]

Are you going to spray it with a gun or rattle can it

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Probably rattle can, thought about the hammered finish thinking it might hide some rough areas
Had this box for probably 40 years and it has sit in a pole barn with a lot of moisture for 20 of those. Really doesn’t have to be perfect just want to improve its looks some. I would like to have a bigger box but money is too tight.

 

[harley jim]

Is that primer or rust I'm on a phone and can't tell

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[tom-ky]

Is that primer or rust I'm on a phone and can't tell

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I think it had some Rustoleum rusty metal primer on it years ago.

 

[jasonphelps]

I think the roll on hammered is better than the spray

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Silver with red drawers and aluminum colored paint on the drawer trim.

 

[lowbucktruck]

Definitely take the drawers out when sanding and repainting, makes the job easier. If any rusty spots, I'd suggest using some Ospho (phosphoric acid) to treat rust spot first, before primer.
Use the Rustoleum primer... I sanded and refinished a similar tool chest to bare metal and gave it two coats of the primer, light sanded and then final coats of Rustoleum Industrial paint. The repaint came out real good.
Also the spray lube for garage door tracks works good for greasing those drawer slides.

 

[tom-ky]

Silver with red drawers and aluminum colored paint on the drawer trim.

Not sure if I want to go to the trouble of making it original. Thought about a one color job to improve its looks a little better and get a few years more out of it.

 

[FJ 432]

Not sure if I want to go to the trouble of making it original. Thought about a one color job to improve its looks a little better and get a few years more out of it.

Yep, make it yours. I've restored approximately 10 boxes, never using the same colors. The box will only be worth so much.

 

[nate_g_2003]

My dad bought a toolbox almost exactly like that from a neighbor's garage sale for dirt cheap. I ended up changing jobs and needed a toolbox, and he had it sitting idle. He repainted it using rustoleum. Not sure what particular red he used. The drawers are similar to the hammered finish, like a really dark gray or black. He completely disassembled it and painted it all separately.

 

[tom-ky]

Yep, make it yours. I've restored approximately 10 boxes, never using the same colors. The box will only be worth so much.

Would the hammered finish paint help hide some imperfections in the old box? I have never used it.

 

[Lassen Forge]

The silver on my silver and red was shot years ago, and I couldn't find a good match, so I grabbed what I had (OD camo paint) and shot it with that. I *could* go back to silver, but I like the red and olive green so much I think I'll keep it.

I remember an argument my dad and I had decades ago - he was one of those "it MUST be the same color it came off the factory floor with, no exceptions ever"... I said "no, if I like the car but I like (x) color better, then I'll paint it that color." Sure, the factory paint *may* last longer than a repaint (tho I know way too many examples against that), but if I have a daily driver beater, it's NOT a freaking car I'm putting in a Concours or something... I have to look at it every day for years. And if it's Mary Kay Pink with a black interior, you bet your *** I'm painting it. (I'm not a fan of Mary Kay Pink, BTW)...

It'd be like "You can only use original casters on your toolbox", even though they were pretty inexpensive when new, not very durable for daily roll around the shop use, and the bearings and swivels wallered out after a few years. Or worse, "I don't care if that part is worn out and broken, you have to keep it because you never know when you may need it". Like... it's SHOT, that's why we replaced it.

So yeah, if you want a concours toolbox, then go for it. At least the colors are out there now. Me? I'll keep using my "daily roller".

 

[harley jim]

Would the hammered finish paint help hide some imperfections in the old box? I have never used it.

Yes it will hide lots of flaws it has a kind of wrinkle to the finish. I have never used the quart and rolled it on but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it. Just make sure its warm the stuff dries very slow when it's cold. I have sprayed the quart as well as the rattle can.

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[FJ 432]

Yes it will hide lots of flaws it has a kind of wrinkle to the finish. I have never used the quart and rolled it on but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it. Just make sure its warm the stuff dries very slow when it's cold. I have sprayed the quart as well as the rattle can.

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I would agree with Jim's comments. It's a very forgiving paint choice.

 

[giants]

Yes it will hide lots of flaws it has a kind of wrinkle to the finish. I have never used the quart and rolled it on but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it. Just make sure its warm the stuff dries very slow when it's cold. I have sprayed the quart as well as the rattle can.

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Thanks. Those cans say light blue. Is that the correct color to paint the grayish-looking original metal on those tool chests?

 

[harley jim]

No that is just some can I had to paint some chevy truck rims. You want hammered bronze. Look at the pic I posted before of the drawers that should be the color you want.

