Tambour wooden tool chest

Tool Pants · May 15, 2009

4 months ago I posted this.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29242&highlight=vintage

I was looking for something vintage or unique. I just bought this, a little of both. Never thought it would be a wooden tool chest. White oak and walnut.

The guy who built it was a machinist for 38 years. He built it while he was still working. He used it at work. It was finished in July 1979. He retired 4 years ago and took it to his home shop. So this is 30 years old, and it is unique.

Packard V8 · May 15, 2009

Now, that's unique. Hard to believe he ever used it at work.

thanks for sharing, jack vines

ps, you neglected to mention the price. afraid your wife might see the post?

sk farmer · May 15, 2009

that is first cass. take good care of it. some guy put his whole life in there.

skipskip · May 15, 2009

HOLY ****!!
that's the most beautiful box I have ever seen.
Skip

tatra · May 15, 2009

now that is a nice box...........regaurdless of the price, i would say you did very well..............surprised the old guy would even sell that.......... :beer:

sk farmer · May 15, 2009

i don't think he sold it, and if he did he didn't want to.

Tool Pants · May 15, 2009

Did I mention the hand cut dovetail joints for the drawers and the tongue and grove construction of the case....

Sometime in the past he had worked at an antique store and studied the construction of old roll top desks which usually had a secret compartment.

So he put one in under the bottom drawer. The next 2 pictures are at the builder's house as he demonstrated how to get to the compartment. Remove the bottom drawer and the compartment is under it and lifts out.

Very nice guy. As we looked around his home shop I mentioned Norm Abram. He thought Norm was sloppy. But keep in mind the builder of this tool chest is a machinest, not a cabinet maker by trade.

Next 2 pictures were taken later in the day in my office next to a file cabinet. I have no room in the garage, so I put it in my office. I have a Boxster toys in my office so I put the Barbie Boxster on top for the pictures.

Tool Pants · May 15, 2009

Packard V8 said:
Now, that's unique. Hard to believe he ever used it at work.

thanks for sharing, jack vines

ps, you neglected to mention the price. afraid your wife might see the post?

He did use it at work. Here is a 30 year old black and white picture of the builder at work that I took today with my digital camera at his house. He said the original picture was in a company newsletter. I asked him for the picture so I could put it in the secret compartment for the next generation. That was his only print and because he was so young in the company picture he said no to parting with the original. So I took a picture of the picture.

I do not have a wife. As we were about to leave with the chest in the back of my pickup the builder's wife pulled into the driveway. I told her that her husband had paid me $200 to haul it away....

-B- · May 16, 2009

Wow what a box and craftsman too..... Norm is a lucky carpenter ask any cabinetmaker

So what are you going to fill that masterpiece with ?

Tool Pants · May 17, 2009

I have started to collect old tools, so the plan is to put them in the wooden tool box.

When we loaded it in my truck I noticed he had carved his initials and the year it was made on the bottom.

nine4gmc · Oct 15, 2015

Bumping an old thread I just found thanks to ZK, holy moly that's beautiful!

Vzfnjm · Oct 15, 2015

What a sweet box!

PFSard · Oct 15, 2015

nine4gmc said:
Bumping an old thread I just found thanks to ZK, holy moly that's beautiful!

Never crossed paths with this thread before. Truly incredible piece of work.

Kiwi 007 · Dec 30, 2017

That is one awesome tool cabinet, what are the dimensions of it?

Where did he put all his tools after selling the toolchest?

stewed baker · Jul 9, 2018

Yeah, I know, Old Thread.
But that is an incredible work of art.
If the wheel wells are about 40" wide ?
The cabinet must be 30-36" wide ?
If he is 6' tall, cabinet is about 4' ?

Stuart in MN · Jul 9, 2018

I missed it when it was first posted...that's a beautiful tool chest.

1982fxr · Jul 10, 2018

Whoa!!

superautobacs · Jul 10, 2018

Tool Pants said:
He did use it at work. Here is a 30 year old black and white picture of the builder at work that I took today with my digital camera at his house. He said the original picture was in a company newsletter. I asked him for the picture so I could put it in the secret compartment for the next generation. That was his only print and because he was so young in the company picture he said no to parting with the original. So I took a picture of the picture.

I do not have a wife. As we were about to leave with the chest in the back of my pickup the builder's wife pulled into the driveway. I told her that her husband had paid me $200 to haul it away....

Thanks for sharing this! :pimpflash

He paid you!? :shocking:

Stuart in MN · Jul 10, 2018

superautobacs said:
He paid you!?

I'm pretty sure he said that with tongue in cheek.

jimreed2160 · Jul 10, 2018

What a treasure. I am glad Photobucket did not eat those pictures.

Tambour wooden tool chest

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