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

[dittle fart around]

Westphal wood screw carousel operation and construction video.
Patent 1874.
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Picked at a auction yesterday.
Wood screw carousel? I need internet search help with it. Please PM me if your a good searcher.




Photo update of Westphal countertop carousel.
I think its for wood screws. Smallest bin marked "3/8 3", largest bin marked 3 18.




This is unreal to me! It has this small label stuck to a bottom bin divider, "Patterson General Hardware" sold out in 1895 according to Google book "Farm Implement News" July 1895 page 50.

Its in worst shape than first thought, the fact of PO's moving this contraption without taking it a part is the reason for the damage and missing parts at the bottom. Its extremely fragile and assembled as a "house of cards" in reverse. Loosening 1 tensioning bolt and that level of bins literally falls apart.

HELP!

That's a historic artifact that should be in a museum. Don't touch it, donate it and take a tax deduction.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I already went crazy about this on the Garage Sale thread, but I will go crazy again here.

THE. COOLEST. FIND. EVER.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'm loving that thing, despite its complexity. New cast parts could be made for the MIA's The Sheet metal is easy.

 

[Username already in use]

That wood screw cabinet is the definition of OLD SCHOOL COOL!
Lemme pick my jaw up off the floor...

 

[wrenchguy]

Here's 1 i saw couple years ago at a museum near Rockford ILL. Its a Westphal with 1882 patent date. Its straight up/down with bolted on thin brass tags on the bin fronts. Its in real good shape. At that time i let them know I seen one other and informed them about the string ball being captured on the top along their missing piece.
I thought construction of mine was closer to 1882 patent, WRONG again.

Me messing with it.








What does this lower tag labeling indicate? Screws or bolts?? Double clik to enlarge i hope.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Dang that’s cool

 

[macgee]

Got lucky yesterday on my lazy Sunday, perusing my local classifieds and came across a 4 free desks ad, saw the pics and couldn't get there fast enough. Was able to grab two heavy Vidmar style workbenches/desks with 4 drawer cabinets being used as desks with 35" height. The tops were 3" thick solid hard maple butcher block 30"x6'. The sliders are full ball bearings and each drawer has a finger lock. The drawers pop out super easy if you want remove it. The drawer depth is 29". They look like card filing drawer but inside is flat and width open, no middle divider.

Has anyone heard of Hallowell?
These two are fairly old (60-70's) by what papers I found in them and have the same bearing sliders as my older military Lyon cabinets.
The maple butcher block tops were insanely heavy, well over 100lbs each and not too fun to move around but certainly not complaining when they're given to you for free. Not the best pics as they were being taken apart when I took them.


PS> Wrenchguy, Very nice score you have there; it's jaw dropping. That is one of the most beautiful shop objects I've seen, it's incredible. Cant wait to see what you'll do with it.

 

[406Rich]

My vidmar card file cabinet that was purchased in 1974 used as my first tool box, started running out of room along with too many nut/bolt so bought a tool box in 2001, bought the Hon cabinet a few years ago to hold said nut bolts and the Vidmar still holds tools again along with two tool box stacks...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Has anyone heard of Hallowell?

Yes, I know the name very well.

Your workbenches/desks were made by Standard Pressed Steel, in Jenkintown, PA, just outside of Philadelphia, a company with a very interesting history of expansion by necessity. They started out in 1903, making hangars out of pressed steel, not for aircraft, but for railroads and mills, after the founder, Howard Hallowell, a young draftsman at American Pulley, witnessed a corroded cast iron roof collapse. They couldn't get the screws and bolts from others as good or as fast as they needed them, so they established a plant to make their own. With WWI, they opened another plant, for which they made all their own workbenches, desks, and shelving units. The design was so popular, they decided to make extras and sell them as a product and it became a very successful line all of its own.

