I scored 2 lista cabinets for free! It was a 2hr drive each way, and I had to haul a trailer load of furniture, but it was for my faster in law, and I would have done it anyway. He scored them many years ago from a company going out of business for $20. They are pretty beat up, mice were living in some, and done surface rust. I was thinking about pressure washing them, then adding a coast if paint to the outside. Does anyone know what paint will match the lista gray? Is pressure washing a bad idea? Obviously I wouldn't pressure wash any of the bearings. I was going to do some minor pounding and try to flatten out some of the drawers. I looked online and they seem to have a 200kg per drawer capacity! Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Lista cabinet restoration questions
- Thread starter jgorm
- Start date
rsanter
Well-known member
Pressure washing is not a problem. I do it with used tool boxes all the time.
Don't worry about the bearings, just don't hit them too hard with the blast. Then once toy blast them blow them off with air and a little WD40 or similar to the bearings and you are good to go
Bob
Don't worry about the bearings, just don't hit them too hard with the blast. Then once toy blast them blow them off with air and a little WD40 or similar to the bearings and you are good to go
Bob
matt_i
Well-known member
The internal frames should each come out easily, by lifting a catch. Set those aside, no need to repaint unless rusting but its not cosmetic. I would apply heavyweight machine OIL to the bearings, 1 to 2 drops per and work them by hand until rolling free again, this will actually help lubricate them. WD40 would be a good way to clean the bearings.
As far as the paint, I wouldn't worry about matching, just paint the whole thing. They are heavyweight cabinets. Each drawer can be nearly packed solid with steel offcuts and it will still roll smoothly if that gives you a perspective. Along those lines I feel its a large mistake to put them on casters. If one heavy drawer ever starts moving out due to mis-leveling, the entire cabinet and all of its contents will be on the ground shortly, and hopefully you not under 1000# of stuff.
As far as the paint, I wouldn't worry about matching, just paint the whole thing. They are heavyweight cabinets. Each drawer can be nearly packed solid with steel offcuts and it will still roll smoothly if that gives you a perspective. Along those lines I feel its a large mistake to put them on casters. If one heavy drawer ever starts moving out due to mis-leveling, the entire cabinet and all of its contents will be on the ground shortly, and hopefully you not under 1000# of stuff.
jeepinerdeep
Well-known member
Hey you ****. Also subbed for the resto.
Nice score. The insides look pretty clean which is a bonus. Definitely clean and lube the bearings. It probably hasn't been done since they were new. I agree with painting the entire cabinet. I picked up a couple of Listas that needed a lot of drawer carrier and bearing repair. Painted them up and ordered a few new parts and they're great. If you search my threads, you'll see what I'm talking about.
Last edited:
kylefitz
Well-known member
I just picked up this lista off eBay. Overall it was in great shape. One or two vert small dents and a drilled out lock. All the bearings were locked up to the point someone along the way greased the outside of the bearings. The old grease was like earwax. I used some brake cleaner and compressed air and compleatly flushed all 120 bearings and then lubed with some 3 in 1 oil. Might not be the best choice in the long run but the drawers are smooth as butter now.
Attachments
jgorm, I have a dozen or more Lista and Vidmar cabinets and benches in my shop and home garage. Some I bought new, most other used.
The used cabinets had typically been poorly repainted. To restore I remove the handles and strip outside surfaces with automotive paint stripper. Wipe clean, then prep with 3", 3M surface conditioning pads on a die grinder. Prime & paint with Sherwin Williams Polane B. Color ASA 61 gray. I use an HVLP gun in a spray booth. Alternatively any body shop can handle the job.
All drawers and tracks are removed and wiped clean. There is no need to repaint the interior surfaces. Do not pressure wash or flush with water! The seams will hold water and ruin your paint job before turning to rust.
When finished, my repainted cabinets are far better appearing than new. The Polane is much more durable than the OEM enamel finish.
The used cabinets had typically been poorly repainted. To restore I remove the handles and strip outside surfaces with automotive paint stripper. Wipe clean, then prep with 3", 3M surface conditioning pads on a die grinder. Prime & paint with Sherwin Williams Polane B. Color ASA 61 gray. I use an HVLP gun in a spray booth. Alternatively any body shop can handle the job.
