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

[isb cornbinder]

drivesitfarsays: Corn: great looking cabinets indeed!! if you would like to show more how you make them on this thread by all means please do.
There is a step by step order that should be followed. The best way for any person to know what to do is to look at a finished toolbox details. My posting the details of how-to-make-it would not be easy for many persons to follow.
I do not have a "paint-booth". What I have been using is a large appliance cardboard container. I have a repurposed hospital laundry cart with a wire grate on the top. Near the bottom of the cardboard paint booth I installed a three speed, dual fan range hood, I bought the range hood on Craigslist.
This acts like a downdraft paint booth and I do not have to breath the paint fumes or overspray.
I take the cardboard container to the city transfer station when I am done with it.
I attached the range-hood vent to a transition fitting and vented it through a vent to outside. I triple filtered the vent.

 

[drivesitfar]

ISB: i've heard of and used the big appliance cardboard boxes as temp paint booths, but never thought to add that system you did. thanks for sharing.

JEFF & 4by: thank you!!

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: I found another Addressograph (shhh don't tell my bride) that I wish I would have found 60 years ago when it had it's base and it's doors that came together from both sides like a roll top desk and met in the middle. that said i bet it weighs about 300 pounds and yes I was able to move it into it's new space by myself (it's good exercise I keep telling myself). this is so HEAVY that i'm guessing with the doors on it that it was FIREPROOF at one point.

the drawers are a bit deeper than the ones in my other Addressograph cabinets and this should hold a ton of stuff. i'll eventually put my 2 10 drawer addressograph cabinets on top of this one and the 133 drawer addressograph in the back of my 10x20 storage unit.

anybody own one of these with the doors on it?

 

[rustyzman]

Here you go drivesitfar... A much smaller version, but the door is original. Obviously the knob is not, going to have to deal with that when I get time... Not specifically the one you are looking for, but maybe it will help. Still working on what will be going in there as well. It is a tank. Much heavier than it looks for sure. This door is just a steel sheet though, so this one would definitely not have been fireproof. Looks like the door face is thinner on this one than on yours. It is a great cabinet.

 

[drivesitfar]

Rustyz: i'm not sure your door was original or maybe it was so we'll have to do a bit more research I guess. maybe one of us or another member has some catalog pictures? these long drawers or bins will hold a lot of stuff and some of mine are holding 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inch bolts that are bigger than 6 inches long.

ALL: here's my 12 drawer addressograph cabinets similar to Rustyz, but I can see where there was ever a door on mine.

here's a big addressograph with a roll down door and sorry I can't find the picture of it with the door down.

 

[drivesitfar]

Rustyz: I think I found another addressograph smallish cabinet with a door on it so maybe yours was original. here's the picture I found by doing a bit of googling.

ALL: I still haven't found a 49 drawer addressograph, but i'm reasonably sure mine had doors and maybe a stand too.

here's a 70 drawer addressograph I haven't seen in person yet that has doors.

 

[drivesitfar]

ALL: I still haven't found any catalog pics, but I did find a good picture of what my 49 drawer addressograph looked like with a stand and doors.

I'd also like to see a few more pictures on this thread of offices and garages maybe pre WWII with people working around some of these old cabinets.

here's a wall of huge addressographs.

 

[rustyzman]

Rustyz: I think I found another addressograph smallish cabinet with a door on it so maybe yours was original. here's the picture I found by doing a bit of googling.

Funny, they have an oddball knob on that one too! You can see it had a lock or latch assy. originally. Very awesome cabinets. I could not pass it up when I found it.

 

[drivesitfar]

Rustyz: I think the ODDBALL knob/handle as you put it was just on the smaller 12 drawer cabinets and the better door and lock was on the 30 drawer cabinets. or so it looks that way with only a couple of examples I (we've) found.

yep I almost laid an egg so to speak when i saw my first 133 drawer Addressograph and it was full of woodworking hardware.

 

[macgee]

ALL: I still haven't found any catalog pics, but I did find a good picture of what my 49 drawer addressograph looked like with a stand and doors.

I'd also like to see a few more pictures on this thread of offices and garages maybe pre WWII with people working around some of these old cabinets.

here's a wall of huge addressographs.

Drives,

If you keep this up, you'll have plenty of inventory to open up a a retail Metal Cabinet Vintage Store.

And I bet it would do well.

