Author Topic: Versatool Cabinets  (Read 33881 times)

Offline awemawson

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Versatool Cabinets
« on: July 16, 2013, 07:05:27 AM »
I acquired these two Versatool cabinets a year or so ago, and now I am tooling up for my big CNC Lathe the time has come to put them into service. They are rather tatty, dented and rusty. The intention is to clean them up, knock the bigger dents out, then re-spray them.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2013, 07:08:46 AM »
First I stripped out all the nice rotating shelves, drawers etc and went at them with a few gentle taps from a hammer
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2013, 07:16:11 AM »
Checking the paint department, I had enough primer, and enough 'Iron Grey' top coat left over from spraying my 60 ton garage press when I re-built that, but I lacked the KPT04 thinners and only had one 'strip and clean' disk left. Suitable orders placed on eBay and I'll just have to be patient and wait for them to arrive.

If the weather holds I'm tempted to sand blast the cabinets - my 'portable' sand blaster is a Hodge Clemco biggy of the sort they use for motorway bridges and is a bit of a pain to pull out from where I store it - however a friend wants to blast some sandstone in his cottage wall so maybe we can kill two birds with one stone!
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2013, 12:44:30 PM »
So of course I got impatient and dragged out the sand blaster anyway! This was 'a good thing' as it forced me to re-arrange the room I had it stored in, and tidy away some crates of machine spares into my container.

Anyway, have a sand blaster and the compressor that I use with it:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #4 on: July 16, 2013, 12:45:30 PM »
After using two bags of this grit - that's of the order of 60 kgs as the bags are approx 30 kg a piece for some reason:
« Last Edit: July 16, 2013, 04:43:19 PM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #5 on: July 16, 2013, 12:46:41 PM »
We end up with this result:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2013, 12:48:47 PM »
I've moved them into my insulated and dry workshop over night as otherwise they will rust very rapidly being really bare steel. If the weather holds tomorrow I reckon I've just about got enough thinners to blow a thin primer coat on to keep them safe
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline micktoon

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #7 on: July 16, 2013, 04:10:42 PM »
Nice  Cabinets ....proper heavy duty stuff  :thumbup: , Looks like you are going about doing them the quickest and best way providing you have the gear to do it   :drool: , dam well beats an old chisel scraping paint off then allsorts of grinding sanding........but I will just keep telling myself it keeps me fit  :lol:

  Looking forward to seeing them finished they should be as good as new , keep up the good work  :thumbup:

 Cheers Mick.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #8 on: July 16, 2013, 04:42:01 PM »
Often using a striping disk is quicker than blasting if you take into account the getting out, putting away and clearing up, but the surface is usually a bit too smooth. The blaster leaves a slightly rough surface that gives a good 'key' for the paint to hang on to.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Arbalist

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #9 on: July 16, 2013, 04:44:26 PM »
Nice looking cabinets, look forward to seeing them completely refurbed.

On the subject of sandblasters, I saw a prog on TV a while back where they were reconditioning M1 Abrahms tanks. Stripped of all parts they are hung up inside the biggest blasting cabinet I've ever seen. Fully automatic of course!

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2013, 04:46:03 PM »
My ears are still ringing now several hours later - could do with an automated blasting line !
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline chipenter

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2013, 05:15:10 PM »
Is that motor paint factors still at Rovenden steam yard ?
Jeff

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #12 on: July 16, 2013, 05:19:52 PM »
Tell me more - never heard of it, but I'm an incomer here - only been here 6 years
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #13 on: July 17, 2013, 03:43:17 AM »
I always like to get something constructive done after I've fed & mucked out the animals and before breakfast, so here we have the Versatool cabinets set out ready for painting:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #14 on: July 17, 2013, 03:46:02 AM »
And here they are after the first coat of primer, which I just squeezed out of my remaining thinners - I had to clean the gun with Zylene  rather than the KPT04 that the paint is based on, but it worked ok:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Arbalist

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #15 on: July 17, 2013, 09:20:51 AM »
Nice job. I know naff all about spray painting so hows's about some more info just in case any of us want to copy you! - what type of spray gun are you using and what primer? I've seen stuff like etching primer or primer filler offered.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #16 on: July 17, 2013, 10:09:50 AM »
Well I'm certainly no expert spray painting!

