Toolbox Restoration

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Picked this up the other day off of Craigslist for $25. Pretty rough, but I think I can bring it back to being close to what it was. Since I had never removed drawers from a Snap on box, the thread dealing with that a few weeks ago helped a lot.

 

[eschoendorff]

What kind of box is that? I don't recognize any brand/make...

 

[billymade]

Top pic snapon badge top cover, right bottom corner; old 50s-70s script/logo!

 

[MechanicforLife]

I am restoring a Craftsman tool box thats prob a little worse than that one, I got it free, Thats a decent box, I like it, Do you have the key for the top?
________
vaaapp

 

[wilbilt]

What kind of box is that? I don't recognize any brand/make...

Surely you jest.

It is the venerable Snap-On "Drop Front Road Chest".

 

[Junkman]

Surely you jest.

It is the venerable Snap-On "Drop Front Road Chest".

You have to be more patient with the youts on this website. They haven't been around long enough to recognize true antiques when they see them. If it has a made in China sticker on it, then it was made during their lifetime, and easy recognizable...

 

[MechanicforLife]

I'm not trying to tell you how to run your restoration, but I found that it was important, to pick up a wire, both types circular and brush type($6.99 each) bit for my drill because it gets alot of places a angle grinder wont go, I got the smaller brush type it seems to be more sturdier. I should of got some paint stripper, you should. Because with all that rust the work your going to put into it why not try to make it as perfect as possible. I also got some heavy duty rustoleum, the brown color primer and 2 cans of paint. Great project...
________
Suzuki XN85

 

[billymade]

Check out this restoration for inspiration!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146631&showall=1

 

[qdvuu]

Exactly what color is "Snap On Red?" I'd like to get a little container of touchup paint and was wondering what off-the-shelf color it is.

Have fun with the restoration! Are you planning on doing body work on the sheet metal? Which reminds me....~~~~wavy lines~~~~ I worked at a Silicon Valley software startup about 15 years ago and one of the programmers dropped a $20,000 workstation computer we borrowed from [insert large computer company's name here] and dented and scratched the housing. So I did some body work in the lab complete with hammering and spray paint. The programmers were amazed and all trekked down to the lab to see someone (1) use tools, and (2) do body work on a computer. We returned the computer to the company and they never suspected a thing!

 

[billymade]

PPG Ditzler Wet Spray Paint #73504 - Snap-On Red

PPG Ditzler Powder Coat Resin #AR320 - Snap-On Red

 

[Nealcrenshaw]

Sounds like fun!

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I am restoring a Craftsman tool box thats prob a little worse than that one, I got it free, Thats a decent box, I like it, Do you have the key for the top?

Nope, no key came with it. Plus the hinges for the top are completely shot. I got the drawers and slides out, and have started cleaning the slides.

As the risk of offending the purists out there, I'm considering painting the box black...mainly b/c of the dents....with red drawers. I'm going to try and fix the dents as much as possible, but I can only do so much. If you look at the pics of the box Billymade posted pics of, as good as that one turned out, on the side you can still see a bunch of little dents. Figure the black will camoflauge them better. I'll update with pics as I go along.

I don't feel guilty straying from the original color considering the box is in rough shape to begin with.

 

[olds88]

My dad used to employ a body man that painted his box black/red combo after it was involved in a fire.... I never thought it looked good. Even though it was a Snap-on... it looked it always looked like a cheap competitive brand to me.

 

[Stanger]

My dad used to employ a body man that painted his box black/red combo after it was involved in a fire.... I never thought it looked good. Even though it was a Snap-on... it looked it always looked like a cheap competitive brand to me.

Did the fire warp the metal? Is that why it looked cheap, or was it the paint job? A competent body man should be able to return a damaged box to better than new condition. New boxes have quite a bit of orange peel so there is room to improve.

 

[billymade]

As my journey man body man friend used to say; 75% of a paint job is body preparation, the paint is just exposing and highlighting the prep work. You can do some amazing paint jobs but it just takes time, money and skill.

 

[Stanger]

The way a paint job is as my body man friend used to say; 75% of a paint job is prep, the paint is just exposing and highlighting the prep work. You can do some amazing paint jobs but it just takes time, money and skill.

More than 75% IMO. Laying the paint is like putting the topping on a cake. You spent hours mixing the batter and baking it, but it doesn't look so hot until that icing is spread.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

The way a paint job is as my body man friend used to say; 75% of a paint job is prep, the paint is just exposing and highlighting the prep work. You can do some amazing paint jobs but it just takes time, money and skill.

Having done a lot of painting, I would say prep work is more like 90-95%.

It's a pain, but if you do it right, you'll be rewarded.

 

[olds88]

Well the box was a mess anyway... he put all kinds of emblems from cars on it and did a half assed job painting it. He is a hell of a body man though... he repaired my old Crown Vic after an SUV flipped over and landed on it and you'd never tell that it had body work. However, he also painted the rear bumper (the car that caused the accident hit the corner of my rear bumper as well), it didn't hold up very well to NYC street parking!

 

[Kurn]

I'm restoring one just like the one in Billymade's pics.(KRA58,maybe?)I'm missing the nameplate,anyone know where I could get one?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I'm restoring one just like the one in Billymade's pics.(KRA58,maybe?)I'm missing the nameplate,anyone know where I could get one?

Ebay is probably your best bet.

 

[olds88]

Ebay is probably your best bet.

I see Snap-on emblems for boxes on eBay all the time. Definately find an old logo one... I love the old logo reminds me of hanging out on the Snap-on truck with my dad when I was a kid!

 

[MechanicforLife]

Nothing wrong with changing the color do what yah like
think of it like this, Your restoring it but you can also customize it to whatever your preference is,
As far as the dents go try to bang em out, I used those collision repair/carpenter type hammers with a flat head, another thing you could always try bondo too, I considered it. But the dents are on the back side of my toolchest, where no one can see,
heres some stuff you might like check it out
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...&+Tool+Storage&sName=Tool+Storage+Accessories
Im getting some this week.
________
Suzuki GSX1100S

 

[40-Dan]

I know this is an old thread, bit I figured I'd post instead of direct message first.

billymade - any before pics of that drop front? It looks exactly like Daddy's that I just brought home to clean up this week.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I don't think that was Billymade's box...IIRC, that was another member who posted that one.

As for me, I had completely forgotten about this thread. I gave up on this particular box, as it was pretty worn and not the best candidate for a full on restoration. But if you're interested in seeing one, check out the thread in my signature.

 

[40-Dan]

Thanks Galaxie. I noticed the link in billymade's post and found the before pics. My box is cherry compared to what that guy started with. Just gotta bust out the grinder and make myself a drawer removal tool, and I can get started.

Just wish it weren't so hot out. Where in Atlanta are you at? I'm in PTC.