Rusty Musket
Well-known member
I picked up this cabinet last month. Seller thought it was a Lista but I can't find any labels. All the rollers are good so a quick clean and lube was all it needed to be put into service!
Is this cabinet made by Lista?
- Thread starter Rusty Musket
- Start date
FJ 432
Well-known member
Although the drawers are perforated like Lista my guess with the drawer pulls is that it is not a Lista.
Maybe Lyon?
Maybe Lyon?
It might be an older cabinet that is missing the drawer pull trim. I thought the lista design used a double slide track (as in you see half of the slider unit when the drawers are fully extended) 
What are the dimensions?
Agree with FJ 432 though as the perforated and interior folds scream Lista.
What are the dimensions? Agree with FJ 432 though as the perforated and interior folds scream Lista.
senlow
Well-known member
It looks like an older Lista. Their older cabinets had drawer fronts like that. Lista cabinets of that era were identified with a small foil "Lista" sticker on the upper left corner.
senlow
Well-known member
It might be an older cabinet that is missing the drawer pull trim. I thought the lista design used a double slide track (as in you see half of the slider unit when the drawers are fully extended)
Agree with FJ 432 though as the perforated and interior folds scream Lista.
The older Listas did not have any drawer trim. The drawer slides look correct for an older Lista.
PCO6
Well-known member
Rusty Musket - I have 2 similar cabinets (one on top of the other) and have wondered the same thing about mine. I picked them up as seen below. I plan to strip them down , respray them and incorporate them into welding bench. I'm not sure what brand they are but they are SOLID.
View media item 44566
I'm not sure if this provides any clues but notice the latch at the top right corner of the drawer.
View media item 44567
The top handle and base are add ons of course.
View media item 44566
I'm not sure if this provides any clues but notice the latch at the top right corner of the drawer.
View media item 44567
The top handle and base are add ons of course.
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Thanks for the info. I'm just not that familiar with the old lista cabinents. Now I know.
OP
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
Thanks for the input everyone.
Zkling, you are correct that the drawers do no have separate carriages like the new Listas or my Vidmars. That is partially why I have yet to ID this one. My Google-Fu has let me down. I do like it however. Dimensions are about 27 deep, 27.5 tall (without castors) and 22" wide. Fits just right under my workbench
PC06, Thanks for the pictures. Your cabinet seems to be of the same vintage if not the same family. The deep drawer are nice.
Zkling, you are correct that the drawers do no have separate carriages like the new Listas or my Vidmars. That is partially why I have yet to ID this one. My Google-Fu has let me down. I do like it however. Dimensions are about 27 deep, 27.5 tall (without castors) and 22" wide. Fits just right under my workbench
PC06, Thanks for the pictures. Your cabinet seems to be of the same vintage if not the same family. The deep drawer are nice.
senlow
Well-known member
I took a few pics of one of my old Listas. It's dimensions are 22-1/4" wide, 27" deep and 27-1/2 high - same as Rusty Musket's cabinet. Compare Rusty Musket's photos to mine. I'm convinced that his cabinet is a Lista.
I'm not sure that PCO6 has Lista cabinets. They look similar. However, his drawers are recessed so that the pulls are flush. Also, it appears that the radius on the corner of the drawer pull is much smaller than mine and Rusty's. The cabinet construction is quite similar. I suppose that PCO6's cabinets could be even older Listas.
We could use a real expert. Paging Motorhead Extraordinaire - Helloooooo Joe!
Sorry, I'm having trouble rotating this photo. Just lie on your side to view this.
I'm not sure that PCO6 has Lista cabinets. They look similar. However, his drawers are recessed so that the pulls are flush. Also, it appears that the radius on the corner of the drawer pull is much smaller than mine and Rusty's. The cabinet construction is quite similar. I suppose that PCO6's cabinets could be even older Listas.
We could use a real expert. Paging Motorhead Extraordinaire - Helloooooo Joe!
Sorry, I'm having trouble rotating this photo. Just lie on your side to view this.
Motorhead Extraordinaire
Well-known member
I just caught up with this thread thanks to senlow.
A couple of LISTA identifiers ....
* The inside measurements in a standard cabinet (SC) are 24" x 24". I know of no other manufacturer of a "similar" design to use this size.
* The dimensions of LISTA cabinets are listed here. Most of the older cabinets were the SC model which are 28-1/4" wide X 28-1/2" deep on the outside.
* The round orange lock cams in the attached image is an OLD design, while the white one is NEW design.
