Industrial Metal Desks

[UGACherokee]

Yes I do.

I was thinking that this might have been the backing for asbestos padding that a prior owner might have removed. But again, I have no idea. It's not padding, and it's not fibrous.

 

[nine4gmc]

It is probably asphalt based but it is definitely a sound deadener of some sort. I would leave it alone and ignore it but that's just me.

 

[air8]

The velvoleum on mine has not aged well over the years. And I didn't realize how worn the front looked before taking this pic a few minutes ago.

But I usually clean pistols and radio control cars on it. The RC cars are about 6-8 hours once a month. Tearing each car down to the bare chassis and the pistols usually get broke down to individual pieces also.

Since the top was beat up before I rescued it I never really did much writing on it to see what the velvoleum was all about.

 

[air8]

Someone needs to find a 1672 TD table. I am on the hunt locally. I want one.

http://www.pastpresentfuture.net/furniture/desks/gf1600/popup/p14.jpg

 

[nine4gmc]

I have a 1636 now and had a 1660 before but it had a bum leg so I traded it off. I put the word out for the 1672 last week to my guys and hope to have one by spring for the patio.

 

[air8]

Nice. I want one for the garage. Need a table to replace a crappy bench the previous owner built. Thinking it will go on casters to move it close to vehicles I'm working on.

 

[nine4gmc]

If you put it on casters, you may want to tie the legs together down low, maybe a cross brace.

 

[Arps]

Here is mine. It is in great shape, everything works well. I got the desk and chair on CL.

https://scontent-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10359529_10202454893869917_4487549707311919247_n.jpg?oh=5776a7f96e92bb6d01b2019d61533c3a&oe=54C0367E

 

[Tronyadorable]

I look at that picture and expect agent 99 to walk on the door at any moment.

 

[UGACherokee]

It is probably asphalt based but it is definitely a sound deadener of some sort. I would leave it alone and ignore it but that's just me.

Sounds like the reasonable thing to do. Thanks much.

 

[littleponderosa]

after the closure of the family garage/gas station, i ended up with my Fathers desk. it be a cool older thing with many cigarette burns from many years of use. not sure how many coats of paint are on it, just remember him saying paint it red, over and over. so it be a red with what appears to be a green undercoat. kinda like the old grease rag bin, cream over green over cream....
needs a new top or at least a new veneer top, just not sure i have the tools for that and i'd rather it be ugly than let someone else repair. at least now.

Bill

 

[air8]

Here's two of metal desks. It was starting to rain when unloading the desks so I skipped picture of the oyher two true tankers. But one of them still had an exrension that bolts on for a typewriter table. All the tops are in good shape but ugly colors.

There were three other desks lighter weight than the tankers but still old and would look cool with two tone paint shcemes.

There was also a gigantic wooden desk. The top was like 65" x 34". OMG was it heavy. Probably similar weight to the heavy tanker desks.

And then, got many metal carts of various sizes. Three were tall TV stands that teachers would roll into a classroom. A friend of mine bought one while I was on the way home. LoL. He said he'd use it for an oil storage cart. Once home a friend and I setup one of the carts for our welder.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Well I'm almost finished with my office furniture.

Finished up this filing cabinet today..

Before:

After:

 

[mrodgers]

Here is mine. It is in great shape, everything works well. I got the desk and chair on CL.

https://scontent-a.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10359529_10202454893869917_4487549707311919247_n.jpg?oh=5776a7f96e92bb6d01b2019d61533c3a&oe=54C0367E

I have one like this, including chair, from my father-in-law. Mine has 3 drawers on one side and 2 file drawers on the other though. Not in the garage, it's in the basement.

 

[BellyUpFish]

And with it near its relatives..

 

[Galvonzo]

BellyUpFish, I'd have a real hard time making it to the garage if I had to walk past an office room like that. Room looks killer.

 

[nine4gmc]

Beautiful Belly!!

 

[Galvonzo]

Funny how you replied right after me, nine4gmc. As I was typing I was thinking that the lamp you made a while back with the electric motor cap would look good on that desk. Or maybe the one for the lathe, all I know is that desk is begging for a nice metal lamp.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Thanks guys.

A proper lamp is definitely in the works.

I've been eyeing these two pieces as possible candidates..

 

[maduro80]

Belly, that looks good! Are you just stripping and polishing to get that look, or is that some sort of paint?

 

[BellyUpFish]

Thanks.

It's just stripped, then sanded at 80, 220 and 300 grit, then coated Penetrol to seal it a bit.

In areas of use, the Penetrol will wear, but a quick wipe will sort it back out.

 

[nine4gmc]

Funny how you replied right after me, nine4gmc. As I was typing I was thinking that the lamp you made a while back with the electric motor cap would look good on that desk. Or maybe the one for the lathe, all I know is that desk is begging for a nice metal lamp.

Thanks Galvonzo! Looks like the man has a plan!!

Thanks guys.

A proper lamp is definitely in the works.

I've been eyeing these two pieces as possible candidates..

That'll make a great lamp Belly, can't wait to see it finished!

 

[BellyUpFish]

I need to find some bits.

I really think if I found a way to mount a lamp to the top of the connecting rod for the piston, would be sweet. I don't have a connecting rod though.

I also need a valve cover for the cylinder, but I haven't found one of those yet either.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Ok guys, I need some feedback..

I've got this chair:

And I'm trying to decide which direction to go with it.

The current upholstery is ripped and stained, so I'm thinking about having the seat recovered.

I'm thinking about taking the covers off the arms and staining the wood and doing the same for the top and recovering the seat in a period correct color, but not sure what yet.

