PRB-6A and K-55

[funkyfullwidth]

I just picked these up the other day. I don't beleive that they ever went together but know that they have been so for at least 25 some odd years according to the man I got them from. The bottom PRB-6A was made in 1939 and I could not find a reference to it being made, or find it in the catalogs after that. This particular PRB-6A has the added DR-5-A drawer set added on. It appears that both of these boxes have been tinkered with slightly, and possibly repainted at one or more points in their life.

The PRB-6A has had the hinges brazed on, a handle brazed onto the key cylinder, the wheels changed and it looks like the legs have been cut off and brazed a little higher up. I'm not too farmiliar with the construction of these older snap on boxes, but i'm going to stick to the line of thought that anything brazed on this box is a modification or repair. While some of these "fixes" are at least somewhat clean, i'm going to attempt to make everything the way it was.
Here's some shots.








The man i got it from also referenced an oil can squirter and bracket that used to be attached to the box, but he lost. This is where it went. Was it a Snap On option?


Now.... the K-55 is in fairly good condition. First appearance I could find was in '42. Two of the drawers, on one slide only, slide too far and come out and there's holes drilled into the lid and the body for a pad lock. So, the key is missing as well as the two lock bars and peice that covers the drawers when locking it up. The Snap On logo is there and in halfway decent shape, and I found a "Made In USA" stamp in the back middle of the box. This box appears to have been repainted as sand paper marks are evident here and there. The bottom of the box, almost looks as if it was replaced the metal is in such good, shiny shape. If it was, someone was very good at their job, because it is clean.




Here's the bottom I was talking about..


I have a few questions about these. But will chime in later... Enjoy!

[snapmom]

Nice boxes. You have a lot of work to do. It looks like the legs are rewelded. The one I have with legs , the legs bolt on.

[funkyfullwidth]

No sir, those boxes are nice! Stickers and all. But,

That makes me wonder if one of the previous owners welded/brazed the legs because the screws were getting loose. I'm gonna have to scrape some paint away, maybe i'll see evidence of a bolt hole that was welded shut. two questions for ya...

Do your legs bolt on in the same position that mine are welded in there? By over lapping the angle steel underneath? (2 part question)

and, where did you get those casters, were those already on the box?

[snapmom]

The legs go up the length of the bottom box. the casters are old, but are not the factory casters.

[funkyfullwidth]

Interesting... It looks like the tops of your legs rise above the box a little bit, helping to "nestle" the top box a little. Thank you for the pictures. I've been looking into little soda blasters, and will hopefully be starting the tear down soon.

[funkyfullwidth]

Ya know, i can't put my finger on it. But there are some differences i'm seeing here. Well, one main one.
http://collectingsnapon.com/catalogs.ph ... ogPage=596
The top of my box looks correct according to the catalog. The way that the top edges are slightly rounded over, and that the legs go up the side, but stop before to top. I'm noticing yours have the legs go up past the top of the box. I'm wondering if this was a difference if the box was made in a different year, or if you purchased the k-5 along with the bottom?

[snapmom]

I think mine is a 38. here is a copy from the 38 cat.

[funkyfullwidth]

well that explains why i couldn't see it! The 38 cat isn't listed! but as a quick update, I've got the whole box taken apart and I have a theory on why the legs were buchered as they were. My best guess is that someone wanted the box to be a little taller. As it was, the box was about 5 inches taller then advertised.

I lucked out in that 3 of the legs were and the hinges were only brazed on there, so i'll be able to use the bent angle for the casters and i'll just cut and reweld the legs back together at the appropriate height. I simply heated up the braze and pulled all the junk like casters and "bottom rack" off. So far i've patched all the holes in the skins. I debated making up a new back panel because the original had a slight ding in it and it was a little tweaked. But, i think i'm going to leave well enough alone, i don't want to replace anything unless it's rotted away and completely un usuable. Also i figured out why the box didn't sit level. When the previous owner welded the new legs on, the bend in the angle iron wasn't symetrical and the were welded with 2 right side up and 2 right side down. go figure. I'll have pictures up of the progress and how I patched the holes hopefully this weekend if time permits.

[snapmom]

Yes, keep up posted. A worthy project.

[funkyfullwidth]

Well here are the pictures I promised.



Original paint!


A few of the panels had been tac welded to the frame. Not a huge issue.
I put a peice of copper pipe in the vice, crushed it, then hammered it flat with a sledge. I used the copper as a backing so that i didn't burn through the panel or warp it too much.


I had before and after shots, but my camera didn't save em...?

Now like i had said, just about everything was only brazed on there, so it was just a matter of heating up the braze and scraping it away. I used an oxygen acetelyn torch setup, a propane torch was not hot enough.

Here's 2 of the legs, 1 right after i cut it off, and the other during the clean up process and before straigtening and fixing the imperfections.


and finally, my work space and pile o' parts.



More to come!