My old man made this toolbox when he was an apprentice. He gave it to me when I went to college. I made one while I was there with the intention of giving him that one - except it was awful in comparison so I didn't. I then forgot all about the idea. His birthday is coming up early next year and I've thought about it again, now I've got a steel glue gun to stick it together with and enough maturity to take my time now.
I know the top and bottom halves are folded from flat and OF welded up the corners but the handle's got me puzzled. I'm assuming it's tube flattened at the ends and bent, then filed round and screwed to the lid. Am I likely to be able to flatten tube that well in a bench vise or should I beat it flat with a hammer? It looks about 3/4" 16 gauge (with some rounding down to account for flaring at the edges and paint thickness).
I'm also really intimidated by the fit between the lid and base, I'm not kidding when I say it is fingernail detector flush - all around bar one corner (and that overhangs less than the 0.6mm thick rule I've got to hand). Especially considering I've got to do mine with a MIG welder.
Worse fitting stuff comes out of factories, it amazes me to think this was made by someone straight out of school, largely by hand. At an age when I was still making poo jokes.
I know the top and bottom halves are folded from flat and OF welded up the corners but the handle's got me puzzled. I'm assuming it's tube flattened at the ends and bent, then filed round and screwed to the lid. Am I likely to be able to flatten tube that well in a bench vise or should I beat it flat with a hammer? It looks about 3/4" 16 gauge (with some rounding down to account for flaring at the edges and paint thickness).
I'm also really intimidated by the fit between the lid and base, I'm not kidding when I say it is fingernail detector flush - all around bar one corner (and that overhangs less than the 0.6mm thick rule I've got to hand). Especially considering I've got to do mine with a MIG welder.
Worse fitting stuff comes out of factories, it amazes me to think this was made by someone straight out of school, largely by hand. At an age when I was still making poo jokes.