Machinest tool box id please.

[CalsXS2]

I found this old box in the trash awhile back. It's seen better days for sure. But being a wannabe machinist I couldn't just let it get trashed.

There's no brand on it. Unless "Fred Frett" is a brand name. Maybe I should google that,,,lol. I figure that was a guys name plate he put on there.

What's strange about it is it has what I think is a slate cover. At first I thought it was something rigged. But it has a groove in it that goes in place for transport/storage. Maybe it's an inspection plate. It has pins that get activated when you close the top so the cover can't open. Then the cover slides into the bottom of the box when not in use.

It came with some various junk in it too. There might be a real jewel of a tool in there and I don't know what it is. It even has a pin up girl!!

The drawers are fairly nice. Good enough for may garage. Hell. I'm going to clean it up and use it.

This came out of Granite City Steel. The lady was setting more stuff out and told me it was her dads. It's got a work order in it from 1989.

You guys got any ideas what this is. Was it ever a good one to begin with.

 

[CalsXS2]

Here's more pics.

 

[Rileysan]

I see something stamped on the hasp where the lock is. It might give a clue as to who made it.

I love the pin-up girl!

Brian

 

[CalsXS2]

I see something stamped on the hasp where the lock is. It might give a clue as to who made it.

I love the pin-up girl!

Brian

Man you got good eyes. And mine are really bad,,,lol.

I see the Yale lock and made for Star Chests Chicago.

But what does it say on the other latches. All I can see is made in USA in the middle.

 

[Roberts210]

Gerstner made some leather-covered chests during WW2 because they couldn't get the quality of wood they were used to getting. My GF's grand-dad was a machinist at Douglas Aircraft during the war and had one.

 

[Rileysan]

Man you got good eyes. And mine are really bad,,,lol.

I see the Yale lock and made for Star Chests Chicago.

But what does it say on the other latches. All I can see is made in USA in the middle.

The last picture looks like it says "Yale lock" across the top, but the rest is unreadable.

Star Chests or National Tool and Chest Company is the manufacturer. I haven't tried to figure out if one bought the other or if one is a subsidiary of the other, but they are related.

I found a palce on the Gerstner forum website dedicated to these but haven't looked any further. There are lots of threads about it here: http://www.gerstnerforum.com/forumdisplay.php?27-Star-Wood-Tool-Chests-Chicago-IL

Have fun!

Brian

 

[Billythekid1]

I have a union and the hinges look the same

 

[bmwrd0]

Nice find! It had tools in it too!

This is the best site I have found for id'ing these: https://sites.google.com/site/theguideforwoodmachinistchests/

 

[CalsXS2]

It's a Star Chest

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

I wondered about the non finished wood boxes.. WWII explains it.. interesting..