Industrial Metal Desks

[jives]

Stonington, CT. There are a couple free tanker desks here. One of them looks like the General Fireproofing Co. tanker that I have in my garage.

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In contrast to the freebies above, the fair (at best) condition table below is priced at $400 in my area. Amazing what people think . . .



Thought you might also appreciate this, while not a tanker, it is "industrial". A warped top made from factory flooring, with legs from an industrial worktable or machine base. Cheesy stretcher bolted on. $1150.

 

[nadogail]

When I was pushed out of my job at my last employer, I left behind a Tanker Desk that I was given by the fellow who purchased all the equipment from a High School shop. My replacement had that Desk moved to the scrap bin.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

So I'm rearranging things here at the No_Garage and my Art Metal "Aircraft carrier" is excess to needs at this point.

It's 36" x 96" and probably weighs 150# +. It has a linoleoum type top that it battered. It's been drilled for vices or other devices by prior owners.

It's free to anyone here on GJ that wants it - it's a user not a show piece! It's in Millington NJ, 07946. The ZIP will get you within a mile of the house on Google maps, so close enough to get a travel distance.

Just DM me if your interested.

Please excuse the post - I figured this was the best place place to put this post to get it in front of like minded originals.

Feel free to delete this post if it offends the mod's.

Cheers

Jim

Sorry folks - the table is gone!

Jim

 

[isb cornbinder]

Several years ago, somehow, I ended up with three STEELCASE desks. They were very heavy. With no use for these desks, I put a free ad on Craigslist and we put the desks on our front lawn, near the public sidewalk. The desks were gone in under an hour.
One of these desks had a spring assisted typewriter lift and stow system in the cabinet on the right side. I have no regrets with passing these desks along.

 

[jives]

To anyone thinking about Jim's No_Garage offer, such a table makes a great workshop table. I've got one similar (but 6' long), removed the rotted vinyl and replaced with steel, built a rolling platform with shelf for it to sit on, and it now sees most of my garage duties. Welding table, assembly table, etc. Easy to refurbish if needed. I'd grab it if closer!

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

Scored this guy at a garage sale. Has a "Velvoleum" top and says it's fireproof. Tag has been rubbed out. Weighs a metric fukton. Anyone familiar with the brand by eye?

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Scored this guy at a garage sale. Has a "Velvoleum" top and says it's fireproof. Tag has been rubbed out. Weighs a metric fukton. Anyone familiar with the brand by eye?

Velvoleum is a trademark of General Fireproofing - which makes sense given what you said about it being fireproof.

That is a nice looking desk - I have a different model with a more slimline design and tiny drawers at the top instead of pullout writing surfaces.

Cheers

Jim

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I didn't really have room for another tanker, but this came up on Facebook today and I couldn't pass it up. This was purchased new by the woman's company way back when. In the 90s they converted the entire office to cubicles and got rid of all the tanker desks, so she took one home and it had been in her home office ever since. It's in fantastic shape.

 

[Snip's]

I scored two Shaw Walker tank desks in mint condition and one Shaw Walker caster chair...






The chair seat will need some work though...

 

[GhostintheMachineShop]

I scores two Shaw Walker tank desks in mint condition and one Shaw Walker caster chair...






The chair seat will need some work though...

Wow man those are gorgeous

 

[Snip's]

Yeah... I'm pretty happy...
I even got the original brass lock keys...
The center desk drawers have the wood small items tray...

 

[MadeByMiller]

My General Fireproofing Mode-Maker I purchased about four years ago that I sit at daily. I purchased it from the daughter of the man who sat at it from when it was new, apparently at IBM and then brought the desk home when it was retired from his work. I think it's the most attractive of all tanker desks and I feel lucky to have it in my office!

 

[gatewaysysop]

My General Fireproofing Mode-Maker I purchased about four years ago that I sit at daily. I purchased it from the daughter of the man who sat at it from when it was new, apparently at IBM and then brought the desk home when it was retired from his work. I think it's the most attractive of all tanker desks and I feel lucky to have it in my office!

I have a McDowell & Craig as well for the home office. Triple 23" monitors and plenty of room, not to mention it looks fantastic. My wife got some really nice, modern style desk from BDI but I couldn't bring myself to do the same. I like my tanker desk too much.

 

[49tandc]

I have a Steelcase one in the barn. They also make great reloading benches.

