Old Paper Towel Dispenser

[MoparTrucks]

I found an old paper towel dispenser (old as in 70s/80s) for sale for a couple bucks and picked it up this weekend. It came out of a gas station that was torn down recently and I want to clean it up and use it in the shop.

Anyone have one of these? The obvious thing is to just repaint it white but I don't know if some were decorated with a gas station logo, adverts for condoms lol_hitti) etc. and I'm looking for advice, recommendations, insight .....

My wife gave me the old WTF? when I dragged it home so I need to do it up right!

 

[1949 caddyman]

I think that is a cloth towel machine. There is a roll of cloth towel that starts on the top & rolls to the bottom of it as used. We had these at the chevy store I worked at.

 

[MoparTrucks]

I think that is a cloth towel machine. There is a roll of cloth towel that starts on the top & rolls to the bottom of it as used. We had these at the chevy store I worked at.

I never thought of that but it makes sense now that you mention that. That would even be more cool to me though not as useful.I imagine the towels must be fairly easy to get from a janitorial co.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I think that is a cloth towel machine. There is a roll of cloth towel that starts on the top & rolls to the bottom of it as used. We had these at the chevy store I worked at.

X2. Contrary to urban myth, the towels aren't reused. The cloth towel wasn't in a loop, it was a "clean" roll that came out the front and went back in the bottom. After a section has been used, pulling it advances it to a "clean" section. Darman is one manufacturer that is still in business if you need stuff for it.

http://www.darmanco.com

Tommy

 

[djjsr]

Paint it with Rustoleum Hammer gray then pinstripe it with red. Looks like there's enough room inside for a bottle of Jack and a couple of shot glasses.

 

[nadogail]

Roll towels were, and maybe still are, serviced by commercial laundrys. Look in your yellow pages for "Linen Supply" or Uniform Rental.

I once worked for American Linen, also known as Stiener.

They send out a driver who picks up the soiled uniforms, shop rags, table cloths and napkins; then leaves clean stuff in exchange.

 

[PECVD2]

Thanks LS6 as I got my cloth towels today. I am gonna use a home made silk screen form to print FORD about every 8- 10 inches on this towel after I wash it once.

 

[6768rogues]

I have an old one that takes folded paper towels. I glass bead blasted it and painted it red.

 

[pamike]

I actually have one that looks just about like that, but is for paper towels. It was in our shop bathroom for like 40 years. When it was replaced I couldnt bear to throw the old one out. Its sitting in a corner...

 

[PECVD2]

Post up pictures guys...we love pictures

 

[JamesW84]

I work for a major uniform company, and we rent those. We call them crts (center roll towels). We send them to a different location that cleans them. I would be curious how you plan to clean that at home?

 

[jabberwoki]

Man I love that. Now damn it I`ll have to find one.

 

[Garageguy65]

My wife gave me the old WTF? when I dragged it home so I need to do it up right!

sweet!!!

So.....the old wtf huh.... I have got that look before. It means your doing it right then...

Thanks LS6 as I got my cloth towels today. I am gonna use a home made silk screen form to print FORD about every 8- 10 inches on this towel after I wash it once.

Man I love that. Now damn it I`ll have to find one.

See what you guys started

 

[PECVD2]

I work for a major uniform company, and we rent those. We call them crts (center roll towels). We send them to a different location that cleans them. I would be curious how you plan to clean that at home?

I plan to follow the instructions they sent me along with the towel roll.

The wife also informed me that it could be washed in a laundering bag like this which would keep it from tangling up???? I sure don't know for sure but gotta believe my better half.

 

[3baygarage]

Man, we had one of those in Elementary school in the basement. Fun as it was to use, the towel was always gross. I can still picture all the orange Cheeto stains on that white cloth from everybody's hands during lunch.

Cool find though.

Thanks for a blast from the past.

 

[MoparTrucks]

Thanks LS6 as I got my cloth towels today. I am gonna use a home made silk screen form to print FORD about every 8- 10 inches on this towel after I wash it once.

Man I like that blue towel...gives me even more inspiration thanks!

 

[PECVD2]

Man I like that blue towel...gives me even more inspiration thanks!

MoparTrucks I felt the same way when I saw the blue towel online. Like I mentioned above I am gonna silk screen a home made FORD oval on the cloth.

The blue is $10 more than white but I could not resist.


Please let us know what you have in mind. Thanks

 

[T_R]

They had one of those at the Chevy dealer I worked for in the 90s. It was still in use then. the uniform guy would bring towels every week. There were a few guys who were too lazy to change the roll when it ran out and would just stuff the end back in and screw the next guy.

There was one on the wall at the Ford dealer where I work now. It was in the way when we moved the lifts so I took it down and it got thrown out. I had no idea people collect them or I would have saved it.

 

[johnbennetch]

Yes, the rental companies would wash the towels and you would put a fresh roll in after it was dirty. Many companies discontinued using these because of disease concern. I got several roles of the towels from a friend that worked for Dempsey. It took me a couple months to locate a dispenser. I wanted to use it in my garage, to keep out of the kitchen sink.

 

[MoparTrucks]

MoparTrucks I felt the same way when I saw the blue towel online. Like I mentioned above I am gonna silk screen a home made FORD oval on the cloth.

The blue is $10 more than white but I could not resist.


Please let us know what you have in mind. Thanks

I am not a Ford guy obviously and had never considered a colored towel but yours really stands out. I guess my tentative plans are to paint the body gloss white and do some sort of shell oil motif with maybe a brown towel?

I worked at an old Shell station when I was in HS back in the mid 70s and we wore the brown coveralls with the embroidered Shell patch and had the piss cutter hat....great memories from that job.

Edited to add: We had one of those towel dispensers in the men's restroom but I think I will leave off the nasty stains that were on that one!

 

[Capt Chrysler]

We had them at the dealership. I have changed many a rolls on them. Even ripped one off the wall in front of the uniform delivery guy. I was the service manager and the darn thing wouldn't roll the used towel up. I ask him for 3 weeks to fix it. Never did, on week 4 I ask him if he had a new one on the truck? Yep, I grabbed the towel one good yank and it was on the floor. Bent the back up, really I destroyed it. Told him to hang the new one and walked off.

Funny thing, after that, we never had any problems with him or that uniform company.

Its kinda strange what things cause flash backs. That happened 25 plus years ago. Never thought about till I saw the towel roller.........


Capt. Chrysler

Anyone have an extra one they want to sell? I think my shop needs one!!!!!!

 

[vertguy]

Anyone have an extra one they want to sell? I think my shop needs one!!!!!!

Same here as this thread made me add this to my "search list"

 

[PECVD2]

I guess my tentative plans are to paint the body gloss white and do some sort of shell oil motif with maybe a brown towel?

I worked at an old Shell station when I was in HS back in the mid 70s and we wore the brown coveralls with the embroidered Shell patch and had the piss cutter hat....great memories from that job.

Sound great. I can't wait to see it.

BTW. For those interested. I saw one at local 2nd hand store recently. I will try to follow up and see if it is still available.