Project Craftsman Toolbox Restoration

[Treburkulosis]

So I have had this roller tool box since 97ish and it’s been a great one. I honestly have never upgraded it. It has gotten me through a lot of projects, life, the garage fire it survived somehow, and a few moves over the years. I was reading on how to restore them and I am trying to run down really one part. I am waiting for Craftsman to email me back. I lost a stainless steel drawer handle cover in one of my moves. The lady is going to see if she can locate them all since the bigger ones are only 8.00. I started disassembling it yesterday and hopefully tomorrow of Sunday I can degrease and pressure was it.

Things to do:
Degrease and pressure wash it.
Get a few small bolts to replace the ones that have fallen out. I believe it is only 2.
Order new stainless steel drawer handle trim
Fix a few small dents
Replace both locks
Fix the door on the front and make it functional again
Take care of the surface rust on it
Prime and Paint it. Rust oleum Regal Red is the closes you will find to the Craftsman red. I will fire up my paint gun and shoot that. My neighbor is the head paint guy at our local home depot so I have the hook up lol.
Repaint using my airbrush the original emblems
I may ceramic coat it I will see how it turns out.
Possibly replace the wheels they still rolls so I may just lubricate them.
I believe that is it. This project should be 200 dollars or less.
Not the best before picture, but you get the idea.

 

[Badger 13]

That is one heck of a project.. I'll be anxious to see the toolbox when it is finished.

 

[Treburkulosis]

It is more dirty than anything. The only rust is where the top and bottom connect and front corners of the upper tool chest. I had almost thought about using poppy’s patina on it lol.

 

[Wild one]

Have to admit refinishing my old Snap-on and Craftsmen toolboxes doesn't rate high on my list of to-do projects,but good luck to you

 

[Robert15801]

Definitely worthy of a little love. I still have my OG toolbox from when I was still in High School. Ya, it's a little POS that I bought from JC Whitney, but it's still holding up. I keep all my sealants, tape, and that kind of stuff in it. There's zero reason to throw it out. I'm lucky in that it's still in pretty good shape.

 

[Treburkulosis]

Have to admit refinishing my old Snap-on and Craftsmen toolboxes doesn't rate high on my list of to-do projects,but good luck to you

Oh shut up you’re Canadian and those are American made brands. You probably are just jealous you have Napa knock off

 

[Treburkulosis]

Definitely worthy of a little love. I still have my OG toolbox from when I was still in High School. Ya, it's a little POS that I bought from JC Whitney, but it's still holding up. I keep all my sealants, tape, and that kind of stuff in it. There's zero reason to throw it out. I'm lucky in that it's still in pretty good shape.

It looks rough, but it’s never been cleaned its greasy, and needs some TLC. It’s almost 30 years old and the wheels still roll perfectly, the drawers still slide perfectly. I had to work on one, but I got it right back to new, All of the plastic on it has held up nicely, there was no sense in getting rid of it. It was my first one. Well my only one all of these years. I need to get a shorter one with a work bench, but I need a certain size and after what I just spent yesterday to switch the boys to a different private school I won’t be getting one anytime soon.

 

[Wild one]

Oh shut up you’re Canadian and those are American made brands. You probably are just jealous you have Napa knock off

Your getting a bit carried away with bashing Canada ,and honestly it's not going over very well. You started with bashing Canada over the paint on your car,and now this,you're getting a bit ridiculous now
Lets keep it civil bud,you can leave your hate of Canada at the door
I don't imagine you want this thread locked down,because of some stupid comment you've made

 

[Treburkulosis]

Your getting a bit carried away with bashing Canada ,and honestly it's not going over very well. You started with bashing Canada over the paint on your car,and now this,you're getting a bit ridiculous now
Lets keep it civil bud,you can leave your hate of Canada at the door
I don't imagine you want this thread locked down,because of some stupid comment you've made

Uh oh it seems my joke was taken wrong. We all know American made stuff can be just as bad.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I got a little done on it yesterday. I straightened out some drawers and I got the top tool box corner gap really close. I cleaned up the wheels and got those oiled. I also got the plastic drawers cleaned up as well. Tomorrow I am going to degrease and pressure wash everything. I will then decided if I need to sand blast it or if I can just sand it down. I also found 3/4 of the model number of the bottom drawer set so I got that emailed over to Craftsman as well.

 

[Thornback]

Thanks for all the photos. I like the project as it gives you something to do -- if you have the time. And when you complete the restoration, it will be something to be proud of. Looking forward to seeing the finished job. Good luck.

 

[rvance]

So I have had this roller tool box since 97ish and it’s been a great one. I honestly have never upgraded it. It has gotten me through a lot of projects, life, the garage fire it survived somehow, and a few moves over the years. I was reading on how to restore them and I am trying to run down really one part. I am waiting for Craftsman to email me back. I lost a stainless steel drawer handle cover in one of my moves. The lady is going to see if she can locate them all since the bigger ones are only 8.00. I started disassembling it yesterday and hopefully tomorrow of Sunday I can degrease and pressure was it.