49T&C

 

[jmarkwolf]

I'm trying to have duplicate keys made for old my tanker desk, that have been lost since my dad died 35 years ago. I think the desk is a Steelcase but I'm not sure where the badge is.

Anyway, the locks for all the side drawers are adjacent to each knee as you're sitting at the desk. I got the number off the cylinder and had a test key made, and it slides in but won't turn.

Then I decided to attempt to remove the cylinder entirely and take the assembly down to the locksmith. However, I can't get the nut off the cylinder due to the bolts sticking out of the cylinder (see pics below).

The nut has come off other cylinders I've replaced, on tool boxes for instance. But this one just won't go. And, of course, the bolts won't move without the key.

Any ideas?

 

[Snapped-off]

Got a Lista work desk (spoken lunch table) at work.

In the meantime, what ever happened to Bull?

 

[jmarkwolf]

I'm trying to have duplicate keys made for old my tanker desk, that have been lost since my dad died 35 years ago. I think the desk is a Steelcase but I'm not sure where the badge is.

Anyway, the locks for all the side drawers are adjacent to each knee as you're sitting at the desk. I got the number off the cylinder and had a test key made, and it slides in but won't turn.

Then I decided to attempt to remove the cylinder entirely and take the assembly down to the locksmith. However, I can't get the nut off the cylinder due to the bolts sticking out of the cylinder (see pics below).

The nut has come off other cylinders I've replaced, on tool boxes for instance. But this one just won't go. And, of course, the bolts won't move without the key.

Any ideas?

Update from OP here:

Turns out one digit on the lock cylinder was misinterpreted due to a poor photograph, which resulted in a wrong key "duplicate" being ground. I've since found an original key in a small canvas bag of old keys my dad had collected over decades, I'm sure.

Will now have duplicates made directly from the original.

Still don't know how to get the nut off the lock cylinder.

 

[cgall]

My son bought a house with this Equipto in the basement, I repainted it and rewired the outlet. His wife didn't want it back. I had no room for it, so it went to another family member.

 

[Homebody]

Great thread, following.
I can't count the number of these I've tossed over the last 40 years.
I gave one to my Father In Law years ago and he loved it. He passed in April of this year and the desk is sitting on end in his garage out of site. It was on my list of things to toss while going through his stuff but after seeing this post I think I'll dig it out and take it with me to our new home - when we find one!

Thanks for the memories guys!

 

[Blackmarket]

My son bought a house with this Equipto in the basement, I repainted it and rewired the outlet. His wife didn't want it back. I had no room for it, so it went to another family member.

That thing is beautiful! Would love to have something like that in my shop!

 

[Zeke]

My son bought a house with this Equipto in the basement, I repainted it and rewired the outlet. His wife didn't want it back. I had no room for it, so it went to another family member.

Sorry, but I wouldn't want the wife back.

 

[wafer]

My Allsteel secretary desk. A Craigslist find from several years ago.

 

[LostCauseRanch]

I scored two Shaw Walker tank desks in mint condition and one Shaw Walker caster chair...






The chair seat will need some work though...

Very neat, They are some of the coolest desks in my opinion. I got one of those and a matching side cabinet at an auction last year. Mine is green with brown leather. I'm missing the front to one of the slide out trays though.

 

[firebirdparts]

That thing is beautiful! Would love to have something like that in my shop!

I don't know much about the company, but I had one almost identical with a maple top, so at least they offered that variation. Those drawers are just crude as they can be.

 

[Blackmarket]

I don't know much about the company, but I had one almost identical with a maple top, so at least they offered that variation. Those drawers are just crude as they can be.

I agree with the crude look and construction. But there's always something about those that appeals to me. The old industrial shop look I enjoy.
Funny thing is, every school had these in their school shop classes. I hated shop when I was a kid. Now I kick myself for not taking more shop classes when I was younger. It would've pointed me in the right direction a whole lot sooner than the round about way I went.

 

[ozyborn]

Have one upstairs in my garage. Got it up there when I was 20 years younger. Never be able to get it back down now.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

I scored a heavy solid wood desk from the trash on a landscaping job site I was working ages ago and used it for a shop bench.

Then I got creative and turned it into a multi-tool workstation, for a bench vise, jointer, planer, belt sander, disk sander, drill press and bench grinder... all mounted on a mobile base. I used this set up for a decade before I scored a smoking deal on a new planer and jointer.



