Swan
Well-known member
I just picked up what I believe is a 1950's Snap on KR-56 6 drawer tool box for $50 off Craigslist. I did 75 miles of windshield time roundtrip through the winding roads and bluffs of Wisconsin to pick it up tonight from a very nice guy who has owned this box for more than 16 years and never used it. The price was right and my goal is to restore it to original and get another 50 years out of it.
As bought:
It is rough, beat up, rusty, dirty, greasy with peeling paint and full of dead bugs; I could not be happier with my first Snap On box. Like most of us here on GJ, I like old things and enjoy finding, cleaning, restoring and using old tools. My plan is to take it apart, have it sand blasted, hammer and dolly the dents and make it square and true, prime, paint and put her to use again. I am not a professional mechanic but build, restore and ride vintage Triumph, BSA, Norton and Triton motorcycles for fun, to keep sane and to stay out of trouble. I have a small workspace and do not need or want a huge box and this little Snap On box will hold all my motorcycle specialty, factory service tools, Whitworth wrenches, sockets and tap and die kits. it is 26" wide x 12" deep and 14.25" high and weighs 59 lbs. I will patiently search for the matching intermediate and lower boxes.
One hour later...
No lost tools, just dead bugs
I used two modified hacksaw blades to remove the drawer slides. Once you understand what you are doing, they come off easily. I found if you insert the blade, push the drawer and slide on to the blade then pull the drawers, they come off easily.
The lock and handle came off easily and I drilled out the rivets holding the badge. It looks like the exterior of the box was spray painted a deeper red than OEM color. I took several reference photos of the bottom of the drawers, under the Snap On badge and on the inside to capture what I believe is the original color. It is going to the paint store tomorrow to be scanned and compared to the Ditzler formulas floating around the forum and then to be sandblasted.
I hope to be pounding out dents and primering on Friday, and painting this weekend, stay tuned...
Oh noooooo!!
As bought:
It is rough, beat up, rusty, dirty, greasy with peeling paint and full of dead bugs; I could not be happier with my first Snap On box. Like most of us here on GJ, I like old things and enjoy finding, cleaning, restoring and using old tools. My plan is to take it apart, have it sand blasted, hammer and dolly the dents and make it square and true, prime, paint and put her to use again. I am not a professional mechanic but build, restore and ride vintage Triumph, BSA, Norton and Triton motorcycles for fun, to keep sane and to stay out of trouble. I have a small workspace and do not need or want a huge box and this little Snap On box will hold all my motorcycle specialty, factory service tools, Whitworth wrenches, sockets and tap and die kits. it is 26" wide x 12" deep and 14.25" high and weighs 59 lbs. I will patiently search for the matching intermediate and lower boxes.
One hour later...
No lost tools, just dead bugs
I used two modified hacksaw blades to remove the drawer slides. Once you understand what you are doing, they come off easily. I found if you insert the blade, push the drawer and slide on to the blade then pull the drawers, they come off easily.
The lock and handle came off easily and I drilled out the rivets holding the badge. It looks like the exterior of the box was spray painted a deeper red than OEM color. I took several reference photos of the bottom of the drawers, under the Snap On badge and on the inside to capture what I believe is the original color. It is going to the paint store tomorrow to be scanned and compared to the Ditzler formulas floating around the forum and then to be sandblasted.
I hope to be pounding out dents and primering on Friday, and painting this weekend, stay tuned...
Oh noooooo!!
Last edited:
When it goes to the sandblasters will you asked how the work will be done, ie the 250 cfm blaster or a small unit? 
at the avatar.
