Vintage Craftsman box

[75' forty]

I finally found a vintage craftsman box and chest local to me for sale. I was planning on putting it next to my craftsman 150 drill press and having it match. The seller is asking $300, which I'm thinking is a little high for the condition and item but I also realize they aren't exactly plentiful around me.

What's a reasonable price for this for those more familiar with them?

 

[nine4gmc]

That intermediate box is really rare, I'd offer less but probably give asking price.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The seller knows what they have ... unless they are looking for $200 but figured they would fish for more.

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Does it include the tools? One just sold near me for $160 without the middle box.

 

[75' forty]

I asked the seller if it included tools, waiting to hear back. I'd ideally like to be at $200 but I feel like that's an insulting offer atleast based off his asking price

 

[Outlawmws]

The top box doesn't thrill me with only three drawers. the mid and bottom are where the real value is.

Don't make ANY counter offer by Email; see them in person and discuss (don't gloat) about any defects. You are trying to get into the guys head and be friendly about it and work on the price/condition from a point of mutual trust...

Possible issues:

Non original paint, rust on the plated parts, any sig. rust on the box or in corners, dings and dents, any slides that are iffy or sticky drawers that are not evenly spaced or worse, crooked...

Make some comment about "I wish the top had more drawers"

I like to ask "whats your best price?" and see what happens. but you can also make an offer, but expect it to be countered, or blown off. You have to make the offer respectfully. (When someone makes an arrogant offer and tries to bulldoze me i'll often raise the price on the spot... I'm not a used car salesman, so don't try to treat me like one...)

Negotiating a price is an art, and not the art of war; it's all about diplomacy.

 

[zkling]

Kinda depends on if you are a collector or a user. Are they neat, yea, are they worth $300 to me? No, especially in that condition. They look like they are pretty rusty and oxidized really needing to be painted. Additionally they do offer much storage like Outlaw mentioned.

As nine4ninegmc said, those craftsman middle boxes are really rare. I have never personally seen one for sale. Much rarer than the elusive snap on middle boxes.

$300 with a bunch of tools may not be bad. Boxes only I would probably top out at $200 based on their condition and amount of storage. Dependent on what they look like and work like (drawers slide good) in person. I can appreciate their age and rarity, but I am not going to bend over to pay for them. To a collector, they sky is the limit.

Edit, just wanted to add.

I agree with Outlaw 100% about the negotiation tactics. If someone calls/emails/texts me with a low offer (~1/3) of what I am asking without a good reason. I will more than likely tell them to not waste their time coming out. Usually it means they are just not that interested in the item. But if it is super cheap then they will purchase it. By coming out to look at the item, it shows you have some guanine interest and are willing to make an investment on your part in terms of effort, time and gas. Any lazy ***** can call or text a low ball offer.

 

[75' forty]

The top box doesn't thrill me with only three drawers. the mid and bottom are where the real value is.

Don't make ANY counter offer by Email; see them in person and discuss (don't gloat) about any defects. You are trying to get into the guys head and be friendly about it and work on the price/condition from a point of mutual trust...

Possible issues:

Non original paint, rust on the plated parts, any sig. rust on the box or in corners, dings and dents, any slides that are iffy or sticky drawers that are not evenly spaced or worse, crooked...

Make some comment about "I wish the top had more drawers"

I like to ask "whats your best price?" and see what happens. but you can also make an offer, but expect it to be countered, or blown off. You have to make the offer respectfully. (When someone makes an arrogant offer and tries to bulldoze me i'll often raise the price on the spot... I'm not a used car salesman, so don't try to treat me like one...)

Negotiating a price is an art, and not the art of war; it's all about diplomacy.

I hate asking what's your best price to a seller. If i was a seller and you asked me that, i'd tell you my best price was $500 more than asking just because it's the best price for me. It's the buyers job to haggle, not ask the seller to haggle with himself.

I have only seen a couple for sale with similar asking prices, but in much better condition, although no middle box which I didn't realize was rare.

The main reason I want this is to put next to my old craftsman drill press. It will probably get mainly drilling related items in the boxes, so frequent use isn't that likely. More of the novelty of having an age matching box with the drill press.

What i'm getting from the responses so far is try and negotiate, but it's worth $300 if he won't come off on price.

 

[FJ 432]

In looking at the photo again I don't believe the middle box is craftsman. I don't know if that matters to you. Maybe S&K?

 

[75' forty]

In looking at the photo again I don't believe the middle box is craftsman. I don't know if that matters to you. Maybe S&K?

