Industrial Metal Desks

[nolimits76]

I bumped into a guy that offered to sand, prep, paint and gloss my tanker for $350. Seems like a fair deal to me. Those that have done your own, would you be willing to pay the money for a good paint job?

 

[BellyUpFish]

I wouldn't, but that's why I do my own.

 

[BellyUpFish]

Finished..

 

[nine4gmc]

I bumped into a guy that offered to sand, prep, paint and gloss my tanker for $350. Seems like a fair deal to me. Those that have done your own, would you be willing to pay the money for a good paint job?

I would neither pay someone $350 or charge someone $350 to paint one. There is a lot of work in there and I think it would look like a cheap job, unless this is a close friend with an auto body shop that owes you a favor.

Finished..

Damn Belly























































and did I mention

 

[RivennHewn]

That cab looks great!

 

[BellyUpFish]

Thanks guys.. It turned out pretty good. I'm happy with it..

Now I need to weld up a bookcase to match. LOL

 

[ADSR]

Well done, BUF! Turned out very cool!

 

[SteveJohnston]

I bumped into a guy that offered to sand, prep, paint and gloss my tanker for $350. Seems like a fair deal to me. Those that have done your own, would you be willing to pay the money for a good paint job?

I'm with nine4, 350.00 is far too good a price to expect a great job. And getting a great job done on one of these might price most people out of having it done for them.

If you know the work is going to be thorough and high-quality, then 350.00 would be an awesome deal.

Finished..

Beautiful work. You gotta love looking at that every day!

 

[BellyUpFish]

I do enjoy looking at it, but mostly from the "I did that.." aspect..

 

[BellyUpFish]

I do enjoy looking at it, but mostly from the "I did that.." aspect..

 

[RivennHewn]

Not desks, but 2nd Use in S. Seattle has a bunch of metal lab cabinets for sale.

Prices vary from cheap to expensive.

Great way to outfit a whole garage.

More than pictured.

 

[nine4gmc]

I just picked up a bunch of similar lab cabinets from auction recently and just finished installing them.

 

[volleyball]

Anyone powdercoating their stuff? I may get a portable heater to touch up my deck and could use it on the desks,chairs and cabinets.

 

[ADSR]

Not desks, but 2nd Use in S. Seattle has a bunch of metal lab cabinets for sale.

Prices vary from cheap to expensive.

Great way to outfit a whole garage.

More than pictured.

Snap all of those up and make a stainless top for them.

 

[nosnerd]

I just picked up a bunch of similar lab cabinets from auction recently and just finished installing them.

ok i really hate you right now LOL


good score!

 

[nine4gmc]

Thanks Nosnerd! Here is the old Globe Wernicke book case I picked up a while back, just got around to refurbing it. More pics in my Projects Thread.

 

[Mr. 360]

View media item 37394
Back in the winter I picked up this 'Sunshine' brand tanker table. It was about -25C that day and the only wrench I had in the car fit the leg bolts. I spent about an hour taking the legs off and sliding the whole thing into my toyota echo.

It was out in the garbage of an industrial unit a few doors down from where I work, had a lovely 50's tanker desk out with it as well but I couldn't fit it in my car. As I was taking this one apart a scrapper came and hauled the other one off (I've seen so much good steel go that way).

The one I saved is now my island work bench.

View media item 40921

 

[sberry]

I like the one above and the cabs 9 got are way too good.

 

[Val_C]

This is one I picked some time ago.

Haven't decided yet what to do with it.

 

[nine4gmc]

Great looking shop Mr 360 and I love that table. I have a similar smaller one that's 2' x 3' with no drawer but same legs and style.

 

[Saw]

I have a Steelcase at work, silvery green.

Snagged a old metal desk chair too, not sure what brand it is.

Squirrel cage fan out of a furnace sets off my carpenter crib fairly nice.

 

[bucannon]

ive got access to a few of these. hmm

 

[ScottsGT]

OMG! I just sent a few of these old green, round desks to salvage at work last month! They were in a downstairs storage area that was abandoned 15 years ago by our Facilities department. Had one of those old green desk chairs go too. Damned thing was so uncomfortable, it had to go. I wanted to save it since it looked cool, but after sitting in it 5 minutes, I realized that modern ergonomics and designs win.
My desk at work is an old Steelcase from the '70's. black with chrome accents and the Formica wood grain top.