 

[drivesitfar]

Mac: thanks for the kudos and I'm just happy upgrading to the ones I like better and getting the old ones to somebody that can use them. at one point my bride and i were talking about having a vintage store with restaurant and B&B, but then twins happened 29 years ago and that ship i think has sailed.

DAVE: have you figured out who made your cool fireproof cabinet yet? I just saw an old vintage name on a cabinet that could be one option for you cause they made some nice quality cabinets and have you heard of Yawman & Erbe? also General Fireproof I think was the name of one of my stout cabinets i owned a few years ago. I surely would have kept it, but I don't weld and the bottom was falling off from sitting in a flooded basement. one of the few cabinets with 2 full length bins in each of their 11 drawers and there wasn't the computer file slot in them so you could pack them with nuts and bolts or parts and take the bin/drawer to your project.

ALL: I decided to sell my 49 drawer addressograph cause I need that spot for some big old Lyon bins that i'm moving out of the storage unit i'm vacating. I hope the new owner finds its storage capacity useful.

 

[macgee]

Mac: thanks for the kudos and I'm just happy upgrading to the ones I like better and getting the old ones to somebody that can use them. at one point my bride and i were talking about having a vintage store with restaurant and B&B, but then twins happened 29 years ago and that ship i think has sailed.

Don't sell your dreams so short, you could always AirBnb the twins rooms out, include meals in the fee and walk your guest through the workshop to let them see all the cabinets and antiques with price tags on it that need a new home. See, problem solved, you & the mrs can still go sailing. ;-)

Have a good weekend!

PS> I like the 30 drawer cabinet

 

[IMCA38]

I’ve been looking for something that I could use to store my “handyman” tools (hand saws, wood chisels, planes, claw hammers, circular saw, jig saw, etc.) in since my shop is primarily set up for mechanical and metal working things. Originally, I tried to locate one of the Wal-Mart 40” USA tool cabinets on clearance. No luck with that.
Then I looked around at various “workbench” type things at Menards, Lowe’s, etc. I found those to be stupid expensive, not really sturdy, and lacking decent storage for their size.
A couple weeks ago, I went to a moving auction and spotted this all metal base cabinet with no top. The cabinet is 42”W x 22”D x 36”H. Very close to what I was looking for. Luckily the sale wasn’t well advertised and those that showed up must have forgotten their wallets! I ended up scoring it for $10. This thing is super heavy, even without a top. It was all I could do to load and unload by myself. It has two deep drawers, all metal with roller glides, and the lower doors open up with no center post, making for easy access.
As for a top, I got impatient and went to Menards and bought a pre-glued 5/4 board 2’ x 4’. I had rebates from prior 11% sales, etc. so my out of pocket was $0. Ripped 1 1/2” off the long side and screwed it to the cabinet. Topped it off with a 2x6 “backsplash” from a pile of boards I bought at the same sale for $1.
Further investigation shows it to be made by Hamilton Industries in WI. Appears that maybe it was used in a laboratory or similar setting.
Makes a nice little workbench for $11!

 

[drivesitfar]

Mac: thanks for the support, but it wasn't so much a DREAM as it was one thought we had to make a decent life and a career. one day in the future i'll maybe sell off some of my stuff, but i'm still young enough and healthy enough (as i'm knocking on wood) to maybe make a fix a few things so having these cabinets to store some tools and supplies while looking pretty good is fine by me.

cheers!!!

Imca: well money aside it looks like you found a solution to your workbench in that spot in your garage. WELL DONE!!

as far as Hamilton company they made some very nice cabinets both wood and steel for the printing and drafting business. if you look through this thread you might see several Hamilton flat files that recently left my hands, but I still own a couple.

once you find a medical cabinet with bumpers and casters to roll around that might even be made of aluminum you might have to pull out your wallet to pick it up cause they are a great cart or cabinet to have in your garage.

 

[DaveT]

DAVE: have you figured out who made your cool fireproof cabinet yet? I just saw an old vintage name on a cabinet that could be one option for you cause they made some nice quality cabinets and have you heard of Yawman & Erbe? also General Fireproof I think was the name of one of my stout cabinets i owned a few years ago. I surely would have kept it, but I don't weld and the bottom was falling off from sitting in a flooded basement. one of the few cabinets with 2 full length bins in each of their 11 drawers and there wasn't the computer file slot in them so you could pack them with nuts and bolts or parts and take the bin/drawer to your project

Drives: I still have not figured out who made this cabinet. I had not heard of Yawman & Erbe but a google search shows they made some nice stuff. I like that Tanker Desk they made. The one with the Padded top, I think it’s leather. I did some searching for both Yawman & Erbe and General Fireproof but didn’t find anything that looks like the fireproof cabinet I have, so it’s still an enigma!