* The suspension on older LISTA cabinets use a bottom tray. I have attached two pics showing this.
* The suspension on new (last 8 years) LISTA cabinets uses the white glides as shown.
* LISTA front handles are flush with the outside of the cabinet. They do not stick out.
So her is my assessment of these two cabinets ...
RUSTY MUSKET - I do not think your cabinet is a LISTA due to the handle design and the suspension elements that I can see. What are the outside measurements: Width, Depth, and Height?
PC06 - Yours look like LISTA's. They have the right handle design, the right finger locks for a mobile application. I would guess a SC450 stacked on top of a SC300. Can you also check the dimensions?
Let me know how I can help further.
Regards,
Joe
A couple of LISTA identifiers ....
* The inside measurements in a standard cabinet (SC) are 24" x 24". I know of no other manufacturer of a "similar" design to use this size.
* The dimensions of LISTA cabinets are listed here. Most of the older cabinets were the SC model which are 28-1/4" wide X 28-1/2" deep on the outside.
* The round orange lock cams in the attached image is an OLD design, while the white one is NEW design.
* The suspension on older LISTA cabinets use a bottom tray. I have attached two pics showing this.
* The suspension on new (last 8 years) LISTA cabinets uses the white glides as shown.
* LISTA front handles are flush with the outside of the cabinet. They do not stick out.
So her is my assessment of these two cabinets ...
RUSTY MUSKET - I do not think your cabinet is a LISTA due to the handle design and the suspension elements that I can see. What are the outside measurements: Width, Depth, and Height?
PC06 - Yours look like LISTA's. They have the right handle design, the right finger locks for a mobile application. I would guess a SC450 stacked on top of a SC300. Can you also check the dimensions?
Let me know how I can help further.
Regards,
Joe
Attachments
PCO6
Well-known member
Thanks Joe. That good information. The interior dimensions of my drawers are 18"W x 24"L. The shallow drawers are 3" deep and the deep ones are 7" deep. My combination is actually 2 of the same cabinet, one on top of the other.
I can't seem to find lock cams on mine of either colour. Also, compared to pictures you provided the sliders in mine do not project past the front face of the box with the drawers open. My drawers slide on roller bearings - about 3/4" OD - 2 attached to rails at the back of the drawer and 2 attached to rails in the cabinet.
I can't open your link for some reason. I'll give it a try on my other (non-garage) computer.
I can't seem to find lock cams on mine of either colour. Also, compared to pictures you provided the sliders in mine do not project past the front face of the box with the drawers open. My drawers slide on roller bearings - about 3/4" OD - 2 attached to rails at the back of the drawer and 2 attached to rails in the cabinet.
I can't open your link for some reason. I'll give it a try on my other (non-garage) computer.
OP
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
Hmmm….the plot thickens…
Senlow, Thanks for the pictures! I am going to agree with you that our cabinets are most likely from the same manufacturer. Same dimensions and same construction details sure seem to indicate Lista to me.
MotorHead, Thanks for all the info. I am wondering in Senlow and I have found managed to find some rather old/obscure Listas since the similarity between mine and his is hard to deny. Our dimensions are pretty close to the MP600 from your chart.
Take a look at this Ebay cabinet. It has many similarities to mine and Senlow's but the the handles are indeed flush with the cabinet face like Motorhead mentions. Maybe its the missing link between vintage & new Lista
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LISTA-5-DRAWER-TOOL-STORAGE-CABINET-27-X-22-X-32-HEAVY-DUTY-INDUSTRIAL-/251519526025?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8fbb6489
Here are some more shots of mine:
Original paint visible on bottom. Lista green?
Details:
Bottom drawer track
Inside bottom
Rear of drawer
Rear drawer roller
This morning I googled images for "vintage Lista cabinet". As I scrolled down through the pics, I immediately spotted an image of a red one that I did not see last week. I got super excited as I clicked on it saying to myself "now that looks like a perfect match". My excitement lasted about 5 seconds until the image download was complete and I figured out that it was my own photo posted to GJ last week! I will never get used to that.
Senlow, Thanks for the pictures! I am going to agree with you that our cabinets are most likely from the same manufacturer. Same dimensions and same construction details sure seem to indicate Lista to me.
MotorHead, Thanks for all the info. I am wondering in Senlow and I have found managed to find some rather old/obscure Listas since the similarity between mine and his is hard to deny. Our dimensions are pretty close to the MP600 from your chart.