You may know the company best by its line of hex keys or wrenches, which were branded UNBRAKO. Like Bristol and Allen, the primary product was actually the fastener itself, not the wrench, but the wrenches were my introduction to the company. SPS was a WWII supplier.

And perhaps you may also know them by the nifty little hinged/offset-capable bit sets they made, with hex drive sockets or various bits stored inside the handle, which they also branded Hallowell. A few of us here on GJ (454ragtop, 3baygarage, Username already in use, myself and others) have some examples and we have a thread on the topic, linked here.

Here’s a few shots of mine. Hallowell Socket Screw Key Set No. 25

I’ll trade you it for one of those desks!

View media item 75314
View media item 75312

 

[RTM]

Thanks for the history Lugz. I had been poking around a bit after finding some Unbrako wrenches, thought Hallowell sounded familiar.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I didn't know that they ALSO branded their workbenches and shelving units etc Hallowell, to be honest.

EDIT: Oh boy. I think I may have leapt to a possibly wrong conclusion making that assumption. Stand by for more...

macgee, RTM, All:

This is the funniest thing you'll read all day, but after leaping to the SPS conclusion, and then RTM's comment prompting me to think about how SPS branded their workbenches and desk and shelving units, I remembered I actually posted a Hallowell Steel Products chest - and IN THIS THREAD before (it ***** getting old!), linked here.

That Hallowell was located in Santa Ana, California, which was embossed right next to the name.

HOWEVER - they were an offshoot/subsidiary of SPS! See the "SPS" right next to the name, above the Santa Ana.

So I am relieved.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Well, I just went to find the Hallowell drawers unit, and remembered that I sold it! Funny story in its own right. I bought it at a flea market in the summer of 2018 for $5. I cleaned them up, took the rust off, spray painted them bright metallic - a stainless steel look, and sold them later that year to an early birder at my own garage sale for $35. The next day he was selling them at the same flea market for $50!

See Pic 3 for the branding, macgee. The "SPS" (Standard Steel Products) marking is just to the right, above the "Santa Ana" marking.

 

[macgee]

Yes, I know the name very well.

Your workbenches/desks were made by Standard Pressed Steel, in Jenkintown, PA, just outside of Philadelphia, a company with a very interesting history of expansion by necessity. They started out in 1903, making hangars out of pressed steel, not for aircraft, but for railroads and mills,
With WWI, they opened another plant, for which they made all their own workbenches, desks, and shelving units. The design was so popular, they decided to make extras and sell them as a product and it became a very successful line all of its own.

You may know the company best by its line of hex keys or wrenches, which were branded UNBRAKO. Like Bristol and Allen, the primary product was actually the fastener itself, not the wrench, but the wrenches were my introduction to the company. SPS was a WWII supplier.

A few of us here on GJ (454ragtop, 3baygarage, Username already in use, myself and others) have some examples and we have a thread on the topic, linked here.

I’ll trade you it for one of those desks!
]

Ask a question here and get a real answer here!

Thanks Lugnutz

I had no idea about this. Santa Ana is only about an hour away from me (no traffic).

Unbrako make the best fasteners, even the Germans think highly of them. I didn't realize they're located here in LA. I would love to fill those drawers full of Unbrako fasteners. When taking the drawers out, I found several very nice long stainless steel braided aerospace hydraulic lines hiding in the bottom

I'm quite familiar with Press Steel cabinets as they're pretty common but never heard of Hallowell before. These cabinets have similar sliders but these have more bearings (10 bearings for each drawer, 40 bearings in this cabinet) than the Press Steel sliders, when I see a press steel desk/drawers, I always grab them for friends. Once cleaned and lubed up there awesome. You can find them around here being given away or for pennies or for hundreds.

Pic below of the logo.

Cant wait to get these Hallowell cabinets set up, I decided make one with casters (37" height) and will put a benchtop drill press on it, storing all my drill bits and drill press related items in the drawers. All my speedi & angle vise's fit in one drawer. Still undecided about the second cabinet.

