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Repair vintage craftsman toolbox slides

Jaydb07

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Jun 26, 2018
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335
Location
Lodi, CA
IMG_5808.jpg
I bought this toolbox at a great price and love it. Most of the slides fail to stop and captivate the drawers. They will just slide all the way out and off. Can anyone A) tell me the vintage of this baby and B) advise how I might repair those slides to work properly? Thank you.


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American Locomotive

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Jan 8, 2017
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Rhode Island
I believe those slides use a little metal clip that's supposed to limit the travel. My friend has a similar box and the slides also let the draws come all the way out. Some of the slides still have a little clip, and those don't slide all the way out.
 

txlonghorn1989

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Feb 27, 2017
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The gray & red Craftsman toolboxes were made for Sears by Waterloo Manufacturing. They're still making toolboxes today. You can buy replacement slides from them. I haven't heard of anyone fixing these slides where the spring steel is missing or broken but if it's possible I'm sure someone here on GJ has done it and will be along soon to explain how. Congrats on getting those toolboxes!
 
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Jaydb07

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Jun 26, 2018
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Location
Lodi, CA
The gray & red Craftsman toolboxes were made for Sears by Waterloo Manufacturing. They're still making toolboxes today. You can buy replacement slides from them. I haven't heard of anyone fixing these slides where the spring steel is missing or broken but if it's possible I'm sure someone here on GJ has done it and will be along soon to explain how. Congrats on getting those toolboxes!



Very helpful thank you. Any guess re the vintage?


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1982fxr

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Phoenix
I bought nos clips on eBay for one of those. Couple bucks. They’re similar to kennedy clips. 1960’s-70’s ?
 

Bockscar

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Nov 28, 2017
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The Great State of Ohio
On the top chest.....open the top and look on the left side.....it should be stamped there.....On the bottom I am not sure.....I have read it is stamped on the lower right side on the bottom but I cannot find it on mine

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rsanter

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visalia ca
Let’s see pictures of the slides on the drawers with the drawer pulled out.
If I recall there are little metal tabs bent outward to catch the rail and prevent the drawer from coming out. To remove the drawer you push these in just a little and pull the drawer out.
These either need to be pulled out a little to engage or are broken off.
If broken you can make a little metal tab that you tack weld on or even pop rivit on
 
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Jaydb07

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Jun 26, 2018
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335
Location
Lodi, CA
Let’s see pictures of the slides on the drawers with the drawer pulled out.
If I recall there are little metal tabs bent outward to catch the rail and prevent the drawer from coming out. To remove the drawer you push these in just a little and pull the drawer out.
These either need to be pulled out a little to engage or are broken off.
If broken you can make a little metal tab that you tack weld on or even pop rivit on



Ok now I see most of my drawers operate properly and stop due to a clip engaging a tab. But scream drawers are missing that tab. IMG_5820.jpgIMG_5819.jpg


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6PTsocket

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Mar 12, 2014
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Let’s see pictures of the slides on the drawers with the drawer pulled out.
If I recall there are little metal tabs bent outward to catch the rail and prevent the drawer from coming out. To remove the drawer you push these in just a little and pull the drawer out.
These either need to be pulled out a little to engage or are broken off.
If broken you can make a little metal tab that you tack weld on or even pop rivit on
Waterloo/Craftsman went through at least 3 ever cheaper drawer stop arrangements that I know of. The first one used a clip that had an extra fold in it so you could pull the clip out with the tip of your finger to release the drawer. Then next generation clip eliminated the finger grasp and you now needed a screw driver to pull the clip out of the hole. They are completely interchangable. Later boxes eliminated the clip altogether and used a bent tab that was part of the drawer sheet metal. It came with a shim that looks like a feeler gauge and it lets the drawer override the tab. To reinstall, you bend the tab back out if necessary and the slide rides over the tab that pops out to lock the drawer slide. The third method is really cheap and sleazy. I have the two older types of clips on my boxes at home and I had the bent tab on an assigned to me box at work, so I am familiar with all three. The old red and grays used the clips. There is only one length that I know of for Sears boxes. The current clip looks a little different than the older two but is the correct replacement. I have not used it so I am not sure if it can be unlatched bare handed or not. This is the one on ebay or from Waterloo. I guess it was/is OEM at some point.

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Jaydb07

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Jun 26, 2018
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Location
Lodi, CA
Waterloo/Craftsman went through at least 3 ever cheaper drawer stop arrangements that I know of. The first one used a clip that had an extra fold in it so you could pull the clip out with the tip of your finger to release the drawer. Then next generation clip eliminated the finger grasp and you now needed a screw driver to pull the clip out of the hole. They are completely interchangable. Later boxes eliminated the clip altogether and used a bent tab that was part of the drawer sheet metal. It came with a shim that looks like a feeler gauge and it lets the drawer override the tab. To reinstall, you bend the tab back out if necessary and the slide rides over the tab that pops out to lock the drawer slide. The third method is really cheap and sleazy. I have the two older types of clips on my boxes at home and I had the bent tab on an assigned to me box at work, so I am familiar with all three. The old red and grays used the clips. There is only one length that I know of for Sears boxes. The current clip looks a little different than the older two but is the correct replacement. I have not used it so I am not sure if it can be unlatched bare handed or not. This is the one on ebay or from Waterloo. I guess it was/is OEM at some point.

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Mine is the oldest style. I found them being reman and sold by a guy on Ebay. He makes and sells all versions. Good value.


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L5wolvesf

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Dec 4, 2011
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Location
Northern AZ
On the top chest.....open the top and look on the left side.....it should be stamped there.....On the bottom I am not sure.....I have read it is stamped on the lower right side on the bottom but I cannot find it on mine

I checked my box and can find it on the left or right. I got it used in the mid/early 80s so I would imagine it is 70s maybe older.

But while I was moving things I came across a clip and the info on it. The part# is/was M3163, but they don't seem to carry them now.

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/M3163/0009/706.html?pathTaken=partSearch&q=m3163
 

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Bockscar

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The Great State of Ohio
I checked my box and can find it on the left or right. I got it used in the mid/early 80s so I would imagine it is 70s maybe older.

But while I was moving things I came across a clip and the info on it. The part# is/was M3163, but they don't seem to carry them now.

https://www.searspartsdirect.com/part-number/M3163/0009/706.html?pathTaken=partSearch&q=m3163
Look in the top box for the stamp
9a78cbe9bf3d2c246b5ed7bf23515566.jpg
c4087b505ba0c63fd0e46af6b7b8979a.jpg


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L5wolvesf

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Dec 4, 2011
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Location
Northern AZ
Look in the top box for the stamp

Thanks, I missed it at first, mine clearly reads and is well stamped with - 048 - with maybe a 0 after the 8 but hardly any impression, could be a scratch. My drawer layout is exactly the same as yours but mine is all red.
 
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