Craftsman toolbox drawer repair

[inferno363]

I picked up this set of toolboxes at a garage sale and it's in pretty good shape except that one of the top box's drawer is damaged.

It looks like it was overloaded, ripping the spot welds out that held the slide channel in place.

[IMGhttp://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l295/inferno363/Craftsman%20Drawer%20Repair/IMG_3575_zpsozvyn5mq.jpg[/IMG]

I've looked at searspartsdirect and the drawers are NLA. I've though about trying to replicate the slide channel but I'm not sure I could pull it off with the tools (or skills) I have.

The other idea I had, is to bend some sheet metal to extend the walls of drawer below and make it deeper. This I could pull off pretty easily but I'd much rather have the other drawer functioning.

So, have any of you dwelt with anything like this or have any suggestions? I'm all ears (or eyes?).

Also, does anyone know who made this set? I assume Waterloo, but how do you know for sure?

Thanks,

Kyle

 

[PelicanPines]

I have restored drawers in about the same shape... I am FAR from a professional anything. I took my time... squared the drawer first... then flattened the worst sections... resquared... flattened some more.

I used a small hammer, cold chisel, 2 inch chunk of steel, 2x4 as a surface to hammer against. I used the (intentionally dulled) cold chisel to tweak a slide that was bent.

Take your time... bet you could make it functional

I will add... the back corner where the slide area is kind of destroyed. Don't try to fix that... just remove that small section ... just flatten the area... then grind off the lip that's destroyed.

Good Luck

 

[jakemac]

If you can't (or don't want to) do the work yourself, you could always take it to your local body shop. If the job is too small for them, ask the owner if any of his guys want to do a small side job.

Or - you could spent your time stalking eBay until someone decides to part out the same box.

 

[zkling]

I'd just tack weld a strip to the drawer below to extend the height. That drawer is too far gone and on that box not worth the effort unless you just want the practice. My 2¢

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I'll bet you can find a replacement drawer on eBay though it may take awhile.

 

[inferno363]

Thanks for all the input everyone! This week I decided to get some sheet metal and take a swing at replicating the slide channel. I figured if I couldn't get it right I'd only be out $9 so why not.

I started with the whole sheet and just notched a corner out that I thought was pretty close to getting me to the right dimensions. This way if I messed up my bend allowance I could adjust on the fly and it gave me a bit more leverage to work with. I gave myself about 1/8" to grab a hold of and started to fold it over with a couple pairs of flat jaw pliers. After some finagling I ended up here:

My bend allowance seemed to be pretty good, so I cut off the other side and bent it up as well. This was a little more difficult without the rest of the sheet to work against. After more finangling I wound up with this:

I need to find or make something just the right size to stick in there and tap a hammer against to smoothe and even it out but I think it's going to work.

I keep my welder out at my parents with my project car half an hour away so it'll be a little while before I can get to repairing the drawer itself and welding this onto it but so far so good.

Cheers!

Kyle

 

[joe_padavano]

I know some people just enjoy fixing stuff like this. If so, have at it. Personally I'd rather spend my time working on projects like my cars, not fixing the tools I bought. Sears still sells replacement drawers, depending on the exact model number of the box. They run about $25 or so each.

 

[leg17]

I have restored drawers in about the same shape... I am FAR from a professional anything. I took my time... squared the drawer first... then flattened the worst sections... resquared... flattened some more.

How did you square the drawer?
Squeeze the diagonal corners with a pipe clamp?
(I have a top chest that got dropped and needs to be straightened out.)
Thanks

 

[inferno363]

I looked on searspartsdirect and the drawer was NLA. I get that it's not "worth" fixing but so far I'm $9 in for the sheet metal (nearly all of which I have left) and an hour of my time sitting on the living room floor bending it up while my wife watched TV.

I figure I can finish it up in another hour of so and nothing in in materials. It's worth it to me to have the storage back and not have to look at a missing drawer even if it doesn't work perfectly.

 

[PelicanPines]

How did you square the drawer?
Squeeze the diagonal corners with a pipe clamp?
(I have a top chest that got dropped and needs to be straightened out.)
Thanks

I make a plywood template that matches what I need... I double the thickness of the plywood as well... giving me 1 1/2 inch thick piece to get INTO the drawer... if it goes in... the drawer is square... I have used clamps and hammers to make it happen. Please note... it's done gently...

For a top... you will need two pieces... that you book into the space... in order to deal with the lip at the top. So you have a left and a right... put them in at an angle like a TENT... push em down... square away.

When I started doing that technique it became obvious on what I needed to do to make a "slug/template".

 

[PelicanPines]

I looked on searspartsdirect and the drawer was NLA. I get that it's not "worth" fixing but so far I'm $9 in for the sheet metal (nearly all of which I have left) and an hour of my time sitting on the living room floor bending it up while my wife watched TV.

I figure I can finish it up in another hour of so and nothing in in materials. It's worth it to me to have the storage back and not have to look at a missing drawer even if it doesn't work perfectly.

It's so worth fixing it. It's a skill to do something that can be done... vs doing something for other people to admire.

For example... some of the things you are doing for this project will be useful on other tasks that come along.

Only worrying about "your cars" is ok I guess... it's not a personal trait I would admire when seeing a task like your drawer is sitting undone.

It's cool *** that you are doing it and doing it with what you got. The slide may need some tweaking but hey... it's great already.

 

[leg17]

I make a plywood template that matches what I need... I double the thickness of the plywood as well... giving me 1 1/2 inch thick piece to get INTO the drawer... if it goes in... the drawer is square... I have used clamps and hammers to make it happen. Please note... it's done gently...

For a top... you will need two pieces... that you book into the space... in order to deal with the lip at the top. So you have a left and a right... put them in at an angle like a TENT... push em down... square away.

When I started doing that technique it became obvious on what I needed to do to make a "slug/template".

Thanks a lot for the suggestions