This is topic My Kennedy Kit in forum Member forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 01, 2025, 08:00 AM:
I have a Kennedy #520 Machinist chest that I bought sometime in the mid 1960’s. I can’t remember what I paid for it, but am sure it was less than a hundred bucks. I came across it yesterday and was astounded to see it listed for $679! Then I saw used ones for 75-79 dollars. For some reason, I painted mine a Mint green? Doesn’t matter to me, you know, it works just as well as it did 60 years ago. Maybe the felt is a little scuffed up in places, but it’s the kind of thing that might last another 60 years, easily. I have not kept up to date, but would be surprised if there is a better Machinist’s Chest on the market. Prob. Shouldn’t have painted it, have no idea why I did it? It’s a family heirloom by now, I guess?
So, that’s my stroll down Memory Lane this morning.Such as it is.
Good hunting. El Bee
[ February 01, 2025, 08:02 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 01, 2025, 04:12 PM:
Kind of did same last night. had some stuff sitting next to computer and just couldn't stand it anymore of it just sitting there so i loaded it all up in the truck and went calling. LOL
Nice 28-degree temps, very little wind but what i had was coming out of the East. some say hunting not the best with a eastern wind but I didn't care.
The stars where out and when you looked to the heavens you could almost touch them.
I made my first stand calling into the eastern breeze and started with some coyote howls and before I could switch over to prey sounds here a coyote was coming straight in on a string, not real fast but steady. my stand selection was a open field with a bunch of stacked up round bales i used for a backing and had truck hidden on back side of them.
to the east was a field of crp and a pond and a few tree lines. to the north i have a heavy brush lined river. No snow on the ground and the humidity was perfect for thermal use, the coyote was crystal clear in scope when i first seen him.
I just sat and waited for it to either stop or change direction and try go down wind. The coyote decided to stop about 80 yards out and then i squeezed the trigger on the 22-250 ackley and down it went.
Turned out to be a nice male and well furred and no bullet exit so was happy about that as well.
Next stand i set up on a field road going into a section face west with little cross wind. field open pretty much in all directions and to far west of section was some crp and some to the south as well with a big hog set up in middle of it.
Started out again with some howls and target animal was spotted coming out of grass by hog barn.
the critter didn't look right and seemed awful bouncey as it moved my way. it paid no mind to wind direction and just kept coming but it sort of zig zagged back and forth. Got to thinking aah this must be a red fox? I switched to some vole mouse and just let it play and when the fox gave me a shot i took it. it was a little far for what i like but felt comfortable with a nice broad side shot and squeezed the trigger off on it.
nice popping sound and down it goes. I stepped it off as i walked out to retrieve it and came up with roughly 200-yard shot. nice furred up male fox and minimum fur damage.
I drove down road a little ways and made one more stand but wind was now picking up and humidity was getting damp and sent a chill through my bones, so I called it a night.
I found out with a thermal you need to really pay attention when sitting one in and make dam sure you got it zeroed as a digital cross hair can make things little difficult at times as I found out few nights ago when i crippled a coyote but later recovered with the dogs. The crosshairs and group has to be almost perfect. Prior to tonight's hunt I rechecked the zero and the thermal has a fine tune setting which i used and got it shooting where I aimed.
tonight, really showed an improvement and made that ackley seem like i was shooting a laser beam.
More memories!
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on February 01, 2025, 04:49 PM:
Not sure what calling with a thermal has to do with Kennedy Tool Boxes but ok.
Kennedy = $$$$ ......... Wow !!!!
Yeah, I knew that they were American Made in Van Wert Ohio where my own humble self was born.
While working a manufacturing job I bought the roll-away, two drawer middle box and the full sized machinist chest on top. They served me well for about four decades. Still have them pretty much exactly the way they were when I retired.
Funny side note; A lot of guys would start out with a nice Kennedy Roll-Away but after a few years would be seduced by a big Snap-On box. By then their Kennedy box would be grungy from oil & ink mist and not look so good even though there wouldn't be a thing actually wrong with it. I'd offer them some ridiculous cash offer and usually end up getting a really good deal. 15 minutes with the steam cleaner and several shots of WD-40 and it would sparkle like new. I have about five of them in my shop right now plus a couple of the cheap Wally World ones. The difference in quality is notable.
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 01, 2025, 05:37 PM:
oh my bad. I must be on wrong forum. ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on February 01, 2025, 07:12 PM:
That's ok ............ we have rules about staying on topic but they're not clear.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 03, 2025, 12:52 PM:
Staying on topic has never been enforced here at The New Huntmasters' BBS
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 03, 2025, 01:12 PM:
Im happy you got a Kennedy chest.