If it's not a craftsman middle, I honestly have no interest in that middle chest. The handles on the side look the same, but the doors do look differently between the too. I'm not an expert on the boxes like many here are so hopefully someone will chime in.

Still haven't heard back from the seller, but either way i'd like to go check it out and hopefully make a deal.

 

[Outlawmws]

I should have said I sometimes like to ask "whats your best price?" It depends on the situation and the seller. You can also start with "do you have any flex in the price?" or variants.

What I hate (especially at yard sales) is when the seller asked "what are you willing to pay" or "Make an Offer" "when I ask "how much" I now invariably make an absurdly low offer, and surprisingly many simply take it..

Again, it's an art, not a science.

 

[Flatintoone]

I paid an obscenely low number for a 40s or 50ss top and bottom-see outlaw's advice above. They were straight and solid, but in need of restoration. Got 100 for the pair after listing for a couple weeks in december.

 

[75' forty]

Finally heard back from the seller. Hopefully going to look at it tomorrow.

Can any verify if that center box is/isn't a craftsman before I go and look at it?

 

[Outlawmws]

Not enough detail for that, the drawer pulls don't match however...

Since Sears contracted these boxes out, I doubt it matters much IF the box/drawer/Slide construction details match. That would indicate the same manufacturer whether they actually made the intermediate for Sears at all.

 

[75' forty]

Forgot to mention, tools come with it

 

[zkling]

Forgot to mention, tools come with it

What kind(s) of tools? Did you try negotiating on the phone or save that for in person?

I don't remember which year craftsman offered those middle boxes, but I do remember the rather different front cover. Most other manufactures didn't have a front cover on their mid boxes, especially for the 27" wide boxes.

Here is a link to the old craftsman catalogs. I want to say it was in the early 50's that a saw a mid like that. Maybe thumb through and see if you can find it.

http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id116.html

 

[75' forty]

He emailed me. Had no contact information in the ad so I have no clue what kind of tools. From his reply, i'm guessing they were someone else's tools he ended up with or they are absolute **** tools

Told him to call/text me and that I was available after work tomorrow and I was interested in stopping by and hopefully striking a deal.

 

[Outlawmws]

OK, finally had some free time to research, (on a computer that doesn't choke to death when I do what I do; I finally got my good Ltop fixed...) The top and bottom are dead ringers for the set shown in the 1949 catalogs in the closed position.

The drawer pulls shown in that catalog show a single centered pull, just like the intermediate however...

We have noted small differences between the illustrations and the actual boxes in the past, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's likely that whoever made those tops and bottoms, (Beach? Hout?) also made the intermediate, even though Craftsman never showed an intermediate "back in the day" for these or even 50's early 60's boxes.

 

[75' forty]

Thanks!

Hopefully I can look at it today after work and strike a deal if the seller will get in touch with me.

 

[75' forty]

Going over there at 10 this morning.

Noticed another flaw in the photo, the bottom box cover is missing a small square out of it in the bottom left corner. Not too happy with that, but it will be a negotiating point.

 

[Fordman7795]

Hey, i like old craftsman stuff. I have a nice early 70s combo. But what in the world makes these worth more than $50?

 

[75' forty]

Ended up getting it.

Guy was asking $300, I paid $240 which was initially higher than I wanted.

When I got there, I started going through the tools just glancing at them and it was filled with MAC, some snap on sockets including a ratchet, 2 S-k ratchets, and a few others brands I hadn't heard of.

Well worth what I paid IMO and shouldn't be too hard to sell some of the stuff if I choose to re-coup some money.

 

[Outlawmws]

Hey, i like old craftsman stuff. I have a nice early 70s combo. But what in the world makes these worth more than $50?

That's NOT a relatively common everybody had one 70's roller/stack. its from about 1949, and is pretty rare, particularly for the drop front versions. With the tools that came with it, that's gravy. Does it have the demand that a SO box has, no. but it is FAR less common as most have gone to the scrap heap in the past 55 odd years, and a SO guy is more likely to know what they have..

I just saw near me locally a copy of my 1954 5 drawer roller, and the guy is asking $300 for it alone, no tools not other boxes. I would not pay that, but I'm a cheap skate. I look for the super good deals, not the first one I can find, as I'm generally on the market but for things I like at deal prices. If its' too much $$ then I move on and wait. (I've waited over 35 years for a deal on a Beverly Shear for instance; finally found one at a good price, and paid the asking $75 just this AM...)

 

[Outlawmws]

Ended up getting it.

Guy was asking $300, I paid $240 which was initially higher than I wanted.

When I got there, I started going through the tools just glancing at them and it was filled with MAC, some snap on sockets including a ratchet, 2 S-k ratchets, and a few others brands I hadn't heard of.

