Starrett Machinist Tool Chest

[rusty65]

Just picked up this mahogany starrett box and I’m wondering if any one that has used this style of box what did you do to lubricate the wood rails and what did you use to maintain the boxes wood.


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[Toold_up]

Wax for drawer lube. I like this stuff:
https://www.howardproducts.com/product/feed-n-wax-wood-polish-and-conditioner/

You can buy it at lowes/homedepot but call local mom and pop hardware stores first.

I never owned one of those boxes (would love to!), but have been around old wood furniture all my life and howards stuff is what i've been using for a long time.

How's the flocking inside the drawers?

 

[rusty65]

Wax for drawer lube. I like this stuff:
https://www.howardproducts.com/product/feed-n-wax-wood-polish-and-conditioner/

You can buy it at lowes/homedepot but call local mom and pop hardware stores first.

I never owned one of those boxes (would love to!), but have been around old wood furniture all my life and howards stuff is what i've been using for a long time.

How's the flocking inside the drawers?

The felt is what one expect for a used box used in a machine shop. Plenty of dried oil but not a lot of tears or rips. The box has its bumps and scrapes but appears to be solid in all the structural areas.

I’ll have to check that stuff out for the drawers. Thank you for the recommendation.


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[Toold_up]

You're welcome for the recommendation. I love that stuff it has a wonderful smell and makes the wood feel silky smooth. Apply once a year or as needed.

I'd love to see more pictures of that old tool box!

 

[Shiftless]

Yep, that’s a great old box.

And a to the recommendations for the Howard’s.
I also use it to protect the top of my 1950’s Craftsman cast iron table saw. No rust and the wood slides SO smooth!

 

[RTM]

Is that a rebadged Gerstner? Looks like it, but I’m no expert.

 

[leg17]

Is that a rebadged Gerstner? Looks like it, but I’m no expert.

Should be.

 

[Bob-B]

Yes, Gerstner made those for Starrett.

 

[MShaw]

I have a Starrett catalog from 1979 and it only shows a Starrett / Kennedy. They did not offer the wood version then so older than 1979.

 

[rusty65]

I have a Starrett catalog from 1979 and it only shows a Starrett / Kennedy. They did not offer the wood version then so older than 1979.

Very cool! Thank you for the information.


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[rusty65]

Wax for drawer lube. I like this stuff:
https://www.howardproducts.com/product/feed-n-wax-wood-polish-and-conditioner/

You can buy it at lowes/homedepot but call local mom and pop hardware stores first.

I never owned one of those boxes (would love to!), but have been around old wood furniture all my life and howards stuff is what i've been using for a long time.

How's the flocking inside the drawers?

Once again thank you for the recommendation I bought the feed n wax from menards and used it like the instructions said. I was able to bring back a lot of the original finish that was faded on the upper portion of the box lid. I’m glad I was able to find a quality product to help protect and maintain the wood finish and it wasn’t difficult to get my hands on. I’ve got a lot of nice antique wooden furniture so the stuff will be my go to from now on.



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[rusty65]

Yep, that’s a great old box.

And a to the recommendations for the Howard’s.
I also use it to protect the top of my 1950’s Craftsman cast iron table saw. No rust and the wood slides SO smooth!

Thank you I like it a lot. The front drawer cover has a repaired crack and there is about a million dings but the box still works and that’s what matters to me. Oh yeah and three of the drawer pulls have been replaced from the originals wearing out over the years. This box has seen some use that’s for sure. I’m considering doing a restoration but until I find a area that needs corrective glueing or jointers I’m going to leave it original.


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[rusty65]

Is that a rebadged Gerstner? Looks like it, but I’m no expert.

I believe the box is rebranded Gerstner just with a slightly different layout then the model 042 and shorter in height it’s like a between model.


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[txlonghorn1989]

Nice chest rusty!

 

[RTM]

On


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Gee, that looks awesome. Nice.

 

[Toold_up]

I like it! Good job keeping it original and still functional!

That Howard's stuff is nice. How do the drawers slide now? Everything smell good?

Be careful if you wax any chairs, they can get slippy when you go to sit down...

Boiled linseed oil is another one of my favorites. I use that on all my firearms. Another wonderful smell, and really make the wood grain pop!

 

[californiaHank]

Beautiful tool box. It looks eminently usable in its current condition. Unless there's something obvously broken or non-functional, I wouldn't do anything more to it except occasional waxing. 'Preservation', like you've done, is great, but 'restoration' would be like refinishing a piece of classic antique furniture - it would remove the honest signs of age and use that, for me, give it a lot of its appeal.

 

[davethorik]

Looking good! Is that a mayhew tap handle i see in the drawer?

 

[seagiant]

Hi,
A trick that works pretty good to lube wooden sliding rails on drawers is...

To rub some bar hand/body soap on them. (Dial, Irish Spring, ect.)

 

[My Old Tools]

Johnson's Paste Wax in the yellow can is my go to. Lubes drawers, handsaws, planes, cast iron tables, etc. Available in just about every grocery and hardware store. I have 4 or 5 cans sitting around the shop.

 

[Toold_up]

Johnson's Paste Wax in the yellow can is my go to. Lubes drawers, handsaws, planes, cast iron tables, etc. Available in just about every grocery and hardware store. I have 4 or 5 cans sitting around the shop.

I'm a big fan of JPW as well! I feel it leaves a slightly sticky finish compared to Howards for furniture use. I like JPW for my tablesaw (and any unfinished metal that is going to sit for a while).

 

[KBS26]

Very cool! Thank you for the information.


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Can you take a picture of this chest from the catalog, Please?

 

[RTM]

Can you take a picture of this chest from the catalog, Please?

Try here

Starrett No. 200 Mechanics' Tool Chests : H. Gerstner & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

2 p., illus., 21.9 cm (image size), trade catalog

archive.org

 

[MShaw]

I can back the date down a little more. My 1976 catalog also shows only metal. (Kennedy)

 

[RoninB4]

I have a Starrett catalog from 1979 and it only shows a Starrett / Kennedy. They did not offer the wood

-I was fairly new to the machining trade in 1979. From my selective and fading memory I recall that Mahogany for tool chests and even raw limber was becoming quite expensive and was dropped from most of the industrial supply catalogs shortly thereafter. Gerstner used to offer a choice of material that I've seen in Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, and Mahogany. No sure when these were available but not all of those choices were available when I was shopping in the mid 80's.

To the OP: Nice example, Mahogany was the choice of many of the top men in the shop.

 

[RTM]

raw limber was becoming quite expensive and was dropped from most of the industrial supply catalogs shortly thereafter.

Dang, never knew you could buy limber. I could really use some more these days.

 

[KBS26]

Try here

Starrett No. 200 Mechanics' Tool Chests : H. Gerstner & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

2 p., illus., 21.9 cm (image size), trade catalog

archive.org

Thanks, I found the Ref. Catalog

 

[KBS26]

Try here

Starrett No. 200 Mechanics' Tool Chests : H. Gerstner & Sons, Inc. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

2 p., illus., 21.9 cm (image size), trade catalog

archive.org

Thanks you

 

[RoninB4]

Dang, never knew you could buy limber. I could really use some more these days.

-Never met U but there is a difference between U and I isn't there?

 

[jabberwoki]

What a beaut.