Any way to repair this?

[kwschumm]

I've got a decent, 25+ year old Craftsman wrench set, model 44127. This was given to me by my late Dad and it has some sentimental value.

The case for this set is a blow molded case with two molded latches that are "hinged" by flexing the plastic that connects the latch to the case. Stupid but cheap design. One latch has broken off so the other one probably will soon.

Are there any good ways to repair this?

 

[rlitman]

Plastic welding. You can put that back together with a soldering pencil and some practice.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I am still looking for a replacement blow molded case for my Craftsman 1/4" set. The front latch died awhile a go and I keep it closed with rubber bands.

 

[four.cycle]

I have an Easco set with exactly the same problem, and like theoldwizard1 I keep it closed with a couple big rubber bands.

Last time I was down at Agri-Shop they had a "Plastic Repair" kit on the front counter. I read the product description on the package. Sounded interesting, but I didn't buy one - they were about $15 bucks, as I recall. The question, of course, is if it will be flexible enough to serve as a latch hinge.

I've seen more than one of those Craftsman "Permanex" cases listed on Ebay where somebody fixed the hinges by simply installing a regular metal **** hinge using sheet metal screws and epoxy. The latch is another animal.

 

[RAS61]

You might try some velcro tabs, I think you can get them with adhesive backing

 

[mbshop]

You can glue on some tough fabric that would become the hinge. Thick stuff like webbing would be to much though.

 

[rlitman]

You might try some velcro tabs, I think you can get them with adhesive backing

But his problem is on the hinge side.

An alternative option would be to attach a piano hinge to the case. But to make it work, you'd have to break off the other plastic hinge.

 

[kwschumm]

But his problem is on the hinge side.

An alternative option would be to attach a piano hinge to the case. But to make it work, you'd have to break off the other plastic hinge.

It's on the latch side. It's easy to find a way to keep it closed, but I had hoped to find a way to re-affix the latch. There are some good ideas here!

 

[four.cycle]

Like I said above, I have exactly the same problem with an Easco set, and I was considering something along this line:



3/4" wide black nylon web strap with 1/2" steel snaps, with the web straps pop-riveted to the bottom of the box.
the loose ends of the straps might be a nuisance, though.
just a thought.

 

[rlitman]

It's on the latch side. It's easy to find a way to keep it closed, but I had hoped to find a way to re-affix the latch. There are some good ideas here!

Oh. Duh. Wow am I off the mark today! I don't think you have much of a chance of plastic welding it either then. So, please disregard any posts of mine above this.

The hinge side of those boxes is pretty strong, but the closure tabs always seem to break.

Check out this video:

He's remaking the hinge using some zip ties. You could do the same with wire rings (I think that might be even better). Or you can get small hinges at a hobby shop, like what's used on model aircraft control surfaces.

If it were my case today, and if I didn't mind making some design changes, I'd rivet strips of leather belt onto the top and attach snap bases to the bottom to make it snap shut.

 

[rlitman]

Like I said above, I have exactly the same problem with an Easco set, and I was considering something along this line:



3/4" wide black nylon web strap with 1/2" steel snaps, with the web straps pop-riveted to the bottom of the box.
the loose ends of the straps might be a nuisance, though.
just a thought.

The strap doesn't have to have loose ends, and it doesn't have to go all the way around. If you use snaps, you can attach the snap base directly to the bottom of the case. Either by riveting it on, or by using a screw on snap bottom. You could even use a small nut and machine screw.

 

[Higgins]

It's on the latch side. It's easy to find a way to keep it closed, but I had hoped to find a way to re-affix the latch. There are some good ideas here!

Yes it's easy to weld the blow mold cases.

No, the weld would not be flexible

You may be able to cut off another latch assembly from a donor case, and weld that on your Dads case

AL

 

[ptgarcia]

What about model airplane hinges?

 

[driftpin]

I've used a couple different methods some mentioned here. Done to C'man Permanex cases, the fasteners are different methods.

The simplest is to get the long Velcro straps that have the rigid nylon loop at one end, you loop the Velcro around the case, and through the rigid nylon loop, pull the Velcro tight back-onto itself and fasten it. It's a belt around the case. I've been using the same Velcro loop to hold-shut a 1/2" C'man set for over 10 years. Cheap, effective tight.

Another case, I used 2 pc. nylon webbing about 2-1/2" long, I put 1/4" brass eyelets at either end of the straps and then I through-bolted the straps to the hinge-side of the case, using 1/4" machine screws and nylock nuts. The latches were good, the hinges broke.

Another time for my 1/4" C'man socket set, the Permanex case male pin that went into the female eye of the top case, broke-off. One side still seemed functional. I used a machine-screw threaded drywall anchor and put that through where the broken male pin was on one side of the lower case-half. I used a small washer and the machine screw through the top-box female eye, I could have used a bit of locktite to hold it in, but the screw is long-enough, I didn't bother. It's never fallen-out, I've screwed it back in once or twice over the years.

Since the Permanex cases are typically double-walled, w/a void between the layers, you need to use something like a nylock nut to keep from crushing the space, which would weaken the plastic, and stress-fracture it. Or, use locktite.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I've used a couple different methods some mentioned here. Done to C'man Permanex cases, the fasteners are different methods.

The simplest is to get the long Velcro straps that have the rigid nylon loop at one end, ...

I made "rubber bands" out if 1/8" bungee cord. To connect the ends, I over lapped them inside of a dual wall heat shrink tube. Inexpensive and very durable !

Those little hardware assortment boxes (different cotter pins, fuses, zerks, etc) come in nice boxes that tend to pop open when you drop them. Not with my bungee cord rubber band wrapped around in a cross configuration. This rubber bands also do a great job of holding power tool cords when storing several of them in a drawer.

The best part about this system is it is inexpensive (when you buy your cord in bulk on eBay) and you can make them in any length and width you want.

I took a couple of cheap bungees with hooks, and cut one hook off of each and spliced it together with dual wall heat shrink. It worked up to the point of maximum capacity when it failed. So I took some nylon upholstery thread and a big needle and sewed the 2 loose end together. I just passed the needle through the 2 bungee ends once or twice, made several tight wraps, passed the needle through again a couple more times, more wraps, etc. until I felt it was adequate. Then I shrunk tubing around that for a neat finish.