The butcher block tops are insane, I never come across solid 3" thick ones, maybe 2", most are 1.75". These tops are twice as thick as my solid door tops that I've been using for a benchtop and my official Lista cabinet butcher block top is under 2". They're so thick it, they effect the finished work surface height and will have to make adjustments for it. would hate having to cut these, I feel bad even thinking about drilling a hole through them. We have so much old industrial around here and see butcher block tops all the time but never this thick. Not sure if its a good thing? (i'm joking, its a problem worth having).

Okay, now I'm rambling but thank you for the info and will post picks once I have them assembled. Cheers

 

[Private Lugnutz]

The butcher block tops are insane, I never come across solid 3" thick ones, maybe 2", most are 1.75".

Agreed, that is extraordinarily thick for a cabinet or workbench, and looks even thicker on a piece of furniture that looks like what we would normally call a desk, but it was probably in an industrial/military shop or shop-like workspace.

 

[Outlawmws]

Macgee, the answer to the "too tall" thing is simple!. Don't use them as desks, use them as benches! Longer legs and get them to 36".

 

[wrenchguy]

PS> Wrenchguy, Very nice score you have there; it's jaw dropping. That is one of the most beautiful shop objects I've seen, it's incredible. Cant wait to see what you'll do with it.

Thank you.

Here's another follow up video of the Westphal showing some stuff i missed yesterday.
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[wrenchguy]

I'm loving that thing, despite its complexity. New cast parts could be made for the MIA's The Sheet metal is easy.

Agreed, Traveling to my foundry guy 2morrow with a correct size bin side and 3 different size fronts. All kinds of different sizes involved for each level/course. Haven't decided what 2do yet.

 

[macgee]

Agreed, that is extraordinarily thick for a cabinet or workbench, and looks even thicker on a piece of furniture that looks like what we would normally call a desk, but it was probably in an industrial/military shop or shop-like workspace.

Macgee, the answer to the "too tall" thing is simple!. Don't use them as desks, use them as benches! Longer legs and get them to 36".

These desks were just over 35+" tall at surface level when I got them, too high for regular sit-down desks, they were using exec. drafting chairs. I certainly don't use desks and will use them for workbenches, my two preferred heights are 35" & 39" H. One cabinet will be turned into as solo rolling base for a stand alone benchtop drill press.

Now I'm going to watch wrenchguy's video, too hot in my shop today.

 

[Outlawmws]

W.Guy,

Maybe the holes in the sides is to bolt the levels together with small screws? Or possibly for a wood "window" (An option?) and the screws hold it?

And I'm thinking the top pie cutout is misaligned? it should be in line with the main opening?

Holes in front of the cast pieces maybe for the String to feed through? Is it accessible? maybe a curved wire to pull a string through to start it?

 

[propmaker]

Got lucky yesterday on my lazy Sunday, perusing my local classifieds and came across a 4 free desks ad, saw the pics and couldn't get there fast enough. Was able to grab two heavy Vidmar style workbenches with 4 drawer cabinets being used as desks with 35" height. The tops were 3" thick solid hard maple butcher block 30"x6'. The sliders are full ball bearings and each drawer has a finger lock. The drawers pop out super easy if you want remove it. The drawer depth is 29". They look like card filing drawer but inside is flat and width open, no middle divider.

Nice, I saw that ad but was too lazy to go look at them. Good score!

 

[tj675]

I picked up a Steelcase Datacase from CL earlier this year. The drawer bottoms are not flat so I decided drawer organizers would kill two birds with one stone. I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted and decided it would be a good opportunity to spend time in the woodshop.

 

[RTM]

Don’t those slider stops drive you batty for other usages? Nice re work.

 

[macgee]

Nice, I saw that ad but was too lazy to go look at them. Good score!

Thanks,

I repurposed one of the Hallowell cabinets as a mobile base set up for a drill press that I'm restoring.

