Recent content by machinistchest

That`s funny! It`s nice to have a story with the box. It was traditional to use hide glue. However, I use good ole elmers glue anything that`s water soluable. Of coarse you`ll want to remove the old dried glue with hot water and coarse steel wool. If your cloth is in pretty good shape it can be...

It`s old, probably early thirtys. I see it has a chain therefore those old maple leaf type hinges on the back or sometimes we call them gothic. One thing I learned, all the gerstner hardware had no copper under the nickel plate .It didn`t take long for the steel to undermine the plating and...

Breeze, I came across this plan after seeing your Aunts box, could hers be the same? http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/2417126 MC

Brian, Those old machinists were pretty creative weren`t they? I can`t believe the guy used stove bolts . I`v seen boxes with 1/4 " thick angle iron bolted in the corners to hold the case together. The things they came up with... MC

Brian, Any time you see that drawer divider H frame most likley it`s a gerstner.There weren`t many vintage makers that constructed that way. It adds stability to the case and nicely squares it all up. I would bet it`s dated about the early forties. I would be streaching it to say late...

Brian, It`s an old gerstner you got there.The front panel is hinged on pins, right? and those knob back plates are 3/4" dia. Union are 7/8" ...MC

Kevin, Here`s one that I replaced the covering, Those old leatherettes look really sharp when restored.All those nickel trimminge stand out...MC

Re: Another Wooden Tool Box Thanks again Dan, And many stories I do have. The biz really took off last June (2009). Six months earlier I sold a handle on ebay to the editing manager from woodsmith magazine, he had contacted me and said he was THINKING of doing plans for a machinist chest in...

Of course the latest stimulus program! "Cash for Kennedys" ...MC

Hey Dan, Yes, I founded machinistchest in 2005. Kinda started out as a hobby. I bought a box on ebay for $80 and refinished the wood , cleaned up the hardware, replaced the felt, made a new handle and sold it back on ebay for $392.00. So then I cashed in on some CD`s at 3% APY at the bank and I...

AA, Have you considered semi-tubular rivets? Just thought they would be a bit easier to roll over..MC

Dan, There are many of these old boxes on ebay. Just do a search for machinist chest box and you`ll see them. The summer months are the best time for bidding, it`s the off season for woodworking. Regards, John

Wow! I like it. When it comes to imagination the guy has no boundaries. I can imagin a Harley Davidson box with orange and black felt, scull and crossbones, lightening bolts and some really cool harley emblems. Or how about a Nascar box with black and white checkers and lots of chrome...

Stricht8, Thats an old Union. The company was founded in 1893, in Rochester NY.It was known as Union Chest Works. Later it incorperated and moved to Leroy NY , and became Union Steel Chest Corp., somewhere around the forties. USC still made wood tool chests and started using those bar type...

I believe that the craftsman as well as others have luver stamped in rear of each drawer where a bar with a series of hooks and cam linkage can engage the luver as the bar is moved up or down . I always notice that if one the drawers isn`t pushed close all the way it dosen`t catch the bar and...