How to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox

I bought a Stanley toolbox to get some extra tool storage space. I had to take drawers out to put it together. If you got a used or floor model one without a manual, here’s how to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox.

Most Stanley toolboxes use small hand-operated levers on either side of the drawer. Extend the drawer as far as it will go, then push the levers on each side in opposite directions. This releases the drawer so you can pull it out the rest of the way.

Safety first

It’s best if you remove the contents first, so you don’t cause the toolbox to tip. An empty drawer is also much easier to handle.

Removing the drawers from a Stanley toolbox

How to remove drawers from a Stanley toolbox
The diminutive little lever near the center of this photo is the secret behind how to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox.

If you’ve lost your manual or your Stanley tool chest never came with one, it may not be obvious how to remove the drawer. You can do it, and without any tools. You just have to know exactly where to look.

Pull the drawer out all the way, then look for two minuscule plastic levers in the front of the drawer glides. They are very small, black, and near the top of the glide. They’re easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

You can push them with your finger and they don’t give a lot of resistance. The key is knowing they only go in one direction, and they go in opposite directions. That’s a detail some people miss. On mine, the one on the left goes up and the one on the right goes down. If the lever won’t budge, try the other direction.

Stanley’s toolless design is convenient and reduces the chances of damaging the drawer when you take it out.

Replacing the drawer in your Stanley toolbox

Replacing the drawer is easier than getting it out in the first place. Extend the drawer slide bracket, then carefully align the drawer with the guides on the bracket. There’s enough leeway to align one side at a time. Once you align both sides and the drawer is straight and level, push the drawer in all the way. You’ll feel the drawer catch on its stops slightly before you push the drawer in all the way. Pull the drawer back out to make sure you seated the drawer correctly. If it’s sloppy on one side, push the lever on that side up and down to make sure it’s free, then push the drawer all the way back in again. Make sure you feel a bump just before the drawer closes all the way.

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One thought on “How to take the drawers out of a Stanley toolbox

  • November 1, 2019 at 7:38 pm
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    On mine, the little plastic levers are white.

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