I have an office to paint this weekend.
Only one problem, I have to remove a cubicle and after looking at it tonight I cannot determine how it comes apart. It seems there is a plastic coupler that slips between the two parts, hex nut and a metal cap that looks like it needs to come off.
I am at a loss. Any one have an idea how to take a apart one of these? The brand name is Steelcase.
Thanks for the help.
Jon
“There is no good answer to a stupid question”
Russian saying
Russian saying
Replies
The fascia lifts out and then the panels unscrew from each other.
I thought the tops came off to reveal (uaually) six point screws.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
I suppose there are a dozen brands with different systems but the ones my company used had a big allen screw in each end post that pulled up a rod that had cam actuators that grabbed a pin from the next panel.
Loosen that bolt and they came apart. Just be sure you unplug any electrical cables going through the chase in the bottom.
Snap the front panel off and you'll have access to the screws that connect them together. (the panels are attached with spring clips)
EXPLOSIVES THAT'S WHAT I WOULD USE
Tell the guy who used to work there that his severance package is everything that he can knock down and carry out.
Some good tips there. The guy who used to work there asked for a job!The photos are with the top metal cap off. Is Fascia the material on the front? I tried to loosen the hex bolts but nothing seems to happen. The screws are inaccessible from the top.Explosives had occurred to me as well. Unfortunately we did not get the money upfront.Last time I remember being this aggravated was taking a computer class in the 80's. At one point I hit the top of the computer. The instructor just said you would be better off punching the person beside you. Those seniors could really take a punch back then.Thanks for the advice folks,Jon"There is no good answer to a stupid question"
Russian saying
Where did you get a pic of my old desk? Man I hated that thing.
I've put together a few sets of cubes, I think you need to try the bolts in the second pic (see my photo attached).
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional,
illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous
mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is
entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"
R. J. Wiedemann LtCol. USMC Ret.
Well if this is your old desk I am afraid to be the one to tell you your job is done and the company has not left a forwarding address.On the other hand if you can help me out with this problem there is a shiny nickel in it for you.The nuts I did try loosening them. But i didn't go all the way not knowing what the consequences might be. I also thought that plastic didn't seem to move and I could not slide it up.I will give that a shot this morning. What happens to that plastic part does it move after the nuts are loosened?Thanks again,
Jon"There is no good answer to a stupid question"
Russian saying
I'm thinkin the thin piece between the panels is seperate. By loosening these screws, the panels can come off of the thin connector."Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end" R. J. Wiedemann LtCol. USMC Ret.
I have some past experience with Haworth panels, which appear to be a similar design.
The Haworth panels were held together by flexible plastic splines that slid vertically into slots in both panels. I believe those are visible in your photos and you can do this without removing any more hardware. The panels were joined by sliding these splines in and out. For the size panel in your photo, there were two spline segments per side. We would remove them by slipping a screwdriver between the two segments and lifting up until the top spline segment slide out the top of the panels. Repeat this for the bottom segment. Rejoin them by reversing the procedure. Really helps if the panel edges are pretty well aligned, but it is surprising how easily they can be removed if this is the same design.
Hope this is useful.
That's what I was thinking last night while I was inventing new four letter words.This unit has been moved around and I may have made things more out of line.Heading to the site to adjust the nuts and slip the splines.Jon"There is no good answer to a stupid question"
Russian saying
Those are SteelCase 9000 series panels.
Nothing like the cheep Haworth system.
Paintguy,
Once the hex bolts are loose, pop the base panel off and raise the leveling legs, or just stick a bar under the panel and lift. The panels have hooks on the ends of them and need to be lifted a little.
Could you go on line and ask Steelcase? Those are what we had in our old office, but I cannot remember how we took them apart for moving--seems like they were held together the way bed rails are held to headboard and footboard--hooks that slide into a slot and then slide down over horizontal pins.
If you go to http://www.steelcase.com and can identify which of their several product lines this panel system is, they have specification documents for each one that include exploded diagrams. Unfortunately there is both way more information than you need, and not quite enough. Still, it might be helpful.
Rebeccah
Yours was the best reply thus far.
If he hasn't read my reply before he heads off to the job,...it could get ugly.
I've been building office systems for close to 20 years now. Can't tell you how many jobs i've seen screwed up by painters, carpenters, and electrcians that think office furniture is "so easy a cave man can do it."
And BTW I am also an electrician, carpenter, and painter, so I know of what I speak. :-)
I was gonna tell him he needs to go get a cubical saw, cause a circular saw won't do it. (G)Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
There made in Poland aren't they ?
No, Cube-a I think.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
They kill Prophets, for Profits.
Finally got logged in from home.
So now I'm part deux.
Hada use DW e-mail acct., cause I aint got one yet.
Oh well, at least it broadband, so I won't be eating samiches while wait for a pic to down load.
Wonder how the paint job went.
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In that picture , do you see that allen head screw on the right?
Chuck a straight allen wrench in your cordless drill and back the screw out.
The panel connector will ride up with the screw and the locking slots will desingage from the panel flanges.
It looks like Steel Case 9000 series furniture from what I can see. If you can down size your photos a little, I can tell for sure.
I have probably installed several miles and tons of that stuff.
Are the panels powered ? If they have plugs in the base plates and there is stuff plugged into them then the panels have a busway that must also be unplugged from one another before taking them apart.
Let me know more and I'll try to talk you through it. Same goes for putting them back together, but I'll warn you the learnig curve for that isn't a weekend endeavor.
If the panels aren't powered and you can remove the furniture from inside the workstations. Your best bet is to hire some extra help and just muscle the whole thing away from the walls enough for you to paint, then muscle them back in place.
And for gosh sakes next time bid the job with the aid of a comercial furniture installer. Let him take down and rebuild the workstations. He will do it faster and not screw it up,as you are likely to do.
Last time I took cubicles apart we took off the top cap and slid the plastic connectors up and out.( they were as tall as the unit so watch the ceiling tile) Good luck I hope this helps.
I think this is why some bright painter invented plastic sheets & tarps.