 

[WatchMeBe]

Hi everyone!
I've recently bought a nice Shaw-Walker desk with what I believe is a "gumtop" (it's the exact same top as your little end table thing, Val C!). There are a few small knicks in it, and one that's a bit sizeable I'd like to repair. I've considered just taking it off entirely and replacing it with something like butcher board, but I rather like the little stainless steel corner pieces, and it seems a shame to tear it apart if it can be salvaged. Does anyone have any repair suggestions?

 

[nine4gmc]

Those stainless corners could be routed in to a butcher block top, you can try to repair the nicks but they will still be seen, unless you cover them with a computer monitor or desk calender. Nice desk!

 

[SteveJohnston]

That desk is in great shape! Congrats!

 

[Pipe_Beard]

Well fellas you all got me inspired.

I have a friend who works as a maint guy at the Baptist Seminary here in KC. He said they were clearing out an old building and had a couple metals desks they needed to get rid of. My buddy knew I was trying to find a SteelCase in green with no luck unless I wanted to shell out 500$ plus.

Well as luck would have it, they had a Green Steelcase sitting in that building. Picked it up today for FREE!!

It's in pretty great shape too. Top is flawless. Not a single scratch. Has a few dents and surface scratches around the sides with some paint wear on the pencil drawer. But no rust. I'm very lucky!

I'll grab more pics when I get back in town. Just had time to set it in the garage today.

 

[Nowater]

That green color looks almost identical to my Globe-Wernicke. Is the top a hard Formica-like material, as mine is? I have the same chrome trim around the top as you do.

Does anyone know how to remove the chrome trim with an idea to renewing the Formica on the top? Or do you just ignore it, and glue new Formica to the old top and not worry about the exposed edge?

Just so you know, on my desk inside the drawer cavity of the top left and top right drawers, (take the drawers out) there are spring hinges that hold the top on. There are additional hinges on the back too. Removing the springs, the center drawer, the modesty panel, and the top allows the desk to be disassembled with the pedestals separate, and much easier to move or work on.

 

[ZRX61]

Friend has a bunch of them in his storage building. At least a dozen.

 

[WatchMeBe]

Hi there,

I'm trying to remove the top of my tanker desk so I can replace it with a piece of butcher block. Unfortunately...I have no idea how to get the top off. I thought it'd be simple, but am having a terrible time of it. The desk has bolts on either side of the file cabinets; I can reach the entire bolts (the ones closest to the center, where your legs go) but have no prayer of reaching the ones on the outside edge. Anyone have any advice? Am I missing something?

 

[nine4gmc]

Did you pull the drawers out? I take the drawers out, flip the desk upside down and remove the bolts that hold the top on. It separates into top and drawer sections then.

 

[WatchMeBe]

Did you pull the drawers out? I take the drawers out, flip the desk upside down and remove the bolts that hold the top on. It separates into top and drawer sections then.

Unfortunately, I can't reach them even with the drawers removed, because I can't work out how to remove the writing panels! The stops are actually welded into place, rather than moveable.

 

[WatchMeBe]

Ah-- wait! The stops are not welded into place, just very, very, very hard to move. A little vinegar and they've loosened up. I'll give flipping the desk a try. Thanks!

 

[Halfdawg]

I love my tank desk!

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Plus Velvoleum doesn't irritate the skin on my wifes back!

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[BellyUpFish]

Got another project today..



Paint removal begins..

 

[930dreamer]

A spotted a Shaw-Walker at a local indoor flea market, it has the big left door with a typewriter fold out tray?

 

[air8]

I just picked up 10 office desks from a local U.S.D. In the pics it looked like there were three 'tankers' in there. I already own an old 'tanker' so now I don't know what to do with four total. LOL. I will take pics tomorrow after I pick them up. Thinking about going art deco on them and turn them around for some profit.

 

[Showboy]

This is a textbook example of why the Internet is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it helps you find cool stuff like these desks. On the other hand, it's the reason that some people think their desk is worth $1,000,000.

That said, these are cool desks ---- and soon enough I'm going to look for one for my man cave. I've seen them pop up from time to time near me.

 

[UGACherokee]

Very true Flathead. I've been in the abatement business for 20 years and have wrapped & disposed many of these desks, file cabinets and safes because of the asbestos content.

Just picked up a tanker desk -- Steelcase -- and while it doesn't have the asbestos padding on the inside of the desk, what it does have instead looks similar to roofing tar, and looks to have been applied with a notched trowel.

It looks stable, isn't crumbling or friable, and I left it the heck alone. But because it is sitting in my house, I'd love to know what it is. Any ideas?

 

[air8]

Got any pics to share of it?