This desk had really crappy stain brushed on a veneered top, so I didn't think anything of cutting it to create the step for the jointer. After cutting it I discovered that under the veneer it was solid wood Mahogany. Oh well. I got my moneys worth out of it. I chopped it up into sections and used one end for a jointer stand (which I then sold). The other end is still in use as a drill press stand with bit storage drawers today.

So yah, count me as an old desk fan.

 

[Walterklemenz]

Hello I’m new to the Garahe journal and loving it so far! I recently came across a 1951 tanker desk and was wondering if you could help me out with it. I cannot find the logo and it appears on the main drawer above the lock an outline of one that I can’t make out or match to one. I have not seen one quite like this one with the five drawers on your left, knee space on the right and main drawer on right above the knee. The only markings I have found or a stamp that says it was manufactured November 12, 1951 and some kind of serial number tag. There is also a patent number in the main drawer that is the patent for JR Clark. It is the patent for the table top. Which this table top I also cannot seem to find on any other tanker desk. Any information you can give me would be great thanks advance. Hope you have a great new year!

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[firebirdparts]

I sincerely hope you all are seeing this offer, here in this forum, for a FREE drafting table tanker desk

Free drafting table NJ

Free drafting table! Maybe mod it to a workbench? I feel bad tossing it! Located in Northern NJ. Please email me directly. Thanks Jim [email protected]

www.garagejournal.com

 

[nadogail]

I scored a pristine Tanker Desk and took it to the maintenance shop of my former employer, it was a beauty. My former employer forced me to retire and not having room in my home shop i left it behind.

The new younger guy they hired to replace me pitched it into the trash.

 

[rslaback]

Almost 20 years ago I hauled one of these up from the basement of my mom's rental and put it in a storage shed. This past weekend it finally exited that storage shed and is currently in my enclosed trailer. I had originally thought they were worth more than they are as it seems like the market has petered out based on FB Marketplace listings and eBay sold items. Not sure what to do with it now. I'd thought about doing a refurb but I don't think I would get my money back on a project like that.

 

[jives]

Not sure what to do with it now. I'd thought about doing a refurb but I don't think I would get my money back on a project like that.

You can break it down and use individual parts, such as the left and right drawer units. Use the top for ???. I took a tanker apart, pushed the two drawer units together, put on a cheap wood top, set it on a rolling platform, and now it serves as my drill press and portaband stand.

 

[manwithtools]

I bought myself a birthday present this AM. Steelcase Desk and Domore Chair, both in decent condition, particularly the desk top - $175.

 

[gleman]

I bought myself a birthday present this AM. Steelcase Desk and Domore Cahir, both in decent condition, particularly the desk top - $175.

Very Nice! That's a fantastic price too. Are you going to do a full restore or general cleanup?

 

[manwithtools]

Very Nice! That's a fantastic price too. Are you going to do a full restore or general cleanup?

For now, just clean them up. Once the new shop is complete, maybe a full restore.

 

[gleman]

For now, just clean them up. Once the new shop is complete, maybe a full restore.

Excellent, you're going to love it.

 

[LostCauseRanch]

Excited with adding another one to the collection, this happens to be the desk my dad and grandpa had in their little used car lot back in the 70s.

Need to make some time to do a little resto on it.

 

[DonovanSpeed]

I love those desks. Especially with the pullout table/tray deals above the top drawers. Used one for years at work. I moved into a new office recently with a $3500 solid wood desk and am disappointed that there is no way to get my old desk in here instead.

 

[MadeByMiller]

I'm trying to have duplicate keys made for old my tanker desk, that have been lost since my dad died 35 years ago. I think the desk is a Steelcase but I'm not sure where the badge is.

Anyway, the locks for all the side drawers are adjacent to each knee as you're sitting at the desk. I got the number off the cylinder and had a test key made, and it slides in but won't turn.

Then I decided to attempt to remove the cylinder entirely and take the assembly down to the locksmith. However, I can't get the nut off the cylinder due to the bolts sticking out of the cylinder (see pics below).

The nut has come off other cylinders I've replaced, on tool boxes for instance. But this one just won't go. And, of course, the bolts won't move without the key.

Any ideas?

A bit late here, but I just recently removed a very similar lock cylinder and ran into the same problem as you. You have to remove the core of the lock in order to release that tab.

 

[930dreamer]

There was one on the curb one street down from me, if my truck was home I would have grabbed it for the shop.