Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>Out here on the Left Coast, something like that would be a museum item. Todd Hughes, north of you in Price, MD, would probably tell you he's got 547 of them, and people use them to store dried fish. I suspect South Carolina's somewhere between those two extremes.

Why not varnish the top? That way, you've got some more protection on it, but you can still see the original artwork that the maker put so much energy into.

Myself, I believe in using tools (toolchests qualify as tools - they add efficiency). If I found a perfect, mint in the box No. 1 or other rarity, I wouldn't use it - but I wouldn't keep it, either, since somewhere there's someone who'd be happy to have a tool that just sits all shiny, and I could use the money gained to pay off the house and retire sooner (have the tools, need the time).

Sorry, I'm wandering some. I guess I'm saying "use it with the respect you'd show its original owner."

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Mike G.

>Appreciate your input Bill. There's no scroll work on the top, just on the sides. Also, it looks like it might be gold leaf? or more likely just gold colored paint. If I can get it out of the storeroom, I'll try to figure out how to get a pic on here.

Thanks again, Mike G.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Steve Kubien

>I agree with Bill. The original maker and/or owner (if different) intended it to be used. I doubt the thought process of, "Gee, when this gets really old, I hope somebody is so impressed that they're afraid to use it."

Treat it with a lot more respect than you would with a new chest from Snap-On but I would still use it.

My 2 cents,

Steve Kubien

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Mike G.

>I plan on using the chest. I'd just like to "spruce" it up a bit without destroying the provenance of it. I still have some of the tools that came with it. The top doesn't have any of the scrollwork, so maybe I'll just concentrate on redoing the top. A lot of time and effort went into the calligraphic initials and pinstriping around the sides. I don't want to mess with that.

As far as repainting the top, what kind of paint should I use? It seems to me the only two choices are either Milk paint or an oil=based paint, although I think it would be hard to match the color.

Thanks, Mike G.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Does the top really need to be repainted at all? What I mean is that paint is used to protect the wood from the elements. Do you plan on taking this chest out where it could possibly get rained on, or will it be a shop chest only. Kind of a hard call really as some folks wouldn't think twice about stripping it down and putting on all new finish, while some others to include myself tend to lean towards preservation. I guess the saying to keep in mind at this point is First Do No Harm

I think the idea of just putting a clear coat of something on it is the best idea yet if you felt that you really had to put something on it at all. Don't you just hate these kind of tough choices?

Todd O.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Mike G.

>I was maybe thinking of taking it to work with me, when neccessary. I have a truck with a cap on it. A clear finish would probably be the most appropriate. It definately has the "distressed" look on the lid and corner pieces, though. :) Would a clear finish be reversable at some point? And what would you suggest?

Thanks Todd,

Mike G.

Shellac?

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Todd O. Cronkhite Native of Maine

>Ok so the chest does stand a chance of getting rained on, and you'd like something reversable. I thinking that perhaps a nice well buffed coat of wax should fill this order. The only drawback to this that I can think of is that the wax might be an attractant to dirt, but I feel that if you go over it every so often with a rag that that should'nt be a worry. Please wait for more input on the wax idea before waxing it tho, as I may be wrong.

Todd O.

Todd O.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Mike MacDonald

>I think that my choice would be a good scrubbing with Murphy's oil soap and then a coat of wax. It's a working tool, let it be the grizzled vetran that it is.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Dave Anderson Chester,NH

>I'm fortunate enough to have possession of two old tool chests that have been in my family for several generations. My parents destroyed tha antique value of the larger chest by refinishing it, but that doesn't effect its utility or my thrill at having it. I use it regularly in my bench room where is sits in a place of honor. With its 3 sliding tills and lidded saw compartment it is quite useful and currently contains a set of hollows and rounds, a large selection of rasps and files, a Sargent carpenters square, some bench planes, braces and bits, and a bunch of other stuff.

I'd use it if I were you since that's what it was meant for. I would not however put it in the truck. Too much chance of weather damage and the slim possibility that someone would decide they wanted it more than you.

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Todd Hughes

>Sounds like a pretty common tool chest, even in the old tool Hell I live in a see a good many every week. Will point out if you did paint it it would do nothing to it's provenance which is the documented history of the peice,[something it sounds like it doesn't have anyway]. It will destroy it's original finish of course.On items like this , a common old tool chest,it is sad to say if left as it is the value today dollar wise is often less then if redone well. Saying this though I do think it deserves to be left as it is, esp. since it sonds like it is in good solid condition except for some cosmetic issues.Personaly if i was to keep it I would do nothing, if ambitious maybe just wax it with some Briwax and leave it at that.I wouldn't change the lock unless you really have a need,[like if you have some troublesome kids] to keep it locked.

Just got done reading this book from the early 1960's on colt revolvers in it the author talks about how he doesn't see any harm in putting target sights etc. on original Civil War era guns because they are "common and inexpensive" which they were back then. Of course today we wonder what these guys were thinking that did this stuff.I think Tools that we consider now to be "common and inexpensive" will not always be so and people in the future will wonder what we were thinking when we painted a tool chest,over cleaned tools, modified planes, etc. etc.......Todd

Re: Old Tool Chest ( kind of long)

Jonathan Peck - N.Y.

>Was looking for a picture of an old tool chest, but only found oldtools..YIKES

Hey Todd

Dan Donaldson

>There was a link attached to your message that I am sure you did not put there. It looks like one of those trojans got to your browser. I deleted the link for you. (it was pretty bad and as I said, I am sure you didn't put it there yourself)

Arguing against pretty

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>My son argues that ugly old vehicles, toolboxes, etc. are good theft prevention - reasoning that thieves, like pack rats (the actual species, not all of us) and crows, are attracted to pretty shiny things and believe that junky old whatever can't contain anything valuable.

An argument that I would not want to see refuted, since he can't, as a self-employed young scrabbler, afford to lose anything. I do notice that he locks his van.