 

[wtn1271]

Recent find at an estate/moving sale. Assume it was sold as a cash box or for similar purpose. Good shape, hopefully the stains clean up a little more, no key but lock is numbered.
Any idea as to age and scarcity of the green Crowntop tag/logo?
Thanks

 

[Terry D]

ALL: I still haven't found any catalog pics, but I did find a good picture of what my 49 drawer addressograph looked like with a stand and doors.

I'd also like to see a few more pictures on this thread of offices and garages maybe pre WWII with people working around some of these old cabinets.

here's a wall of huge addressographs.

Love them vintage pictures

 

[drivesitfar]

Dave: even though the Yawman & Erbe desk isn't technically a cabinet you have my permission to post pictures of it here once you find one and bring it home.

i'm still thinking i need another old Army cabinet with the butcher top and of course if I can find a fireproof cabinet with the small drawers and I have enough cash in my wallet i'll be bringing it home and finding a spot for it.

WTN: i'm not the guy that has Craftsman catalogs committed to memory like some members, but Crowntop is I think mid 60's to late 70's to give you a ballpark. your little petty cash box looks almost new.

Terry: thanks and post up a few you like too if you have time cause I think we all like the old pics. ever watch an old 007 movie or old movie and see some vintage cabinets and say OMG I wish?

ALL: I was thinking of selling the 49 drawer addressograph to a young member that needed it, but it's an inch too tall to go under his bench so now i'm starting to fill it up. It is seriously heavy and i bet it weighs close to 400 pounds.

for some of you that don't see the other threads on GJ as much as I do you might like an idea I picked up from another member. he pulled off the casters off his toolbox so he could lower his workbench once he found a huge vise and he put back in the bolts in the caster's holes. not only will this keep the bottom from rusting on his toolboxes, but it is also a way he leveled them.

neat idea and he also put pipe dope or grease on the bolts threads in case they do get wet they won't rust in place.

hope you all had a great weekend!!

 

[lardy1]

I'm not sure if posting "I wish I had" rather than "I have" is acceptable. But, I'm going to look at this later in the week. I don't have high hopes because I don't have a high budget.

Sorry if the post is outside protocol.

 

[drivesitfar]

Lardy: I can't say that i've seen that workbench yet so i hope it's in your price range and you get to bring it home if you like it. also so you can take more pictures of it and maybe give us a few more details.

it's certainly ok to post pictures of cabinets you own or want to own and even if you find a few old pictures of cabinets with or without people working around them.

good luck!!

take a peak at the entire thread and you might see a few of mine and other member's wish list cabinets.

 

[drivesitfar]

Dave: yep Yawman & Erbe does have some nice stuff and I just googled and noticed that while I like their metal cabinets their wood ones are even nicer.

AND there's a Yawman & Erbe tanker desk for sale close to me that I thought i'd share a few pics. ROAD TRIP and bring up the little military box with butcher block top to trade?

here's some pics to wet your appetite for a road trip and for others to have an idea what your dream desk looks like.

ALL: post up those old vintage cabinets and if you have old office pics or your relatives with cabinets in the background taken with poloroids or flash cameras even better.

 

[DaveT]

Dave: yep Yawman & Erbe does have some nice stuff and I just googled and noticed that while I like their metal cabinets their wood ones are even nicer.

AND there's a Yawman & Erbe tanker desk for sale close to me that I thought i'd share a few pics. ROAD TRIP and bring up the little military box with butcher block top to trade?.

Drives: That is a nice looking desk there, thanks for sharing the pics! Not sure I have the proper place for it right now :-(
I spotted another one of those military cabinets in an estate sale ad last weekend but it was painted all black. Unfortunately I was not able to make it to the sale. I will keep my eyes open for another one so I will have something to trade! Not wanting to give up the one I have yet!

 

[rhastings80]

Here is a Yawman & Erbe Flat file I just picked up today. Wood cabinet and fronts but metal drawer bottoms.

 

[drivesitfar]

RH: any chance you can download a .jpg pic cause that awesome cabinet pics don't enlarge? also what are the dimensions? pretty cool when you mix vintage wood and steel. I like it (a lot)!!

