Help with old Mac box

[lifeontherun]

I recently picked up a top(MB1710?) and bottom(MB1600) for a pretty fair price but the bottom box (MB1600) has no locking mechanisms except a hinge on the back. I talked to Mac and they helped me find some tumblers but I believe there's a rod that goes from the tumbler to the hinge on the back of the box.

 

[lifeontherun]

Bottom box

 

[GSMotorrad]

what's up with those speakers in the first picture? are they mounted in hinged wooden doors?

 

[TheGrooveking]

Those doors are not wooden. I can remember when MAC first released this box, it caused quite the stir.

TheGrooveking

 

[lifeontherun]

Definatley not wooden they don't make boxes this heavy anymore. I thought it was pretty neat all original but missing the removable antenna. Anyways I was wondering if anybody has the lower box and maybe a picture of the locking mechanism since I guess I'm gonna have to fab up my own.

 

[lifeontherun]

Bump

 

[fatfillup]

Can't help with your problem but I have seen one of those in person, very bad *** box!

 

[gdocktor3]

Yes there's a rod. I don't have that exact box, but have two different size macs from that era and they both have same mechanism. You can probably use 1/4" threaded rod or something similar.

 

[gdocktor3]

Found this in the back of the box when I pulled the drawer out.

 

[Parabellum]

what's up with those speakers in the first picture? are they mounted in hinged wooden doors?

What would Mr. No Ragrets buy for a tool chest?

 

[GSMotorrad]

What would Mr. No Ragrets buy for a tool chest?

Not exaactly sure what you're asking, but I have Viper 41" top and bottom. It's a good middle-of-the-road kit for me.

 

[lifeontherun]

Thanks for the picture gdoktor that's what I was looking for if its not too much trouble I'd like to see how it hooks to the lock and the hinge mechanism in the back. I have to make a new rod, the support the rod runs through and possibly new hinge in the back along with buy a new lock.

 

[gdocktor3]

Watch this video. At about 1:21 it shows how mechanism works. It may not be exact same as yours, but you get idea of how it works. If it's not the same I'll try to take some pics of mine when I get home, but this is probably easier to see and understand.

 

[Parabellum]

Not exaactly sure what you're asking, but I have Viper 41" top and bottom. It's a good middle-of-the-road kit for me.

I was just wondering your preference. That "No Ragrets" avatar makes me laugh!

 

[lifeontherun]

Watch this video. At about 1:21 it shows how mechanism works. It may not be exact same as yours, but you get idea of how it works. If it's not the same I'll try to take some pics of mine when I get home, but this is probably easier to see and understand.

I think that will help a lot I should be able to make all of that fairly easy if I cant find the parts.

 

[gdocktor3]

I think that will help a lot I should be able to make all of that fairly easy if I cant find the parts.

Just curious, have you emailed Mac about it? i own a lot of Mac stuff and email them every now and then. They have great customer support and always answer in detail. Worth a shot.

 

[lifeontherun]

Just curious, have you emailed Mac about it? i own a lot of Mac stuff and email them every now and then. They have great customer support and always answer in detail. Worth a shot.

I called them he said they had no parts for the top and bottom or diagrams. The best he could do was give me part numbers for the locks that interchange with different boxes so it was kind of a dead end.

 

[gdocktor3]

Well if you're not worried about looks, the next easiest solution is to go with something like this. I had planned on painting it to match, but it's at work locked away in my shop so nobody ever sees it anyways. The good thing about this lock is that the bolts are hidden when it's closed. All you need is a good lock to go with it. I actually run a cable up to mine that is run through an I bolt I cemented into the wall. I then put the master lock I bought through the mechanism and the loops on the cable so it can't be open or rolled away.

 

[gdocktor3]

This is another setup we have on a box in our main work shop. Not sure if it came with the box or not. I was also thinking - maybe go to HF or Sears and take a look at their bigger boxes to see if the lock mechanism is the same. I would imagine they are all similar and share same parts, or see if you could swap a complete setup over to yours. I would only assume they could get you a new setup since the boxes are still being produced. Waterloo may also have something you could use.

 

[lifeontherun]

well quick update I called my local mac dist. gave him my numbers mac gave me to get new locks. Been a week and haven't heard from him. Just emailed accuride the ball bearing slides on the bottom drawer are severely bent so ill have to see if I can find new ball bearing sliders. The rest of the box has normal sliders and their ok a few are pretty bend but I straightened them to an acceptable level and put the bent ones on smaller drawers that wont hold as much weight. Im starting to worry if this was a bad purchase but I seem to always buy projects so why not add another one to the list.

 

[Stick Figure]

I went through many of these problems on my MB1500 a few months back. The slides were not able to be ordered through Accuride since the mounting method was MAC specific. I ordered new slides for the top drawers from MAC but not the large bottom. The lock mechanism is similar to the one in the video. For the lock itself, I ended up finding another key that was close (black HF cart) and doing a little sanding to the plugs (or whatever they are called) until it worked.

Hope that helps some.