My tool box resto/refurb is done!  A while back I posted about having purchased "a few" tool boxes at auction.  Included were several Kennedy boxes and a few older boxes.  My son asked if I would clean up an old Sears Craftsman box for him to keep in the trunk of his car.  Out of some plywood scraps I made a quick cabinet to hold four boxes that I will keep for myself.  Had some just right drawer slides and puchased one set of heavier duty slides for the big chest.

 

 

According to my on line research these two older Craftsman boxes date from the 1950-64 time period.  Neither of them had trays.  From a 1958 Sears catalog, the boxes were originally machinery gray and the trays would also have been machinery gray.  Noted and went to work.

 

 

Not sure when they dropped the name off the latches, likely on the next generation of boxes.  I removed all the hardware and selected the nicer one for my son.  My box is a bit more beat up.  I did bang out a few dings and dents before dropping them in the electrolysis tank.  I selected box #22 for my son, and welded up the rivet holes after removing the numbers. 

 

 

After the paint was removed, a surprise:

 

 

The boxes were made by Waterloo, for Craftsman.  The stamping is hidden by the Craftsman name plate when finished.  While the boxes were being stripped I made new trays and painted them.  My box got a felt liner glued in and different tray handles to make the tray more useful for my intended purpose.  After all this work, probably still $20-$25 dollar boxes, but I had fun and my son said he is really happy based on the pics.  That's a win in my book

 

 

 

Great job on those boxes. 

Nice!!!!!!

Just cleaning up some STUFF that seems to find a flat spot today. Trying to get everything back in place so I can start on a project. 

19 hours ago, kmealy said:

There is a guy Sen Wang that makes a lot of these and posts on Facebook.   Is favorite is dovetailed corner splines.

If you make them to sell you'd sure want to use some joint other than box joints, or at least I would. The time it takes to cut them and then glue them up is probably more than someone would want to s[end. I think (but do not know) that mitered corners with a spline would be faster.

My Craftsman box is smaller but dates from 66 or 67 when I was on Dredge in Corpus Christi Bay. Kept it in my trunk and got a bit of rust so painted it metallic blue.

Sneak peak for Monday's installation in my work toolbox.

 

Socket organizer, as in all of them I own in one drawer 45 inches wide by 19 1/2nches deep.

 

 

Well I did get a new gas line run in the shop today so I can have heat in another place. Something I’ve meant to do for a couple of years. Mark that off my procrastination list!

 

1 minute ago, John Moody said:

Well I did get a new gas line run in the shop today so I can have heat in another place. Something I’ve meant to do for a couple of years. Mark that off my procrastination list!

 

Doe's that mean I can send some of that cold front headed our way y'alls?

1 minute ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Doe's that mean I can send some of that cold front headed our way y'alls?

Send it on, I’m ready now!

2 minutes ago, John Moody said:

Send it on, I’m ready now!

Ok, here it comes...

I am continuing on with the media room project. I am mostly gluing up panels to make cabinet components using the black walnut.

Paul

1 hour ago, Gunny said:

Sneak peak for Monday's installation in my work toolbox.

 

Socket organizer, as in all of them I own in one drawer 45 inches wide by 19 1/2nches deep.

 

 

Is it possible to have too many sockets?  I've heard you cannot have too many clamps.

 

I think you need to watch some of the FastCap guy's videos and at least label every hole with the size of tool in it.  And then color code all the tools. And organize the trays by frequency of use.  And...

Edited November 14, 20205 yr by kmealy

12 minutes ago, kmealy said:

I think you need to watch some of the FastCap guy's videos and at least label every hole with the size of tool in it. 

 

I have a method for that as well.  I turn these sockets upside down in the holders. 10mm,12mm,14mm,17mm,19mm, and 21mm.  Those are common for Asian vehicles.  The 13mm, 15mm, 16mm and 18mm. are common for Domestic.  Since I load my cart for the car I am working on I bring what I need and leave the beast of a box where it sits.

