Tool Box Restoration Advice Needed

[NC55]

My mother's father was an automobile mechanic who operated his own Esso station in the country near Greensboro, NC until he died in the early 1960's. One of his tool boxes, with tools, went to my father who left it in an outdoor shed for years where the tools and tool box rusted. I'd now like to restore the box and clean up the tools. The box is an old Craftsman toolbox that likely has much more nostalgic value to me than any real value given its condition. Having recently retired, I have the time to put into restoring it to as close to new condition as possible. I think it will be a fun project.

I'm attaching three pictures of the box-- front, side, and side with drawer pulled out. If anyone has ever worked on one of these boxes, can you tell me how to remove the drawers? I can't seem to find a way to release the slide stop so I can pull the drawer completely out. The side view shot shows a drawer fully extended. If I can get the drawers out, I can do a good job of cleaning up the rust, prepping the surface for new paint. and repainting.

I'm thinking about painting the body of the box with Rustoleum hammered gray paint and the tool caddy in the top as close to Craftsman red as I can find in a stock metal spray paint. Any other suggestions will be appreciated. I'd also like to find a source for smooth head rivets and a new lock.

Thanks for any advice.

Chuck

 

[nine4gmc]

Cool old box, can't wait to see it restored. To get the drawers out, you'll need a hacksaw blade or similar to jam in the track to release the lock spring. If you look at your slide picture, you'll see the rivet holding the spring on the track, and a peep hole just in front of it. When you slide the drawer back just a tiny bit, you will see the tab that catches on the spring and understand how to release it. The lock and handles should polish out fine, just try to find a key or locksmith that can cut one.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61136&highlight=snap+slide

post #10

 

[ZRX61]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=61136&highlight=snap+slide

post #10

The tab shown attached to the slide in pic 4 of that thread is the opposite of what Craftsman did. On the old Craftsman drawers the tab is welded to the side of the drawer itself.
To remove those drawers you poke something* through the round hole in the slide & push the tab flush with the side of the drawer to remove it.
If there is **** between the tab & the side of the drawer it might try your patience a bit...
Looking at the 3rd pic, if you hold the slide & push the drawer back just a skoshe you should be able to see the tab.

* I think I used a 1/8in punch.

On mine the drawer handles were as bad as yours. I beadblasted the handles & they came out just **** with a stain finish.

 

[ZRX61]

Before & after of the handles:

https://sphotos-b.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1992_4619383575378_438008137_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/483334_4619386295446_939666146_n.jpg

 

[ZRX61]

Before & after of the box, paint is Hammertone rattlecan....

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/154791_4619380415299_1390085665_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/418078_4619408255995_812656277_n.jpg

 

[jbmorrey]

I was given an excellent tip, I used a heavy duty zip tie that has the little slight bent tip. Inserted itin to glide with the tip angling towards the center of the box. it will slide easily at firtst and then hit some resistance, push past that and slowly wiggle the drawer out, so may get one side past the little stop, then work on the other side and after that is done, the whole thing will come out. It took me a little work at it, but onceI figured it out, it was pretty easy! Very cool toolbox! i love those handles! good luck on it.

James M

 

[Adam.C]

Wow. I love those old fashioned colors. Looks like the 1950s to me. People just don't make stuff that color anymore. I think you did a great job.

Any details on the process? Did you take it all apart? Looks like you masked. Did you paint the insides as well? How did you handle the drawer slides?