Metal Cabinets vintage or homemade and no name toolboxes. got any to show please do

[Beerhippie]

This past weekend I bought a homemade cabinet at the end of an estate auction for $1. I wasn't really interested in it at first because I thought it was a 100% wood cabinet, as wood cabinets don't resell very well. However, I was impressed with the overall quality of build and how the casters were built.
While loading it onto my trailer with my other auction wins, I noticed that this cabinet was really heavy. I looked closer and realized that it was built with a steel frame and a 3/8" steel plate top. The wood was only used for the shell and shelves.
Another design feature is that on the bottom frame, near all 4 corners, were stop bolts that when extended out would raise the cabinet high enough to keep it from rolling.

Bench grinder!

 

[Mark in Indiana]

Bench grinder!

Probably. There was a large bench top buffer on top of it, but loose.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Like many of you on this thread, I already have more than enough of these very small, very thin gauge steel cabinets, usually 4 or 5 drawers, perfect for small parts. But I couldn't pass this one up with the original advertising wrap around it. I have not tracked down what the "Porter" in "Porter Handy Toolboxes" signifies, but gadgets from my extensive collection of small, completely useless, mechanical-related objets d'art and whatzits is precisely what I intend to keep in this "No. 60 Gadget Box."

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Additional photos of the wrap and more of the box inside in different light.

 

[Beerhippie]

I'd probably fill that with... gadgets.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's the plan!

...gadgets...[ ]...is precisely what I intend to keep in this "No. 60 Gadget Box."

 

[slowtwitch73]

The Weatherhead box we found last week was turned into my son's RC car parts box.

 

[mikeinri]

The Weatherhead box we found last week was turned into my son's RC car parts box.

Pics???

Mike

 

[Outlawmws]

They sure think this box will make everyone in the family happy!

 

[slowtwitch73]

Pics???

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

VERY cool!

Mike

 

[Outlawmws]

I snuk out again today, and while not a big win like last Friday, I did get something I spotted in the pics that I'm happy about - the goal of the trip: parts bins, but not plastic, the trays are aluminum! I have a 64 drawer version twice this size in width. this one is 32, but the same drawers and height.




I'll clean it up, I've already dumped over half the contents (most of the reminder is brass stuff), and paint the frame, black like my other one - None are MIA I just had those out looking for brass fasteners:

 

[Georgeinidaho]

This isn't technically a 'no name' but the name is obscured.
No other marks other than the decal on the drawer.

.
.
.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for oak machinist's chests.

 

[Georgeinidaho]

This isn't technically a 'no name' but the name is obscured.
No other marks other than the decal on the drawer.

.
.
.

What can I say, I'm a sucker for oak machinist's chests.

I dont know what to do with it.

 

[Georgeinidaho]

Picked up at a thrift store but i have no knowledge of what to do with it.

 

[PugetDude]

It would make a really nice jewelry box.

 

[RTM]

I dont know what to do with it.

They were designed to be machinist’s tool chests, or in your instance, a tool case, so holding very precise expensive measuring tools that are typically stored one layer deep, not touching each other. So it’s a great place to store marking and measuring tools, tho your big 25’ tape may not fit.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I dont know what to do with it.

That's pretty cool.

Years ago I used a machinist's chest on top of my desk at work to hold drawing guides & other desk items. It worked well & was really nice to have all those small things organized in it.

 

[txvwnut]

...

 

[Squez]

These are at my job

 

[Outlawmws]

Love the Borg Warner!

 

[slowtwitch73]

Dragged this home from the restore.. need it like a hole in the head. Bank deposit box from a small town nearby.. still has some typed labels from various businesses.. cafes, dairy's, etc etc.

 

[Outlawmws]

Thuts awesome! Do you have the last drawer?

 

[slowtwitch73]

^^^ unfortunately no

 

[mikeinri]

Dragged this home from the restore.. need it like a hole in the head. Bank deposit box from a small town nearby.. still has some typed labels from various businesses.. cafes, dairy's, etc etc.

Louis F Dow Co. was the manufacturer, or one of the customers?

Mike

 

[slowtwitch73]

Manufacturer of safes, etc

 

[PugetDude]

^^^ unfortunately no

Nice!
Shouldn't be too hard to fab up a replacement. Only the face would need to match. Those pulls and locks are still available,

 

[slowtwitch73]

Nice!
Shouldn't be too hard to fab up a replacement. Only the face would need to match. Those pulls and locks are still available,

Yup.. it's on the burner behind the back burner lol...