ALL: while i'm getting organized and getting rid of some big items that take up a lot of space i'm looking for space savers and these popped up.

the one is a grey flat file built like a tank and no name 40 inches wide and 28 inches deep.

another no name on this vintage 30 drawer cabinet that came with a story. it was in a hardware store operated by the same family for over 3 generations. it's 38.5 inches wide, 33.5 inches tall and 10.25 deep so not a common size for this style cabinet. the back of each drawer is rolled steel and each drawer has a small support on each side which should be good enough to put a fair amount of weight in them.

anybody want to say how they cleaned off the surface rust on these old cabinets? do you take handles off to shine up or tell us your tricks, secrets or maybe just share a few tips and ideas? not that surface rust bothers me cause once I start using them it turns more into patina.


i'm thinking because it's narrow it might fit in a hallway or entrance to my new shop. for now i'll fill it with electrical supplies so it will be right at home.

hope you all have a great weekend!!

 

[paulm12]

I picked this up recently. Don't know the mfr. I plan to use it for small parts storage, though I wish it a few more of the mid-size drawers and fewer of the tiny ones. The smaller drawers are just slide in, the bottom one has rollers. But the price was right. And once I cleaned off the 10 lbs of old grease (ugh!!!) the drawers slid pretty well. It came with about 3/4 gallon of old screws, nuts and bolts, plus a few good nuts and bolts, plus a few tools that just about cover the cost of the cabinet. I am thinking about repainting in the spring, but I don't like shiny paint on scratched and dented metal. And I kinda like the vintage color it has. Oh, it also came with a metal frame dolly that I need to clean up a bit.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

I picked up this Cole 12-drawer cabinet at an estate sale last week. I'm wondering if anyone knows what the intended use of these was? I could only find one pic of another 12-drawer like this one with a google search. That one was blue and was called a file card cabinet. The dimensions of the cabinet are 19-3/4" (wide across the front) x 16" (depth) x 9" (height). Each drawer has 42 liftable "flaps" or "wings" where you can put something like paper or light card stock. The max size of what can be put in each "flap" would be 8"x5". You can clearly see in the pics that there are slots to allow smaller stock to be held in the "flaps". The "drawers" really aren't as they don't have much of any sides on them (see pic). This one was being used to track some billing and investments by the husband and wife. I was thinking maybe they could be used by a stamp or postcard collector but I'd really like to know the original intended purpose, background on the company and possibly period these were made and sold. Any help is appreciated. By the way, it's pretty darn heavy and stout for a small cabinet. Thanks!

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Here is a Yawman & Erbe Flat file I just picked up today. Wood cabinet and fronts but metal drawer bottoms.

Looks like a great cabinet rh. Getting your pics oriented right would help see them better though.

If you took these with an iphone the orientation is off because the default orientation for an iphone is landscape mode (your phone turned sideways). If you took the pics with the phone sideways they'd show up oriented correctly without you needing to do anything. But if you take them in portrait mode (the phone held like most of us would call "normally") then they have to be edited to flip the pics and then they must be saved that way.

 

[NORTON'S SHOP]

Here is a Yawman & Erbe Flat file I just picked up today. Wood cabinet and fronts but metal drawer bottoms.

^^^That's a nice looking cabinet. Great find!

 

[rhastings80]

Here are some better pictures:

 

[drivesitfar]

RH: as far as the cabinets i've seen in person by Yawman & Erbe they are right up near or at the top with their quality. does it look as good (or better) in person as it does in the pictures you posted?

what are you planning on storing inside it?

Paulm: painting that cool cabinet Army green or Navy battleship grey might work or just stripping and putting on a few light coats of BLO might just be better. what are the dimensions? I just found a wood one sorta similar to that one you have and I think the small drawers will be perfect for old wrench sets so maybe you'll find a good use for it/them.

TEX: that Cole is sorta like an old school ROLODEX. i'm not sure what all businesses used it for, but I think the REAL ESTATE business had their listings on cards that were placed in those with all the housing information and maybe a picture of the house.

a company that i started working for back in 1982 had been in business for 40 or so years so in one of the cupboards the owner would let us look through if we had time had some of the old listings in boxes and maybe file cabinets like yours. fun to see a 2500 sq ft all brick home with a sound view in a good area selling for $2500 (yes that was 2 thousand five hundred) dollars back around WWII.

unless you need files storage if you can take out the flaps and have thin drawers they might work well for sandpaper, saw blades or other types of storage and COLE made their stuff to last.

