# I Went an' Done it Again-Tool & Box Gloat



## Ulma Doctor (Jan 17, 2015)

Hello Junkies and Tool Hoarders Alike!
I got this affliction that causes incessant searching of CL and Ebay for tools and tooling and machinery etc...
maybe other's can sympathize:thinking:.

if you don't have the affliction and think you may be gettin' it , here are some warning signs to look for:

long strolls in tool corrals in box stores
frequent trips to hardware stores
scratching of chin when you see that brand new impact driver with the 19.2v Li Ion battery in the combo pack with the drill, driver charger and second battery
restroom reading materials get infiltrated with machinery's handbook/audels/Colvin & Stanley,tool brochures ,Mc Master catalog or others i'm sure not to give worthy credit. 
the better homes and garden and people magazines find their way into the trash can or recycling bin.
your fingernails always seem to have grease, scraping ink,Dykem, or other machine contaminants embedded under them.
you remove the clock form your shop(beware of this step trust me:jester
enjoying the sound of machinery running
loss of track of time
if you get extreme euphoria when you hold carbide tooling- ut OHanic: 

Because i'm an imaginary doctor,
 i literally spent tens of minutes in study and careful thought upon the subject, and came up with a treatment program. 
as we can never really destroy the scourge ,we can only manage it's effect and attempt to manage it's progression.
I have prescribed myself a meager "allowance" that is used to buy my afore mentioned fix(tools/tooling/machinery/etc.) 

Being a junkie- i went to score my fix and found a strike on the 3rd attempt.
a 1956 Kennedy 520 7-drawer Machinist Tool Box and some tools to boot.
advertised for 70 bucks with decent looking pictures.
i bit and arranged a meet up. we got to talking- come to find out that his father purchased it as an overflow box in 1956. the tool box sat on the same bench, as the story went, for all that time until the fathers passing last year.
It sat in my garage for 3 weeks until i had a little too much curiosity this morning, had to take a peek at what i got:bitingnails:

Pictures for the afflicted:












I was able to retrieve a couple items that made the deal very good from my side,



	

		
			
		

		
	
 possibly of 1940's/50's vintage
 here's a bit of info:

George Scherr was a New York based manufacturer of optical comparitors and apparently also made some precision measuring tools. They eventually merged with the Tubular Micrometer Company, which made micrometers with hollow frames rather than the forged frames other makers used. (The hollow frames were substantially lighter than even skeletonized solid frames)

The merged company is still in business today in St. James, Minnesota under the name Scherr-Tumico . . . Tumico from TUbular MIcrometer COmpany.





and






Here's an interesting tangent worthy of a look for the history and manufacturing in America aficionado's, click the link below

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Manufacturing_Company





there was other items...





not pictured- 2 dozen small swiss pattern and medium sized machinist files(they were still in the box shown in the first picture)
there were also 2 very well made small Starrett machinist compass' , and a few lathe bits also

all in all a nice haul

thanks for reading
feel free to comment or write me with your ailment- i'll prescribe the cure!!!:jester:


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## Uglydog (Jan 17, 2015)

I'm glad this isn't a competition, that'd be hard to beat.

Daryl
MN


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## Tool-in-the-Box (Jan 17, 2015)

You always seem to do well. I guess cause your always searching like me.

Reminds me of an old pool player saying. I forget the exact wording but here it goes.

Some people are lucky but for a special few it can be a skill. 

P.S. I can't take my clock down, it's a South Bend clock )


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## 18w (Jan 17, 2015)

If you could wait three weeks to look in the box you really are only suffering from a mild form of the disease. You are still in the early stages and a 3 step program might help. That and when the urge strikes give me a call....I am in the terminal stage so I might as well spend the money instead of you.     :lmao:

Nice acquisitions there Mike. Nice Kennedy box and those needle files are always handy. Cool micrometer too.

Regards
Darrell


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## Ulma Doctor (Jan 17, 2015)

thanks guys!!!
:thanks:


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## Ulma Doctor (Jan 17, 2015)

18w said:


> You are still in the early stages and a 3 step program might help. That and when the urge strikes give me a call....I am in the terminal stage so I might as well spend the money instead of you.     :lmao:
> 
> Nice acquisitions there Mike. Nice Kennedy box and those needle files are always handy. Cool micrometer too.
> 
> ...



Thanks Darrell!
my 3 step is like this,
get money,
save some money,
buy junk.

i then fix junk or create something that will soon be turned into junk and the viscous cycle begins anew!!!


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## jpfabricator (Jan 17, 2015)

You and a Hoover vacuum have a lot in common! LOL


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## TAWP Tool (Jan 19, 2015)

Great score! Other than the Son telling you so, how did you date that Kennedy?


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## Micke S (Jan 19, 2015)

Great find Mike, congrats!
:newspaper:


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## Andre (Jan 19, 2015)

Where do you live? I need to move there.....

Great find!


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## Holescreek (Jan 19, 2015)

I like the "Vest pocket reference book".  I guess the vest was to keep your tie out of the lathe. :whistle:


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## Ulma Doctor (Jan 19, 2015)

TAWP Tool said:


> Great score! Other than the Son telling you so, how did you date that Kennedy?




Hi TAWP,
thank you very much!

i didn't actually date the 520.
i may have been jumping the gun as far as the date was concerned.
 i took his story at face value...

there was some oxidation of the hardware consistent with older tools and boxes.
it does have a leather handle on the top also consistent with tool boxes of the period. 
in my overall estimation of the box, i would concur with the date, but i can't say for certain.

if you have additional information i would be happy and thankful to hear it.

mike)


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## Holescreek (Jan 19, 2015)

Kennedy's are manufactured about an hour's drive away from me in Van Wert OH and there is no shortage of them (anything Kennedy) around here.  I saw one in an antique mall Saturday night that had to be the oldest one I've ever seen. It had an unusual raised letter label on the front left of the lid to the left of the lock that gave Kennedy's street address.  My buddy remarked that it should be in the Kennedy museum. He has been to the factory and said they have a museum set up showing all the boxes they made. I've been seeing a lot of Kennedy tackle boxes come up for sale locally lately.


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## brav65 (Jan 20, 2015)

18w said:


> If you could wait three weeks to look in the box you really are only suffering from a mild form of the disease. You are still in the early stages and a 3 step program might help. That and when the urge strikes give me a call....I am in the terminal stage so I might as well spend the money instead of you.     :lmao:
> 
> Nice acquisitions there Mike. Nice Kennedy box and those needle files are always handy. Cool micrometer too.
> 
> ...




Hi hi my name is Brooks and I am a tool junkie!  I think a twelve step program might be in order.  Great find Doc!  Keep up the great work preserving tools for tomorrow!


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## Ulma Doctor (Jan 20, 2015)

Hi Brooks,
My Name is Mike and I'm a Tool Hoarder...lol
always good to hear for you Brooks!
thanks)


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