Manhattan Beach Pier -- September 22, 2020 (Tuesday) -- nice day at the pier (mid 70s)

Old & Rough Tool Case - part 3 - removing the front lid

The front lid has metal pins on either side that slide in slots.

In order to remove the lid, there's a technique to follow.

First, remove all the lower full width drawers. 

Then, slide the front lid all the way out.

Finally, tip the lid up about 60 degrees (actually, the lid will hit the bottom drawer's wooden slides on the side of the case).

Then, while keeping one side pulled all the way out, push the other side back so that the lid will be askew and the pin on the side that's being pushed back into the case moves back and inwards towards the middle of the case (it's basically trying to make a triangle).

Although I used the technique, the lid didn't want to come out.  I could see that the pin was very close to coming out but it still needed about a mm to clear.  I carefully used some extra force and the pin came out of the left side of the guide with some slight gouging of the side.  Nothing broke and the gouge is pretty minimal.  It can't be seen when the drawers are in place.

So, I'll count this one as a success.

The top of the lid is broken about at the tongue in groove joint.  I'll glue it back together, being careful not to get glue on the floating middle panel.

There's a portion of the lid that's also cracked but not separated.  I'll apply some glue here also.