All drawers and tracks are removed and wiped clean. There is no need to repaint the interior surfaces. Do not pressure wash or flush with water! The seams will hold water and ruin your paint job before turning to rust.
When finished, my repainted cabinets are far better appearing than new. The Polane is much more durable than the OEM enamel finish.
tinmanwpk
Well-known member
Good advice here, enough to enable you to run with the ball. Nice score, by the way.
Thanks guys. I think I will still attempt to pressure wash them. There is mouse piss and **** in one of them and it stinks pretty bad. I know VTDon say not to, but it's suppose to be around 80 this weekend so they should dry out just fine. I'll probably just rattle can the outside and drawer fronts after I give it a orbital sanding with 220g. I'll do some crude sheet metal work to smooth out the worst ones.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
"There is mouse piss and **** in one of them and it stinks pretty bad."
Both can spread disease by inhaling.
Pressure wash them, including bearings then place a propane torch inside, cover with cloth or plastic, monitor heat build up, 1-2 hours, all seams will dry.
Both can spread disease by inhaling.
Pressure wash them, including bearings then place a propane torch inside, cover with cloth or plastic, monitor heat build up, 1-2 hours, all seams will dry.
Richard Cranium
Well-known member
If the picture is one of what you got, you done good.
I got one of them done. I pressure washed everything, hit it with some degreaser and a scotch pad, then 3 cans of paint. It turned out great! It's far from perfect, but it's for tools, and leaving some of the imperfections adds to the history.
Attachments
Motorhead Extraordinaire
Well-known member
Looks like a nice score. They are probably about 15-20 years old and as long as the bearings are good you should be all set. I usually wash the bearing out with a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF, then lube with 3-in-One or a light weight grease.
Joe
Joe
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
There are two nylon parts in old Lista cabinets that can dry out and break. One is a little clip on the side rails and the other is a cam on the back of the drawers.
Lista does not stock these parts. I understand one dealer in Boston has reproduction clips. Several of mine are missing and it does not seem to be a problem.
The cam is another thing. Without it the locking system will not work. I have had two failures due to cracking. These cams are designed to slip on and a cast in clip locks it in place. When mine cracked the locking clip would not hold. The fix was a couple of carefully placed small machine screws with nyloc nuts and washers.
Love mine. Could use one or two more if I can find a deal.
Lista does not stock these parts. I understand one dealer in Boston has reproduction clips. Several of mine are missing and it does not seem to be a problem.
The cam is another thing. Without it the locking system will not work. I have had two failures due to cracking. These cams are designed to slip on and a cast in clip locks it in place. When mine cracked the locking clip would not hold. The fix was a couple of carefully placed small machine screws with nyloc nuts and washers.
Love mine. Could use one or two more if I can find a deal.
Attachments
Motorhead Extraordinaire
Well-known member
The little clip for the side rails are the same ones used in today's cabinets. PM me your contact info and I'll send you out some. How many do you need?
The cam is another story. In the attached photo, the white cams are what is used on the current generation. The orange ones are some that were 3D printed for us. I don't have any of your type or know where any might be hidden at Lista but you never know. I'll ask around when I go there later this week.
Joe
I threw out some bent and cracked ones, and I think every other one is missing. The lock had been drilled out sometime in the past. I'm not real concerned about the locking ability. My tool box and cabinets lock, but I've never locked them.
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
UPDATE. I found a source for the old style Lista latch clips. eBay seller nav39 replacements made out of ABS. He sells 5 for $25.00 plus $3.00 shipping. I bought 15 and he brought the price down to 15 $60 plus $6 shipping. They are nicely made and easy to attach. Thought you all would like to know. (Just a happy customer. I have no other involvement with seller).
Attachments
James-W
Well-known member
The cabinets look wonderful. We had some at the place I worked that were filled with all sorts of hardware. I tried to buy some new cabinets like that, but I could not find out where they came from. Nobody seemed to know just where the store bought them and none of the suppliers we dealt with seemed to know either.
rburke65
Well-known member
These are great high uality cabinets that will last forever. You ****!
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
pcmeiners
Well-known member
Red is a cool color for these boxes. I am waiting for someone to send units out to be chrome plated.
Looks awesome! How did you get the piss smell out of them? I bought one and it does have a urine odor to it. also what did you do to fill in the drilled out lock? thanks for any advice.