Well worth what I paid IMO and shouldn't be too hard to sell some of the stuff if I choose to re-coup some money.

Cool deal! better pics? (You know, this is GJ; Pics or it didn't happen! )

 

[nine4gmc]

(I've waited over 35 years for a deal on a Beverly Shear for instance; finally found one at a good price, and paid the asking $75 just this AM...)

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[Outlawmws]

Pics or it didn't happen

Watch for it! (But not in this thread, I've hijacked it enough)

 

[lowbucktruck]

Yep, I bet you can recoup some of your money spent on that crafty toolbox stack by selling some of the contents. Sounds like a decent score. Are you planning to repaint the boxes back to original paint color? That would be cool.

 

[75' forty]

Cool deal! better pics? (You know, this is GJ; Pics or it didn't happen! )

I will once I pull the tools and get it washed off.

Yep, I bet you can recoup some of your money spent on that crafty toolbox stack by selling some of the contents. Sounds like a decent score. Are you planning to repaint the boxes back to original paint color? That would be cool.

Plan currently is to clean them up and paint them to match with my craftsman 150 drill press

 

[75' forty]

Finally got a chance to wash off the boxes. Center box is a MAC, so now to try and attempt to find out what it's worth and get it up for sale. Any help on this would be appreciated.

I think I've decided i'm probably going to sell most the tools, some are covered in surface rust and I don't have the time to get them cleaned up.


Top:

Middle:

Bottom:

 

[toomanytoyzz]

Let's see the tools!!

The MAC box looks old as well. You'd probably get $100 on fleabay, but they (Paypal and Ebay) will require the usual pound of flesh to get the job done for you.

 

[75' forty]

Let's see the tools!!

The MAC box looks old as well. You'd probably get $100 on fleabay, but they (Paypal and Ebay) will require the usual pound of flesh to get the job done for you.

The Mac box is very similar to the craftsman upper so my guess is it's late 40's early 50's. Haven't found any on google except for one but it had no information.

 

[Outlawmws]

The Mac box is very similar to the craftsman upper so my guess is it's late 40's early 50's. Haven't found any on google except for one but it had no information.

Box can't be any earlier than 63 - from the MAC tools website:

1961 launched the companies into the modern era, when Mechanics Tool and Forge officially changed its name to Mac Tools in 1963, leaving the association between Mac Tools and Mac Allied under the collective banner of Mac Tools, Inc. In 1979, the long association between Mac and Mac Allied severed.

 

[zkling]

Looks like the start of a good project, they look worn, but not abused. Should clean up well. That is kind of a supprise to me on the mac middle box. I have seen a few on ebay, and I think there was even a top/middle set on here a long time ago.

As for value of it, probably looking at $50-80 after it is all said and done, realistically. Unless you find a collector on ebay, then you might have to worry about shipping and add in the ebay fees, as mentioned by TMT. Older mac boxes don't seem to have the draw that older Snap On boxes have. Finding info on them is like pulling teeth. See if it is stamped. If so please post the info here.

So...Lets see the tools.

 

[75' forty]

As for value of it, probably looking at $50-80 after it is all said and done, realistically. Unless you find a collector on ebay, then you might have to worry about shipping and add in the ebay fees, as mentioned by TMT.

I looked for a stamp after I washed it and couldn't find anything.

I'll get it posted in the classifieds sometime today. I'd really prefer not to ship it as it'd be a PIA and always ends up costing more than it should. So if any one in Houston or DFW are wanting this....

I'll try and get to the tools today but can't promise anything.

 

[75' forty]

Some on the MAC wrenches. There were a few more MAC and then some other ones I didn't take a photo of.

In order from Top to bottom:
1- Proto
2- Snap On
3- Craftsman

Large center clump - MAC

bottom- Miscellaneous - some bonney, black hawk, new britain, and couple others i've never heard of

3 SK ratchets
1 Snap on Ratchet

 

[75' forty]

Bump.

Any idea on value and what I should ask?

 

[930dreamer]

Bump.

Any idea on value and what I should ask?

Hard to say without socket size and ratchet numbers/dates etc.

 

[zkling]

Bump.

Any idea on value and what I should ask?

For what? If you want the most, for something old, usually ebay. Otherwise....

 

[75' forty]

I really don't have the time with my current work schedule to research everything. I'm out of town at least 5 days a week right now so my 2 days off I don't want to deal too much with selling this.

I'll probably do a very rough inventory and just choose a reasonable price. Don't need to get rich off it all, just recoup some of what I paid for the boxes.