Gerstner Machinist Tool Box

stanley62 · July 21, 2011, 04:33:47 PM

A friend of mine at work brought this jewel in for us to ooh and ahh at. It is a Gerstner model 042 Machinist box of unknown vintage. I know it is pre1963 because the paperwork inside has addresses with no zip codes. He thought it was made of Walnut, but I lean towards Mahogony. I thought that some of you would appreciate it.
Jim

1930 · July 21, 2011, 06:04:16 PM

Its a beutifull box

jimwrench · July 21, 2011, 06:10:39 PM

Awfully nice to put tools in. Only the pristine need apply.

Nolatoolguy · July 21, 2011, 06:12:51 PM

Looks to be in great condition was well.

What a beuty.

Papaw · July 21, 2011, 06:16:37 PM

That IS a jewel!

mrchuck · July 21, 2011, 08:05:35 PM

Yes, it is beautiful, even EMPTY.
Are you going to use it to put tools in it, or sell it, or keep it empty?
I have many tool boxes, like Kennedy's, and tools are in them.
Mostly old, some decrepit, but the tool box is being used as intended by Kennedy.

stanley62 · July 22, 2011, 12:08:52 PM

It is not my box,(I wish it was) it is a co-workers. I think he is going to sell it. If he does, I'll try to convince him to let me list it and maybe bring it into the Papawswrench family. My fear is that he will want a mint for it... but we will see.
Jim

scottg · July 22, 2011, 09:05:05 PM

Its mahogany. Gerster made them in walnut, as well as oak, but this ain't it.

People can ask anything, but the 11 drawer in mahogany should go no more than about $150 if I were buying it for cash.
yours Scott

RedVise · July 22, 2011, 09:55:15 PM

Quote from: scottg on July 22, 2011, 09:05:05 PM
People can ask anything, but the 11 drawer in mahogany should go no more than about $150 if I were buying it for cash.
yours Scott

$150 would be a good deal to me ! I have a 40's box and love it.

This was just posted yesyterday in my area. I "though" his price was a normal starting offer to sell a box in good condition,
I see very few for sale on CL. I have no affilation with the ad.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/tls/2501107034.html

Brian L.

bc_z · July 23, 2011, 11:32:46 AM

very nice - I have a question for those of you fortunate enough to own one of these jewels - what material are the drawer bottoms that the felt is secured to?

I have what are believed to be the remnants of a Gerstner box that did not survive a 10 year water torture test in a forgotten shed. Most of the box is long since been disposed of, but a few of the drawers were salvaged, including the large boxy one in the middle, but all of their bottoms are of a material i would not thought appropriate to the Gerstner line - but I'm a newby so PLEASE learned ones I am looking for info!!

scottg · July 23, 2011, 12:31:40 PM

Quote from: bc_z on July 23, 2011, 11:32:46 AM
what material are the drawer bottoms that the felt is secured to?

Steel is most prevalent that I've seen.
But from my own experience, when making your own, you can't beat a good old roadsign.
Roadsign material is hard aluminum. It cuts just perfect with woodworking tools and lasts forever and all you have to do is begin to look around. In ditches, behind shops and barns, everywhere!
If you are going to saw it on a tablesaw though (my favorite for straight edges), ... eye and wrist protection!!
It saws a treat, and fast, but the little chips go flying very fast!
yours Scott

rusty · July 23, 2011, 02:35:58 PM

...and use a reasonably thick carbide blade. Try that with a thin panel blade and you will be pulling the sign out of the nearest wall ; P

Alumnium cuts easily, but it can sometimes be Extra B*chy, so always leave working room and use extra care, it is not as forgiving as wood when power is applied to it. To swipe a phrase from the shop, "Watch out for the shwing" (The noise the metal makes when the saw blade launches it across the room; )

I doubt even Gerstner would waste valuable finish wood on a drawer bottom that was going to be covered with felt. Drawer bottoms in general are usually made from what ever junk wood is cheap at the moment...(excepting perhaps, soft woods that will shrink disproportionatly)

RedVise · July 24, 2011, 09:47:38 PM

bc_z , hope you can restore the drawers. Very likely will be worth the time, and they don't have to be perfect to be enjoyed.

The box I picked up was stained in several places, door was broken, handle broken, and looked liked a lost cause. I did not buy it when I first saw it because it was so bad. But I tracked down the seller and purchased it a couple days later. And I am NOT a wood worker, but saw the potential in the box. I went with the view of restoring it to a working box, with all the imperfections time had dealt it. I sanded it down and shellacked right over the stains, wire brushed the corner braces and spray painted them, formed and sewed the ugly handle, and just laid the new felt on top of the old. The only place I splurged was to replace the nuts and bolts on the front panel with brass. Still need to replace the lock yet.

So I have a working box that looks cool to me and is an excellent place to store the tools I love the most. Now, I didn't buy a partial box a couple of weeks ago, leather covered (ugh), missing the front panel and the bottom drawer. Hmm, now I gotta track down this guy... I can clean the remaining drawers and use them to store my keepers in also!

Brian L.

Branson · July 25, 2011, 07:10:50 AM

Me, I don't mind the stains. They just show the box has lived and worked. It looks really good in the pictures. You might be able to replace the handle through one of the restoration materials companies.

Ietech · July 27, 2011, 09:19:49 PM

That is a Super looking box

I have an early '50s model 42A "Orville Wright" Red Oak that I restored. I have tried to post a pic in the past but can't get it to fit on this site. I had it posted on the old one tho. It is my avatar tho but too small too really see

It is a great box and fun to restore --- I wouldn't even consider $250 for it.

Below is a link to the picture on Garage Gazette

http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=12.msg26950#msg26950

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Gerstner Machinist Tool Box