New bare wood tool chest. How to paint?

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Just picked up the below item. Appears hand made of high quality plywood. Very robust thingies the drawers roll on when opened.

The wood is naked. I will use it for automotive tools. It will look like crap in a month.

I am thinking oak-ish stain and spray polyurethane.

Is that resilient enough? Thoughts?

herr_oberst · 03-18-2016, 03:46 PM

Nice find! I would do exactly what you said, a nice stain and some poly to seal it.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 03:57 PM

Wow!
That is waaaaaay too nice to booger up.
I would put some thick rubber mats/ liner in the base of each drawer to soak up any oils, scuffs from the tools.

Can you post some closeup pics. The facings really look like solid wood. It would be nice to see what type of plywood veneer it is- maple, etc... It has nice slides/runners.

I'd go dark as possible stain on the drawer facings, like a walnut, that would hide greasy hand prints, and keep the outside box in clear/ maple.

That thing is badass!

Amail · 03-18-2016, 04:14 PM

I dunno, I'm thinking go the other direction. Don't finish it at all, let it collect marks and scuffs and stains. There's something about the patina on old tool boxes that just transports me.

LEAKYSEALS951 · 05:21 PM

I got bored and tried to do oak vs red oak vs walnut, but after looking at them I'm not convinced. Maybe Amail is right, stay plain, or maybe the sides need to be stained too. Hell- you aren't even asking what color to do it in- just what type of finish. Why can't I find this type of stuff on CL?

LEAKYSEALS951 · 03-18-2016, 04:55 PM

fwiw- I was going after this effect in reverse- but I don't know if the veneers will support it compared to the figured solid woods shown here.

devodave · devodave's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Just picked up the below item. Appears hand made of high quality plywood. Very robust thingies the drawers roll on when opened.

That's a really nice looking roller. Are you able to share where you were able to pick it up?

herr_oberst · 03-18-2016, 05:35 PM

Bob, on my garage workbench, I applied a couple of coats of Watco oil, using just a rag, and then a few coats of paste wax after it dried. It looks great, and it's super-easy to do....and my workbench is holding up fine, even after 20 years....

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

The three pics are awesome. The walnut is a beautiful contrast. Seriously, thank you for this. I am stoked.

I will go with that and do each drawer in full. The border is the shelf product you find at home depot. Particle board with a cleanable veneer.

Below is a close up of a drawer. The staples tell me maybe not hand made? My finger. Just call me Pig Pen. Can't do gloves. Jacks with my "chee".

Below drawer is a pic of the thick black impervious vinyl my pal "found" who works at an industrial vinyl curtain company. (I never ask). It's folded and sitting on top of the 3.2 seats I snagged for my SC before the market went nuts.

I appreciate the natural look but not going to do it when NOW is the right time to spend a week and $32 tricking it out with the contrast.

I do have a wee bit of experience. Here is a tool chest I made in my woodworking phase.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Bob, on my garage workbench, I applied a couple of coats of Watco oil, using just a rag, and then a few coats of paste wax after it dried. It looks great, and it's super-easy to do....and my workbench is holding up fine, even after 20 years....

I have two relic work benches. One holds the primary 46" wide primary tool box and the other is the command center with my PC and a drawer. 2nd is 60" wide. Grossly underutilized.

I could see this procedure bringing these bad boys back to life.

Note....it's been a beer night. Keystone light is only 4.2% so no judging. I don't inhale.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by devodave

That's a really nice looking roller. Are you able to share where you were able to pick it up?

My shop is in a small industrial park. Mike has a Sundek decorative concrete coatings franchise. He does well. He used two drawers of the chest for the spinkle stuff they toss on the paint.

He was fit to be tied because of all the crap in his shop.