 

[paulm12]

Hey Drives: the cabinet I just got is around 51"h x 25"d x 20" w. The small drawers are just under 1-1/2" deep, I wish they were just a bit taller. Still noodlin' about how to use them. And I want to find a yellow or gold like this is, kinda like some of the old tanker desks.

thanks.

 

[drivesitfar]

Paulm: here's my no name wood cabinet that I think has some similar size and design to it as yours.

 

[paulm12]

Drives: that is way cool.

 

[park city flyer]

I picked up this Cole 12-drawer cabinet at an estate sale last week. I'm wondering if anyone knows what the intended use of these was? I could only find one pic of another 12-drawer like this one with a google search. That one was blue and was called a file card cabinet. The dimensions of the cabinet are 19-3/4" (wide across the front) x 16" (depth) x 9" (height). Each drawer has 42 liftable "flaps" or "wings" where you can put something like paper or light card stock. The max size of what can be put in each "flap" would be 8"x5". You can clearly see in the pics that there are slots to allow smaller stock to be held in the "flaps". The "drawers" really aren't as they don't have much of any sides on them (see pic). This one was being used to track some billing and investments by the husband and wife. I was thinking maybe they could be used by a stamp or postcard collector but I'd really like to know the original intended purpose, background on the company and possibly period these were made and sold. Any help is appreciated. By the way, it's pretty darn heavy and stout for a small cabinet. Thanks!

I think these boxes held inventory cards in the days before computers. Pendaflex, of hanging file fame, made the cards( and maybe the file boxes).

Tom

 

[lardy1]

This weeks local auction "want". Pretty certain somebody with more money than I wants it too.

 

[drivesitfar]

Lardy: around here you could probably buy that mixed pair for a benjamin or maybe 2 so be patient and maybe you'll find a pair or one here and one there that are in better shape for something in your budget.

if you want more information on those post those pics with questions over on the vintage toolbox thread. I used to know who made those, but that part of my brain was taken over by wood and metal cabinets i like better.

ALL: I was wondering where to put my latest 40.5 inch flat file find and as i was moving it I saw this old Addressograph with a couple boxes on it that looked perfect. OMG it was the same width.

one wall in my 10x20 storage unit is ready to go now at least on the first level and i have a slot for some 2x4 foot pieces of plywood that I might need for shelving changes.

Also since these old Shaw Walker cabinets are in pieces i'm going to stack them 7 foot tall and use them in the back of my bride's garage to fill a hole.

 

[Odd Job]

I acquired this one over 10 years ago from an older collector who was downsizing. Pondering the purchase I glanced over at my wife standing beside me and he said, "Don't look to her for approval". It put me in arrears several trips to bowling alley.

 

[tombell572]

txlonghorn1989, Those look like Cardex files. Hard to tell the size but the ones I'm familiar with held 5x7 index cards, each in a clear plastic sleeve. They were made so you could remove a card, make an entry of some sort and re-inert it in the sleeve. pretty much obsolete in the digital age.

rhastings80 and drives, those are beautiful!

Tom B.

 

[drivesitfar]

OJ: nice looking cabinet. what do you put in it? pic?

Tom: thank you

ALL: for some of you that haven't ever seen these stackable Shaw Walker cabinets they are pretty cool. I measured my space and figured if I removed 3 of the single drawers the 2 cabinets could be 7 foot tall. Yep with a little leveling under the front of the base and a shim on the side now I just have to remove the file dividers and it's ready to use for my stuff.

also when I set my 30 drawer cabinet on top of my big steel bench I needed to remove my Equipto and Lyon 18 cabinets to make room. then since I don't have a spot for them now I started filling the bins on the other bench that was half empty and now almost all 4 cabinets there are full.

yep putting green painters tape on with sharpie telling me what's in each bin so I can see if they work well there and so I know where the hell everything is for a while works for me and then i'll get my old naming stickies that i'll punch the names in and it might look a bit better.

anybody else have these Shaw Walker cabinets? can you tell me the quick way to remove the dividers? I figured out a way, but it's gonna be a bit slow.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Drives: You're organizing your nuts, bolts, screws, etc over prioritizing getting the wife's garage cleared out? You must like living on the edge I think! ;0)