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Help dating Union toolchest.
- Thread starter RickWG
- Start date
- Replies 9
- Views 14,119
Tyrone Shoelaces
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Location
- Manchester, England
I bought a " Union " tool chest in the early 1970's in the U.K. I've still got it. Looks a bit like yours but more modern. I had the impression then that it was European, possibly Eastern European. Regards Tyrone.
S_W_Bausch
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2010
- Location
- Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Last week we had a member wanting to impregnate lumber, now we have someone wanting to date his toolchest.
You guys are weird
You guys are weird
J Henricksen
Stainless
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2003
- Location
- Roscoe, Illinois
I have that same box. There will be a number pencilled on the bottom of at least one of the drawers. mine is #327. The old ring handles fastened by a small strap is the early type from 1900 to about 1920. Mine started its career at Fairbanks Morse in Beloit Wi.
The father of the guy i got it from bought it from the original owner when he retired, then his son got it when he retired. It looked like it spent most of its life on the wrong side of a surface grinder until i used murphy's oil soap and scotchbrite on it. Linseed oil/turpentine finished it. The decal didnt survive on mine.
The father of the guy i got it from bought it from the original owner when he retired, then his son got it when he retired. It looked like it spent most of its life on the wrong side of a surface grinder until i used murphy's oil soap and scotchbrite on it. Linseed oil/turpentine finished it. The decal didnt survive on mine.
Attachments
Joe Michaels
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Location
- Shandaken, NY, USA
The decal's bottom line gives Union Chest's address: Rochester, New York. Later on, Union became something like Union Steel Chest, and was in LeRoy, NY.
I have a very similar wooden Union chest that was given to my late father ca 1947-48 by an elderly retired machinist. The front panel was lost over the years, as was the top carrying handle. I made a new front panel, not so nice as what Union furnished when the chests were new. In the back of the bottom drawer of my Union Chest there is a very fragile label sticker from the International Association of Machinists. It has the insignia with the solid head square & firm joint caliper and gear. The paper label is done in black line, no color. It has a date at the bottom of 1902. Whether the owner of the chest prior to my father had put a dues sticker in the chest, or whether this came from Union is something I never figured out. The union label is pasted right on the wood on the inside of the bottom deep drawer, so it would be covered with the felt lining. When I re-felted the chest in the 1960's, I cut the felt to leave that old union label exposed.
I left the varnish original on my chest, and as the years passed, I came to realize it was best left as it was rather than restored. I keep the old Union chest in my shop at home, filled with machinist tools. The one tool from the oldtimer who had given the chest to my dad is still in the chest. It is an ancient L.S.Starrett firm joint outside caliper with a thumb screw for fine adjustment. I've never seen that particular Starrett caliper in any catalog, and by the knurling on the thumb screw, it looks OLD. I am guessing the Union chest I have may be pre 1900. Same metal corners and overall details as the chests in this thread. The oldtimer who gave the chest to my Dad had worked at Sperry, in Brooklyn, NY.
No signs of any Union decals on my old chest.
I have a very similar wooden Union chest that was given to my late father ca 1947-48 by an elderly retired machinist. The front panel was lost over the years, as was the top carrying handle. I made a new front panel, not so nice as what Union furnished when the chests were new. In the back of the bottom drawer of my Union Chest there is a very fragile label sticker from the International Association of Machinists. It has the insignia with the solid head square & firm joint caliper and gear. The paper label is done in black line, no color. It has a date at the bottom of 1902. Whether the owner of the chest prior to my father had put a dues sticker in the chest, or whether this came from Union is something I never figured out. The union label is pasted right on the wood on the inside of the bottom deep drawer, so it would be covered with the felt lining. When I re-felted the chest in the 1960's, I cut the felt to leave that old union label exposed.
I left the varnish original on my chest, and as the years passed, I came to realize it was best left as it was rather than restored. I keep the old Union chest in my shop at home, filled with machinist tools. The one tool from the oldtimer who had given the chest to my dad is still in the chest. It is an ancient L.S.Starrett firm joint outside caliper with a thumb screw for fine adjustment. I've never seen that particular Starrett caliper in any catalog, and by the knurling on the thumb screw, it looks OLD. I am guessing the Union chest I have may be pre 1900. Same metal corners and overall details as the chests in this thread. The oldtimer who gave the chest to my Dad had worked at Sperry, in Brooklyn, NY.
No signs of any Union decals on my old chest.
DaveKamp
Titanium
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2004
- Location
- LeClaire, Ia
Last week we had a member wanting to impregnate lumber, now we have someone wanting to date his toolchest.
You guys are weird
Well, you can't say he doesn't have a healthy respect for a really nice chest...
...and of course, that chest is darned perky for it's age...
Hendrickson's got a nice chest too... but he didn't lift the cover to let us get a good look at the knobs... 'cmon, J- don't be shy...
Mine is #136. I haven't seen one with a flat front cover like mine, they all seem to have the same front as yours. They also appear to be 7 drawer models, mine is 8.
sheys
Aluminum
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
- Location
- brooklyn, ny
Yep, the last line is Rochester, NY. I have the identical 7 drawer flat front chest except it's missing one of the small drawers, oops. Despite the outside of the box being in rough shape my decal is almost perfect:
AntiqueMac
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2003
- Location
- Florida Mountains!
Update........
The new, repro label is back listed again. Here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNION-MACHINIST-TOOL-CHEST-vintage-Reproduction-label-/290757137899
And a different looking liable here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNION-MACHINIST-TOOL-CHEST-vintage-Reproduction-label-/290757137170
So, ignore what I wrote below.
Although the auction has ended, I thought some with Union chests might want to read this description. And, perhaps contact the seller to see if you could get the unsold decal label.
Here: "UNION MACHINIST TOOL CHEST" vintage Reproduction label. | eBay
Be sure to click on the small picture in the upper left to get to the original full listing.
The new, repro label is back listed again. Here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNION-MACHINIST-TOOL-CHEST-vintage-Reproduction-label-/290757137899
And a different looking liable here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/UNION-MACHINIST-TOOL-CHEST-vintage-Reproduction-label-/290757137170
So, ignore what I wrote below.
Although the auction has ended, I thought some with Union chests might want to read this description. And, perhaps contact the seller to see if you could get the unsold decal label.
Here: "UNION MACHINIST TOOL CHEST" vintage Reproduction label. | eBay
Be sure to click on the small picture in the upper left to get to the original full listing.
Mine is differant under plack
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Didn't see the decal until I started to clean it:
Any idea what it says in the red area? I can read the Union Tool Chest Works, it's the bit under that I can't read.