I paid $50 to clear it out. He said "I paid $100 but get it the eff outta here. Sold"

Even a blind pig finds an acorn on occasion.

look 171 · 03-18-2016, 06:40 PM

Bob, if you like the stained look, then go ahead and stain to the color of your choice then top coat with a water based floor finish. Get those from your hardwood floor supplier. Ask for a commercial grade product. More then likely there might a hardener but that depends on the brand they carry and the chemical make up of their product. You must ask. Any of the off the shelf clear coat product will do, but I found them to be a bit soft when cured. Semi-gloss would be my choice, easy to clean and easy on the eyes and it doesn't look like plastic. Velspar makes a good water based clear if you can get hold of their top coat. Sand between coats (320 grit 3Mtri-mite paper. May need 220 with the floor finish) and its self-leveling, almost. I like to use a piece of sheet metal for a little better protection for the drawer bottom, but the small bits and pieces always fall in and under there making them disappear and are never seen again.

That is a Baltic or Finnish Birch. We make something similar called Apple Ply and are all great products. There are similar plywoods coming from Asia that are similar looking also. Nice looking tool chest BTW, It will look great with a little finish on top.

MBAtarga · 03-18-2016, 06:44 PM

Personally I would do the whole thing in a walnut stain and poly finish. Grime won't show as bad.

herr_oberst · 03-18-2016, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Keystone, the choice of fine stone masons the world over.

I've seen that tool box you built somewhere - did one of the magazines do a feature on it back in the day?

Here's my only bench. 2x4 and 4x4, 3/4 particle tops, 1/4 in hardened masonite for the top skin. Oak edge banding. It's at least 20 years old, maybe 25...and, I can and have taken it apart flat for moving.
I treat it with paste wax once in a while, but other than that, I just use it as a bench...

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

I've seen that tool box you built somewhere - did one of the magazines do a feature on it back in the day?

Here's my only bench. 2x4 and 4x4, 3/4 particle tops, 1/4 in hardened masonite for the top skin. Oak edge banding. It's at least 20 years old, maybe 25...and, I can and have taken it apart flat for moving.
I treat it with paste wax once in a while, but other than that, I just use it as a bench...

Beautiful. I really love simple and robust. Great functionality as well with the embedded boxes. I could do that with my crusty units.

I need to move my white board. It's 20 feet to the left of my PC bench.

The toolbox is (sometimes) in the Smithsonian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_O._Studley

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

Bob, if you like the stained look, then go ahead and stain to the color of your choice then top coat with a water based floor finish. Get those from your hardwood floor supplier. Ask for a commercial grade product.

Thank you for this info.

Agree that non two part product, even oil based spar varnish, is not bullet proof.

I don't need forever. Maybe 15 years till I hit 75.

I few extra hours of diligence now will pay off.

look 171 · 03-18-2016, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Keystone, the choice of fine stone masons the world over.

I've seen that tool box you built somewhere - did one of the magazines do a feature on it back in the day?

Here's my only bench. 2x4 and 4x4, 3/4 particle tops, 1/4 in hardened masonite for the top skin. Oak edge banding. It's at least 20 years old, maybe 25...and, I can and have taken it apart flat for moving.
I treat it with paste wax once in a while, but other than that, I just use it as a bench...

That crazy tool box was in the back cover of Fine Woodworking somewhere in the late 80s and the 90s.

Nostril Cheese · 03-18-2016, 09:25 PM

That toolbox was demonstrated by Norm Abram. Pretty damn amazing. Cant remember if it was New Yankee Workshop or This Old House.

tevake · 03-18-2016, 10:25 PM

If you decide to go with stain and clear finish. This is a good choice for easy to apply very durable poly.

Nice box and worth some time to get the finish you want.

Cheers Richard

That's the finish I used on the plank it's sitting on.

Charles Freeborn · Charles Freeborn's Garage

I've been using General brand finishes lately. Gel Poly is my new fav topcoat. Wipe on - wipe off with a paper towel. Easily re-treated in future. No overspray, masking, etc.
I've developed a pretty trick sequence to apply if you're interested.
For sprayed finishes I only use a hvlp gun. No rattle cans. Same company (General) also makes a very durable water based varnish that sprays well, sets up overnight and is very durable. I'd have to dig for the product name - have some out in the shop.
-C
Charles Freeborn | Fine Furniture