Industrial Metal Desks

[Bugeyed Earl]

Anyone in the area needing a desk might check here.

Menards Surplus Store in Eau Claire, WI
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/for/4296266380.html

That drafting table looks pretty interesting:

 

[Ragged Earl]

I'm still not sure how to get the caps off the ends of the top on my ArtMetal. It looks like they have to come off before the top can be removed.

 

[70C-10]

That drafting table looks pretty interesting:

Wish I had room for it....

 

[nine4gmc]

I'm still not sure how to get the caps off the ends of the top on my ArtMetal. It looks like they have to come off before the top can be removed.

Pics?

 

[Ragged Earl]

Pics?

I'll try to get some decent ones tomorrow.

 

[SteveJohnston]

Picked up one today from my mom's old storage garage. My stepdad got this from the VA (I think) and it has sat in that garage for the last 20 years. It has some rust on the top but the rest is in pretty good shape. It's been repainted, it appears, in a whitish tone, but the original gray color is beneath. There is no badge on it, only a very faded ink stamp on the inside of the back panel; I can't make out what it says though. Any ideas from the design or handles? There is no key but I know the drawer locking mechanism works. By pressing and holding in on the middle drawer, it activates the locks for all the drawers. I had one like this when I was a manager with the post office. It even has some sort of gizmo that sits horizontally across a drawer with 4 holes and a piece of plexiglass fitted into it.

I plan on doing a quick touch up of this thing (not sure about the top), then putting in my basement workshop. I also got a steel garbage made by The Witt Company in Cincy, OH.

Almost certainly one of my own favorite General Fireproofing model 1660F or 1460F. The only difference between the two is the depth. The 1660F is 34" deep, the 1460F is 30" deep. The drawer pulls in these pics might look different, not having the bases, but there is a picture farther back in the thread of a grey one that I acquired recently (post #442).

These are my own favorite of the tanker desk designs. Mine does not have the tray that you have in the third pic. Now I am going to have to hunt one of those down. It is very cool!

I also have a question for everyone. I have been hearing that there is a way to repair the velvoleum tops of these desks. Does anyone know how that is done?

 

[Johnson]

Almost certainly one of my own favorite General Fireproofing model 1660F or 1460F. The only difference between the two is the depth. The 1660F is 34" deep, the 1460F is 30" deep. The drawer pulls in these pics might look different, not having the bases, but there is a picture farther back in the thread of a grey one that I acquired recently (post #442).

These are my own favorite of the tanker desk designs. Mine does not have the tray that you have in the third pic. Now I am going to have to hunt one of those down. It is very cool!

I also have a question for everyone. I have been hearing that there is a way to repair the velvoleum tops of these desks. Does anyone know how that is done?

Thanks for the info. I'll have to take a measurement to confirm. I agree that the little tray is quite cool!

 

[scrumpy]

I have a table from General Fireproofing with a single center drawer. It is 45" x 28" and has a top surface called Hila-Plas.



Use it for a Spare PC. I cannot remember how this one came to be mine. I'm thinking it may have come with the house.

-scrump

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I was searching for metal desks and found this... Sure looks like it would be good for something... Especially if you're a witch apparently.

http://abbotsford.en.craigslist.ca/clt/4307379250.html

 

[jalopyshots]

I have a Yawman and Erbe curved corner desk. It's in really good shape, weighs just under a million pounds and holds lots of stuff. I bought it at an auction about 4 years ago for $20. Someone put a green wood grain vinyl sticker on top of it so I'm slowly pealing that off.
I would like to find a matching lamp and chair.

 

[dittle fart around]

Good use of painter's tape.

 

[jalopyshots]

Good use of painter's tape.

It's handy stuff. My new puppy was chewing on my laptop cord so I taped it up.

 

[dittle fart around]

It's handy stuff. My new puppy was chewing on my laptop cord so I taped it up.

One of my cats pissed in the power strip for my computer and shorted it out. That's why the painter's tape looks familiar.

 

[Bunchgrass]

Anyone in the area needing a desk might check here.

