Sweet old vintage tool box

[jabberwoki]

Classic/ Vintage Solid Metal Tool Box 18X6x7” for Sale in Seattle, WA - OfferUp

Used (normal wear), Heavy duty tool box with solid latch and handle. Handle does rotate down Few brands are still built to this durable standard. . Make an offer!;

offerup.com

 

[cody1325]

They don't make 'em like they used to. Love the shape of the lid.

While recently semi-retired from use, my first decent hand box was the Craftsman my Granddad got for his first wedding anniversary in 1964. I've so far found about a third of the kit it was packed in (including that 3/8 speeder handle I find myself using all the time), I've made a goal to have a complete, period-correct set contained within. Heavy gauge steel, and tough as nails. It was replaced as my equipment work box with a Popular Mechanics box that appears to be a rebranded Stack-On R-420 so that I could start the process of making it period-correct. While a Walmart store brand box of the '90s, it's still miles ahead of virtually all of the toolboxes I see on store shelves (except for maybe Montezuma). Even if I don't have a good use for them right away, I always keep an eye out for American-made steel toolboxes and tackle boxes at bargain prices.

Snap-On's US (and even many of the Chinese Blue Point boxes) hand carry boxes are insanely overpriced. Noticed Proto has off-shored a number of their hand boxes--Wright has a few that look pretty nice.

 

[bonneyman]

That looks like the tool box my dad had when I was a kid in the 60's. I think he made it in the metal shop of his high school. It is a super thick steel plate, very heavy, very durable.

Here is my dads box in it's current condition - it's had a hard life.

 

[Mintgrun]

I have a couple of boxes like that. One of them still has the tray, which is box length, but narrow. I saw another for sale at a Habitat store not too long ago, but it was made of much lighter gauge steel. The ones I have are quite heavy.

This one on ePay shows the little tray. (I'm too lazy to go dig mine out of the back of the shop for photos).


A google image search for vintage coffin top tool box brings up more examples.

This one is the first I've seen with two trays.

 

[bonneyman]

Sweet!

I found one at a pawn shop I wanna say around 2014. In phenomenal shape. Cleaned and painted it, now holds my sheet metal tools.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I don't know that we've ever solved this one. I am going to guess that there are probably a dozen of them on the Mega Toolboxes thread and elsewhere on solo orphan threads like this one. I think the general consensus was all of them made around the same era against same or similar blueprints in metal shop. I seem to recall seeing one with a Duplex decal on it at a flea market that made me wonder if the consensus was wrong, though. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Mintgrun]

This one is currently for sale on FB marketplace and I just noticed the reference to "Southern Stove Works." Googling that, brings up other boxes like this.

EDIT, I have no idea why this link has Chinese (?) characters in it!

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Apparently, Southern Stove Works was located in Richmond, Virginia. Here's a photo from 2011, taken from the wiki page, just for fun.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Stove_Works

Tom

 

[four.cycle]

The box in @Jabberwoki's O/P for $35 is the same box as this one on Craigslist for $45.

I knew I'd seen it somewhere before.

It would cost me $40 to drive the van back and forth to Monroe.

 

[Mintgrun]

That one is missing the tray and its supports have been (rudely) removed. Plus, there are holes drilled in the bottom. $45 is too much for that box.

The one in my link above has been for sale in Monroe since before Christmas (based on the text) and they're only asking $20. It's in great shape, with original paint and the tray.

I know what you mean about proximity being important. The cost of ferries makes Seattle-side purchases impractical for me.

 

[four.cycle]

^ It's about 140 miles round trip for me, so... the van gets about 12 mpg on the freeway if I keep it below 75, so... actually more like $50 bucks for fuel. The Ranger gets better, but I loaned it to my buddy for a few weeks so he can get his yard and garage cleaned up. And I need another tool box like I need a couple more holes in my head.