 

[rocksnstumps]

Well inspired by this thread and glowing cornbinder info posted on this stuff, managed to grab a 4 drawer Simplicity cabinet for $30. It's had a hard 2nd life, most likely third before me because it looks like it stored toothbrushes for awhile but this came from backroom of a small business closeout auction. Even found a few toothbrushes in cases scattered on the bottom in the oil and grime when pulled the bottom drawer. Regardless the drawers operate fine but such a pity the 70s faux wood pattern fronts got scratched and dented, lol.

Drawers are stamped Simplicity Pattern Co and AMD 73 on the sides.

 

[Outlawmws]

Originally out of a fabric store for clothing patterns

 

[rocksnstumps]

^^^^oh I remember those days well as a little kid stuck with Mom. At least at the grocery store could drool at all the junk food and stuff. Kinda liked Pez back then, damn have not thought of that in a long, long time. But fabric stores were only a notch above the dentist and DR visits.

 

[mikeinri]

^^^^oh I remember those days well as a little kid stuck with Mom. At least at the grocery store could drool at all the junk food and stuff. Kinda liked Pez back then, damn have not thought of that in a long, long time. But fabric stores were only a notch above the dentist and DR visits.

Agree, 1,000%... That was sheer torture. The ultimate insult was that she only made clothes for my sister!

Not to sound ungrateful, our parents did a great job raising us. RIP, Mom.

Mike

 

[RTM]

hat was sheer torture. The ultimate insult was that she only made clothes for my sister!

I dunno, I see pix of me from when I was wearing hand sewn clothes...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Bank deposit box from a small town nearby.. still has some typed labels from various businesses.. cafes, dairy's, etc etc.

That is a wonderful find! Love the font on the numerals.

Do you have the last drawer?

^^^ unfortunately no

It would mess up the numbering scheme, but the chest is 5 x 5, so you could smove 7 through 10 over to the left in row 2, move 11 up to the right of 10 in row 2, move 12 and 13 to the left, leaving the gap in the dead center. Then put something in it. Or leave it open and put something "6" themed in that spot. I don't know if you plan to keep it, or if you live in an area with an artsy fartsy antique center, but one could clean that up and flip it for some serious cabbage around here. People are really into indutrial.

Is anyone going to ask what the heck the nails are for?

 

[zanyad]

From local Facebook Buy Nothing group (free): metal small parts cabinet with door, 30 sheet metal drawers. Drawers look to have been reinforced with wood front & back by PO, some have additional wood pieces nailed in as dividers. Cabinet is about 12ga so nice and sturdy. Stand has been reinforced with wood stringers at the bottom. Not sure whether double casters are original or add-ons.

Measurements:
20.75 deep incl. door
17.25 wide
28 high
Stand is 21.5 high, metal and wood.

 

[PugetDude]

Yup.. it's on the burner behind the back burner lol...

That open hole would make me crazy... (knowing how easy it would be to fix it)...but you do you.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Here are 2 metal cabinet style items I picked up over the weekend. Blackhawk port-a-power base and some doorman pick a part drawers. Both are super cool!

 

[Smokeshow69]

Sold my collection last week. These were left overs from other projects. A total of 15 pieces picked up over the years. Love FB Marketplace

I love the look of this white cabinet circled in this photo. I want to find one for my garage. Are these pretty hard to find?

 

[drivesitfar]

Smoke: sadly most of those old cool looking cabinets are super rare around here the past 10 years and maybe longer. I really like these too and never did find any. one option is to find an old cool fridge that maybe has a bad compressor and gut it and turn it into a cabinet? or find someone remodeling an old 50's home that maybe had the metal cabinets in their kitchen that they want to trash.

I'm vacating a storage unit that has a couple old army green fireproof (very heavy and maybe 300 pounds each) that has 2 of these I won't be keeping if anybody might want to pick up south of Seattle? they are Shaw Walker brand too. PM me if interested.

 

[Smokeshow69]

Smoke: sadly most of those old cool looking cabinets are super rare around here the past 10 years and maybe longer. I really like these too and never did find any. one option is to find an old cool fridge that maybe has a bad compressor and gut it and turn it into a cabinet? or find someone remodeling an old 50's home that maybe had the metal cabinets in their kitchen that they want to trash.

I'm vacating a storage unit that has a couple old army green fireproof (very heavy and maybe 300 pounds each) that has 2 of these I won't be keeping if anybody might want to pick up south of Seattle? they are Shaw Walker brand too. PM me if interested.

Oh for sure the whole hipster/industrial trend has depleted the supply and has driven up prices. But that’s a good idea about finding a vintage fridge. I’ll look into that. I researched the cabinet I’m looking for and apparently it’s called a chimney cabinet.