# H. Gerstner & Sons Wood Machinist Tool Chest



## koba49 (Aug 21, 2016)

I remember back when I started in this trade 35  years ago when a machinist had to have all his own tools. Everybody had to prove they were not a fly by night and they were serious about being a skilled tradesman they had to have the best tools like starrett and if you had high dollar tools you had to have a high dollar tool box Gerstner was what everyone had to have. Usually when an old timer retired you buy the box used, I do not ever remember anyone buying one new. And used people wanted 3 times what a new kennedy cost. I have a friend that has his father's tool box and I have never seen one in like new condition like this one So I thought posting some pictures may interest













Gerstner Tool Box 030



__ koba49
__ Aug 21, 2016



						model 41B
					
















Gerstner Tool Box 033



__ koba49
__ Aug 21, 2016


















Gerstner Tool Box 032



__ koba49
__ Aug 21, 2016


















Gerstner Tool Box 031



__ koba49
__ Aug 21, 2016
__ 1





 some people


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 21, 2016)

That has got to be the nicest one i have ever seen!


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## koba49 (Aug 21, 2016)




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## waz (Aug 22, 2016)

What a wonderful toolbox. I wont one, so I will just have to make one if I can. I love wooden toolboxes but as yet have never seen one not in pictures, they seem to have been totally replaced by tin these days. Not that some of them aren't just pretty darn good as well !


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## Fltenwheeler (Aug 22, 2016)

Gerstner & Sons is still in business.  You can purchase new boxes or kits. Replacement hardware is also available.

Tim


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## Billh50 (Aug 22, 2016)

I have one of those. But not in as good of shape. I also have the Oak one that size. I don't really use either one as I have the larger steel box with the 2 drawer mid and the bottom cart. The one I have like that had the American Machinist Handbook 2nd edition in it when I got it.


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## Rick Berk (Aug 23, 2016)

I have a Gerstner I bought used 43 years ago and paid $50.00 for it with a lot of tools, it is a true piece of what american quality use to stand for, mine is all quartered sawn oak that is matched and is pleasing to the eyes. About 7-10 years ago I called Gerstner for a replacement leather handle as mine has deteriorated beyond repair, they wanted more for a new handle than I paid for the whole box so I put a cad plated metal handle on it.(guess someone will cuss me some day). From what I have seen on the new Gerstner boxes is a mixture of 1/4 sawn and plain sawn mixed on the same box and color variations that would get you a F in art class. (Guess I've lived to long).


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## Franko (Aug 23, 2016)

I was handed down a Gerstner chest like that, but mine was all oak color. I took the top off and modified the top compartment to be a open face tray, making a deluxe taboret . I made a 10-drawer rolling case for it to sit on and used it for my art supplies while I was an illustrator. I still have it. I stored pens, pencils, Design markers, Exacto knives, air brushes and accessories, colored pencils, ink, paints, triangles, ellipse and circle guides in and on it.
The base and its drawers was my very first table saw project, made with a 9" Rockwell contractor's saw.


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## waz (Aug 23, 2016)

I have just visited the gerstner web sight and judging by the prices they are charging for a tool chest, all be it a nice piece of equipment, they are not aiming to sell these to your average machinist working a regular 7.30am to 4pm day. And if you look at the extra's they offer to fit and prices, you would think they are building Duesy's.
I will stick to my original thought and build a tool chest. At least I will get a custom fitting at my own price. I think I'll use Kauri, it grows here and is the most expensive wood in the world ! Unless you know where to find it cheap. If I ever get around to doing this I will post some pictures of the finished product. It will take a long time as I have too many projects on the go now.


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## chips&more (Aug 23, 2016)

waz said:


> I have just visited the gerstner web sight and judging by the prices they are charging for a tool chest, all be it a nice piece of equipment, they are not aiming to sell these to your average machinist working a regular 7.30am to 4pm day. And if you look at the extra's they offer to fit and prices, you would think they are building Duesy's.
> I will stick to my original thought and build a tool chest. At least I will get a custom fitting at my own price. I think I'll use Kauri, it grows here and is the most expensive wood in the world ! Unless you know where to find it cheap. If I ever get around to doing this I will post some pictures of the finished product. It will take a long time as I have too many projects on the go now.


