Reproducing the KRW Tool Cabinet

[Rowdy]

I am seriously considering reproducing the 1929 KRW cabinet to sell. I am looking for alittle input from other collectors to see how much interest there is for a well made cabinet with all of the hooks etc. Also what would be a selling price that would be agreeable with the market and still be profitable enough to be worth the time? I pretty much know how much the lumber cost would be and how much time that will take. My biggest unknown part is what it is going to cost to reproduce the various hooks. Most have a curve that does not lend itself to a simple one piece mold and I have very little experience in casting. Could use some advice there also. Thanks Rod

[CarlG]

Shipping would kill me. Not so much if I were in Nebraska.

[clo2jim]

Do you have a picture?

[Rowdy]

Pic'scan be seem in my picture album. http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/album.php?albumid=617 . Thanks Rod

[Rowdy]

There are several people from Alaska that come to Chickasha every year. Weather a reasonable arrangement with some of them could be worked out I don't know. Also that would hinge on if I get to go. Rod

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I hesitated posting this awhile ago but in light of the recent thread about parts quality, this is a great example of someone who has an idea yet imagine how skewed this will become if Rod does not use the same wood type, the same dimensions of wood products, --and if those hooks are not cast in the EXACT shape, size, and materials, ...do we dare think about all of the criticism that will be thrown at Rod because for "just a few dollars more, Rod should have made them EXACTLY like originals!!" Does this sound about right??

[ian Simpson]

Too true Brent, unfortunately.

[Rowdy]

Plywood is out of the question. However the dimensions of lumber used is no longer sold. So I will have to join some 1X12's etc to get the widths needed. The hooks are going to be the sticky point. Based on the small number of these that will be wanted based on what I am seeing with this thread it would be unreasonable to contract with a foundry to have them made in cast iron. Likely would have to cast them in bronze in the shop to keep costs inline with the price to keep it sellable. If I thought I would sell 100+ of them having them made of cast iron. Rod

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Rowdy

Plywood is out of the question. However the dimensions of lumber used is no longer sold. So I will have to join some 1X12's etc to get the widths needed. The hooks are going to be the sticky point. Based on the small number of these that will be wanted based on what I am seeing with this thread it would be unreasonable to contract with a foundry to have them made in cast iron. Likely would have to cast them in bronze in the shop to keep costs inline with the price to keep it sellable. If I thought I would sell 100+ of them having them made of cast iron. Rod

I hear you Brother, ...you're preachin' to the choir here yet this is some of the mindset that was being discussed over on the other thread. I find it quite unfortunate but it is a great example of how narrow-minded we get sometimes criticizing others for what they are trying to accomplish!

[Rowdy]

Working in manufacturing for near 20 years and from time to time during that making components for R&D, I know short runs of any part cost about 3 times what high production ran parts. Set up time and scrap getting things adjusted are costly. Many here don't know or understand that.100% sort production runs are even worse eating up man hours and either slowing production or storing the parts until they xan be sorted. Rod

[Steve Plucker]

With all the Model A'ers out in Model A land, I wonder if there is at least someone who has done some casting work in bronze or what ever could help Rod on this project...Anyone?

Pluck

[Rowdy]

Thanks for the plug Steve. Casting is not in my scope of experience. That being said, ideally cast iron would be used. But seeing that at the most that would likely be sold over the next 3-4 years would be 20 cabintets, unless I am missing something. Bronze would be the only way to go at those numbers, unless someone knows of a way to get them in cast iron reasonably.

When I first got the cabinet afew years ago several people wanted the plans to make their own. I started getting the dimensions on paper, then realized that the hooks are the real key to making it usefull. Beyond that it is just a piece of furniture. That is why I never finished making the plans as most would be disapointed without the hooks. Rod

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Steve Plucker

With all the Model A'ers out in Model A land, I wonder if there is at least someone who has done some casting work in bronze or what ever could help Rod on this project...Anyone?

Pluck

Steve, yes I know of a couple. First however, the bigger question is will Bronze castings even work in this application? To me, some of the larger tools these "hooks" would be supporting would be way too heavy to trust with Bronze hooks. While I have not seen these hooks (post a picture Rod!) to inspect them closely, is it possible they are actually forgings? If so, that changes everything.

[Rowdy]

Here are some pic's. There are eight or nine of this style in each cabinet, close to the most plentiful. Some hooks there are only one of each. Looking at the rough surface they look cast to me. Then machined slightly on the top and the back. I could be wrong. Rod

[Steve Plucker]

With all the Model A'ers out in Model A land, I wonder if there is at least someone who has a portable sawmill that could provide Rod the correct dimensions for the wood that he needs for the cabnits or what ever could help Rod on this project...Anyone?

Pluck

[Steve Plucker]

How many different style cabnits were made by KR Wilson within our era 28-31?

Was the same cabnet available in the "T" era?

Of coarce I am sure it would apply to almost any other brand of auto also???

Pluck

[Rowdy]

To the best of my knowledge (limitted at times) there were two diffetrent version for the Model A era. The 1929 is the one I have. The 1931 version shown below is bigger. There was a wall mounted cabinet for the Model T engine tools along with 2 different versions of general tool cabinet. I have made plans on paper to make a close duplicate of the wall mounted version for the Model T based on the picture on the back of the 1926 catalog cover and the dimensions of the the pouring and boring fixture storage space in the 1929 Model A cabinet. Rod

[Rowdy]

I was under the impression that it was a steel cabinet. This based on a past thread. When I get home later today I will see if I can find the post that made me think this was the case. I have never seen one.Rod

[KR500]

Rowdy, I believe Tom Godish from Washington, whom I have purchased some repo K.R. Wilson tools from was working on a similar project some years back. You might want to converse with him if he has given up the project. He was going to sell them in a knocked down format. Would cast aluminum stand up tothe weight requirements of the original hooks?

[Rowdy]

I will give him a call next week. I also want to ask him about the handles he was planning on having on the market 2 years ago. So far I have not seen them or talked to anyone who has bought one or seen them for sale. Rod