Red/Gray 60's/70's Craftsman box... parts?

[justinmc]

Picked up a older 60's or 70's Craftsman roller box off CL to save it from being scrapped. Got it home and it is pretty much beyond saving. Rust holes in the bottom of the top box and the bottom box has been bashed up on the front middle bar and the bottom has holes starting in it as well. Someone has painted it at least twice and I can't find any date markings anymore sadly.

So I figure I'll at least salvage the parts off it.... Does anyone know if the bottom roller slides come out? I didn't see any rivets and they almost look like they might be spotted in? These are the early pre-ballbearing "rollers" so almost like you have in a kitchen cabinet setup. I slide one of the drawers back in and the rollers are still nice and smooth.

Same on the upper slides that are attached to the cabinet..... almost every single one still have the clips in place even. Looks like someone was maybe going to paint it all (yet again?) and quit or something.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Picked up a older 60's or 70's Craftsman roller box off CL to save it from being scrapped. Got it home and it is pretty much beyond saving. Rust holes in the bottom of the top box and the bottom box has been bashed up on the front middle bar and the bottom has holes starting in it as well. Someone has painted it at least twice and I can't find any date markings anymore sadly.

So I figure I'll at least salvage the parts off it.... Does anyone know if the bottom roller slides come out? I didn't see any rivets and they almost look like they might be spotted in? These are the early pre-ballbearing "rollers" so almost like you have in a kitchen cabinet setup. I slide one of the drawers back in and the rollers are still nice and smooth.

Same on the upper slides that are attached to the cabinet..... almost every single one still have the clips in place even. Looks like someone was maybe going to paint it all (yet again?) and quit or something.

I wonder if those casters would work on a newer Craftsman box. You have plans for them?

Mike

 

[justinmc]

I wonder if those casters would work on a newer Craftsman box. You have plans for them?

Mike

No plans for the casters at this point. I'll probably keep some of the drawer clips for my other boxes and if I can salvage the drawer slides they would be up for grabs as well. Same for the handles on the top box, lock cylinders (no keys though) and anything else people might want.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

No plans for the casters at this point. I'll probably keep some of the drawer clips for my other boxes and if I can salvage the drawer slides they would be up for grabs as well. Same for the handles on the top box, lock cylinders (no keys though) and anything else people might want.

I just picked up a 12-drawer Craftsman rolling cabinet missing casters. The original casters on it had base holes centered 1-3/4" x 3". Would the casters off your box fit mine?

Mike

 

[justinmc]

I just picked up a 12-drawer Craftsman rolling cabinet missing casters. The original casters on it had base holes centered 1-3/4" x 3". Would the casters off your box fit mine?

Mike

Will measure this evening and let you know.

 

[txlonghorn1989]

Will measure this evening and let you know.

 

[Ledman_70]

I would be interested in 5 of the aluminum handles from the roller. I painted an 84 red/black to red/grey and removed all the handles, but they are so much flimsier that the older handles that they bent/broke. I can use 5 if you still have them. Give me a price to zip 43031 in Ohio, thanks. Jeff

 

[justinmc]

I would be interested in 5 of the aluminum handles from the roller. I painted an 84 red/black to red/grey and removed all the handles, but they are so much flimsier that the older handles that they bent/broke. I can use 5 if you still have them. Give me a price to zip 43031 in Ohio, thanks. Jeff

I was looking at the handles the other day... can't quite tell how you get them off? I actually took a minute and cleaned up the slides on the side of the drawers and the lower roller drawers slid right back in with ease and seem to roll pretty well actually!

The drawer handles look like they must be crimped on but I can't tell how you would loosen or remove them without damaging them?

 

[Ledman_70]

It's easy with a block of hard wood. Stand the drawer on it's side and use the block like a drift and tap it with the hammer on the edge of the pull repeatedly until it slides off. I did it easily on the old cabinets, but the red/black are too flimsy and fold/break. Once the block gets too chipped up, just cut a half inch off till u have a sharp edge again, Thanks

 

[Ledman_70]

Did u figure out how to get the handles off Justin?
Jeff

 

[justinmc]

Did u figure out how to get the handles off Justin?
Jeff

Going to see if I can get them off sometime this weekend. Been a crazy week. Will let you know.

 

[justinmc]

Did u figure out how to get the handles off Justin?
Jeff

I worked on one of the handles with a block and couldn't get it to budge. Then a local guy called me and offered to take the entire bottom roller cab off my hands for a few $$ so I sold the cab this weekend. Kept all the upper drawers, emblems and side push handle for the lower.

 

[Bennylava]

Restoration time!

 

[Ledman_70]

I just found new aluminum drawer handles for $3.41 each on Sears direct parts and ordered 6. They have parts for the red/black boxes, some of which are similar to the red/grey boxes, including new drawer slides for a little over $4.00.