 

Some sockets this is not possible and I gauge by location to the other socket rails.

 

15 minutes ago, kmealy said:

And organize the trays by frequency of use. 

 

 

Best I can do is to work left to right with 1/2 drive, 3/8 drive and 1/4 drive.  Lots of variations on how to do it.  All boil down to same thing we have at home, what works for you?  Or in my case how can I screw with it some???

 

19 minutes ago, kmealy said:

Is it possible to have too many sockets? 

 

 

I doubt it, bloody tool manufactures are in it knee deep with the car makers.  New "special tools / sockets" required for new stuff.  

Hmmm..just a $2 box...

Logo?

yard sale find from last year, I think...contents?

missing a few items....May keep this in the van...

 

 

I do not have a pic but I paid I think 4 for a similar Craftsman set with rachet and metric and SAE sockets.

Working on sorting out my drill bit toolbox better.  Already did a insert for one drawer for Forstner bits.  Next is my spade bit collection.  Granted I don't use often but having them laid out in a cigar box has worked well.  But as usual I came up with a space saving idea and the cigar box didn't fit my requirements.  So I made this one.  Few weeks ago a friend gave me some 3/4 MDF complaining that it was useless.  Yeah, about that.  Made the insert for this tray out of that same 3/4 MDF.  Edge banded the side where the bits will hang with some pine and then cut the channels on the TS.  Now coating it in poly, yeah the stuff is a sponge..

 

But this again was zero dollar small project that pays off later when all the rest of the pieces of this puzzle get done in the finishing room.

 

 

On 11/14/2020 at 7:20 AM, Cal said:

My tool box resto/refurb is done!  A while back I posted about having purchased "a few" tool boxes at auction.  Included were several Kennedy boxes and a few older boxes.  My son asked if I would clean up an old Sears Craftsman box for him to keep in the trunk of his car.  Out of some plywood scraps I made a quick cabinet to hold four boxes that I will keep for myself.  Had some just right drawer slides and puchased one set of heavier duty slides for the big chest.

 

 

According to my on line research these two older Craftsman boxes date from the 1950-64 time period.  Neither of them had trays.  From a 1958 Sears catalog, the boxes were originally machinery gray and the trays would also have been machinery gray.  Noted and went to work.

 

 

Not sure when they dropped the name off the latches, likely on the next generation of boxes.  I removed all the hardware and selected the nicer one for my son.  My box is a bit more beat up.  I did bang out a few dings and dents before dropping them in the electrolysis tank.  I selected box #22 for my son, and welded up the rivet holes after removing the numbers. 

 

 

After the paint was removed, a surprise:

 

 

The boxes were made by Waterloo, for Craftsman.  The stamping is hidden by the Craftsman name plate when finished.  While the boxes were being stripped I made new trays and painted them.  My box got a felt liner glued in and different tray handles to make the tray more useful for my intended purpose.  After all this work, probably still $20-$25 dollar boxes, but I had fun and my son said he is really happy based on the pics.  That's a win in my book

 

 

 

After looking at your toolboxes it reminded me of some pins I picked up a few years back while out picking one day. 
 

Thought they might fit in with your Craftsman toolboxes and dates. 
 

 

The one on the left was 1927, inaugural year, next two are 1952, 25th anniversary, 3rd from the left is 1977, 50th anniversary, and last one is 2002, 75th Anniversary. 
 

Nice collection, I love toolboxes and a LOT of other STUFF!!

 

 

Cal--- that tool box post brought back old memories. I got out of the army in July of 1956. I had 3 months of mustering out pay coming--100$ per month for three months. Had no money at the time. When I had the 300$ in hand I went to the Sears store in Aberdeen, SD and bought a complete set of Craftsman hand tools---Still have the complete set today---did do some warranty exchanges over time. Made a living with set and It has been the basis for my very complete shop at this time. Did take 64 years however.