Custom Vidmar Cabinet

[Turbo_Prop]

I bought this cabinet this summer for $225. Saw it on Craigslist, didn't really need it but the price was too good to let go. Upon inspection, the cabinet did not look to have ever been used, even had the original build sheet in one of the drawers.

I could not live with the piss yellow color so I had a local powdercoater do it in the same red as my work bench, sort of matches my tool boxes.

The individual door catches work perfect. I added some castors that I picked up from ebay. I keep forgeting to, but will eventually contact Vidmar and order the stainless steel work surface for the top.

Not sure what it's long term use will be, it is currently being used to store parts for a motorcycle project.

Anyway, here are the before and after pictures.

 

[glenmore]

Nice job!

Are those drawer locks on the right hand side?

 

[Turbo_Prop]

Thanks for the compliment and yes, the little rectangular things on the right side of each drawer are drawer locks.

 

[beerdog]

Out of curiosity, what did the coating cost?

 

[brownsl]

Looks very nice.

I am thinking of getting my Vidmar cabinets powder coated, would you mind saying what it cost you?

 

[Turbo_Prop]

I paid $360.

That included me taking everything apart, the powder coater stripped all exterior surfaces, soda blasted everything, etc. The inside of the box and underside of draws, etc are just as nice as the exterior surfaces. The coater did not do the frames that the drawers sit in. I may have received a lower rate because the coater does allot of work for me.

 

[Jack Olsen]

That looks great!

 

[Turbo_Prop]

Heading to DC tonight to pick up a new/used cabinet. I think it is a Vidmar, might be a Lista.

A friend offered it to me for free last week. I only had a brief chance to look at it in passing, but it appears to be a double-wide, maybe higher than waist high (without wheels), has a bunch of shallow drawers.

I have to be at the office at 6:00 to pick it up then a five hour drive home. I plan to have it powder coated in the same red as my smaller Vidmar. But not until after the hollidays.

My goal is to transition everything out of my big Mac double stack and into the two Vidmar chests, then sell the Mac double stack.

Will see. Stay tuned for pictures tomorrow night.

 

[Bull]

Ooh, this sounds good! It also is tempting to call a "you ****," but I need to check the rules and see if freebies from friends qualify!

 

[Turbo_Prop]

So, as per my plan, I drove to DC last night, was at my buddies shop at 0600am with coffee and bagels, had to remove the drawers in order to lift the box into my truck. Was back in my office before 1300.

The box is a Vidmar, 45" wide x 25" deep x 46" tall, it came with a working key to the barrel lock. Also three of the drawers were still full of stuff that I had to take. One drawer was full of stainless hardware, the second drawer was full of what looks like 12pt aviation bolt (not ARP), the third drawer is about 3/4 full of various automotive electrical stuff.

I had to take the drawers and sliders out of the box tonight in order to lift it off the truck so I had some time to inspect the roller bearings. Most of them were semi stuck from solidified grease and various spray lubes used over the last 20 years. I plan to put the rollers and bearings in a hot tank and re lube them while the other parts are the powder coater's.

Not sure if this qualifies for a 'you ****'. I'll let you decide.

Enjoy.

 

[cbacres]

Perfect size drawers for a tool box. I'll tak ethat over any Mac, Snap On or whatever any day.

Nice box

 

[hickmlg09]

Dang that looks good

 

[ihatelaramie]

Turbo Prop- Very nice!! We have a couple Vidmars at work FULL of carbide tooling and the drawers slide with very little effort. They build em like tanks!

 

[nine4gmc]

sweet box!!

 

[kbkna]

Yes u ****!

 

[Bull]

Oh, the ****-manity!

 

[KPSquared]

Holy **** do you ever ****. Beauty!

 

[Turbo_Prop]

Spent most of the evening cleaning and lubricating the bears, all 100 of them (5 per side of each drawer, 10 ten drawers)

Everyone of them was siezed up with hardened grease. Used WD-40, brake cleaner, spray lithium grease, Lubriplate, and some other stuff I had in the garage. Amazed at the crud that came out of the bearings.

The spay lithium grease seems to work the best for now. Going to clean the bearings a couple more times and then lube them with wheel bearing grease. Will probably make a little fixture to press against the bearing and allow grease to be pumped through to the other side.

The drawers all slide very easy now. But I think they can be better.

Did some research and it turns out the box is not a Lista or Vidmar, it is a Nu-Era cabinet, made in Alpena, MI.

More accurate dimensions are 45" Wide x 27 3/4" Deep x 46 1/8" Tall. Will post some more pictures of it in it's spot in the garage.

Anyone have any thoughts on the quality of this brand of cabinet?

 

[Arne73]

Nice job on the red one, looks great. Did you get the kick plate cover for the bottom? Even tho it's on casters I think it cleans up the appearance.

 

[Bull]

I've always read that Nu-Era is right up there with the other industrial brands.

How many cans of WD-40 and carb cleaner did you go through while cleaning all those bearings? You just kept blasting and turning them, and that's it?

 

[Turbo_Prop]

Nice job on the red one, looks great. Did you get the kick plate cover for the bottom? Even tho it's on casters I think it cleans up the appearance.

No I didn't, probably should. Do you know of a source?

 

[Turbo_Prop]

I've always read that Nu-Era is right up there with the other industrial brands.

How many cans of WD-40 and carb cleaner did you go through while cleaning all those bearings? You just kept blasting and turning them, and that's it?

I started with just the cans that were on the bench and dont think I put much of a dent in them. I used the little red tube to direct the spray, but yea, it was pretty much spraying lube and turning the bearings.

The turning sort of came in stages. Starting out the bearings were stuck. Then with some spray and the outer bearing would rotate but the bearings inside were still stuck. A little more spray and rotating the bearing and they would free up and spin. Working in sort of a round robbin, it took about four laps around to get to the point were the WD40 would run out of the bearings sort of clear.

 

[cbacres]

The spay lithium grease seems to work the best for now. Going to clean the bearings a couple more times and then lube them with wheel bearing grease.

I did the same( wheel bearing grease) on one i bought couple of years ago. Joe, the Lista rep recommended to use 3n1 oil or white lith grease and I believe him. The thicker grease does not work as good.

The one I just did I used plain lith grease, its a lighter grease, and there is a noticeable difference between the two boxes. I think the spray white lith is a good choice.

I used a needle attachment on my grease gun ( on the plain lith grease) and pumped in a coouple spots around the bearing, spun the bearing and pressed in the excess. Took me about two hours to do my 11 drawer.

But, before I do any more, I'm trying to find a decent source for Permatex Slick lube , it comes in spray, grease tub and tubes. This is what Stanley Vidmar recommended. I'm looking for the spray. It is designed for these type bearings among other uses.

Great box, I would like to get one like it also, it would complete my collection..........until the next one.

 

[Turbo_Prop]

As promised, some more pics of the new box. Have started transfering stuff over from my Mac box. Loving the big drawers. Note the drawer liner is about two inches two short and leaves a strip uncovered at the rear of the drawer. Having a hard time sourcing drawer liners, but did order a new lock assembly from Rack Engineering (parent company for Nu-Era cabinets).

 

[Bull]

Looks awesome.

The drawer liner that I used on my big Lista should work. I'll get the details for you.