THarvey
Member
One of the things I enjoy is picking and restoring old hand tools.
About a month ago, I ran up on this tool box for $3 at a yard sale. Cramer Products, Inc. is a 90+ year-old Sports Medicine equpiment company. I am guessing the toolbox originally belonged to one of their service people.
The toolbox had been sitting in a barn for years, in about two inches of water part of that time.
The first thing, I washed the toolbox with a grease cutting car wash and dried completely.
Drilled the rivets out and removed the hardware. Soaked hardware in vinegar for about an hour to remove loose chrome and some rust. Then put the hardward in an electrolysis bath for about three hours to remove the remaining rust.
After removing all the rust, sprayed the hardware with Silver Aluminum enamel.
Sanded all of the rusted areas of the box smooth. The original exterior had a texture in the paint. To blend the texture, after sanding rusted areas, I sprayed with some "hammered finish" spray paint as a undercoat. Then sprayed the entire box with two-coats Gloss Black enamel.
Riveted all of the hardware using aluminum pop rivets.
Paid $3 for the toolbox and about $3 for supplies. It took me about five hours, Saturday, to complete the restoration.
This toolbox will be the new storage home for my Beall Pen Wizard.
What do you think?
About a month ago, I ran up on this tool box for $3 at a yard sale. Cramer Products, Inc. is a 90+ year-old Sports Medicine equpiment company. I am guessing the toolbox originally belonged to one of their service people.
The toolbox had been sitting in a barn for years, in about two inches of water part of that time.
The first thing, I washed the toolbox with a grease cutting car wash and dried completely.
Drilled the rivets out and removed the hardware. Soaked hardware in vinegar for about an hour to remove loose chrome and some rust. Then put the hardward in an electrolysis bath for about three hours to remove the remaining rust.
After removing all the rust, sprayed the hardware with Silver Aluminum enamel.
Sanded all of the rusted areas of the box smooth. The original exterior had a texture in the paint. To blend the texture, after sanding rusted areas, I sprayed with some "hammered finish" spray paint as a undercoat. Then sprayed the entire box with two-coats Gloss Black enamel.
Riveted all of the hardware using aluminum pop rivets.
Paid $3 for the toolbox and about $3 for supplies. It took me about five hours, Saturday, to complete the restoration.
This toolbox will be the new storage home for my Beall Pen Wizard.
What do you think?
Last edited:
:biggrin