The spray gun is a Binks Bullows '230' which I have had for probably over 30 years - as you can see it's sprayed a few colours in it's life. My 'method' of cleaning is:

a/ Pour out any remaining diluted paint - (I save it in a clean sealed plastic milk bottle if I have more to do later )

b/ Wipe out the reservoir, nozzle face, dip pipe etc with workshop tissue

c/ Put in about 50 ccs of thinners, shake it around, and spray into a wad of tissue - discard remnant

d/ Repeat c/ above

e/ Again put 50 ccs in the reservoir, swill it around then leave it in the gun

This seems to keep the workings clean and not clog up ensuring it's ready for next time
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #17 on: July 17, 2013, 10:16:04 AM »
The paint system is one I originally came across advertised on eBay as 'Tractor Enamel' It's a synthetic enamel that produces a very tough coat if you put it on thin enough to thoroughly dry between coats. The primer includes corrosion inhibitors. As you can see I've had this can of primer for a year or two.

I use about 10% thinners in both the primer and the top coat, which is the max they recommend, and I put it on quite thinly. I want pretty quick drying as most of my spraying has to be done out doors.

You can get primers that are loaded with a filler - called primer / surfacers - they put a significant thickness on that you can flat down with wet and dry paper. These are good when you are trying to get a mirror finish on a car or something of that ilk, but kit in the workshop really doesn't justify that sort of approach in my way of thinking.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #18 on: July 17, 2013, 10:17:32 AM »
The paint came from a very helpful company called 'Fascinating Finishes' who hail from Hull - they will mix it to any colour you choose from the 'RAL Chart' - details on this can:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Pete.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #19 on: July 17, 2013, 11:07:56 AM »
I can see that you've had that tin of corosion-inhibiting primer a long time - the tin's started going rusty :)

Offline Arbalist

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #20 on: July 17, 2013, 11:08:37 AM »
Thanks for the info, I'm sure many of us will find it useful :thumbup:

Offline hermetic

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #21 on: July 17, 2013, 03:13:47 PM »
handy tip for cleaning your spraygun, when you are spraying into the wadding, hold the wadding onto the gun nozzle for a few seconds till you hear the air bubbling into the pot, then remove and spray into the wadding again, cleans out the passageways in both directions!
Phil
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Offline chipenter

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #22 on: July 17, 2013, 04:48:12 PM »
Found them paint factors are called Britcon and are in Northiam just by the East Kent Steam line , they movede fron Rovenden over 20 years ago , sorry for any confusion .
Jeff

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #23 on: July 18, 2013, 03:50:03 AM »
Top coat on - time for breakfast !

Not perfect, but a dramatic improvement on their previous state. Not enough paint left for another coat so I'm sure this will do fine. These will need to be left for a few days to fully harden before re-assembling the door and drawer furniture. I've even bought some new green baize for the shelves. Need to cut new plywood boards for the tops and those shelves with holes other than where I want them
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline geoff_p

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #24 on: July 19, 2013, 12:31:04 PM »
A while ago I wanted some green baize.  Couldn't find any, of course, But ...

Just down the road is a small company who refurbish pool/billiard/snooker tables and they were happy to sell me an old cloth - for about 50 pence I got a sheet the size of a pool table.

Upside - very cheap!
Downside - dusty (no problem because by the time you've done handling it, cutting to size etc, all the chalk-dust has fallen out)
Downside 2 - it's thinner than a baize cloth, though that didn't matter for my purposes.

Geoff

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #25 on: July 19, 2013, 01:00:17 PM »
I cheated and bought self adhesive stuff. I've used it before and it's ok if a bit thin. The good thing is as it is self adhesive it firmly glues round all the holes  and doesn't pull away - as I cut them after it is stuck down.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #26 on: July 26, 2013, 01:21:01 PM »
The time was right, so today I've re-assembled all the door furniture, sorted out the stripped threads on the drawer handles, bent up new locking bars to replace the missing ones on the smaller cabinet, cut new shelves and lined them with green baize, and sanded down the top wood 'bench' surfaces. The later I may replace - they are pretty tatty and I can't sand them any more as they are plywood, and I'll go through the top lamination. I had some left over ' 20mm shuttering plywood' that I used for the shelves as they are covered, but it's not a good enough top lamination to be an exposed surface.