Any opinions?

 

[nine4gmc]

Looks like the chair itself is green, the room is gray, both of those are period correct colors and black is a quick go-to color that'll match anything. The top and armrests are easy to cover, the seat would be a couple seams on a sewing machine, not a big deal there either. Check your local fabric supply for remnants. IDk if the wood behind there is quality enough to stain and leave showing

For the lamp, what about machining that top crank support flat with a 4.5" grinder and flipping it upside down, mount the lamp post to the bottom which would become the top? It would be upside down but the large portion would be the base so it would be more steady.

 

[BellyUpFish]

You're right, wood under the arms isn't stain grade, I could laminate some stain grade on top of the arm. That would help cover the t-nuts as well.

I'm leaning towards stripping the chair and making it look like the rest of the pieces and recovering the seat in a crimson/burgundy with a stained back and arms..

For the lamp, I think I'll do similar to what your suggesting, having it sit as it is in the picture to use the top of the piston as the bottom.

I need a valve cover for the cylinder and I think I'll be in business there.

 

[MoparTrucks]

Ok guys, I need some feedback..

I've got this chair:

And I'm trying to decide which direction to go with it.

The current upholstery is ripped and stained, so I'm thinking about having the seat recovered.

I'm thinking about taking the covers off the arms and staining the wood and doing the same for the top and recovering the seat in a period correct color, but not sure what yet.

Any opinions?

You are using yours for an office obviously but I was given a chair for my shop that I am in the process of redoing and after a search I have settled on MilSpec Cordura Nylon which I think would look great with your refinished office furniture. http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/co...t=PJa4kGktdc|pcrid|57080269693|pkw|pla|pmt|e|. (You will have to go to general purpose fabric, then nylon, then cordura on the link, it wont link direct to the cordura)

I'm going with brown on mine but you can get it in many colors and the stuff wears like iron and I have several ruck sacks made out of it I've used and abused for years. If your looking for long term durability you cant beat it and I'm sure you have used it in aviation.

Here is the chair I am redoing:

I think I am going to sand the chrome and hit it with some flat black.

 

[BellyUpFish]

I'll have to give that a shot!

While I'm thinking about it, would you wanna trade an Alaska tag for an Alabama tag?

 

[volleyball]

Looks like the chair itself is green, the room is gray, both of those are period correct colors and black is a quick go-to color that'll match anything.

The stain is green but the vinyl is yellow.

I have that chair in brown and it is in good condition so I won't change it but it is not pretty.
I would think a burgundy would be a good color. It depends on what other colors are in the room. And what period you are going for. The deeper colors of the 50's or the bright colors of the 70's.

I have some steelcase side chairs in burgundy and green so I could post pics if needed.

I have some other chairs and wonder if people have found a good source for period correct looking material. Like the perforated black

 

[gahrajmahal]

Hey BellyUpFish, how are you stripping the paint so completely? I would just go at them with a DA sander ans some wire wheels, but that would not give a finish like you have.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Typically, I just use some aircraft paint stripper, then hit it with a DA with various levels of grit.

Lately, I've been really happy with the finish I am getting after using a DA and an orbital sander.

Wire wheels tend to "burn" the sheet metal for me.

 

[JC23]

Just saw one for free on CL Cleveland. It's already painted red and still in pieces.

https://cleveland.craigslist.org/zip/4760949280.html

 

[Duct Tape Man]

I have to get up to a friend's place north of here, he has had an old WWII gray steel desk outside under a tarp, the data plate states "BELL SYSTEM TELETYPE DESK". Quite a bit of surface rust from outside storage over the years, but no cancer. I have to convince him that it needs a new home, and a resto.

 

[Duct Tape Man]

Saw this on another page - what happens with you take a tanker desk, a radio, a radio amplifier, and put all of them in a blender? This is the Johnson Radio Co.'s Desk Kilowatt - 1,000 watt output radio built into one wing of a steel tanker-style desk.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Saw this on another page - what happens with you take a tanker desk, a radio, a radio amplifier, and put all of them in a blender? This is the Johnson Radio Co.'s Desk Kilowatt - 1,000 watt output radio built into one wing of a steel tanker-style desk.

^^^WANT^^^

Tommy

 

[Falcon67]

Try taking that sucker to a Field Day.

 

[MoparTrucks]

I'll have to give that a shot!

While I'm thinking about it, would you wanna trade an Alaska tag for an Alabama tag?

I could do that, I have a a variety including USMC Vet tags from some of my prior vehicles. Shoot me a PM.

 

[Lippyp]

Saw this on another page - what happens with you take a tanker desk, a radio, a radio amplifier, and put all of them in a blender? This is the Johnson Radio Co.'s Desk Kilowatt - 1,000 watt output radio built into one wing of a steel tanker-style desk.

Wow, that looks like it should be on the bridge of a WWII Destroyer!

 

[Lu-Max]

I've been searching for a big, old, steel desk in reasonable shape for my workshop office a long time. Most of the steel desks on C.L. turn out to be those black, crappy thin sheetmetal ones with the faux wood tops and chrome legs. Fugly. Else they are in to poor of shape to bother with a restoration. I've also found a few finished ones but the asking price always seems to be astronomical. Simply no luck else they are to far away to ship them at a reasonable cost. Curious where you think I might finally be able to scrounge one of these things up that I can restore?

I thought that I may have found one a couple of days ago based upon a guys C.L. ad description so I asked him to email me a picture of it. Another black desk with fake wood top. Ugh!

I live in Denver but will be moving out to northern CA in a couple of months. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Do you have a Habitat ReStore near you?