# Machinist Chest



## Tripp1 (Nov 1, 2009)

Hey all...........

My Dad gave me a Machinist Chest that is in need of some TLC.

The drawer bottoms are all flocked, but falling apart.

Other than scraping and sanding, is there some solvent (i.e mineral spirits,acetone etc...) that I could use to break down the adhesive, but not damage the wood? to remove the flocking?

The chest isn't heirloom quality, I plan on using it, but it could be turned into a quality piece............Thanks for reading...........Tripp


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tripp

I have one like the link below , it's very,very old and very dirty I was going to do the same as you but then I said no and I will say the same to you NO don't do it. it worth a lot of money the way it is, just put it in a plastic bag and box and put it away, if you want one you can buy one for about 80.oo bucks from HF...

Amazon.com: Gerstner Pro Series 26-Inch American Cherry Wood Chest #C92XL: Home Improvement
====
on sale now and then for 79.oo dollars
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94538

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Tripp1 said:


> Hey all...........
> 
> My Dad gave me a Machinist Chest that is in need of some TLC.
> 
> ...


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## machinistchest (Jun 24, 2009)

*replacing old felt*

Tripp,

Are you refering to removing the felt ? All the old chests I`m aware of have felt. It`s easly removed by saturating with hot water, this will soften the animal hide glue, scrape it up with a putty knife, a coarse steel wool will remove any excess old glue.

Now if it`s flocking, that`s another story not sure what to do there.

John


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tripp

If you do it here's the place to get the new flocking kit from.. good luck..

DonJer Products Soft Flock SuedeTex Product Flocking Rayon Nylon Fibers Adhesive Applicators Kits

DonJer Products Soft Flock SuedeTex Product Flocking Rayon Nylon Fibers Adhesive Applicators Kits
=======


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Well if ignorance is bliss then I live in Blissville!............ Flocking, I never new or had heard about it....... I'll add that to my long growing list of things learned about on this site

Tripp.. good luck with the machinist chest and thanks for asking the question

Regards from Blissville


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

If it is a Gerstner I agree with Bob, keep it as is, I have three Gerstner chest from my tool and die making days one of them was made in the early 1920's I try to take very good care of them.

Hopefully after I'm gone the grand kids will know what they are and not just trash them. :sad:


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

jd99 said:


> If it is a Gerstner I agree with Bob, keep it as is, I have three Gerstner chest from my tool and die making days one of them was made in the early 1920's I try to take very good care of them.
> 
> Hopefully after I'm gone the grand kids will know what they are and not just trash them. :sad:


Hey Danny... Too many times people trash things because they don't know what they have. This is probably a dumb idea but what if you were to tape an envelope somewhere to the chests telling all about them and their history? It'd at least ensure they know what they have.....


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Tripp
> 
> I have one like the link below , it's very,very old and very dirty I was going to do the same as you but then I said no and I will say the same to you NO don't do it. it worth a lot of money the way it is, just put it in a plastic bag and box and put it away, if you want one you can buy one for about 80.oo bucks from HF...
> 
> ...


Wow! The Gerstner ones are becoming very expensive. I lost mine, full of Starrett and Moore & Wright tools, 10yrs ago when my workshop was burgled. I never had the heart to replace it. Half the stuff I use now is Chinese. It seems to work OK, but there isn't the same pride of ownership. 

Cheers

Peter


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

jd99 said:


> If it is a Gerstner I agree with Bob, keep it as is, I have three Gerstner chest from my tool and die making days one of them was made in the early 1920's I try to take very good care of them.
> 
> Hopefully after I'm gone the grand kids will know what they are and not just trash them. :sad:


they will only know if you teach them. That's part of being a grandfather too. Teach them the joy of learning and the pride of accomplishment. Teach them to recognize danger before it happens and how to use tools safely. Remember, I can kill their family, I can steal their possessions but I cannot take away their experience and most importantly, their education.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

allthunbs, say what ????

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allthunbs said:


> they will only know if you teach them. That's part of being a grandfather too. Teach them the joy of learning and the pride of accomplishment. Teach them to recognize danger before it happens and how to use tools safely. Remember, I can kill their family, I can steal their possessions but I cannot take away their experience and most importantly, their education.


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## machinistchest (Jun 24, 2009)

*Traditional felt drawer liner*

Tripp,

You`ll want to use a water soluable glue when replacing the felt so the next guy that comes along and refelts 50 years from now will have the same easy oppertunity you have had to remove it.

I use white elmers and a disposable foam brush to spread evenly as tho one were painting a board ,you`ll want to use a good dense stiff felt the kind that doesent ball up ,it`s also easy to work.


Felt

John


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Using felt is a real trip,,it's not the glue it's the cutting, it true and clean to fit just right , a real trip,far out man 

=====


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## Tripp1 (Nov 1, 2009)

Found a repro lock for it...Yikes close to 50.00 bucks too!!!! It looks like a quality piece for sure.

Machinist Chest Reproduction Eagle Box Lock

BJ's got me spooked now.....don't want to mess it up, but my Father has two Gerstner's as well. He is a machinist that got into plastic injection molding in the 70's, so if he needed something that wasn't in production he made it.
Starrett,Bridgeport and Logan were all household names.

Thanks so much guys for all the replies, I kind of forgot about this thread for awhile. Appreciate all the input.........Tripp

Here are some pictures


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tripp

I take it back, that is nasty shape strip it and re felt it or flock it..
but do pay the 50 bucks for the right parts. 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ANTIQUE-OAK-M...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea993491f

on sale for 70.oo bucks
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94538
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Tripp1 said:


> Found a repro lock for it...Yikes close to 50.00 bucks too!!!! It looks like a quality piece for sure.
> 
> Machinist Chest Reproduction Eagle Box Lock
> 
> ...


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## machinistchest (Jun 24, 2009)

*Union tool chest works*

Tripp,
Just a bit of history about your old box.

It was manufactured by the Union Tool Chest Works CO. on railroad street of Rochester NY.
Union was founded in 1893 and also made ammunition boxes for the military during WWI.

My best guess would be that your box was built somewhere around 1920. Under all that dirty felt you may find a ink stamp with the date penciled in, there also is a serial # stamped in the wood on the base in the right front corner and also on the right side of the panel...MC


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## Tripp1 (Nov 1, 2009)

Thanks for that info.......other projects are taking precedent right now, but what is your opinion, would you leave it be, or restore it?


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## machinistchest (Jun 24, 2009)

*Why not preserve an old machinist chest ?*

It`s pretty much worthless in the condition its in and does look like someone has begun to sand on it and I can see that the hardware has been removed. Considering it dosen`t have a lock it`ll probably fetch about $80 on the bay at least that`s about all I`d pay for it.

I`v restored a one just like it, it was a double panel meaning no veneer in the back, all SOLID Oak and sold it to a guy in south Carolina for $425, he turn around and sold it for $965 at the gun show. I lost count of how many I`v restored to date, somewhere around 50 to 75 

I reinvested back into manufacturing the hardware, especially that of which is no longer avaiable, so my sanding days are over for now.

I went aganist what everybody said, that an antique would loose value if restored. Anything that can be done to preserve the wood and increase its life span, does in my opinion, add value. I`v proved this over and over.

I applaud anyone for preserving our American history in the work place.

Here`s a link to one I`v done, it`s a bit newer however built by the same company.
RARE late 1940's Vintage WWII 20" UNION WOODEN Tool Chest Style B-20.


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## machinistchest (Jun 24, 2009)

*tool chest 1920`s*

I think y`all would enjoy this.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/toolbox/machin.html

MC


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