All I need to do now is decide what holes are needed where to store all the tools for the Traub CNC Lathe I've been resurrecting.

Anyway have a few pictures:
« Last Edit: July 26, 2013, 02:08:39 PM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #27 on: July 28, 2013, 10:54:09 AM »
Started fitting out the shelves for tooling for the Traub CNC Lathe.

First - I used up two shelves for the static and powered tooling for the tool turret:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2013, 10:55:51 AM »
Then I had to think how to store the collets. Two types, one type for the main spindle, and these for the opposing spindle:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #29 on: July 28, 2013, 10:58:25 AM »
If I were to bore the shelves to fit, the set would not fit on one shelf without being too weak as the holes would be too close together. Not nice to just sit them there and clang together, so I hit on the idea of making a honeycomb of sleeves.

Gutter downpipe plastic tubing was just about the right size:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #30 on: July 28, 2013, 10:59:36 AM »
I decided to glue the pipe sections using solvent weld glue, so best to put in one of the old shelves first as the glue is bound to drip everywhere:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Pete.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #31 on: July 28, 2013, 11:02:01 AM »
Those are awesome mawsome cabinets. I love the swing-out drawers. You lose less shelf space from the curved shelf than you would from having collets you can't reach at the back.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #32 on: July 28, 2013, 11:02:37 AM »
To keep the pipe sections firmly together I used domestic clothes pegs - it'll be ok dear they won't get messed up :)

Yikes send for a Gypsy - I'm running out of clothes pegs!
Andrew Mawson
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Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #33 on: July 28, 2013, 11:05:24 AM »
I ended up 'walking' the pegs across the honeycomb - fortunately the glue sets pretty quickly in the current hot weather.

I was fearful that the glue would soak into the baize of the old shelf and stick fast - luckily it didn't
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #34 on: July 28, 2013, 11:06:26 AM »
So back goes the new shelf complete with honeycomb and collets
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #35 on: July 28, 2013, 11:08:11 AM »
I'm tempted to do something similar with these 'J56' collets from the main spindle. They neatly sit inside a piece of 110mm drain pipe, so I feel another honeycomb coming on!
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #36 on: July 28, 2013, 11:14:37 AM »
Those are awesome mawsome cabinets. I love the swing-out drawers. You lose less shelf space from the curved shelf than you would from having collets you can't reach at the back.

Thanks for the kind words Pete. Yes I'm pretty pleased with the way they've turned out, and it means that the boxes of tools all over the floor have been tidied away at long last. The collets are very heavy, and the cabinet is a bit unstable with the 'honeycomb' shelf swung out, but it'll be ok when there is a bit of weight down below  :D
« Last Edit: July 28, 2013, 02:24:23 PM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
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Offline vtsteam

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #37 on: July 28, 2013, 01:27:36 PM »
That looks great, Andrew!  :thumbup: :clap:
I love it when a Plan B comes together!
Steve
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Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #38 on: July 29, 2013, 06:45:29 AM »
Thanks Steve.

Well I bowed to the inevitable and made up another honeycomb for the bigger collets. This time made from 110mm soil pipe. I only had the brown underground variety - black above ground would have been better but not worth the £10 to buy a length.

Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline krv3000

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #39 on: July 31, 2013, 06:38:46 AM »
hi a job well dun

Offline micktoon

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #40 on: August 14, 2014, 06:59:07 PM »
Hi Andrew , thanks for  posting the link to these cabinets getting done, I do not know how my search did not find it  :scratch: ............I knew I had seen a post somewhere a while back.
  Anyway , an excellent job you made of them and that idea about the collet holders might come in very handy indeed  :thumbup:

  Cheers Mick.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #41 on: October 31, 2018, 08:05:29 AM »
Resurrecting an old thread here, but it's the best place to put the info !