Take a look at this Ebay cabinet. It has many similarities to mine and Senlow's but the the handles are indeed flush with the cabinet face like Motorhead mentions. Maybe its the missing link between vintage & new Lista
http://www.ebay.com/itm/LISTA-5-DRAWER-TOOL-STORAGE-CABINET-27-X-22-X-32-HEAVY-DUTY-INDUSTRIAL-/251519526025?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8fbb6489
Here are some more shots of mine:
Original paint visible on bottom. Lista green?
Details:
Bottom drawer track
Inside bottom
Rear of drawer
Rear drawer roller
This morning I googled images for "vintage Lista cabinet". As I scrolled down through the pics, I immediately spotted an image of a red one that I did not see last week. I got super excited as I clicked on it saying to myself "now that looks like a perfect match". My excitement lasted about 5 seconds until the image download was complete and I figured out that it was my own photo posted to GJ last week! I will never get used to that.
PCO6
Well-known member
Rusty Musket - I just took some pictures of mine. They look like yours. In my case the original colour was blue.
View media item 44775
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View media item 44775
View media item 44776
View media item 44777
Motorhead Extraordinaire
Well-known member
PCO6 - That's sounds like a MP600. The color of the original round lock cam was actually white. The orange ones were 3D printed. Here's the link to the dimensions again.
https://www.motorheadextraordinaire.com/content/7-lista-cabinet-dimensions
RUSTY MUSKET - That very well could be an ancient Lista cabinet especially with the comparison to SENLOW's cabinet. The suspension looks like the 160 lb. capacity, 85% opening. The 440 lb. suspension with the tray came later in life but a very similar 160 lb. suspension was used up until the new white suspension cam out about 8 years ago.
I am going to Lista on Wednesday and will see what some of the old timers can tell me.
Joe
https://www.motorheadextraordinaire.com/content/7-lista-cabinet-dimensions
RUSTY MUSKET - That very well could be an ancient Lista cabinet especially with the comparison to SENLOW's cabinet. The suspension looks like the 160 lb. capacity, 85% opening. The 440 lb. suspension with the tray came later in life but a very similar 160 lb. suspension was used up until the new white suspension cam out about 8 years ago.
I am going to Lista on Wednesday and will see what some of the old timers can tell me.
Joe
PCO6
Well-known member
Thanks Joe. Interesting site. 
OP
Rusty Musket
Well-known member
Yes! Thank you Joe. That's very nice of you.
senlow
Well-known member
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Joe. I really appreciate it. I can't wait to find out what the old timers at Lista have to say about these cabinets.
I shot a few more pics of details on my cabinets. I pulled the keys for my cabinets (I've locked them a few times to verify that the lock mechanism works) out of my desk, and thought you guys may be interested in the logo that's embossed on them. I think that the keys shed some light on the origin of the cabinets. I'm not the original owner of the cabinets, but I would be quite surprised if the locks were changed.
I shot a few more pics of details on my cabinets. I pulled the keys for my cabinets (I've locked them a few times to verify that the lock mechanism works) out of my desk, and thought you guys may be interested in the logo that's embossed on them. I think that the keys shed some light on the origin of the cabinets. I'm not the original owner of the cabinets, but I would be quite surprised if the locks were changed.
Motorhead Extraordinaire
Well-known member
I went to Lista last Wednesday and show the pics to some of the old timers (20-30 years at Lista). They were all like what they made in Holliston. MA in the real early days. Not sure of the years but they are definitely 20-25 years old, maybe as much as 40 years old.
Joe
Joe
senlow
Well-known member
Thanks for the new information, Joe. I really appreciate it!
Old thread, but found this today.
Same size as Rusty Musket. You can see your missing Lista sticker in the upper left corner.
https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm...=1&str=1<nf=1&lcn=471687&lct=L&sf=ferm-clos
Same size as Rusty Musket. You can see your missing Lista sticker in the upper left corner.
https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm...=1&str=1<nf=1&lcn=471687&lct=L&sf=ferm-clos
ultgar
Well-known member
Early Lista............Lista has its US roots right here in my town (Emerson, NJ) when Deluxe Systems (later changed to Deluxe-Lista Corporation) acted as the their US importer and distributor (from 1968-72). Lista/Switzerland purchased a large piece of land in Holliston, Massachusetts in 1972, built a new manufacturing facility and began production in the US in 1973 as "Lista International Corp". The office on Kinderkamack Rd (in Emerson NJ) was closed. One of the 2 partners, Bob Darienzo, purchased the Deluxe Systems name and moved to Hackensack (NJ). The other partner, Emerson Davis, relocated to MA to become the first president of Lista International Corp.