Things to do:
Degrease and pressure wash it.
Get a few small bolts to replace the ones that have fallen out. I believe it is only 2.
Order new stainless steel drawer handle trim
Fix a few small dents
Replace both locks
Fix the door on the front and make it functional again
Take care of the surface rust on it
Prime and Paint it. Rust oleum Regal Red is the closes you will find to the Craftsman red. I will fire up my paint gun and shoot that. My neighbor is the head paint guy at our local home depot so I have the hook up lol.
Repaint using my airbrush the original emblems
I may ceramic coat it I will see how it turns out.
Possibly replace the wheels they still rolls so I may just lubricate them.
I believe that is it. This project should be 200 dollars or less.
Not the best before picture, but you get the idea.
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I have the exact same one, but mine is still in great condition.

 

[Hagar1]

Have to admit refinishing my old Snap-on and Craftsmen toolboxes doesn't rate high on my list of to-do projects,but good luck to you

My snap-on boxes and roll cabinet hae been collecting dirt since 1967, the 1867-1967 sticker òn the upper right side of the box has finally eroded away. Keep the tools clan but the box didn't make me any money.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I have the exact same one, but mine is still in great condition.

I would love to see pictures!

This one would have been in excellent condition, but I had a random electrical fire at my first home. The house was built in the early 1940s and the guy I bought it from removed his big outside compressor. He was the head mechanic at a big city until he retired and sold me the place. Anyways. It was nicely unhooked and capped off. The garage was a separate structure, but was still near the house. We hit a real windy day. Unlike anything I have really seen before. I had just been out there and I was waiting to get word is was ok to go meet my cousins new baby. I kept getting whiff of smoke. I lived in the country on some land so it didn’t really concern me. People burnt stuff all the time. Anyways I was a little concerned that it smelt close. I kept coming outside and looking around. Finally I decided to check the back yard and that is when I saw the fire. I luckily had moved the tool box towards the front of the door, so it survived when I yanked it out, it just got some smoke on it. I lost all of my craftsman tools, compressor, and all of my really cool car show awards. It has been with me through a lot of ups and downs. Hopefully the newer model trim will work with this one. They do not make any parts for them anymore.

 

[Treburkulosis]

Thanks for all the photos. I like the project as it gives you something to do -- if you have the time. And when you complete the restoration, it will be something to be proud of. Looking forward to seeing the finished job. Good luck.

Thank you. I am on a slight delay. The boys start a new private school today, so I will be learning all of the drop up and pick up this week. I am waiting on my carpro lift to arrive Wednesday so that I can get my nasty Flex washed. That was when I had planned on washing and degreasing it.

 

[Treburkulosis]

My snap-on boxes and roll cabinet hae been collecting dirt since 1967, the 1867-1967 sticker òn the upper right side of the box has finally eroded away. Keep the tools clan but the box didn't make me any money.

That is really cool. I will be curious to see how this next generation of tool boxes last. I plan on letting the boys use all of my old Husky and Kobalt tools that I bought to replace my craftsman stuff after the fire. It will be a good way to keep them out of my tools and let them have access to some decent stuff while they are in HS and College.

 

[Treburkulosis]

So update on the trim. After going back and forth with the Craftsman representative I was told yesterday that they no longer make any replacement parts for it. So I am sending measurements this morning over to them to see if the newer trim will work if I trim it to fit. I am hoping I have some clarity today.

 

[Marshall]

I had a snap on and a couple beech? I think for years, and sold most of the tools and boxes when I sold out, then I needed something for the basement shop, mainly wood/ guns, but you got to have tools, So Canadian tire had a sale you know. about 12 yrs old now.
PS, back in the day, 90% of my tools where craftsman/ sears, But while there are craftsman tools sold buy a few different stores, there is no sears in Canada for last few years .

Good luck with the rebuild.
One thing I like about the new ones, all the drawers are lined with a thin rubber liner , helps a bit keeping tools in place and cuts the noise way down.

 

[GTyankee]

I gave my Craftsman Box like that to my neighbor, as a loaner
It had a fair amount of assorted tools in it.
He gave it to someone, likely for Drugs.
He moved with his wife to Las Vegas & had a Heart Attack, shame cause he was a very good Shade Tree Mechanic.

I still have my other Roll A ways



Have you noticed who Made Craftsman Tool Boxes ??

While facing those boxes, look at Right bottom structural Lip, the Stamping faces the ceiling.
By the way, WATERLOO made the CRAFTSMAN Tool Boxes

 

[GTyankee]

Waterloo tool chest age

Any idea how old this is?

www.garagejournal.com

I have one of these Machinist Tool Boxes