The cabinets described above were refurbished to house the tooling for the Traub CNC lathe that I had, but when it was sold, stupidly I let the cabinets go with it. Now I'm at the stage with the Beaver TC-20 CNC lathe that I need somewhere for it's tooling so went looking for more.

It seems that since then they have become 'trendy' with the yuppies that want bits of old iron in their kitchens - yes they are being used as kitch  kitchen cabinets would you believe  :bugeye:

So the price has gone through the roof, but I did manage to get a matching pair from opposite ends of the country. These ones are rather nice in that as well as the swinging shelves and a pair of drawers, there are also some handy 'normal' shelves.

I'm not sure if these will be blasted and re-sprayed as they are not in as bad condition as the others, and anyway the weather is not suitable probably until the spring. But I do want to make them movable. Previous ones sat on a frame with castors but I want to build the castors directly in. Problem is that the base is flanged, with a 25mm recess.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #42 on: October 31, 2018, 08:15:02 AM »
Now the cabinets are stout affairs with thick metal to the sides and base. I decided to make raising blocks to sit the castors on, with the weight being taken by bolts into the frame, and also by the blocks being in contact with the base.

A bit of suitable 50 mm x 25 mm bar in EN3a was ordered up, and being now to hand I cut 8 off 50 x 50 x 25 chunks and programmed the Beaver Partsmaster to spot drill, drill, and tap the 6 x 8 = 48 M6 holes to take the castors and fix the blocks to the cabinets. All went to plan, finishing yesterday evening.

This morning I made up a little drilling jig to align the mounting holes and set too on the first cabinet. The jig needed a chunk grinding off to clear the doors in use, but it all went pretty well. Heavy old lumps - I'm waiting for a friend to arrive shortly to help me turn the second one over - but one is done.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2018, 12:36:22 PM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
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Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #43 on: October 31, 2018, 03:05:53 PM »
Derek came and helped invert the second cabinet at lunch time, and as I got a bit of time before supper I managed to 'casterate' it.

Just need to decide how to get them back on their feet and into the workshop.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline russ57

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #44 on: October 31, 2018, 04:23:41 PM »
I see a forklift nearby...

Russ


Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #45 on: October 31, 2018, 06:14:53 PM »
It'll certainly help, but actually rotating it isn't quite as straightforwards as you might think - nowt to hold on to. I do have some powerful lifting magnets that might help tilting it but although it's thick I'm not sure that that panelling has enough meat for all the magnetic flux to be useful.

Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline seadog

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #46 on: October 31, 2018, 06:23:26 PM »
You could put a piece of thick plate on the inside.

Offline nrml

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #47 on: November 01, 2018, 01:49:51 AM »
Putting vintage steel cabinets on wheels is just going to increase its yuppie appeal. Better hide them deep in your workshop, well away from prying eyes.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #48 on: April 14, 2019, 08:58:46 AM »
At long last I have got round to sorting out the second Versatool cabinet for the Beaver TC20 CNC Lathe tooling and documentation.

Of the pair that I bought, one was in fair condition just needing a bit of cleaning up, but the second one had been painted blue over it's original silver hammer finish, and was rather tatty and scratched.

Firstly I gave it a really good clean up with 'Mr Muscle' to get rid of the oil and examine the over paint. I decided that if it was given a very good rubbing down with 'wet and dry' paper and soapy water it could stand another coat of silver hammer finish without the complete grit blasting that I had initially planned for it. This was slightly influenced by the fact that the weather still isn't good enough for outdoor grit blasting.

Saturday morning was very cold, but bright and sunny with no rain forecast, so the cabinet was wheeled out side, given a wipe down with a rag soaked in Industrial Thinners, and a coat of hammer finish paint applied. Note that this is NOT 'Hammerite', which since they changed the formulation I don't find any use at all. It is an industrial Xylene containing tough rough equivalent of the original Hammerite formulation.

I'd just about finished when the heavens opened  :bang: Not rain but heavy hail  :bang: Nothing for it but to leave it to it's fate. Needless to say there was rather more hammer effect than intended, and the doors were a real mess as they were the last bit I'd sprayed before the hail.

Fortunately this is very fast drying paint, and yesterday afternoon I was able to give it another vigorous rubbing down with wet and dry and get back to an acceptable finish for another coat of paint.