Got around today to fortify the bottom with 1” ply tied to body for the locking casters, then milled a 1/4” sheet of aluminum plate to fit the top. It's solid.

The drawers are awesome, long and fully extend. Pics are a mock up to check the plate fitting. Filled the top drawer with vices and other stuff to see how they would fit, no problem and it opens & closes with a pinky as if its empty. All my drill bits, taps, dies, reamers, tooling plate, hold downs and misc. will go in this.

Very happy with it and glad I was able to repurpose it. You can do the same thing with the drawers (cabinets) from an old tanker desk that can sometimes be found in the free section, they're just bolted together and the drawers are bomb proof with bearing sliders.

Link to pics:
https://imgur.com/a/x4OaoC9

 

[wrenchguy]

W.Guy,

Maybe the holes in the sides is to bolt the levels together with small screws? Or possibly for a wood "window" (An option?) and the screws hold it?

And I'm thinking the top pie cutout is misaligned? it should be in line with the main opening?

Holes in front of the cast pieces maybe for the String to feed through? Is it accessible? maybe a curved wire to pull a string through to start it?

1, Bins share sides, i guess you could bolt every other bin together with rod passing left to right in bin. Thin wood window possible as the glass window is held by cast tabs part of bin side.

2, All bin levels are latched to the core with that top opening lining up with the second bin. I really don't know why and it does look unbalanced. Maybe its for most popular used screws being purchased. All the others seen are the same way. Maybe patent explains it?

3, With a snake it would be very possible to run string thru there. 5 balls of string with leads out all 5 holes?

I can't emphasize how lame this thing is not being designed for moving it when it had tobe relocated. I broke 3 bottom course bin sides just getting it loaded in the truck using help of 2 other guys.
Thanks 4 comments.
More pics.


Internet photo, note repair!

 

[y'sguy]

Thanks,

I repurposed one of the Hallowell cabinets as a mobile base set up for a drill press that I'm restoring.

Got around today to fortify the bottom with 1” ply tied to body for the locking casters, then milled a 1/4” sheet of aluminum plate to fit the top. It's solid.

The drawers are awesome, long and fully extend. Pics are a mock up to check the plate fitting. Filled the top drawer with vices and other stuff to see how they would fit, no problem and it opens & closes with a pinky as if its empty. All my drill bits, taps, dies, reamers, tooling plate, hold downs and misc. will go in this.

Very happy with it and glad I was able to repurpose it. You can do the same thing with the drawers (cabinets) from an old tanker desk that can sometimes be found in the free section, they're just bolted together and the drawers are bomb proof with bearing sliders.

Link to pics:
https://imgur.com/a/x4OaoC9

Nice job on the Drill Press Stand!

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Nice job on the Drill Press Stand!

 

[mikeinri]

TJ: That looks incredible! Outstanding repurpose and upgrades!

Mike

 

[propmaker]

Not Vintage, but scored two Stanley Vidmar cabinets this morning, both for 75.00. When I went to see them they were in the driveway. One was missing two drawers, but for that price I said I would take them. As I was loading them, the seller came out wit the two missing drawers.

 

[macgee]

Not Vintage, but scored two Stanley Vidmar cabinets this morning, both for 75.00. When I went to see them they were in the driveway. One was missing two drawers, but for that price I said I would take them. As I was loading them, the seller came out wit the two missing drawers.

Okay, I was gloating & bragging last week about my free cabinets but those Vidmar's look perfect and two no doubt.
I would gladly give you my cabinets from last weeks score, plus cover your $75 so you don't loose anything. I'll even stop by and picked them from you

You scored big! Nicely done.


EDIT: Vidmar was originally from Swizterland and then later made in the USA. Some of the best made metal cabinets in the world!

 

[propmaker]

Okay, I was gloating & bragging last week about my free cabinets but those Vidmar's look perfect and two no doubt.
I would gladly give you my cabinets from last weeks score, plus cover your $75 so you don't loose anything. I'll even stop by and picked them from you

You scored big! Nicely done.