Menards Surplus Store in Eau Claire, WI
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/for/4296266380.html

As someone who cut his teeth pulling freight for Steelcase - the Cadillac of office furniture ....... the filing cabinets listed in the advert are actually "vertical files" not "lateral files". Laterals are the wide filing cabinets like they have at the Dr's office (or used to).

BTW - Those old style Steelcase desks (5200 line) are battleships. Definitely worth the buy but they didn't cost $600 new.

It's one thing for people to buy these to outfit their homes/offices/shops but I just hate when things become "trendy" and every joker looking to make a quick buck jumps in and tries to flip them. I think we're headed for collapse of the industrial desk bubble!

I wonder if you could replace the Velvoleum tops with linoleum ---- that stuff is awesome and comes in a jillion colors.

 

[SteveJohnston]

As someone who cut his teeth pulling freight for Steelcase - the Cadillac of office furniture ....... the filing cabinets listed in the advert are actually "vertical files" not "lateral files". Laterals are the wide filing cabinets like they have at the Dr's office (or used to).

BTW - Those old style Steelcase desks (5200 line) are battleships. Definitely worth the buy but they didn't cost $600 new.

It's one thing for people to buy these to outfit their homes/offices/shops but I just hate when things become "trendy" and every joker looking to make a quick buck jumps in and tries to flip them. I think we're headed for collapse of the industrial desk bubble!

I wonder if you could replace the Velvoleum tops with linoleum ---- that stuff is awesome and comes in a jillion colors.

I have spoken to people who have done so and they say it works great. Some claim that velvoleum is just GF's trade name for linoleum. I have never made a comparison, though, so I can't say 1st hand.

I will be trying it myself.

 

[volleyball]

I have a table from General Fireproofing with a single center drawer. It is 45" x 28" and has a top surface called Hila-Plas.



Use it for a Spare PC. I cannot remember how this one came to be mine. I'm thinking it may have come with the house.

-scrump

I've got one of those and two typewriter desks. One has a keyboard height top and the other one is regular height but the typewriter pulls out when you fold the center part of the top back.
I also have a barrister bookcase, several sliding glass door cabinets, wheeled and stationary chairs.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Just got my guys done scavenging @ Sandvik Coromant. They're going to demo the original building & they're donating EVERYTHING to the township. It's kind of sad to see so many good/vintage steel desks (tankers out the wazoo) and storage units going to the scrap yard. We loaded up 5 box trucks full of office furniture, caster foot desk chairs, cabinets, etc. The police department loaded 8. The DPW was there for 3 days...
I glommed two wall mount lockable cabinets, 2 slide-under desk shallow drawer cabinets for under the bench & a folding computer table to use as a medium duty work bench in the boiler room to do light projects/hobby stuff in the house when it's too cold to be in the garage. pics soon...

Tommy

 

[CheckeredFlag]

You guys should check out Government / Military Surplus / GSA sites

I've seen those big metal desks sell for $35 bucks

ck out: http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/gsaauctions/

for one ---

 

[CheckeredFlag]

on another note:

Schools + Colleges have Surplus kinda sales

another place to find some deals, from time to time

http://www.msusurplusstore.com/servlet/Detail?no=8094

 

[rohartman]

I have a Yawman and Erbe curved corner desk. It's in really good shape, weighs just under a million pounds and holds lots of stuff. I bought it at an auction about 4 years ago for $20. Someone put a green wood grain vinyl sticker on top of it so I'm slowly pealing that off.
I would like to find a matching lamp and chair.

That's a cool looking table with the glass top in your third pix and I like the black board wall behind your desk.

 

[dorkmagus]

I just sold this Steelcase tanker desk and General Fireproofing Goodform chair a couple days ago for $500.

Then I turned around and bought this 1976 Sears air compressor along with two old bostitch nail guns.

 

[coyotejake]

Cool! I just bought that same compressor for $150!

 

[SteveJohnston]

I've got one of those and two typewriter desks. One has a keyboard height top and the other one is regular height but the typewriter pulls out when you fold the center part of the top back.
I also have a barrister bookcase, several sliding glass door cabinets, wheeled and stationary chairs.

