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Snap On Rolla Bench Saturday

christopher

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Sep 13, 2022
Messages
64
Thank you. Top box is KR 537. Not sure what the roller is, KR 300 I think. Haven't found the stamping, I'll need to look again.

This is how I got it.
I see you had a lot of overspray to deal with. the work never ends. entropy. ;)
Got any more pics of the top box? It's hard to see exactly what is looks like
 
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thehorse13

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Mar 15, 2015
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3,477
Location
Jefferson County, WV
It's a long story this box... I stripped it all, the entire outside of the carcass, every drawer front, both sides of every tambour (that took forever), and my _plan_ was to get everything powder coated. Then I talked with the coater, and he said "nope, can't do large sheetmetal panels and surfaces as they'll warp". ****! Now what. I had to build a paint booth in my Garage (it folds up though, so I can use the garage in winter). That took a while to design and build. I had to cut the hole in the block wall and install the fan. For that I had to modify my circular saw so it could be a diamond wetsaw... :ROFLMAO:
Just the infrastructure to do this project has been several projects!

And here I thought that I was the only one who built "custom" paint booths in my garage and barn. lol. Anyone who has done this can testify that if done correctly, these homemade rigs work extremely well. :)
 

christopher

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Sep 13, 2022
Messages
64
Cool! We'll need pictures!

What would probably work best would be UHMW PE tape on the channel surfaces where the tambour touches it. Any kind of grease with get messy fast I think. Thinking about mine when I took it all apart, it didn't look like it had ever been greased. The paint was worn down where things touched.

Here's an example of what I mean:

-C
 

CGarage

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Joined
Nov 23, 2018
Messages
2,995
Location
United States/Switzerland
Cool! We'll need pictures!

What would probably work best would be UHMW PE tape on the channel surfaces where the tambour touches it. Any kind of grease with get messy fast I think. Thinking about mine when I took it all apart, it didn't look like it had ever been greased. The paint was worn down where things touched.

Here's an example of what I mean:

-C

Hell of an idea!

I used an acid brush and PTFE super lube. It is opening smooooth as silk now.

I believe they used a graphite lube from factory which I had to spend about half hour cleaning in the channels using a rag and WD40.

I have new wheels on order, will remove all 8 drawers and clean the friction slides and Re-lube with M0S2 dry lube, will wax it, and post pics of it.

It’s in amazing shape for its age, and I could not say no for $50!
 

christopher

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Joined
Sep 13, 2022
Messages
64
Hell of an idea!

I used an acid brush and PTFE super lube. It is opening smooooth as silk now.

I believe they used a graphite lube from factory which I had to spend about half hour cleaning in the channels using a rag and WD40.

I have new wheels on order, will remove all 8 drawers and clean the friction slides and Re-lube with M0S2 dry lube, will wax it, and post pics of it.

It’s in amazing shape for its age, and I could not say no for $50!
FIFTY BUCKS!! Wow - I am wicked jealous! ;)
 

ShadowBoxer

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Joined
Jun 25, 2019
Messages
150
Location
Los Angeles
I believe these were purchased as a set. 1956 if I remember correctly.
I picked them up around the end of 2019 I think.

I have since cleaned them up a little and they now carry most of my garage hand tools.
Looking at that restoration and re-chroming makes me think I should put a little more effort into them someday. Once the gate and drawers are lubed up again and everything works, it’s hard to justify taking everything apart again…
That restoration does look great though.
Cheers.

IMG_0604.jpegIMG_0613.jpegIMG_0607.jpeg
 
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daddiosjg

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
7
Hi all - old thread, Rollabench question
I picked up a KRA-300B Rollabench in a package deal (was after the top and middle boxes). The PO took the door handle off at some point and the aluminum tambour door fell all the way behind the drawers.
With all the drawers out, even turning the box sideways and upside down, the door wont go back up and over in the tracks. And it cant be removed from the bottom.
Is there some way to get the door up and over without taking the top of the box off? Looks like the PO already started to drill out the spot welds to remove the top...

 
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OP
L

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv

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Joined
Jul 2, 2008
Messages
16,610
Location
Atlanta, GA
Hi all - old thread, Rollabench question
I picked up a KRA-300B Rollabench in a package deal (was after the top and middle boxes). The PO took the door handle off at some point and the aluminum tambour door fell all the way behind the drawers.
With all the drawers out, even turning the box sideways and upside down, the door wont go back up and over in the tracks. And it cant be removed from the bottom.
Is there some way to get the door up and over without taking the top of the box off? Looks like the PO already started to drill out the spot welds to remove the top...

You have the drawers out and you can't guide it through the tracks to the front? Pics would really help.
 

FJ 432

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Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
3,730
Location
Littleton Colorado
Hi all - old thread, Rollabench question
I picked up a KRA-300B Rollabench in a package deal (was after the top and middle boxes). The PO took the door handle off at some point and the aluminum tambour door fell all the way behind the drawers.
With all the drawers out, even turning the box sideways and upside down, the door wont go back up and over in the tracks. And it cant be removed from the bottom.
Is there some way to get the door up and over without taking the top of the box off? Looks like the PO already started to drill out the spot welds to remove the top...

My guess is that the previous owner really "threw" that tambour door back with some force and now they're wedged into place.

You will have to proceed with a lot of patience and lubricate the hell out of it. I had something similar on one of mine and I finally got it to operate as it should.
 

daddiosjg

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
7
Eventually freed it. It somehow got stuck in the curve around the track. Felt like it hit something and stops. Several hours of jiggling and poking with a clotheshanger and it came around - not sure how.
Weird how snap on made the track area on top inaccessible.
Lesson learned - NEVER take the handle off the tambor door- it keeps this from happening.
IMG_2450[1].JPG
 
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thundermug

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Joined
Sep 10, 2012
Messages
1,173
Location
usa
These are my first Snap-On boxes. I picked up all four of these within the past 10 months.

I picked up the early 50s K61 for $40, as it was coated with black paint. I took a chance that I could remove the black paint and preserve what was left of the original red. So far so good. Just need to do the drawers.
 

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