I have a few tool chests as well and hate them. they remind me of a fat chick that always needs more filling.. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 03, 2025, 01:59 PM:
But, this talk about tool boxes has me wanting to share. Years ago, I happened to be involved with a German who installed overs. Not "involved" I just knew the guy and I was going to sell him a rifle, which has nothing to do with the subject.
Anyway, picture an oven. A continuous feed oven that baked cookies in 7 minutes on a steel conveyor about 100 feet in length, with 4 different stages. Heinz, or Hans was your typical closet NAZI. The company sent him all over the world INSTALLING these ovens, all digitally controlled, etc.
And, they would ship a rollaway type of tool box chock full of all the various tools he needed to finish the installation, lots of hand tools and drill bits. AT the end, all finished, all he had to do was jump on a plane and go somewhere else in the world, or even go home to Germany. So, I admired his rollaway, very unique and he offered it to me for $300 and I bought it.
It has a wood slab 28X44" and 33' working height. with 4 drawers, and a nice vice. It has casters and a U shape handle that you lift and then the wheels are engaged to wheel it around. It's made by a rather well known company called BELZER-DOWIDAT. Yes, I know that nobody in America ever heard of it and maybe I own the only one in America, or maybe there are other cookie overs in the US? Come to think of it, there could be a few more, just speculating. But it's uncommon.
IT's built like a tank, of course and I don't know what it's worth, except it is obviously worth several times over what I paid for it. I Googled the name and it has changed ownership and one of the is or was Snap On. So, it's a well regarded company with a funny name. I have never had much use for it, but couldn't resist a bargain. It really is a one of a kind, maybe in Europe you would see them but it's a white elephant in America.
And, I have very little use for this thing, as intended. A couple 2X4 legs, maybe 4 would be better and a sheet of plywoodand it would work just as well, but it wouldn't have the cool element. That's all I got.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on February 03, 2025, 02:36 PM:
Ah the memories; The place I used to work at was right next to the Keebler's Cookie factory.
Every now and then late at night their lines would back up and they would need to open all of the doors to the oven to keep everything from burning to a crispy mess. Overwhelming odor of chocolate chip cookies wafting thru our plant. Caused instant munchies.
Tim; you're right about tool boxes always needing to be filled. I think that there might also be a wee bit of 'one-upmanship' involved, too. As in my tools are cooler than your old worn out junk.
Who knows ??? ..... We had a Machinist that collected antique Starret Gauges. The box he displayed them in was an antique, too. Maybe even the same as El Bee's.
We be strange creatures.
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 03, 2025, 07:00 PM:
well im willing to bet i got some wrenches bigger than yours. gauges and electrical crap as well, dial indicators you name it.
too much stuff for sure that i no longer need.
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on February 03, 2025, 08:13 PM:
Remember when you first ran across a 36" pipe wrench that (Big surprise ) had a Magnesium handle and almost threw it up over your head when you picked it up ????
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 04, 2025, 02:32 PM:
still got a 12" (magnesium) hanging on wall somewhere. Think there is a brace (drill) hanging next to it. Box of auger and spade bits as well.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 04, 2025, 03:42 PM:
I don't know about Magnesium pipe wrenches, but I was in Lowe's last week and glanced at a rack of aluminum pipe wrenches and the prices seemed sky high! Furthermore, they had Craftsman sockets and ratchets and THOSE were also sky high. Hard to believe! It's no wonde that they are locked up to keep the Mexicans from stealing them! I know I sound like a bigot but let's face facts, that's who steals tools. If I'm wrong, I'm sorry! At Walmart, they also have the Tide detergent behind glass doors, because his Ruca is stealing laundry detergent. Anyway, that's what I think.
Good hunting. El Bee
Posted by TA17Rem (Member # 794) on February 04, 2025, 04:03 PM:
Koko you got a pair of ice thongs, ice chisel or fishing spear laying around??
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on February 04, 2025, 05:59 PM:
Nope ............ I gave all of that stuff away when I left Michigan, never to fish hard water again.
I did have a spiffy 'ice box' like most others used.
A wooden box on runners with a seat & room to hold poles, bait, tip-ups & such plus a spot for the Coleman Lantern that you sat hunched over basking in the heat (and fumes) it gave off.
Everybody would bring their Xmas tree tied to a cinder block out on the ice to fall thru in the spring for fish habitat.
Good times. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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