Vintage Mac tool boxes

[tylerlayne]

I painted a quarter panel on a 2002 mustang for this set of mac tool boxes. They were in a shop fire and received some damage to the paint. I have been in the paint and body business for over 35 years so I plan on restoring these boxes. I will keep this updated with progress on the boxes. The inside of the drawers are very clean and all have clean liners in them. All the drawers open and close very easy and smooth. Not many dents either. Only problem is I have to work on this in my spare time so may take a week or so to complete.

 

[Tim37]

Very cool

 

[drivesitfar]

Tyler: very nice looking boxes and might i suggest you have the MODS move your thread to the Vintage tool section or just post it up on the vintage toolbox thread where there are other members that own similar toolbox?

good luck and i'm sure you'll have that looking better than new. if you do post on the vintage tool thread and have any questions about taking it apart just take plenty pictures of the boxe's slides and drawers and some of the guys over there will be able to help you.

cheers

 

[tylerlayne]

Thanks,I don't know how I missed the vintage tool section. Moderators if you see this please move to the vintage tool section.

 

[SweetD]

Wow with your experience and skill set that tool chest should be a really nice resto project for you. Great deal I think!

Dave

 

[emeraldcoupe]

nice. I love that style of boxes. I have a proto bottom just like that.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Thanks,I don't know how I missed the vintage tool section. Moderators if you see this please move to the vintage tool section.

Give me a minute and I'll have it moved for you.

 

[drivesitfar]

Nutts: thanks for moving the thread for Tyler to the vintage section. you're the best.

Tyler: if you need a MOD go to the Forum main page and down near the bottom there is a tab to click on that will get you all the MODS to PM them your request if you need them. i sent Nutts a PM after i saw your post to help this time and he or one of the other MODS might have seen it eventually.

now how about some more pictures of your nice old MAC box. all sides and the drawers open and a few of the slides. i had a bottom Proto box similar to your Mac and since i couldn't find the top box i sold it. i did like the quality and craftsmanship and probably should have kept it.

good luck and with your skills i bet it will look great when you have time to work on it.

 

[zkling]

Classic boxes, I personally can't stand twin drawer pulls, but to each their own. If they have been taken care of they should provide good service for years to come. A body shop is hell on boxes. Particularly the old mac/matco friction slides. Should be 70's maybe early 80's MB510 top, MB503 mid and MB520 bottom. You can by the slide clips from waterloo.

 

[Beerman]

I have that same set up, minus the intermediate chest. Wonderful boxes, although I use them at home and don't work out of them everyday.



Beerman

 

[tylerlayne]

Found a date on the top box today. Said June 10,1975. There is some great stuff here,almost hate to take them off. If I could get them off in one piece I would save them,but I know that will be impossible.

 

[joseph.a.owens.9]

Love the old stickers! To bad they got to go.

 

[KZ1000J]

I'd leave it as it is. All those stickers are part of the patina, part of the life this box has lived. Make any and all repairs necessary for the boxes to be functional but leave the stickers. JMHO

 

[bluebolt]

The old decals are awesome! Don't paint it just clean it up first and see how it looks!

 

[Model A Fan]

Maybe mask off the stickers and then paint the box? You'll never see another one with such a great history. When was the last time you saw one with 1977 Contestant for the NHRA? You can repaint it and have a box that looks like everyone else's box, or you can have one with history and character. I'd choose the one with the character personally.

 

[thehorse13]

Wow, what a great box. I remember trying to get my new box, decades ago, to look like yours. If this treasure fell into my hands, I would go through it and make any mechanical repairs and then simply clean the box.

I can't wait to see what you decide to do.

 

[tylerlayne]

New paint is a must. The side of the box that was closest to the fire got the paint burned off of it. I had thought about taping the sticker and that is probably what I will end up doing as I think they are awesome. The box has only had one owner. They were bought new by the guys father I got them from. His son had the stored in a shed after his dad died and that is when they were in the fire. I'm sure it was not easy for him to get rid of his dads tool boxes especially with the way they are so personalized. Its really a shame about the fire because other than fire damage the box would not need painted.

 

[Bill Ramsey]

If it were mine, I'd preserve the stickers through good photographs. I'd take it outside and wash it down with a good cleaner, then take photos of complete sections of the box. I'd seek to take those photos outdoors in diffuse light, to avoid bright reflections. After removing the stickers and painting the box, I'd print those pictures and put them somewhere in the box.

I encourage you to photo-document your body and paint work as you go through this project. Speaking for myself (and probably others here), the body and paint work is the weak link in my DIY work - I just don't know enough about doing it well to...well...do it well. As a body and paint pro, you could really share some knowledge with us applicable to our tool box restorations: straightening metal, primer, filler, sanding, paint types, paint techniques/equipment, etc. I hope you will take the time to do that.

