bradb
New Member
Posts: 21 
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Post by bradb on Mar 30, 2020 0:32:38 GMT
I’ve got a CA-1 that I picked up a few years ago - it works fine and I’ve bled the non condensable gasses, but I’d like to do a proper restoration on it.
My thinking is to replace the insulation and repaint it but I’m not sure about taking the cooling unit off it right at the moment because we’re all self isolating these days and I can’t get help. Does anyone have any creative ways to remove the top short on an engine hoist? I don’t actually need to move it out of the room really, it’s the cabinet that I want to work on mainly.
Thanks for your help!
Brad
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btfarm
7 Cubic Foot
Posts: 103
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Post by btfarm on Mar 30, 2020 1:42:08 GMT
Without 2 people or a hoist it's not safe to remove it. CK-1 unit is about 160 lbs.
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Post by elec573 on Mar 30, 2020 2:30:55 GMT
Hello Bradb
‘Where is your fridge located ?
Is it somewhere that you can rig up a rope and pulley overhead ?
Or what you can do is go from side to side with wooden blocks and raise it up a little at a time . I know this is a slow process and you have to be careful of keeping it balanced.
But then you need some way to hold the top while you remove the cabinet.
Or you could strap it to the cabinet and lay it over on a packing blanket on its side , so as not to scratch anything . And then being careful pulling the top off . Just be careful of
this because once you get past the tipping point it we’ll get very heavy . Also it we’ll want to slide away from you so you we’ll need to put it against a wall or something to stop it from moving.
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Mar 30, 2020 11:12:22 GMT
Thanks!
It’s in a finished room but I could attach something to the ceiling joists, I’m not worried about the drywall there.
I like your idea about the putting it down and it got me thinking that if I could wheel it into the room next door (down one step) then I could use the tractor loader to lift the cooling unit off. Would need to check max heights on the loader too to make sure it goes high enough.
Or just wait for help!
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Post by turbokinetic on Mar 30, 2020 17:12:43 GMT
Tractor loader would be a safe method to do it, but I would fear you'll still need someone to watch the lines as the top is lifted, and to stabilize if from rotation.
I use an overhead hoist with electric pendant controls. That allows me to both stabilize and watch - and operate the hoist control. Maybe I'm just spoilt from having that method available but I just hate to think of getting hurt or breaking a valuable antique.
Sincerely,
David
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Mar 31, 2020 12:33:17 GMT
Thanks everyone,
I do have extra hands, my wife, but she’s not into lifting it! Stabilising is okay though.
You’ve given me some ideas, I’ll work on it and take some pics.
Thanks again.
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btfarm
7 Cubic Foot
Posts: 103
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Post by btfarm on Apr 4, 2020 13:41:40 GMT
I've used my loader to hoist mine more than once with my son guiding it to make sure the alignment is correct and, more importantly, to make sure the tubing on the evaporator doesn't touch the cabinet wall.
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Apr 6, 2020 15:00:52 GMT
I got it moved into the barn yesterday from the house - we put it on a piano dolly and wheeled it across the back lawn. Now that it's in the barn I can either use the loader or just a pully etc to lift it off easily. I'm slightly concerned the loader may not do quite high enough but I will find out later today!
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Apr 7, 2020 0:33:25 GMT
Cooling unit is off! I used a winch on a beam actually, worked fine really.
The insulation is this bizarre mix of pieces of packing foam, what I guess is the original stuff, and yellow fiberglass. I also noticed that it's not as dry as I would have liked which is interesting because I hadn't been using it and it was inside.
I'm now fighting with the screws on the Textolite - almost everything halfway down is solid and not budging. I drilled a few out tonight but broke more bits than I got out. Anyone have suggestions for this fun little project? A Dremel and grind the head off?
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Post by ChrisJ on Apr 8, 2020 12:28:54 GMT
Cooling unit is off! I used a winch on a beam actually, worked fine really. The insulation is this bizarre mix of pieces of packing foam, what I guess is the original stuff, and yellow fiberglass. I also noticed that it's not as dry as I would have liked which is interesting because I hadn't been using it and it was inside. I'm now fighting with the screws on the Textolite - almost everything halfway down is solid and not budging. I drilled a few out tonight but broke more bits than I got out. Anyone have suggestions for this fun little project? A Dremel and grind the head off? The original cabinet insulation as far as I'm aware was always corrugated cardboard around 3" thick wrapped in waxpaper. |
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Post by turbokinetic on Apr 8, 2020 12:49:20 GMT
Cooling unit is off! I used a winch on a beam actually, worked fine really. The insulation is this bizarre mix of pieces of packing foam, what I guess is the original stuff, and yellow fiberglass. I also noticed that it's not as dry as I would have liked which is interesting because I hadn't been using it and it was inside. I'm now fighting with the screws on the Textolite - almost everything halfway down is solid and not budging. I drilled a few out tonight but broke more bits than I got out. Anyone have suggestions for this fun little project? A Dremel and grind the head off? The original cabinet insulation as far as I'm aware was always corrugated cardboard around 3" thick wrapped in waxpaper. Wow. Interesting. Yes - packing foam I don't believe was available at that time. A quick search shows that expanded polystyrene foam was introduced in 1954. Fiberglass was patented in the States in 1933, so that is plausible but as Chris said, we don't see GE having used it in these units. So it seems yours has been re-insulated once already.  Can you see any signs of repairs to the cabinet, such as a rusted-out bottom being replaced? As for getting the Textolite screws out, be careful not to ruin the Textolite. That is hard to get. I would be careful to sacrifice the screws only. Sincerely, David |
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Apr 9, 2020 2:36:45 GMT
Oh this was certainly not original - more likely a previous owner thinking this would be a cheap way to insulate it! Crazy...
I’m going to pick up a non tapered screwdriver tomorrow - other threads suggest that so I’ll try that and hope it helps!
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Post by elec573 on Apr 10, 2020 0:33:45 GMT
How rusted is it just surface or more like getting ready to be a hole .
If it’s just surface rust por10 is a good product I think.
There is a replacement of the textolite look in the suppler section.
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Post by cablehack on Apr 10, 2020 1:19:08 GMT
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bradb
New Member
Posts: 21
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Post by bradb on Apr 10, 2020 13:08:20 GMT
Thanks Cablehack, I think that’s likely what I’m going to find but maybe worse because it has started to rust through at the bottom of the cabinet (sigh).
Couple questions:
Rust through - I assume I’m not the first to deal with this but how have others dealt with it? I did a search but couldn’t really find much.
Hinges - the hinges have been changed on this. They aren’t bad but just not factory for this model. Would anybody know of a source for a pair of correct hinges?
Thanks!
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