Vintage Craftsman Toolbox restore

[jbmorrey]

Hello, I am new here on the forum and I wanted to see if I could get some advice on removing some drawers from an old craftsman toolbox I would like to restore, here are a few pics of my challenge, if anyone can advise me on removing them I would be greatly appreciative!!

Here is the badge on the box...seems like a pretty old model

Again, thanks for your help!!

JAMES M

 

[Dieselbutterfly]

i know this doesnt help,but post more pics of the whole thing please.i just wanna see what it looks like

 

[jbmorrey]

Here are a few more pics, I have alot of little dents to remove and such on the drawers and cannot do this unless I remove them!! So I am at a standstill on my restoration until I can get them removed!

 

[airdale]

Not sure on Craftsman, but the Snap-On drawer slides have a flat strip of spring steel that prevents the drawer from coming out by engaging a raised lip in the channel between the slide and drawer. If that's the case, you can make a release tool out of an old hacksaw blade. Grind off the teeth near the end and insert it between the slide and drawer before pulling the drawer out to the point at which it stops. Takes a little fiddling, but it allows the drawer stop to ride past the flat spring.

 

[87Pomona]

Good looking box you have there.

 

[RedVise]

Usually, you can grind down a hacksaw blade to fit in the slider groove. Put two bends in it and slide it past the stop, then ease the drawer out. Once you get it, it 's a breeze.


What is the box to the right of the Crafty ? Looks interesting...


Brian L.

 

[jbmorrey]

When it comes to the bend, in what shape would you bend it? would the flat side of the bend be faceing the inside or away from the box when inserting it in the rail. I am just wondering if I am trying to get behind something that is pressing on the right side or the left side of the rail if I am facing the box. Does that make sense? As for the box next to it, I bought it at an auction and I think someone put a craftsman badge on it, but I don't think it is bwecause when I removed the badge, it was put on by a simple upholstry tack and there is a small oval discoloration about 1 1/2 to 2" which makes me think perhaps it's a Gershner, not sure, i'll post some pics later this evening.

 

[FJ 432]

The attached pictures is a snap on drawer removal tool. The first shows the bend, the second is a bunch of these that kind of gives you a frame of reference on the width. The bend in the tool is placed where the "catch" in slide.

The bend in the metal helps but does not make or break the removal process. The important part is that you have a piece of metal that is thin enough to slide on the inside of the track and the metal piece should be around the same weight as a hacksaw blade.

I hope this helps.

 

[neonnblack]

Mine came out easy enough with a small flathead.

 

[Rickster55]

I used zip ties. Open the drawer as far as it will go then push it in about an inch or so. slip the flat stock (whatever you decide on) in past where the spring steel is. Do both sides at the same time. Then yank the drawer out. A couple tries and you'll be a master at it.

 

[jbmorrey]

Zip ties worked Thanks so much for the Tip Rickster55. I can now proceed with hammering out the dents....

 

[ghnl]

That looks similar to my Dad's old Craftsman tool chest. On those drawers there is a small hole on the inside of the drawer adjacent to the drawer slide. Open the drawer until it stops, push it in ~ 1/8" then use a punch or awl through the hole inside the drawer to depress a springy piece of steel & slide the drawer out off the slides.

 

[jbmorrey]

Extremely nice Craftsman toolbox, I really appreciate an old toolbox with it's original, used condition showing! i finally figured out the drawer removal thanks to a zip tie tip here! there is a small lever just inside the drawer that needs to be pushed down to allow it to get past a little metal"Stop built into the glide that is attached to the drawer!

 

[jbmorrey]

So as I mentioned, I was able to get the drawers off, now I am on to the reason I needed those drawers off, the bent metal on the back, is hammering this out the only way to get it straight? Are there any technique tips ya'll can offer? here is a pic of what I am up against.

 

[ZRX61]

Another method is clamping the wriggly bits between 2 flat pieces of steel with some visegrips.

 

[Gort the giant robot]

Your tool box looks just like a kennedy box I picked up last summer.

Gort.

 

[La2vegas]

Well. How'd the restoration turn out?

This one's mine.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

That was 10 years ago

 

[La2vegas]

I've added a couple carts since my last post.

 

[La2vegas]

Pics of the new additions.