1974 Tool box restore

[bonneyman]

I picked up this Dayton tool box from a pawnie for $5 a week ago, and decided it was heavy enough steel and structurally sound enough to attempt a restore. Couldn't make it perfect, but it came out well enough to hold my bicycle repair tools. Here's some before and after pics:

[Branson]

It's beautiful.  Where's the imperfection?

[scottg]

Yeah looks great to me George!! Who could complain about this???
 How big/thick is it? Looks like the little 2 drawer I have.
 Super handy size but I with they'd have folded mine out of thicker metal.
Grainger usually ordered better goods so I bet yours is.
   Did you replace the handle? Somebody did. No toolbox maker ever bolted on handles
They used to sell those for suitcase replacement handles. 
  yours Scott

[bonneyman]

Yeah looks great to me George!! Who could complain about this???
 How big/thick is it? Looks like the little 2 drawer I have.
 Super handy size but I with they'd have folded mine out of thicker metal.
Grainger usually ordered better goods so I bet yours is.
   Did you replace the handle? Somebody did. No toolbox maker ever bolted on handles
They used to sell those for suitcase replacement handles. 
  yours Scott

It's 18" long, 9" high, and 8" wide.
I removed all the chrome pieces to thoroughly clean them and paint the box easier. Then re-attached them with SS machine screws. Messed up the drawer pull knobs, so have temp rods in there till I can scrounge up some nice ones.

[HeelSpur]

That turned out really nice.

[bonneyman]

It's beautiful.  Where's the imperfection?

The pics don't show it, but the rust had pitted the bottom and the inside of the base really bad. I had to excavate some serious steel and epoxy one of the seams. Should work OK though. And you don't see it when it's sitting on the table.