SIPCO Tool Case

[Provincial]

Schartow Iron Products Co. ("Sipco Products") produced wooden tool chests and cases in Racine, Wisconsin. This is a #235-20 "Metal Armored, Open Front Style Chest" which is 20 inches wide, 9 inches deep, and 12 inches high.

It has a wooden frame which is covered with sheet steel. The corners have stylish reinforcements, and there are ornate reinforcements for the back panel as well. Someone has painted all but the drawers with a gloss blue paint. I believe the original finish was some sort of black.

The drawers have been relined with blue felt. Someone was using this case for craft work and there are all sorts of craft tools inside, including exacto knives, needle files, and an extensive inventory of Dremel stones and bits.

All the drawers fit and slide well. The handle needs a new leather cover. I thought it was worth the $25.00.

 

[disston]

Nice find. Such tools always come in handy no mater what sort of work you may be trying to concentrate on. Those little things are useful.

 

[RTM]

Schartow Iron Products Co. ("Sipco Products") produced wooden tool chests and cases in Racine, Wisconsin. This is a #235-20 "Metal Armored, Open Front Style Chest" which is 20 inches wide, 9 inches deep, and 12 inches high.

It has a wooden frame which is covered with sheet steel. The corners have stylish reinforcements, and there are ornate reinforcements for the back panel as well.

Hey, do you mind looking at a chest I’ve had for a few years, and see if a couple of features match your SIPCO? Where did you find the numbering you quoted?

Your handle brackets don’t match mine. The lock on mine looks much older than the one beerhippie just posted

The knobs are very unique, and shall we say cheap?




My corner protectors are kinda big and bulbous.




Thanks

 

[alinc100]

Here is a possible replacement handle. https://brettunsvillage.com/tools-h...case-handles/spring-steel-reinforced-handles/

 

[RTM]

Here is a possible replacement handle. https://brettunsvillage.com/tools-h...case-handles/spring-steel-reinforced-handles/

Hehe, that's the one I got Lugz turned on to. I have two in house already.

 

[alinc100]

Hey, do you mind looking at a chest I’ve had for a few years, and see if a couple of features match your SIPCO? Where did you find the numbering you quoted?

Your handle brackets don’t match mine. The lock on mine looks much older than the one beerhippie just posted

 

[four.cycle]

There is a bit of information on the company in the first link here:
Schartow / Schartow Iron Products Co., Racine, WI / "Sipco" tool storage systems / https://www.flickr.com/groups/1043203@N21/discuss/72157625690694781/ / https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/sipco-tool-case.403227/ / https://mycompanies.fandom.com/wiki/Schartow_Iron_Products_Company /

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Hehe, that's the one I got Lugz turned on to.

Who, me?

(Scroll down for the rest of the story.)

 

[alinc100]

In the spirit of GJ and multiples of 3 ,this came available on Facebook Marketplace. It's 90 miles away and "pending" or else I'd be posting further photos after I obtained it. Totally willing to make the 180 mile round trip for their asking price.

 

[Beerhippie]

Here's the Shartow Iron Products Co. chest I picked up on Friday:







SIPCO #234-20, DOM 1938-1948--which seems to be the period that SIPCO was in business.

That is almost certainly the original paint--unless some did a very thorough strip and paint. The fittings were all brass-plated steel. The rust appears to have been applied later.

The case and front panel are three-ply plywood clad in steel. Drawer faces are oak. Drawer sides and back are pine and the bottom is three-ply wood.

It's getting a fresh paint job as I type.

 

[Beerhippie]

It came out OK. The one masking mistake is on a corner that will never be seen in its new home--but I'll probably fix it when the paint is fully cured.

 

[alinc100]

Some new information has come to light. Might have to rethink what we've learned:
Post in thread 'The VINTAGE toolboxes of Garage Journal!' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...olboxes-of-garage-journal.49743/post-11155182

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Looks like @Beerhippie will be shopping for a rattle can of Neon Green !

 

[Beerhippie]

Looks like @Beerhippie will be shopping for a rattle can of Neon Green !

Nope. Mine's still a genuine SIPCO.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was just joking (on a positive note, one would never lose that Green-Case Co. chest in the dark! ), but I apparently lost the bead on whose box is being re-identified, sorry.

 

[Beerhippie]

I was just joking (on a positive note, one would never lose that Green-Case Co. chest in the dark! ), but I apparently lost the bead on whose box is being re-identified, sorry.

It was @RTM 's--IIRC.

 

[RTM]

It was @RTM 's--IIRC.

Yup, that was mine. I don't think I'm taking it back to green, even tho beerhippie's looks awful green in the before image

Here's the Shartow Iron Products Co. chest I picked up on Friday:

 

[Beerhippie]

Yup, that was mine. I don't think I'm taking it back to green, even tho beerhippie's looks awful green in the before image

Yes, I'd call that an "awful green"--actually, more of an olive green. I left the original paint on the bottom of the case should someone in the future want to restore it.

 

[Beerhippie]

I've added some missing parts to the ol' SIPCO.

The E-bay key showed up a week or so back:



It even fits and works:



The handle I ordered from BrettunsVillage.Com arrived today.



It certainly doesn't resemble the original, but will work--if I can figure out how to get it onto both D-rings.



There we go! I fiddled with it for a while--the SS core is stiff as all get-out--and finally spread one of the D-rings using the "two wrenches trick" (see YouTube under breaking padlock hasps), which is very controllable and does as little damage as possible (I'll still have to do touch-up on the paint), then bent it back on with a pair of Channellocks. Kinda makes me wonder why they bothered with the fancy straps and buckles.

This is the first time I've had the gumption to actually lock the front cover--even 'though I have a key, there's always the chance--but the key and lock work just fine.

Back home on my desk, helping to organize and functioning as a flat horizontal surface for displaying other widgets:



TFL--