Blacksmith tool box

[CTBlacksmith]

Has anyone made a toolbox to carry their gear in when you want to bring it somewhere outside your shop? I do colonial reenactments and i want to make a box to carry my basic tools in. I know not everyone would make one for reenactments so if you have made any toolbox for your tools, colonial or not, i would like to hear about it or even see pictures if you have them.

[pkrankow]

I bought a steel box from Tractor supply. Its a 24 inch masterhand, 10inch wide, 10 inch tall when closed, with a top tray, and with handles on the top and both ends. With hammers, hardies, punches, chisels, files, tongs, etc in it, I use the two end handles since it is so heavy. I am not re enacting anything, but have to move onto the drive every time I light the forge.

I bought it clearance since they stopped making this size, and it was $15 instead of $30.

Phil

[Dave Hammer]

I like to use a round canvas bag with a leather bottom. I think they are meant to be used by carpenters. They can be bought in big box stores or Harbor Freight.

Some folks use a five gallon plastic pail.

[Johnnie C.]

I use a metal bucket. You can hang your tongs along the sides and put hammers, drifts, and files in the center.

[thecelticforge]

I use a box made fro old 1X4 fencing. It is 3'X 2' and even has a lid. I have holes bored in the ends with hemp rope handles.

[dablacksmith]

i used to use a wood roundtop toolbox i had made for me but it got so beatup and stuff started to fall out so i now use 2 of the canvas bags from hf and one long bag with leather reinforced ends alsf from hf. it works well and they are more flexable as far as stowage... i am haveing the toolbox from the mastermir find built .i am thinking of useing it for some of my portable tools but i haul more tools than i want to put in that box ( ime on the road for 5-6 months). from what ive been able to research any box will work there wasnt anything like a standard..

[Ed Steinkirchner]

i use a milk crate, and throw my glove and apron on the bottom to keep stuff from falling through. it has four handles and if you flip it over it makes a graet seat, and you can stack them. but you shouldn't just take them they frown on that, round' here. but most people have a dozen in their back yards. :)

[martensite]

I use an old ammo box,put a pc of plywood on the bottom to protect edge's.It also is waterproof unless it's sitting in a puddle :P

[Joseff]

Yup, the military surplus is the way to go. I used a 30"x10"x10" "rocket" box. It held all my long and short tools, and had handles at both ends, which was handy if you had a friend to help carry.

[CTBlacksmith]

I like the surplus military can idea. It's a little off topic but last summer i heard that ammo cans wont be released to the public anymore because the government has them cut up. I was told that they are doing this to prevent people from stock piling ammo and in fear of a militia being formed. Back on subject i think i am going to build a nice oak box about 25x6x8. That was i can make all of the hinges and nails for it and it will be period correct for colonial reenactments. I will have to put up some pictures when i start it.

[Iron Clad]

I guess it comes down to how many tools you plan to carry. I try to go as light as possible, taking only what is neccessary and planning ahead as to what projects will be accomplished.

A person can be creative here. I made my "traveling" box out of 1/2" pine. It looks like the traditional carpenters box with the sides (ends) rounded at the top and a wooden handle across. I made the nails holding it all together, which adds a touch of rustic. Then, I cut off a piece of pipe with a radius around 3" and fastened it to the inside corner of the box. This holds my punches, drifts, and chisles upright for easy identification and access.

Actually, I plan to build another one. This time a little more creative with added features and iron work. I say build and design your own!

[Fe-Wood]

I would make your tool box a representation of your commitment and quality. If you do make a tool box- make it a great one. It is the first thing people see when you set up on a site.
I have included a picture of a picture of the tool box I made some 20 years ago. I still use it everyday....

[calala]

Nice looking tool box Fe-Wood,I find that steel tools in a wooden box don't get surface rust on them as quick when they haven't been used for a while.

[Dillon Sculpture]

F-650 with a 50' crane, tool boxes on the sides. Sorry just dreaming...

[ThomasPowers]

mine is a version of the mastermyr chest only as if made for a smith instead of re-purposed by one.

Drug a chunk of rough sawn oak from a flood pile and adzed the crud off it on all sides and then cut it into 4 pieces for the front and back. Used some heavy duty pallet boards for the ends and a piece of pine for the bottom board. 40 hand forged nails hold it together this last 10 years or so. Top is a loose piece of 2" thick stock handy for sitting on. laying tools on, splitting kindling on, etc... There are two cross bars set in the top of the ends to provide a good place to grab it when moving it with the top off.

So you do the Italy colonizing Ethiopia right before WWII? Must be fun. Or is it the Norse Colonization of Greenland which died out over 500 years ago. (Like civil wars, there are a lot of colonies out there and so it's best to specify. Shoot the town I live near in the USA was named "Socorro" in 1598---a bit before Jamestown's 1607)

[John B]

Don't forget 2 wheels and a handle.

[Pat Roy]

I use a bucket that the kitty litter came in. It has a comfortable handle and holds quite a lot of stuff. I also use one of these as a quench bucket, tolerant of freezing and no real cost.

[shortdog]

I have an aluminum case that's 24'Lx 14"Hx 10"deep. It's lined with a thin layer of foam padding and has a vaulted lid with heavy latches and a center handle. I made a "pocket" out of heavy canvas with dividers stitched in to hold punches and chisels and riveted the whole thing to the back wall of the box. It also has two soft pouches made into the underside of the lid. One holds safety glasses and the other a box of kitchen matches for getting things going. There's plenty of room for everything I have right now, but I'm trying to outgrow it.

I also have a plumbers/ carpenter type box (open box with a long handle on top) that I made years ago that would work out good for carrying hammers and whatnot. Would probably look better at demonstrations, too.

[JeremyP]

I made a couple of carpenter style open boxes with a top handle out of aluminum. I want to make another one with some forged elements in it though. I think it would look sharp contrasting with the alu

[Glenn]

No matter what you use, secure it well from thieves.

More than once I have read stories where tools were stolen, we know the value of the tools, and so do the thieves.

[Michael]

I built this about a a year ago, based on ammo boxes I'd seen. Holds my hammers, punches, gloves, hearing protection, twisting wrench and my hardy tools, I could fit my most used tongs in it as well if I had to, but they are set up around the anvil.

About 75 lbs when its full, real simple construction but I got a chance to build it with clenched nails. the bottom and top are reinforced with oak strips and the handles are screwed in from both sides.

[Bill in Oregon]

FeWood: Very lovely design, well executed with nice joinery! Thanks for the photo.

[Brasilikilt]

This isn't my tool box, but very similar.



I like the idea of using well crafted things for work, but I tend to be a bit rough on my stuff, so I don't want to spend a lot of time or use nice materials for something that is going to get some hard use

[Iron Clad]

The basic design is like my box as well.

[Alec.S]

This is mine, i made it specially for forging,
p.s. i hope the links work.


http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21516

http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21515

http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21514

http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21513

http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21512

http://www.iforgeiron.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=21511



alec