16:30 and the sun was shinning brightly, so out it came for another coat. Doors done first this time - I'd just finished then decided to blow over it's top - it didn't need painting as it is over lain by a 12 mm plywood insert, but I did ! Silly boy - just finished and, you guessed it, rain - only light this time but still rain. I gingerly wheeled it back into the workshop to dry off, and apart from a few blemishes to the top surface, and a very little bit to the door tops where they got a bit of over spray, I'm passing it out as acceptable.
« Last Edit: April 14, 2019, 09:36:18 AM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #49 on: April 14, 2019, 09:02:53 AM »
So this morning (Sunday) I was down at the local B&Q collecting a suitable bit of 12 mm plywood. Literally half the weight of the original and the grain running the wrong way, but it's all that there was.

It's been cut to size and had it's first coat of yacht varnish - it will certainly get one more coat and likely a third over the next few days - in contrast the original looks extremely tatty !
« Last Edit: May 08, 2019, 11:35:23 AM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
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Offline hermetic

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #50 on: April 15, 2019, 01:08:20 PM »
What is this "industrial Hammerite" of which you speak, and where may one obtain it? I share your opinion of the new stuff, it's crap, but I have a couple of machines I want to refinish in their original (or as near as) colours, a Taiwan but good 14" bandsaw, and a Qualters and Smith hacksaw, both in light green hammer finish, which is not part of the "new" hammerite range! swapping an excellent product for a reduced range inferior product is not progress! It is now an Akzo Nobel Product, and I see they are also selling Kurust, which used to be a Kingston paints (Hull) product. Ho hum.
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Offline awemawson

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Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #52 on: April 16, 2019, 05:24:23 AM »
While waiting for varnish to dry . . . YAWN . . . I started playing with Inkscape the graphics program. It is amazingly versatile but I find it's human interface rather clunky and non-intuitive.

Casting about for something to experiment with I thought - why not try and copy one of the silver foil labels that originally adorned the doors of these Versatool cabinets.

So, taking a photograph of the one surviving label, and much assistance from YouTube I cleaned up the image, dropped the back ground, adjusted the inevitable distortion and then set the size to that of the original. Then (more YouTube!) surrounded it by a box with rounded corners as cutting guides, and created a full page with four copies evenly distributed - four being the maximum I could get on an A4 sheet.

Success so far, as it printed on paper very nicely, but the original was on 'silver' foil - what's available. Once again eBay came up trumps with full A4 self adhesive laser printable silver foil stock with a fast delivery at a reasonable price. It arrived this morning, and a quick bit of setting up produced four nice labels cut from the sheet by careful application of a scalpel.

The foil print was quite ruckled as it came out of the printer, but the labels flatten down OK when applied.

(I confess that the second label applied to the right hand door was to cover a paint blemish  :palm: )

Altogether quite pleasing.
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #53 on: April 16, 2019, 11:06:58 AM »
Then finally, now the varnish is dry, the counter top was replaced
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #54 on: April 16, 2019, 11:43:40 AM »
I was going to ask how you ere going to deal with the large paint flaws on the right hand door - but cleaned my screen instead!

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #55 on: April 16, 2019, 01:15:47 PM »
While waiting for varnish to dry . . . YAWN . . . I started playing with Inkscape the graphics program. It is amazingly versatile but I find it's human interface rather clunky and non-intuitive.

Casting about for something to experiment with I thought - why not try and copy one of the silver foil labels that originally adorned the doors of these Versatool cabinets.

So, taking a photograph of the one surviving label, and much assistance from YouTube I cleaned up the image, dropped the back ground, adjusted the inevitable distortion and then set the size to that of the original. Then (more YouTube!) surrounded it by a box with rounded corners as cutting guides, and created a full page with four copies evenly distributed - four being the maximum I could get on an A4 sheet.

Success so far, as it printed on paper very nicely, but the original was on 'silver' foil - what's available. Once again eBay came up trumps with full A4 self adhesive laser printable silver foil stock with a fast delivery at a reasonable price. It arrived this morning, and a quick bit of setting up produced four nice labels cut from the sheet by careful application of a scalpel.

