Armourer Tool Box

[Piper42nd]

Would anyone happen to have photos or drawings of the tool box(es) that British armourers would have used at the outset of the war?

I've been using a couple of American boxes provided for their M17 rifles to store the Enfield tools I've collected over the years.

Harvey 

[Sniper]

I don’t know the date of this photo, but the chest appears to be identical to the M17 American armourers’ box.

Whether it is standard British issue or one obtained (legally or illegally) from our allies, I am not prepared to offer an opinion!

 

 

[Piper42nd]

If you scale the length of the box in your photo to the Lewis Gun it works out to about 44".  I know the images  are not square to the camera but close enough.  The length of the M17 box is only 18".  Thanks for responding though.

[Sniper]

Piper,

Here are some further images.

The first was apparently, an American toolbox, offered for sale on a well-known website.

Given the surrounding terrain, I suppose the poor devils had to hump these around with them, but I wouldn’t say they were exactly portable.

They may well have carried a selection of essential tools in a pack or knapsack, though I haven’t come across a photograph.

Pictures of WW1 armourers seem to be very scarce.

[303man]

They have stayed the same from the Great War to the present day.  I had one from the 80's.

Edited 20 November by 303man

[Sniper]

Thanks for that 303 Man.

The photos that I found make it look larger than the US chest in the first photo. 18 by 15 by 7 doesn’t sound very big.

Was yours bigger than that, do you remember?

Interesting to know that the design didn’t change in sixty years, or more. You must have muscles like Popeye!

[303man]

They had 4 holes in each corner for legs these were stored inside the box thee were 4 metal tubular legs which are held in place by a pin. The box is at least 3ft by 2ft and about8in deep. Mine had 3 holes in the lid where an armourers vice would be bolted.

Edited 20 November by 303man

[Piper42nd]

Sniper that box you show is indeed the American M17 box.  You're right that pictures of armourers are very difficult to find.  I have 3 or 4 more photos than those you show that I think are all Canadian. 

303man that's exactly the box I want to duplicate.  From scaling it against people and the Lewis Gun in various photos I arrived at 42" long, 18" wide and 6" deep which is pretty close to what you remember.  Regarding the legs, were there just holes in the bottom of the box and the box rested on the pin or something more elaborate if you recall?

Harvey 

[303man]

They do turn up now and again I sold mine which was 1986 dated on E Bay a few years ago.  The pin went into a hole in the corner block and the bottom of the corner block had a piece of steel screwed to it to give the leg extra rigidity. very few images on the web.

[Sniper]

Thanks for the extra info. 303.

Piper, glad you’re getting some useful information.

[Sniper]

Couple of further images added for information. Not WW1, of course.

Piper, would you be willing to post your photos of the Canadian armourers? I would really appreciate it if you could.

The photo with the Jeep clearly shows the legs 303 Man refers to.

[303man]

The legs are straight, and the holes in the base are at an angle. This is because cranked legs would take up more space in the box when stored.

[Piper42nd]

That makes sense.  It must have been fun drilling holes at an angle.  Do you recall how deep the holes were by chance?  It's hard to tell from the photos but it seems they couldn't have been more than an inch or so.  It looks like a 3/4" floor board and a 3/4" block of wood on each corner.  Thanks for all your help.