TA Tool Box Lids

[Rob Reilly]

Here's one for the "Why on earth did they do that?" file.
All the screws on my tool box lid hinges have square nuts, recessed into the wood, and all the threaded ends are hammered and mushroomed out like this. I can't unscrew the nuts.
Anyone care to offer a guess as to why they would do that?
Tee nuts would have made more sense.
All I can think of is it may have something to do with the rubber tool trays that are supposed to sit in there on the ledges. Those are low on my priority list and I have not yet purchased them.

[Ray White]

Here's one for the "Why on earth did they do that?" file.
All the screws on my tool box lid hinges have square nuts, recessed into the wood, and all the threaded ends are hammered and mushroomed out like this. I can't unscrew the nuts.
Anyone care to offer a guess as to why they would do that?
Tee nuts would have made more sense.
All I can think of is it may have something to do with the rubber tool trays that are supposed to sit in there on the ledges. Those are low on my priority list and I have not yet purchased them.

Doubtless we have different approaches to old car ownership as I take the view that just because the factory did something when the car was built it does not follow that I should do the same; especially if I don't think much of what they did back then. Personally, I would start again... but this time make a better job of it.

[Steve Simmons]

They may have expected the lid to last as long as the car, not even dreaming it would still be around 80 years later. So peening the end threads would be a way to keep them from coming loose.

[ferricsteed]

Good day Rob. My TB had the lids with square nuts too. I was able to use pliers to turn the nuts off by using a gun style screwdriver on screw head. The screw threads were soft enough to pull through. They may have been brass come to think of it.
Not sure why they were peened but someone suggested as to not tear up the tool trays, or your fingers.
Tim TB0613
Louisiana

[ferricsteed]

Rob, I looked at your pic again. You still had black felt on the underside of the lid. The pic also answered a question I never asked: if the center hinge wood had felt too. Yours did not. Thanks for posting the pic.

[Rob Reilly]

Thanks all.
Yes, my felt appears to be original, and none in the center. I can understand that, it may help prevent the tools from rattling.
I'll give it another try today to undo the screws.
The lids are painted black with non-original cream over it. I presume that black is the original treatment?

[Rob Reilly]

Got them all off. It was a matter of choosing the right tools. Angle die grinder with abrasive cutting wheel to grind off the mushed ends of the screws down to the square nuts. Stanley knife to dig out the paint in the screw head slots. Long nose pliers to grip the square nuts. Carefully chosen screwdriver to fit down to the bottom of the screw slots. Back and forth a bit to loosen them, then forceful turning and they all came out.

The screws are mostly bent due to the factory hammering.
All the hinges and their screw hardware were steel, no brass.
It appears the whole thing was painted black on the top and sides after assembly.

Troops all lined up for inspection after the battle, SAH!

BTW, the side clasps were brass with brass screw hardware.

20230323_161642.jpg (43.18 KiB) Viewed 2240 times

The plywood is 1/2" thick, 9 layers, marine grade or Baltic birch.

The felt was glued on with some black glue, just squirted around in curly Q's, not brushed, and there were tiny tacks at the corners.

The guarantee plate was attached to the LH side lid with small nails, which appeared to me to be as original.

The chassis no. ID plate was screwed to the RH side lid when the car came to me, but that did not appear to be the original location, as there were holes in the front of the tool box on the LH side for it. Somebody had put a big blue air cooled sports coil on there back in the dark ages, and must have moved the chassis plate then. Glad they didn't throw it away!