UTMC

Today, my Grandfather gave me one of his Gerstner Machinist tool chests. He has been a machinist all of his adult life and received this chest from a coworker many years ago. He told me some of the history for this model. It was made during WWII, oak was being used by the government, so they used a lesser quality wood and covered it with "leatherette". It has some serious patina but is functional minus one broken latch spring and the name plate has fallen off. I've found the spring and how to get a key for the lock on Gerstner's webpage and I plan on doing the minor repairs at some point.

Too bad I'm not in a trade that uses tools that are worthy of such a box. If I could do it all over again, I would have followed in his footsteps but I'm on my path. Any machine work will be just learning and hobby work.

There's just something about an old toolbox, like some kind of mystery treasure chest.

I recently overhauled a guitar in exchange for an old tool chest. It contained a bunch of different calipers and micrometers, a very clean tap & dye set, cylinder hone, ring compressors, slide hammer bearing pullers, number punches, etc, mostly Craftsman. None of these tools are anything I really need at the moment, but decent tools are just something you pick up whenever they come your way.

There's something poignant about even the idea of having a tool box, cherishing and needing what's in it, taking pride in it and depending on it.

Specialty tools like machine tools are so intriguing with how well-made they are, how important to a very very specific task, and yet so worthless without a machine, a machine shop, materials, and a client to pay for those things.

guitargeek wrote:I recently overhauled a guitar in exchange for an old tool chest. It contained a bunch of different calipers and micrometers, a very clean tap & dye set, cylinder hone, ring compressors, slide hammer bearing pullers, number punches, etc, mostly Craftsman. None of these tools are anything I really need at the moment, but decent tools are just something you pick up whenever they come your way.

You cand send them my way, I'll put 'em the Gerstner where they will be safe and happy.

The guy used to have a Triumph, which explains the pair of Terry's ring compressors, made in England, and a couple things I don't recognize, but I think one is a special tool to open the sludge trap plugs.

One thing is certain: your chest is nicer! Mine says JC Penny on the front, not Craftsman, which explains why the crinkle paint has all rubbed off, leaving a layer of rust all over the outside. Nothing a little elbow grease and some paint won't fix!

This is where the chest came from:

http://weeklyview.net/2013/08/29/the-in ... ld-war-ii/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm completely infatuated by the Gerstner.

That's extremely cool! Do you know, specifically, what your grandfather did there, what he worked on?

guitargeek wrote:That's extremely cool! Do you know, specifically, what your grandfather did there, what he worked on?

He got the chest from an exemployee of Naval Avionics when they worked together in the 50's.

There's a place 15 minutes down the road from me that sells used tools, all coming from estate sales, etc. A lot of junk but one corner of one of three floors is machinist central. There's stuff there that I have no idea what the fuck it does.
Awhile ago there must have been about thirty different sorts of measuring tools (for QC inspection, likely) and I wanted all of them for they were at bargain basement pricing but the chances I could use any of them were pretty much nil. All that stuff is super cool.

Sisyphus wrote:There's a place 15 minutes down the road from me that sells used tools, all coming from estate sales, etc. A lot of junk but one corner of one of three floors is machinist central. There's stuff there that I have no idea what the fuck it does.
Awhile ago there must have been about thirty different sorts of measuring tools (for QC inspection, likely) and I wanted all of them for they were at bargain basement pricing but the chances I could use any of them were pretty much nil. All that stuff is super cool.

It's tough to pass up inexpensive tools! I'd probably buy them just because you never know when you might need them.

That's it! I personally feel that one should accumulate tools throughout their lives. Not just wrenches and nail guns, but tools of all sorts.

Do you guys subscribe to Cool Tools?

My wife keeps seeing the box at HF and tells me she is going to buy one for all my reloading dies...I cringe at the thought. Instead, I have a set of plans (on my ipad at the moment) for crafting the same type of box...but...if I could find one with such a really cool story, I would love to have that one instead!

Oh, and one of the local Tattoo Artists uses the same type of box for carrying all of his tattoo hardware.

I have a couple decent (not dented or rusty) Kennedy boxes that appear to have all the hardware that my dad was rebuilding to sell. I've decided to rebuild them for the kids first real toolboxes. Going non-traditional on the paint. Going to try to replicate the wrinkle finish, but the girl wants hers purple with zebra felt lining the drawers. Not sure what the boy will want. Should be a fun project and we'll likely be shopping for some pinstripe work for inside the lid.