Vintage Photo Tool & Repair Kit project.

[Mr_Flibble]

So a year ago I bought this empty toolbox on a whim from Ebay UK.
The main reason for wanting it was that two of the compartments said "Camera Parts".
It was definitely made in the USA (based on the Excelsior brand hardware).

I had a vague idea that it could be military and from World War 2. There were rivet holes on the lid that suggested to me that it would've had a military nomenclature plate.

The case is constructed from plywood covered in leather cloth, joined together with bifurcated rivets.
The removable panels are plywood covered in green felt and leather pockets and loops sewn onto them.
I spent a few hour oiling the leather on the removable panels.
Removed most of the rust from the workbench surface.

I replaced a few missing leather corner protectors.
Repaired the carry handle.
Replaced a missing ball bearing in one of the hinges.
One corner joint was weak, so I strengthened it with epoxy and a few nails.
Damage to the leather cloth was filled in and parts of it were replaced.
The domed feet rivets were all but rusted away, so they were replaced as well.

Then everything got a fresh coat of OD paint.

And I picked out the hardware in black.

Another puzzle is figuring out all the tools that went into the pouches; stuff like a V-block, coping saw, taps and reams, needle files, jewellers screwdrivers and snips etc.

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Thing is....I still had no idea what this tool kit actually was.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

That was until a month ago, while on a internet search marathon I ran across this photo of a US Army Air Force Aerial Camera Technician.

Right there on the bench you can see the open lid of the tool kit!
Great, now I had confirmation that the thing is military and from World War 2.

The hunt was on to find out the proper military designation, which could lead to a Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) or a Technical Manual for it.
That would certainly simplify hunting down all the right tools to fill it.

Bring on another round of internet searching were I found a link to an old Ebay auction selling another one of these Camera repair kits....
One of the photos showed that it still had the Nomenclature Plate.

This will certainly help me hunt down more information. And it will help recreating a reproduction.

It shows the business that made these cases was A. Cappel and Son. A company located in Dayton, Ohio at the time, known for manufacturing umbrellas, leather goods and luggage cases.
From what I've read they later merged with and became E.F. McDonald.

The photos also showed me that I am missing one of the panel inserts.

My guess is that this one holds a large number of sockets for a wrench set, but I cannot be sure until I hunt down the TM.

Meanwhile I've been using this set as part of my World War 2 US Army Signal Photo Company / Army Pictorial Service display at living history events.

And it does actually help in my repairs and maintenance of my vintage cameras. 🙂



The quest continues!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Currently trying to figure out what this particular tool is:

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I'm sort of guessing it has something to do with the taps and reams it is located close too....Could be an Archimedes/push drill, a grabber tool, or maybe just a breaker bar.

 

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Really nice work there Rick. Keep up the good work, wish I could help you out but don't have anything to add except 'Good job!'.

 

[Richard]

Currently trying to figure out what this particular tool is:

I'm sort of guessing it has something to do with the taps and reams it is located close too....Could be an Archimedes/push drill, a grabber tool, or maybe just a breaker bar.

Are there any box spanners in the kit? If so, that rod could be a tommy bar to turn them with.

-R

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Are there any box spanners in the kit? If so, that rod could be a tommy bar to turn them with.

I don't think so. I think the kit was mainly equipped with a large socket wrench set. Though one of the other pouches does say "Wrench Set" (Which presumably held something like a Snap-On or SK brand ratchet in a tin)
It could be a tommy bar / breaker bar, but it would be a rather large one for what the tool set is intended for.

I'm leaning towards something like this......a grabber tool