Just what the doctor ordered...
Sometimes you
just have to roll the dice and see what happens. Such was
the case with this Waterloo Tool Drawer full of Miller Special
Tools for the Crossfire . The auction listing said there were a few tools
missing, but if I could get the set at the price I set my limit
to, it would still be an outrageous deal. I got lucky and
"won" the auction at half my bid maximum, which was about what
you'd pay for any one of these special tools! The rollaway
chest alone would be many times more than that. The
factory list price for everything was $6000. Needless to say I was very
happy. Even with the fuel to go pick it up, I was "in" for
less than the cost of the empty tool chest!
So I hit the
road for the 600-mile (round-trip) drive to Ambler, PA.
The seller (Knopf Dodge) measured the case and told me it was
41" x 27" x 18"). Checking the Commander, I found the case
would be a press fit. If the seller rounded down, I would
be "screwed" since I took the whole family and folding down the
middle row of seats would not be an option. I doubled
checked with them and they said yes, that's the correct
dimensions.
When we
arrived, they were very hospitable, even considering they were
closing a family business which was no doubt painful in it's own
way. Not to mention that I basically stole this tool set
for pennies... They were super just the same. I
pulled out the photos that had been on the auction listing and
went through the drawers to make sure that everything was still
there. It checked out and I moved my attention to loading
the chest into the Commander.
We hefted the
case and decided it was too heavy for the two of us to lift
safely. I suggested getting a couple 2 x 4's to use for
ramp and just sliding the whole thing up the 2 x 4's onto the
back of the Commander. The guy that was helping me came
back with two 2 x 4's. While he was looking for them I
remembered they had a car lift in the bays. So when he got
back I suggested we use the car lift. We put the 2 x 4's
on the lift to span the two legs and get us above the little
feet that are adjustable. Then we backed the Commander
into the bay and raised the hoist until the surface of the legs
was level with the inside of the Commander. Then I backed
the Commander in just until the legs were a 1/2 inch from the
floor of the Commander.
Then we simply
put a moving blanket on the edge of the floor on top of the
floor mat that protects the back carpet, and slid the case and
moving blanket into the Commander. Then we hit a small
snag. The wheels on the bottom were too close to the edge
of the opening and prevented the case from going all the way in.
So we removed the wheels, and the case slid right into the
Commander. Done!
I drove back
home with a long detour to downtown Philadelphia and a visit to
Pat's King of Steak - home of the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich.
After being assaulted by some dork in a playground who took
exception to my boy and I going to use the public bathroom (Lots
of yelling - no actual contact) and lunch at Pat's (which was
actually quite disappointing) we got back on the road and headed
home.
When we got
home we hit the sack and then next morning tackled the job of
getting this huge case out of the Commander. Basically I
backed up the Commander to a steep hill, put three planks on the
back bumper as a ramp, slid the case out of the back, then held
the planks up while Maria drove the Commander away. Then I
slid the case down the planks on its back, reinstalled the
wheels, and slid it down the hill on the planks and stood it
back up on pavement. The power of incline planes and
levers!
Here's what the
case looked like before we cleaned and
polished it.
It's a little
hard to tell but the case had a coating of grease on it, the
drawers had thick coats of grease where they had been handled,
and inside more dirt and grease. Perhaps some take pride
in their filthy shop and their filthy tools, but I don't think
my tools have lasted so long from such treatment. I have
never been in a class shop and found filth. We cleaned all
the grease and grime off the outside of the case, cleaned out
all the drawers and all of the tools, and then serviced the
locking mechanism that was a little sticky preventing the
locking action from working smoothly. Here's a view of the
contents after cleaning up and organizing everything into its
place. There's a couple things missing - we'll get them if
it turns out we need them, but for now it's extra space for some
of the spares we have!
Update
11/21/08: I purchased another lot of tools, this time
without the tool chest, and took the tools I was missing to
complete the set. The rest are to be resold.
I had emblems
left from the custom job I did on my center caps so put them on
the tool chest.
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 1
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 2
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 3
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 4
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 5
Click Individual Tools
for Detailed Photo
Drawer 6
For complete details
of the contents of the tool chest,
click on the Crossfire Tool Locator images below.
I have compiled a detailed listing of the tools and their usage,
and provide a PDF file of this data.
Do I detect a
smile?
Here's some
info about the tool chest itself - this one described below
is wider but essentially the same design.
|
Detail product information for: |
|
|
Series:
|
Traxx ® -
Heavy Use / High
Capacity |
|
Type:
|
Ball-Bearing Tool Cart |
|
Unit #:
|
TRX4106LB |
|
|
All drawers are designed
to accept a second set
of ball-bearing slides
when extra heavy loads
require them |
|
Comes standard with
drawer liners to suspend
tools off drawer bottom |
|
5 x 2-inch (127 x 51mm)
casters with chrome
hubcaps for ease in
maneuvering |
|
Sized to accommodate any
41-inch (1041 mm) or and
26-inch (660 mm) chest |
|
Comes standard with
hardboard worksurface |
|
Tubular side handle |
|
Sidewall post
construction adds
strength in design while
reducing overall weight |
|
Full-extension,
ball-bearing slides for
complete tool access |
|
Equipped with Posi-Latch
drawer securing system
to provide a positive
latch for each drawer
and reduces accidental
opening |
|
Full-width drawers for
storage of long tools |
|
|
|
W
|
D
|
H
|
|
|
Overall:
|
41.0
|
18.1
|
35.6
|
in.
|
|
|
1040
|
459
|
904
|
mm
|
|
|
Overall w/
Casters:
|
41.0
|
18.1
|
41.1
|
in.
|
|
|
1040
|
459
|
1045
|
mm
|
|
|
4 Drawer(s):
|
36.79
|
16.46
|
4.16
|
in.
|
|
|
934.5
|
418.1
|
105.7
|
mm
|
|
|
2 Drawer(s):
|
36.79
|
16.46
|
6.32
|
in.
|
|
|
934.5
|
418.1
|
160.5
|
mm
|
|
|
Capacity
|
Unit Weight
|
Ship Weight
|
|
17731 cu/in.
|
220 lbs.
|
251 lbs.
|
|
290558 cu/cm
|
100 kg
|
114 kg
|
|
capacity - 1200lbs |
|
|
Recommended Accessories
(click name for more detail) |
|
|
Here is a
set of pictures taken by the seller, before we purchased and
cleaned up the set