Gerstner is still in business! They must be doing something right!


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## waz (Aug 23, 2016)

chips&more said:


> Gerstner is still in business! They must be doing something right!


They make heirloom boxes. I don't knock them, quite the opposite, I would truly love to own one or two to pass down to my sons. I'm just not one of the rich and famous with money.


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## 4GSR (Aug 23, 2016)

My brother got my dads Gerstner tool chest when he passed.  And that's fine.  I've managed to pick up a couple a few years back before the prices started going crazy for used one's.  No way I can afford a new one today.  Being a member of the Gerstners Club, I've been able to buy a "seconds" jewelry chest for my wife and the one drawer chest for working on your rifle, besides buying keys for the two chest I have that didn't have keys and finish restorer.


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## Charles Spencer (Aug 25, 2016)

waz said:


> I have just visited the gerstner web sight and judging by the prices they are charging for a tool chest, all be it a nice piece of equipment, they are not aiming to sell these to your average machinist working a regular 7.30am to 4pm day. And if you look at the extra's they offer to fit and prices, you would think they are building Duesy's.



Yeah, a bit much for my budget as well.  However, you can get an oak box from Grizzly for about 10% of the price and it looks like they ship to New Zealand:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/H7716

Or you could get  one made out of some kind of Chinese hard wood from Harbor Freight for about 5% of the price (with coupon).  However they say their international shipping is only to Canada and Australia.  Then again, around here we do tend to lump New Zealand and Australia together.  

http://www.harborfreight.com/eight-drawer-wood-tool-chest-94538.html

I've got one.  It works.  It sits on my work bench and holds tools.  It is the first tool box that I ever bought new - after about forty years.


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## 4GSR (Aug 25, 2016)

I had a wooden tool chest similar to the one at horrible freight but was sold at Wally World around 1988-1989 for about $69.  Picked it up on clearance for about $8.  About ten years later I had it in my office using it to store some of my personal measuring tools in and a few other things too.  One of the machinist from the shop was at my desk one day asked me if I would sell that tool chest to him.  Made him aware it was made of pressed wood and would not hold up to everyday use out in the shop.  He wanted it for his hobby stuff at home.  Flashed a couple of bills in front of my face, that tool chest was history!  Cleaned it out and off it went with him.


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## Holescreek (Aug 25, 2016)

I've bought and sold a couple of the leather wrapped Gerstners in the last decade, you'll be amazed at how nice it'll look after some shoe polish and a good buffing.  It'll help keep the leather from drying out too. I have a couple of my own Gerstners, one oak purchased used and one Mahogany inherited from my uncle.   The Gerstner factory is less than a 20 minute drive from me and I've never been there but I know many that have.  Once a year they have a scratch and dent sale with prices slashed to the bone. In most cases you can't see a problem. They have a new import line to compete with the Grizzly and harbor freight imports that (in my opinion) has dragged their name down quite a bit.   There's no shortage of Kennedy's around here either, they're made a couple of hours north.  I always preferred Kennedy when I was in the shops and still use my 3 piece stack every day.


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## Franko (Aug 25, 2016)

I have a steel Kennedy chest about the same configuration as the Gerstner. I used to use it for my machine and measuring tools before I had any machinery. It is woefully inadequate for that now. It isn't even big enough to hold my layout tools, now. 
It has been re-purposed as my gunsmith box, but it is too small for a lot of that stuff, too.


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## benmychree (May 2, 2017)

koba49 said:


> I remember back when I started in this trade 35  years ago when a machinist had to have all his own tools. Everybody had to prove they were not a fly by night and they were serious about being a skilled tradesman they had to have the best tools like starrett and if you had high dollar tools you had to have a high dollar tool box Gerstner was what everyone had to have. Usually when an old timer retired you buy the box used, I do not ever remember anyone buying one new. And used people wanted 3 times what a new kennedy cost. I have a friend that has his father's tool box and I have never seen one in like new condition like this one So I thought posting some pictures may interest
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very nice!  I broke the mold; when I was in my apprenticeship, I bought a brand new one; this was in the mid to late 1960s; it is the one with the center drawer for the handbook and will take a 24" scale in the drawers; it cost me $76, but multiply that be probably 5 or 6 to have it in today's dollars, I guess about the same as they cost today????  It still serves me well, made of finished black walnut.  Only problem I ever had with it was one of the drawer joints came unglued, I glued it back together and all is well.