EDIT: Vidmar was originally from Swizterland and then later made in the USA. Some of the best made metal cabinets in the world!

They are so clean as they were in a medical facility, they never saw shop work. Funny thing is the seller knew what they worth, he said he was just glad they were going to someone who could use them. I'll think about your offer

 

[pelletman]

A couple boxes I have picked up over the past few months

 

[macgee]

A couple boxes I have picked up over the past few months

Nice little metal boxes.

For your sake, I really hope that cardboard box still has the original unused motor in it? It will certainly make you feel slightly better about the price u paid for those boxes. ;-)


Recently sold one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-In-Box-1974-Fox-78-R-C-Model-Airplane-Engine/153910398273?epid=0&hash=item23d5c64d41:g:wRYAAOSwdX1epia1

 

[macgee]

They are so clean as they were in a medical facility, they never saw shop work. Funny thing is the seller knew what they worth, he said he was just glad they were going to someone who could use them.


I'll think about your offer

Dont think about it too long,

Since we're your in the same hood, out my good heart I was even offering to come pick them up and drop off mine. Just leave them in driveway and I swing by and I'll leave the $75 under the doormat. Dont worry, I'll be quiet and not disturb the neighbors.

Besides, what could you possibly do with all those drawers? There's just too many

 

[pelletman]

A couple more

 

[pelletman]

Nice little metal boxes.

For your sake, I really hope that cardboard box still has the original unused motor in it? It will certainly make you feel slightly better about the price u paid for those boxes. ;-)


Recently sold one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-In-Box-1974-Fox-78-R-C-Model-Airplane-Engine/153910398273?epid=0&hash=item23d5c64d41:g:wRYAAOSwdX1epia1

Whoa, I better go look! I did get some RC stuff that isn't pictured

 

[pelletman]

Not Vintage, but scored two Stanley Vidmar cabinets this morning, both for 75.00. When I went to see them they were in the driveway. One was missing two drawers, but for that price I said I would take them. As I was loading them, the seller came out wit the two missing drawers.

You ****! I am a big fan of Vidmar, Lista and Lyon cabinets, particularly if they are cheap

 

[mikeinri]

Ditto

Those Vidmars are in incredible shape!

Mike

 

[Isaiah6113]

Hi all,

Okay, so here's a totally weird thing. I bought a tool box today and the vendor asked if I wanted this as well. I didn't at first, but then the weird thing grew on me. He told me to just take it, so sure, ok!

It stands 2.5' tall, a foot wide and 10' deep. The bottom cabinet doesn't open because it is locked and no key. The top lid reveals a compartment with divider.

The tag reads, "Jayem Sales Corp."

Has anyone seen this thing before, or know what it is? a specialized unit to hold Jayem's sales literature?

Thanks!

Matthew

 

[RTM]

Jayem made file cabinets etc,.

 

[DadsTools]

Hi all,

Okay, so here's a totally weird thing. I bought a tool box today and the vendor asked if I wanted this as well. I didn't at first, but then the weird thing grew on me. He told me to just take it, so sure, ok!

It stands 2.5' tall, a foot wide and 10' deep. The bottom cabinet doesn't open because it is locked and no key. The top lid reveals a compartment with divider.

The tag reads, "Jayem Sales Corp."

Has anyone seen this thing before, or know what it is? a specialized unit to hold Jayem's sales literature?

Thanks!

Matthew

I was in the office furniture business years ago. This format was intended primarily for home use where there would be very limited needs for filing and limited space. We never sold a single unit like this to a business, but my parents had one in our home and I've seen a few at residential sales. As I recall, the bottom was simply an open space cabinet. There may have been a shelf but I can't remember. The basic design appeared to be an old standard because they were made by several mfrs. The one we had used the same cylinder lock for the top as the door, and the lid was released with a horizontal lever.