Old Two Drawer rolling Tool Stand. Help

[TexasBorn]

Found on Craigslist for $35. Man told me had been used in a foundry for many years, so the grease and crud is literally baked on. Heavy gauge steel, so bought it even though couldn't make out the raised letter name on the back, Got it home and used some #000 steel wool. Uncovered "Lyon, Aurora, Illinois". Their website was no help but searching images, found a company named "Urban Remains" that told me it was new in the 1940s. Getting the crud off that small area took almost five minutes, Not prepared to try clean it with steel wool. My Question: What's a good product to soften, or remove, or clean the box. even the insides of the drawers are cruddy. The bottom drawer was removable, cant figure out how to get the top one out. Downloaded picture from the "Urban Remains" site. to show, will get some pics of the one in my garage this afternoon

 

[FJ 432]

What are you trying to accomplish? Stripping to bare metal or keeping original.

Heavy duty degreasers are available but these will harm the paint. Elbow grease and a mild cleaner is your only answer if you want it original.

 

[TexasBorn]

Went and took pictures. Looks like have to add further information. Found what was blocking the top drawer, some type of cutting tool, lettering on tool to faint to get a pic of, says "Fort Dix Machine shop" and the interior of the box and bottoms of the drawers are painted 'Army Green" so am guessing it was perhaps surplus that the foundry bought for use, Sorry about the pic showing the name, was the best could do with the camera I have

 

[TexasBorn]

Thanks, am guessing the amount of dirt and grease on it, the paint is probably ruined anyway. look at the pics and tell me what you think, please

 

[nine4gmc]

Simple green is easy on paint, soak a rag in it and wrap a panel with the rag, then wrap the rag covered panel in saran wrap for day. The crud should come off pretty easy from there.

Cool cabinet btw!

 

[bullnerd]

Sandblast shop is what I'd do. They have all different options as far as media.

JMO.

Does the tool have a through hole lined up with the two cutters in the center?

The others are just spacers.

 

[TexasBorn]

Yes, you described the tool perfectly, that hole goes through to the other side

 

[ilovevocs]

Like nine said simple green; it would be my preference to apply it lucratively, scrub with a stiff bristled brush, then proceed to clean with a hot water pressure washer with low to medium pressure.

In the absence of the hot water pressure washer I would likely get a few gallons of kerosene, and proceed to scour it with a stiff bristled brush and lucrative amounts of kerosene.

 

[TexasBorn]

Going to go home depot and get the simple green try it first, before any radical treatments. Thank y'all for the advice

 

[Cyberbear]

Do what you must to get the cabinet down to bare metal as there is no use trying to paint over old coatings that have a tendency to flake off afterwards. The final result will be determined by the item's final use, utility or display.

 

[safetyman665]

If trying to get down to bare metal try oven cleaner. It does a good job of stripping away baked on grease and food so I'm assuming it would work for your application...?

 

[CN Spots]

Castrol SuperClean is what I use for situations like that.

 

[TexasBorn]

Guy at Home Depot recommended "Krud Kutter" got it and the Simple Green. both worked well but the krud kutter was less work. here it is , taken apart and stripped. down to paint/bare metal in spots. Am thinking of restoring to original Olive Drab military paint, The last pic is the The Vulcan rolling toolbox I picked up a couple months ago, posted the rusty pics, thought some might want to see it now