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## Rick Berk (May 2, 2017)

I was going to build one after winning a Christmas giveaway along with 4 others on this site but Christmas came and went, new years can and went, the post office burned down then the wife got sick, Bill Gruby from Connecticut let down some very good and deserving people It's now 5 months later and no one have received their Christmas gift. I have a lot of 1/4 sawn white oak I was going to make mine out of and present it to my machinist son for his birthday in 2 weeks but will look for something else now. I know a guy from Ohio and one from South Dakota were as upset as I was in not receiving the drawings promised.


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## 4ssss (May 3, 2017)

My original Gerstner was a leather bound like the one pictured when I bought it, but the leather was in poor shape. I tore it off and cleaned up the oak and put a coat of Zar Wipe on Tung Oil. I also built a nice oak base for it. After 40 years it still looks like new new, and I just recently picked up a model 52 Gerstner at a tag sale that I'll be refinishing (if it needs it after I clean it up)  the same way when I get the time. Here's a couple pics.


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## RIMSPOKE (May 14, 2017)

HOW ABOUT A COUNTERFEIT GERSTNER ? 

MY GRANDFATHER GOT A JOB AT THE NEW POUGHKEEPSIE IBM PLANT JUST PRIOR TO WW2 . 

HE WORKED IN THE MACHINE SHOP AND WHEN HE SAW THE OTHER GUY's GERSTNER BOXES , HE 
WANTED HIS OWN . THEY WERE TOO EXPENSIVE & NO ONE WAS RETIRING SO HE BUILT HIS OWN VERSION . 

HE USED DIFFERENT HARDWARE & DID A NICE JOB REPRODUCING THE GERSTNER WOODWORK . 
BUT IT IS DONE DIFFERENTLY  IN A NUMBER OF WAYS .  

THIS WAS PASSED DOWN TO MY BROTHER . HE TOOK IT APART , SANDED & REFINISHED IT . 
HE USES IT TO HOUSE HIS COIN COLLECTION . 

IF YOU TAKE THE DRAWERS OUT YOU CAN READ ON THE BACK WALL WRITTEN IN PENCIL 
"MADE BY LES BROWER , AUGUST , 1941 "


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## 4ssss (May 14, 2017)

RIMSPOKE said:


> HOW ABOUT A COUNTERFEIT GERSTNER ?
> 
> MY GRANDFATHER GOT A JOB AT THE NEW POUGHKEEPSIE IBM PLANT JUST PRIOR TO WW2 .
> 
> ...




Your grandfather was a talented craftsman


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## MDJuggler (Aug 16, 2021)

I have this exact chess of the original post! My grandfather was a tool and die guy -- amazing engineer and machinist. I have been sitting with this in my garage for > 20 year since he passed away, and now I want to restore it.

_*Are there any good blogs on repairing these? *_It is in mechanically excellent shape -- but with a few problems:

the felt needs replacing [easy]
Missing the emblem [hopefully get get a close replica from the company]
Leather is quite worn [ not sure how well I'll be able to restore this! ]
hardware needs polishing (easy) but is all functinoal
Completely missing the front cover!
The last one is the toughest I'll have to rebuild that from scratch and leather it. Not sure if I can get the right hardware.

Awesome post!


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## Winegrower (Aug 16, 2021)

It's surprising that the Gerstner website still has latches, pulls, etc. for sale.




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						Shop - H. Gerstner & Sons
					






					gerstnerusa.com


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## MDJuggler (Aug 16, 2021)

Winegrower said:


> It's surprising that the Gerstner website still has latches, pulls, etc. for sale.


Yep -- plan to use them for this restoration project


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## benmychree (Aug 16, 2021)

That does not look like a Gerstner box, the corner reinforcements are not right and the lock should be imprinted with their name, also the mirror frame is wrong.


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