The foil print was quite ruckled as it came out of the printer, but the labels flatten down OK when applied.

(I confess that the second label applied to the right hand door was to cover a paint blemish  :palm: )

Altogether quite pleasing.

Strangely enough I have also been trying to learn some inkscape. I agree it's not very intuitive and without the tutorials you don't stand much/any chance of producing satisfactory results. I can muddle along with CAD producing drawings but I couldn't even get a start with this program without the assistance of youtube vids.

Your cabinets have come out very well and the stickers set them off nicely Andrew.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #56 on: April 16, 2019, 06:14:36 PM »
yep modern pant is crap I'm on with a Stuart 10v and I did a test I got two new tins of green enamel and I got a tin of green different shade must be at least 8 years old  panted two bits of steel left them for the same length of time  over a week the new stuff is soft  just in handling it
  it gets scratch but the old pant not a mark on it so when the pant on the engine is dun I'm going to have  to give it a cote of lacer

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #57 on: April 17, 2019, 02:31:32 AM »
Very good job. They look like new.

I have a question about this style of cabinet: How do this style swing out design compare in practical terms with modern drawer type tool chests?

There are some obivious differences like, in theoriy you could fit more light weigh stuff on drawers and swing out design is mechanically simple....but it real world use? What is the deal?

There is no question which one looks better and traditional.

Pekka

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #58 on: April 17, 2019, 02:57:23 AM »
Pekka the advantage of the swing out style to me is that they are designed so that tools with shanks can stand upright retained by holes. The frame of the quadrant is stout steel but the quadrant itself is a wooden insert intended to be bored to suit.
Andrew Mawson
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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #59 on: April 18, 2019, 05:58:37 AM »
I actually have been thinking of making a small experiment. There is nook between lathe and milling machine. Small open or semi closed structure with swing out selves might be the ticket.

I think that "bearing" is easily solved, but it is the wooden table / cloth assembly is the one that I'm having hard time getting my head around with.....

I am thinking of plywood (strong even when drilled full of holes) but edges are exposed to oil/etc. Trough impregnated is pretty expensive and hard to work with....maybe plywood and some sort of plastic inserts glued after the wood tray is painted all over, specially holes and edges?

Cloth? Hmm.....looks good, but maybe paint/laquer instead.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #60 on: April 18, 2019, 07:43:32 AM »
Weld up a 'tray' from angle iron that the shelf part can rest on - then you have something to fix your pivot on and all the edges of the shelf are protected.

Andrew Mawson
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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #61 on: April 18, 2019, 09:20:16 AM »
Weld up a 'tray' from angle iron that the shelf part can rest on - then you have something to fix your pivot on and all the edges of the shelf are protected.

yesh

And small diagonal stays on both sides of pivot up to prevent it from drooping.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #62 on: April 18, 2019, 09:21:34 AM »
This is the Versatool arrangement
Andrew Mawson
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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #63 on: April 18, 2019, 11:36:49 AM »
Thank you. That looks pretty hefty material thickness. I was thinkking thinner metal and more dimenssions to build up stiffness.

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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #64 on: April 18, 2019, 12:42:00 PM »
But triangulated braces below will clash with the lower shelf. As it is I have to be a bit careful with protrusions below (tool holder shanks) clashing with things on the lower shelf. In the Versatool design each shelf can be easily set at a new height in 2 inch increments by a single fixing set by inserting a cranked square bar and twisting. (A nice bit of 'post design design' when you get your spacing wrong !)
« Last Edit: April 18, 2019, 04:20:59 PM by awemawson »
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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #65 on: April 22, 2019, 08:54:50 AM »
Thanks for the Paint link Andrew, after one look I lost all self control and ordered 5 litres of light green! Don't tell John Doubleboost, but there is going to be a lot of green machinery in my shop! Are you thinning it with universal, cellulose, or a special thinner? looked on the site, but could find a mention of it.
Phil
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Re: Versatool Cabinets
« Reply #66 on: April 22, 2019, 09:27:34 AM »
Phil I dilute with about 10% of 'Industrial Thinners' and it seems work out OK !

I believe that these thinners are xylene based.
Andrew Mawson
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