 

[Lassen Forge]

You could mask off the stickers, or maybe instead of color, clearcoat the thing to keep the rust at bay...

 

[tylerlayne]

I removed all the drawer pulls and got the front sanded down today. The paint they put on these boxes from the factory is not that great. My guess would be a enamel with no hardener since the paint just wants to roll up when I tried to sand it. I ended up using 220 grit wet and dry and wet sanded it. The paint still wanted to clog the paper using that method but it was doable that way. Next step is to use a urethane primer which I will apply tomorrow. Since there was no actual bodywork done on the front it should be ready to sand and paint after that. I have decided that I am going to tape up all the stickers that are on the side that are not peeling off and since there is no fire damage to the back and it will mostly be up against a wall ,that I will just paper and not paint the back of the box. That will save all the sticker there. I still have to treat the rust on the lid. I use a product by SEM called rust mort. I have used it for years and have never had rust come back on any surface I treated with it.

 

[bodyguy16]

Looking good! Nice to see your giving it some love

 

[Model A Fan]

Awesome, I am glad to hear you're going to keep the stickers in a preserved state. There is a lot of cool history on the side of that box. Most would be tempted to just scrape them off, so I am surprised and happy to hear your decision. Please keep us updated as to your progress!

 

[tylerlayne]

Got a few minutes to tape and prime today.

 

[KZ1000J]

Looks great. Good job. Any pics of the sides? I remember you saying you were not going to paint the back.

Will the "Plymouth" and other nameplates be returned or is their time up?

Enjoying your posts, thanks for posting.

KZ

 

[tylerlayne]

This is the side that had the most damage from the fire. The metal has slight warpage from the heat but does not effect the box in any way.

 

[ZRX61]

I removed all the drawer pulls and got the front sanded down today. The paint they put on these boxes from the factory is not that great. My guess would be a enamel with no hardener since the paint just wants to roll up when I tried to sand it. I ended up using 220 grit wet and dry and wet sanded it. The paint still wanted to clog the paper using that method but it was doable that way.

I ran into the same issue with a MAC box I bought about 4 years ago. I found the easiest way to prep the box was to use a rag soaked in lacquer thinner & just wipe the paint right off the box.
I ended up getting it powder coated for $80 + some ammo.

 

[tylerlayne]

I ran into the same issue with a MAC box I bought about 4 years ago. I found the easiest way to prep the box was to use a rag soaked in lacquer thinner & just wipe the paint right off the box.
I ended up getting it powder coated for $80 + some ammo.

You know I read in a old thread where you advised someone who was painting a Mac box to do that and you don't know how many times I have considered doing just that. You would think that Mac would have used better quality paint on the quality tool boxes they build. I am sure they use better now days.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Rust Mort is good stuff. Looking forward to seeing the newly painted boxes.

 

[MShaw]

To mask the decals and stickers it may be easier to grease them. Just make sure to cut around them with a razor knife before wiping off the grease to prevent peeling.

We did this when repainting farm equipment that was covered with odd shaped warning labels.

I posted this before looking at page 2. You are already well beyond the masking stage.

 

[tylerlayne]

Have not abandoned this thread,just been busy working on cars. Should get paint on the boxes the first of the week.

 

[bodyguy16]

Im looking forward to seeing it finished! Those boxes look great restored.

 

[tylerlayne]

Finally got time to get some paint on the boxes. Was a little disappointed with the handles. I was able to polish them but some of them got so hot from the fire it bubbled the chrome.

 

[zkling]

Damn Great job

 

[bodyguy16]

Very nice!

 

[KZ1000J]

Nice work!

Great job on saving the stickers too.

KZ

 

[Bill Ramsey]

Great work!

 

[drivesitfar]

Tyler: from my chair your boxes look great. if you still are unhappy with the chrome handles keep your eyes open for a donor box to swap and then resell that box after you paint it so you might end up with free handles. or i suppose you could take them down to the metal and maybe take them to the local chrome shop and have them re chromed.

looks 100% better than when you received them.

 

[Supe]

The red is so rich and deep! Love the resto. The original patina and stickers were nice though.

 

[tylerlayne]

The red is so rich and deep! Love the resto. The original patina and stickers were nice though.

Yea, I would not have bothered to paint them but the paint was all burned off one side. I saved all the stickers though. A lot of them are on the back of the box and since the paint was not damaged on the back I did not paint the back. The stickers that were on the side I taped them off.

 

[howsths]

Looks great!