This may be a yawner for most of you, but I'm excited! I've been enamored of Penncraft and Bernzomatic mechanics' tools since I bought them new to work on my first car in the early 70's. I went to a flea market today, one I go to fairly often. It's a commercial place with individual booths, so usually no garage sale prices, but now and then...
I spied the Penncraft toolbox, and was disappointed that it wasn't the kind with drawers, but the price was right at $1, even missing the tool tray. A few booths away I spotted a nearly identical box with tool tray and a few junk tools for $5. I snagged the tray, which fits perfectly, for $2. Then, to top it all off, rummaging in a tray of tiny wrenches marked 2/$1, hiding amongst the cheapie stamped ignition wrenches I found 4 small USA combos, including this Bernzomatic gem. There was also a Challenger-Proto long pattern 1/4".
I'd probably leave the toolbox as is, rust and all, except for the brown paint barfed all over the front. RustOleum makes a nice Hammered Finish paint that is an excellent match for the finish. I have some in Black that I used to paint a trailer hitch. It was a perfect match for the charcoal metallic bumper on my Escape. I'll have to see whether they make a dark gray; Black is too dark for the box.
What about rivets? If I repaint it, I'm going to remove the hardware and reinstall after painting. I don't want to use pop rivets or screws, but the only rivets I've found at the hardware store have a split shank, really intended for clinching on leather or wood. I'm sure I can make a peening tool to peen like the originals if I can find that type of rivet, with a hollow shank. Anyone have an idea where to look for them?
I spied the Penncraft toolbox, and was disappointed that it wasn't the kind with drawers, but the price was right at $1, even missing the tool tray. A few booths away I spotted a nearly identical box with tool tray and a few junk tools for $5. I snagged the tray, which fits perfectly, for $2. Then, to top it all off, rummaging in a tray of tiny wrenches marked 2/$1, hiding amongst the cheapie stamped ignition wrenches I found 4 small USA combos, including this Bernzomatic gem. There was also a Challenger-Proto long pattern 1/4".
I'd probably leave the toolbox as is, rust and all, except for the brown paint barfed all over the front. RustOleum makes a nice Hammered Finish paint that is an excellent match for the finish. I have some in Black that I used to paint a trailer hitch. It was a perfect match for the charcoal metallic bumper on my Escape. I'll have to see whether they make a dark gray; Black is too dark for the box.
What about rivets? If I repaint it, I'm going to remove the hardware and reinstall after painting. I don't want to use pop rivets or screws, but the only rivets I've found at the hardware store have a split shank, really intended for clinching on leather or wood. I'm sure I can make a peening tool to peen like the originals if I can find that type of rivet, with a hollow shank. Anyone have an idea where to look for them?
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