I would love to see pics!

 

[volleyball]

Ask me again when the snow is gone. I put a lot away and things are packed in. What did you want to see?

 

[RivennHewn]

Picked up an old desk today.

Should clean up nice.

It's the older style, with the cool rounded off corners.

 

[coyotejake]

Picked up an old desk today.

Should clean up nice.

It's the older style, with the cool rounded off corners.

Ya know, I have to admit, you ****!

 

[SteveJohnston]

Ask me again when the snow is gone. I put a lot away and things are packed in. What did you want to see?

LOL...I have become a bit of a psycho about these desks and the General Fireproofing typewriter desk is a bit of a grail piece for me...so...everything on that piece. Condition of the top, sides, inside the drawers, inside the typewriter pull-out....

 

[ToolSteel]

I've heard them called "tanks" or "tankers"... because they're built like a Sherman. I found a green all-metal desk last year that looks like it was used by someone in the steno pool. The front-center of the desktop contains a lowered space into which a typewriter would fit. I've looked all over and can't find a model or company name. I live in the Atlanta area and an old army friend says it looks like it's surplus from Fort McPherson. Anyway, I love it and plan to use it for TIG welding.

 

[Mr.A]

http://binghamton.craigslist.org/tls/4350220144.html

great deal!

 

[SteveJohnston]

I wanted to drop in a few shots of another of these General Fireproofing 1600 series desks that I picked up. Got this one for 75.00 on ebay from a relatively close seller. I have already started to dis-assemble the desk. After I get that done and strip it, I am very likely going to have it powder coated in either a matte black or a matte khaki color.

If anyone knows where I can get the strip that goes around the formica at the top, any leads would be appreciated.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

It's usually just a plastic "T" shaped trim that snaps into a slot on the top. Try a commercial furniture store. I've used these guys once in the past:

http://www.t-molding.com/store/home.php

Tommy

 

[SteveJohnston]

It's usually just a plastic "T" shaped trim that snaps into a slot on the top. Try a commercial furniture store. I've used these guys once in the past:

http://www.t-molding.com/store/home.php

Tommy

VERY much appreciated!

 

[Bunchgrass]

Went to a surplus sale and got a nice Steelcase standard 30x60 in light green - great shape for $35. I saw lots of tables of the same style (rounded corners, metal with a wood grain laminate top, center drawer) ranged from small 30x45 to over sized 36x72 --- $40.

I'll try on get a pic of the desk up here.

3-bay locker was ~$150 I think.

 

[Bunchgrass]

You guys should check out Government / Military Surplus / GSA sites

I've seen those big metal desks sell for $35 bucks

ck out: http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/gsaauctions/

for one ---

Not sure if the GSA site(s) list these but when I worked at the University of Idaho, there was an employee who looed for govt surplus we could use. The farm crew got a desert storm camo dozer ..... at least a D8 size. Also, some mobile hospital metal cabinets complete with sinks and portable water supply --- brand new never opened. Also got a pretty well abused military Humvee.

Cool stuff.

 

[jmarkwolf]

You guys are gonna freak.

Two vintage Steelcase Desks, $40 each or $70 for both. If the picture is real they'll be a steal.

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/for/4390136819.html

 

[ADSR]

You guys are gonna freak.

Two vintage Steelcase Desks, $40 each or $70 for both. If the picture is real they'll be a steal.

http://annarbor.craigslist.org/for/4390136819.html

Holy! Look mint too!

 

[BellyUpFish]

Scored 2 more pieces for my office today..

These will both get the same treatment as my desk received..

The aircraft stripper is already doing it's thing..



I'll be reupholstering this in the same orange, if I can find it.

 

[nine4gmc]

I may have access to some orange fabric like that Belly, I'll check and let you know.

Also, cool cabinet

 

[BellyUpFish]

Cool. That'd be sweet!

It's not bad. I've been eyeing it for a few weeks at the ReStore, it finally followed me home.

Got the top off the cabinet. Working on getting the glue off.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Just a little update..