Another Toolbox to Identify

[IslandOlds]

Does this box look like a Snap on? It has a Snap On decal but I can't find any ID Marks. It was given to me by my father.

[IslandOlds]

A couple more Pics

[snapmom]

I snap on box that would be like this, would have a Snap on name plate not a decal.. Check the back, it might have the model number etc. stamped on the back side. It does not look like a SO box to me, but its possible.

[IslandOlds]

There is a spot where the name emblem used to be on the front cover. There are holes where rivets or bolts went through.

[Frank Murch]

There was another company making tool boxes and selling them to Snap on. Snap on bought this company in 1958/59 and the tool boxes - as they were reviewed - changed from KR to KRA.

In 1924 Snap on was purchasing boxes from the outside - The early boxes (9/32 is a good example) were not marked in the metal – they had stickers. The bigger boxes has brass tags. In the late 20s (early 30s?) the some boxes were labeled by embossing the metal (again the 9/32 box).

I assume Snap on started with a small market share in their subcon and by 1959 they had 100%. So finding a “Snap on” style box with somebody else’s mark on it would be interesting

I think (I don’t know) the original box manufacturer was Weidenhoff Corp (they built automotive test equipment – they must have build boxes to hold it and they were in Algona. So the timing and location match.)

I do not know who bought these outside Snap on. I also don’t know if there were multiple vendors

[IslandOlds]

Excellent info. I noticed inside where the drawer slides go there is an 8 1947 stamped in there. Wondering if that may be a date code.

[snapy64]

there are several errors in the replies to this thread
the number stamped into the drawer slide 8-1947 is the part number. date codes were never stamped in any slides that i have ever seen.
date codes on tool boxes if there is one is stamped into the back of the box under the model number or on a sticker inside on newer boxes.
Snap-on started making their own boxes in 1959 when they built a 43,000 square foot addition to the Weidenhoff plant in Algona, Iowa which they had purchased in 1956 to add a line of automotive test equipment. prior to that they probably had several vendors make boxes for them. i do know that a major one was MBC Century (The Metal Box & Cabinet Corporation of Chicago)

Tecumseh-20110822-00028 (Changed).jpg

i have also heard a reference to the Master Box Company possibly a name change of the same company. I got this emblem off a tool box that i took in on trade in the early 80's and put a Snap-on emblem in it's place and sold it (i sure wish now that i had kept it).
The KRA series of tool boxes are the earlier ones that have the rounded corners such as the KRA59 & KRA380 series, the KR boxes are the newer ones with square corners covered by aluminum trim such as the KR537 & KR557 series, both series continued and evolved over the years and in the 90's most of the KRA series production was moved to a plant in Canada.
it is hard to tell from the pictures if this is a Snap-on box - the drawer fronts don't look correct.

[snapy64]

for some reason this did not attach to the previous reply

Tecumseh-20110822-00028 (Changed).jpg (166.12 KiB) Viewed 5676 times

[Frank Murch]

I would very much like to get ‪”snapy64” to tell us more about boxes.

I did not know the name of the vendor until I read this posting.

These are my guesses about tool boxes

Snap on purchased tool boxes from an OEM manufacturer until 1958/9.

In 1958/9 they expanded the Algona factory in Iowa and brought the boxes in-house.

I think the KRA series replaced the KR series. Your posting seems to say that there are trim differences and some KR boxes appeared after the KRA series? I would like to understand more about this.

I think there are no new KR series after 1958. Maybe I am wrong?

I think K is originally for Kit


KR is Kenosha Red


KRA is Kenosha Red Algona

How close is this? I would very much like your insight on this

Thanks

Frank

[fishchips]

This is some great reading, thank you.