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[DFB]

Curious about the hammered bronze... in the photo it does look like a shade of gray.

 

[58Yeoman]

tom-ky, I've got that same top box that I bought new, and it's gotten rusty from my last garage which was humid. I've also got the bottom box that is in the same condition; it has the lift-up door on the bottom. I'm thinking that I'll paint it someday, but I did buy a new HF top/bottom to replace it. Show a pic of the bottom box.

 

[harley jim]

Curious about the hammered bronze... in the photo it does look like a shade of gray.

It is, I dont know why they call it bronze but it is very close to my toolbox gray.
I will see if I can't get a better pic tomorrow

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[bonneyman]

I've done many socket boxes and such (never a roll away, though) and the hammered paints are great at covering up mild blemishes.

 

[bonneyman]

And nothing is too far gone if you're willing to work at it.

Although, some cases will almost put you in the funny farm!

 

[harley jim]

And nothing is too far gone if you're willing to work at it.

Although, some cases will almost put you in the funny farm![emoji38]_hitti

Those are really nice, I especially like the hammered rivet repair very classic. Jim

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[jeffmoss26]

nice work!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yes it will hide lots of flaws it has a kind of wrinkle to the finish. I have never used the quart and rolled it on but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it. Just make sure its warm the stuff dries very slow when it's cold. I have sprayed the quart as well as the rattle can.

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I've rolled the hammered Rustoleum using a $1.79 foam roller on some steel beams in my garage. It is a weird paint in that it begins to get "stringy" for lack of a better term (forming the hammer tone) almost immediately after you roll it on. You have to roll wet toward dry, and by dry I mean the paint you JUST rolled out 10 seconds before.

BUT, it hides a multitude of surface imperfections and requires absolutely no, none, nada surface prep. Yeah I know some of you are rolling your eyes but when I did my beams I rolled some on my then old truck frame without prep and it dried HAARD.

Last, the label says if you don't apply a second coat within X hours you have to wait like 48 or 72 hours. I did it and it dries even harder. Highly recommended if you can take the extra time.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

And nothing is too far gone if you're willing to work at it.

Although, some cases will almost put you in the funny farm!

That is an all time save job, George!

 

[bonneyman]

That is an all time save job, George!

Thanks! A fellow forum member snagged it for the name badge, and was contemplating just tossing the rest as it was too far gone. (Understandable). But I thought I could do something with it, so he gifted it to me. I knew it would never be a collectible or beauty queen - I just wanted to see if I could make it functional. It currently holds my 1/2" drive metric Bonney socket set.

I don't want to hijack the OP's thread - just wanted to show that anything is possible - it just depends on how motivated you are and what you're looking to get out of a restore.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've done a few boxes.

For quick coverage, some Rustoleum spray on bed liner works good and is an easy fix for inside of the drawers.

I shot the last box with Rustoleum gloss black. I mixed it up and used a gun. The drawer fronts were hit with Rustoleum spray bomb, charcoal and looks close to Cman gray.


EDIT: last box in question.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386586

 

[tom-ky]

I've done a few boxes.

For quick coverage, some Rustoleum spray on bed liner works good and is an easy fix for inside of the drawers.

I shot the last box with Rustoleum gloss black. I mixed it up and used a gun. The drawer fronts were hit with Rustoleum spray bomb, charcoal and looks close to Cman gray.


EDIT: last box in question.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386586

Did you do the whole box or just the drawers with bed liner spray? Should bare metal be primed first ?

 

[tom-ky]

Did a quick cleanup, very little sanding followed by a couple coats of Rusteluem Hammered Gray. Box has a manufactured date of 8/72 on it. It was pretty rough and wasn’t trying to do a restoration just trying to utilize is for some rarely used items.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Did you do the whole box or just the drawers with bed liner spray? Should bare metal be primed first ?

I did the back of the box. Since it's some what ribbed, I figured it would be a PITA to sand/paint. On the drawers that I used it, I only did the inside of them, basically it was easier than trying to paint them.

Been a while since I did those boxes that I bedlined the drawers. I think all I did was scuff, wipe clean and hit it with the bed liner.

The box I have at the station, I sprayed the back with bed liner and only painted the drawer fronts. I left the drawer interiors red as they came. I think. I was just in the box yesterday and not really sure.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Did a quick cleanup, very little sanding followed by a couple coats of Rusteluem Hammered Gray. Box has a manufactured date of 8/72 on it. It was pretty rough and wasn’t trying to do a restoration just trying to utilize is for some rarely used items.

oops, sorry for not getting back to you sooner. New paint job looks nice.