Tool box disassembly?

[brian browning]

Hi folks,
I'm in the middle of moving out of apartment life and back into a house after 2 years. Anyway, I have a big ole Waterloo tool box that is too heavy to move as is. I'd like to take the drawers out but can't figure out how. I know ya'll probably think this is a stupid question, but there looks to be a small tab on the sides of the drawer that catches on the slide. Do I bend these in? I tried, but it didn't seem to want to push in.
Thanks,
Brian

 

[Altec]

Do you happen to have a picture of the slide? It would help us figure it out.

 

[domain]

If they are ball bearing, they usually have a long skinny tab you lift or push down on, then the drawer slides out.

 

[brian browning]

Thanks guys, it's not a ball bearing box. I don't have a cable to download pictures onto this computer. I'm going to the new house in the morning and will try to dig the cable up and post a picture. I'm also going to try and bring back a small thin screwdriver and see if I can bend that tab and get it to slide out.

 

[jvitez]

Friction slides usually have a metal tab that stops the slide from letting the drawer fall on your foot. Open the drawer halfway, slide the silver part of the friction slide back as far as it will go, and a small tab should be visible coming from the side of the drawer itself. Take a flat blade screwdriver and push it in. Remove the drawer.

When replacing the drawer, you'll have to bend the tab out, replace the drawer, push it all the way back, then forward again. If the drawer falls on your foot you haven't pulled the tab far enough.

I wouldn't do this too often as I could see metal fatigue allowing the tab to break, but a few times should be fine.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

If it is from the seventies it is like a Craftsman. Take a screwdriver and pop the metal tab out of the drawers slide then push it forward. it's easy look

 

[Altec]

If it is from the seventies it is like a Craftsman. Take a screwdriver and pop the metal tab out of the drawers slide then push it forward. it's easy look

This is what my Dayton box uses. I like it. I can get drawers in, and out in a couple seconds.

 

[Gregg33]

Get a hacksaw blade, bend the end slightly (so it doesn't catch on the tab) insert it in the track past the tab and remove the drawer. Pushing the tabs in with a screwdriver will work sometimes, but you are likely to bend the tabs and will scratch them for sure, plus the stubborn ones still won't come out. This worked on my box, yours might be a different style of track.

 

[brian browning]

Thanks guys, I'll give the hacksaw blade technique a try. I can see the little tab, but I was afraid to push on it too hard.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Thanks guys, I'll give the hacksaw blade technique a try. I can see the little tab, but I was afraid to push on it too hard.

Don't mess around with the hacksaw blade, if it's like the clip in Johnny Bentwrench's post. Just get a long skinny screwdriver. You don't even have to take the clip off. All you have to do is hold the clip with the screwdriver up high enough to clear the stop on the drawer. If you want to remove the slides from the box, it's the same thing...just high enough to clear the stop. Easier to leave the clips on the slides so they don't get lost.

 

[jvitez]

Get a hacksaw blade, bend the end slightly (so it doesn't catch on the tab) insert it in the track past the tab and remove the drawer. Pushing the tabs in with a screwdriver will work sometimes, but you are likely to bend the tabs and will scratch them for sure, plus the stubborn ones still won't come out. This worked on my box, yours might be a different style of track.

Hey, great idea! I'll try it next time on my Gray box. Thanks!

 

[brian browning]

It doesn't have clips. It has a little tab that is a stamped out part of the drawer. It catches a bent in stamped part of the slide. I think the hacksaw blade will be the way to go. I'll update ya'll tomorrow.

 

[Tool Pants]

Sounds like my Craftsman which is made by Waterloo.

Pull the draw all the way out and there is a tab behind the oval cut out. Push down on the tab and then slide the slide into the box about 3" while you keep the drawer from moving. Repeat for the other side.

 

[brian browning]

That's exactly what it looks like. I'm heading to the house in a little while to pick up a hacksaw blade and little screwdriver. Thanks folks.

 

[brian browning]

The hacksaw blade worked. Phineas J. Whoopie, you're a genius.