Tool Chest Bottom Door Detent

[maxdustington]

Hello,

This is my first time posting, I've been lurking for a bit. A few weeks ago I picked up a vintage Proto tool chest for $400 off kijiji. I ordered some door ease to lubricate the slides and just received it last night. I cleaned and lubricated the slides on the top cabinet, but I'm stuck on the bottom. I don't know how to remove the hinge for the bottom door so I can remove the locking mechanism that sits behind the door when it is in the horizontal position. I was trying earlier today but I don't want to damage anything so I figured I would ask here before I went any further.

I got it from an elderly gentleman who made his own furniture so the internals are caked with sawdust, but it seems pretty mint to me for being made in 5/79. I haven't seen any other identifying marks on it, can anyone tell me more about it? Was it made by Proto or another company? He wouldn't move on his price but I got him to throw in a minty 4" record vice that looks like it's been barely used. How do you think I made out? I live in Toronto and pickings are pretty slim other than overpriced or trashed stuff, especially when it comes to vises.

Thanks!

 

[Cope]

I don't think you came out too bad. Just spray some lube on the track the door rides on the best you can.

 

[Oldbear]

And I'd keep the box in the living room...

 

[dngrmse]

From what Ive been told here, they are made by waterloo. I just sourced these two boxes myself from two different CL ads, a few months apart. Top is Waterloo, bottom is labeled Dayton. Yours are way in way nicer shape, I think you did good. Here are mine, I have to find a source for the handles on the top box:

 

[beatcad]

max- yes that PROTO stack is made by waterloo.
mid to late 70s id bet. but i could be off by a few years
the date stamp on the top box will be in the top till.
the "floor" of the top area to the far left.
the bottom box date stamp could be on the bottom frame in the front lower right corner or the bottom of the right side panel(i think)
i'll bet a dollar that the slides are held on my the hairpin style clips.
w/ a tiny flathead screwdriver you can pop out the clips on the front and back of the slides.
and than clean them from years of wood chips/debris and re-lube them.
white lithium will work, but it will collect more dust/dirt/****.
another older/senior/smarter member here(outlaw) suggested door/drawer ease.
or other beezwax based wax. i've found thats works good too.

 

[beatcad]

dngrmse- that top and bottom box labeled dayton is 100% made by waterloo

 

[maxdustington]

max- yes that PROTO stack is made by waterloo.
mid to late 70s id bet. but i could be off by a few years
the date stamp on the top box will be in the top till.
the "floor" of the top area to the far left.
the bottom box date stamp could be on the bottom frame in the front lower right corner or the bottom of the right side panel(i think)
i'll bet a dollar that the slides are held on my the hairpin style clips.
w/ a tiny flathead screwdriver you can pop out the clips on the front and back of the slides.
and than clean them from years of wood chips/debris and re-lube them.
white lithium will work, but it will collect more dust/dirt/****.
another older/senior/smarter member here(outlaw) suggested door/drawer ease.
or other beezwax based wax. i've found thats works good too.

The date stamp on the bottom right of the bottom cabinet is stamped 5/79 and the PO said his wife got it for him in October 1979.

I got the door ease and am using it to lubricate the slides. It's pretty messy and hard to apply. I've used 2/3rs of a 1.6 oz stick just on the top alone but I think one stick should be enough to do the bottom as well, having fewer slides. It's pretty sticky, so I think it might attract some dust but maybe not as much as petroleum grease. I might just have had a hard time applying it, but it is difficult to get it in the channel on a friction slide without getting it all over the entire inside of the slide. There is a smaller stick than the 1.6 oz and I would suggest getting that one, it might be easier to fit in inside the channels of the slides.

 

[lbgradwell]

LOL!

I very nearly bought that set; had I not been so busy, it would be sitting in my garage now!

Nice buy...

 

[drivesitfar]

Max: you did great both in style and make of boxes and price. those are my favorite style and brand of toolboxes and i have quite a few older ones.

did you clean out all the sawdust before starting to put your tools and stuff in the boxes? also did you put down some cork or some sort of cushioning material to line the bottom of the drawers to help keep your boxes from getting all scratched up?

by the way welcome to our forum and have fun filling that box with some good tools if you don't already own them.