A garage chair fit for a Chief

tinbender 66 · Jul 17, 2011

Backstory: My BIL was in the Navy for 31 years, retired as a Master Chief. He was a chief for a long time and this was his chair.When he retired they gave it to him. It's been around the world on several different aircraft carriers. He gave it to his dad (FIL). When the FIL passed away he didn't want to take it so my wife took it. She used it for a few years. I always coveted it but she wouldn't give it up. It was sitting on the back porch the other day and she said she didn't want it anymore so I jumped on it and fixed it up a little.

As recieved:

tinbender 66 · Jul 17, 2011

The chair was made by W.H. Gunlocke Chair Company in Wayland, NY. The stencil on the bottom is stamped 6-66. JFK dealt with the Cuban missle crisis in a Gunlocke chair.

I took it apart and cleaned it up as best I could. The thing is built like a tank so I could only get apart so far. The main support part is put together with rivets. I repainted the steel parts with brown paint that's pretty close to the original.

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb359/tinbender66/GARAGE%20ORGINIZATION/

[IMG]http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb359/tinbender66/GARAGE%20ORGINIZATION/ODDS%20AND%20ENDS/DSCF3601.jpgODDS%20AND%20ENDS/DSCF3595.jpg[/IMG]

tinbender 66 · Jul 17, 2011

The wood parts I just cleaned and polished with furniture cleaner/polish. The brass caps on the legs I cleaned with a fine wire wheel on my bench grinder and then polished by hand. They've got a few dings in them but that's ok. Same with the brass tacks that hold the upholstery on the back. I shined them as good as I could with brasso and a toothbrush. Not perfect but I like a little patina.

AFChief · Jul 17, 2011

Cool project!

tinbender 66 · Jul 17, 2011

All dressed up and ready to sit in. It's very comfortable.

It will probably go in my "office" when that's done. Gotta find a suitable old wood desk

cnc-me · Jul 17, 2011

Now thats what I call a chair, very nice.

Bobby.T · Jul 17, 2011

Now you need a few tattoos, one of those big heavy Navy coffee cups along with a few junior petty officers and seamen to do your bidding, and you're all set!

gatewaysysop · Jul 17, 2011

Wow, nice!! :bowdown:

Is that by chance a tanker desk you have it pictured with in the last shot? Always liked those old things (had one in grad. school for a couple years).

In any case, sweet chair with an awesome backstory. Good work cleaning it up and keeping it around to enjoy. :thumbup:

justanengineer · Jul 17, 2011

Nice chair. I always loved classic high end office furniture.

OTOH...nice to see tax dollars are being given away. Though admittedly, I would rather see them given away in this manner than at the welfare office.

HoseB · Jul 17, 2011

Very nice. There are companies reproducing JFK's chair for upwards of $2900.00

Omphaloskeptic · Jul 17, 2011

Man oh man, the 'sea-stories' that chair could tell if it could talk!

Being a very ex-NucMM1, I can vouch for the truism that the Navy is run by its Master Chiefs.

P.S. In case you didn't know...

All fairy tales begin with the phrase "Once Upon A Time"

All 'sea-stories' begin with the phrase "Now, this ain't no ********!"

Bryanatkinson · Jul 17, 2011

Before you cleaned and painted on it, it looked like it passed through the world war.
After you fix, it become brand new! That's cool.

It would be perfect if you fix the leather part too.

bad_idea · Jul 17, 2011

justanengineer said:
Nice chair. I always loved classic high end office furniture.

OTOH...nice to see tax dollars are being given away. Though admittedly, I would rather see them given away in this manner than at the welfare office.

if it bothers you to see the govt give away tax dollars, how does it make you feel to see them throw it in dumpsters? the military throws away millions of dollars worth of tools and equipment to buy new to spend all of their budget. if they dont spend the money this year, they dont get it next year.

ohh btw.. nice looking chair, nice restore. in all reality the navy would've shitcanned it to buy a new one.

HoseB · Jul 17, 2011

I used to purchase equipment/furniture at military auctions. Not so sure they're throwing stuff in dumpsters.

Shadowdog500 · Jul 17, 2011

Nice chair!!

bad_idea said:
if it bothers you to see the govt give away tax dollars, how does it make you feel to see them throw it in dumpsters? the military throws away millions of dollars worth of tools and equipment to buy new to spend all of their budget. if they dont spend the money this year, they dont get it next year.

The gov don't just throw things out. They actually have property management departments that tracks equipment and auction off excess equipment.

look up government auctions online, sometimes there are good deals on old equipment.

Chris

NUTTSGT · Jul 18, 2011

I can't hardly believe that your BIL didn't want it back when his dad died. Much praise to you for restoring that chair back to it's livelihood. It's well built and shows the quality of craftsmanship for standing up to the test of time.

tinbender 66 · Jul 18, 2011

Thanks for all the nice comments guys!

It was fun to do.

gatewaysysop said:
Wow, nice!!

Is that by chance a tanker desk you have it pictured with in the last shot? Always liked those old things (had one in grad. school for a couple years).

In any case, sweet chair with an awesome backstory. Good work cleaning it up and keeping it around to enjoy.

That's not a tanker. From what I've found the tanker was about 7' wide. There are no markings on it as to who made it but it's very heavy duty. Got it at the Habitat store for $10. I'd love to find a tanker or a nice Steelcase to fix up.

tinbender 66 · Jul 18, 2011

NUTTSGT said:
I can't hardly believe that your BIL didn't want it back when his dad died. Much praise to you for restoring that chair back to it's livelihood. It's well built and shows the quality of craftsmanship for standing up to the test of time.

Thanks Nutts. I really don't know why he didn't want it back. If he ever wants it though, it's his.

Keep · Jul 18, 2011

Omphaloskeptic said:
All 'sea-stories' begin with the phrase "Now, this ain't no ********!"

Sounds like Army stories as well "No ****, there I was..."

Great job on the chair, those things are nice and comfy.

smacdiesel · Jul 18, 2011

Great job!! Is your wife going to want it back now? Lol!

nate379 · Jul 18, 2011

If you are worried about a 45 year old chair, you would have a coronary if you knew just day to day what is wasted... tossed, given away, "acquired".

I used to do supply work as part of my job and we would get HEAVY parts in (like several thousand lb) priority overnight FedEx, even though we didn't need it in a hurry. The supply guys refused to change the shipping options. Can you imagine what that cost?
I know one item I send was 3 boxes, each about 65lbs from Idaho to Florida and it was about $400 each. I sent 12 of them.

justanengineer said:
OTOH...nice to see tax dollars are being given away. Though admittedly, I would rather see them given away in this manner than at the welfare office.

bazzateer · Jul 18, 2011

Bryanatkinson said:
It would be perfect if you fix the leather part too.

Nothing to fix, just needs cleaning and the leather feeding maybe?

wornoutoldman · Jul 18, 2011

Now you'll never get anything done out in the garage :bounce:

it's a beauty :thumbup:

widerberg · Jul 18, 2011

Beautiful job on a great chair with an even better story. Gotta love stuff like that!

yellowdartdave · Jul 18, 2011

wornoutoldman said:
Now you'll never get anything done out in the garage it's a beauty

Correct....but he can sit in the chair and look out into the garage with pride.

Great Job !!

Zeke · Jul 18, 2011

Sitting in my grandfather's Crocker right now:

A garage chair fit for a Chief

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Super Moderator

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Member

Banned

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member