Anyone used map/blueprint drawers as a tool box?

[fergus]

Just like the title says, I wanna know about those big flat (shallow) map drawers used as a toolbox. I can get some for cheap... and I'd like to know how they've worked out, if anyone has any experience. I'd probably replace my smallish rollcab/topbox with them if it works out. Thanks!

 

[MalibuLX3]

I'm not familiar with the boxes your talking about but my biggest concern would be if they could handle the weight or not. Seeing as though they are built for maps and blueprints, I wouldn't think so, but I really don't know.

 

[fergus]

Well I saw a thread the other day where someone had a picture of these type of drawers in their garage...didn't remember what it said though...

 

[DanCo]

IIRC somebody here has used them. Check out "Let's See Your Toolbox" Thread

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

They will hold a ton of weight but you will need to remove the drawing flap at the front of the drawers and understand that they will not open all of the way. Most will leave 4 to 6 inches of the drawer in the box.

We have them at our office that are up to 48" wide and 36" deep. They might be OK for someone that can get them on the cheap but the locks (if they have one) are not very good and they will take up a ton of room (in the larger models).

 

[Improved700]

I got some from my work for free. They are ok. The slides on these ones are not ball bearing, so if you put a ton of stuff in them, they dont slide very easily. Mine are about 3 feet wide and about 2 feet deep. I use them mainly for storing papers, manuals, stuff like that.
I may move a set down into my basement and do some organizing down there with them.

If you are getting the big ones, make sure they are ball bearing, or roller bearing. See if they have extra bearing wheels also.

 

[SledgeFix]

I have my heart set on a Lista toolbox, they make boxes up to 56" wide with only full-width drawers, lots of customization, you can take the drawers out and put them back with different depths in different spots again, or buy different-depth drawers later, and they offer different tops and bottoms. The prices looked comparably pretty darn nice compared to tool truck stuff, too, but I don't know about what gauge steel they use. I think they mainly market to race teams where you see giant garages with hundreds of feet of 26"-wide kitchen-style counter-high drawers, under an actual counter top, and they can break it all down to travel. AFAIK they're a PA company that manufactures locally, but I could be wrong.

Dunno if you already knew about Lista, but if blueprint drawers ended up being cheaper and could hold the weight of hand tools, I'd be sold, whether they come single and have to be stacked or what. I was looking for at least 40" wide and around 18" deep though, and maybe 200 lbs capacity just to be on the safe side.

 

[REAL HOT SCHITT]

Hi from n.z
yeah, there gr8t if u put in base a cut-to-suit kitchen draw liner...ie;black
and then u lay out your finest of spanners etc they look real swank and a gr8t "pull to display" to m8ts and then have them drawling at mouth with envy.
Have the cabnet laquared or waxed then put a glass top on,add a few ponsy brass handles and then show to the masses.

I missed out on ex govt survey map draws, but they were too ruff to buy on trademe.

 

[Brinskan]

My dad uses an old flat file (blue-print cabinets) to store all of his nails, screws, nuts and bolts and it holds the weight just fine. Those cabinets are usually really stout. They are also usually very pricey. You may consider just reselling them and buying yourself a real tool box. Check prices on craigslist. A 5 drawer flat file usually fetches $300.

 

[Steevo]

I've seen them come up at auction several times recently, and go for fair prices of $150-$200 for a four-drawer unit. I think the large ones would be inconvenient due to the depth being around 3'.

 

[fefarms]

I had the same idea as the OP. I got a set of 8 (two stacked sets of 4) of the full size blueprint drawers off ebay for $100 (they were local). I had them in my shop for a couple years, but finally took them out because they took up too much room for what they could store. I found the drawers to be on the shallow side, tools inside them slid around too much when the drawers were opened, and the drawers are too flimsy for their size when loaded with tools.

My experience? Save your money for real tool boxes.

 

[KCarGuy]

I have some of those same Cabinets, they are usually very pricey!
I use them to store all my Drawings, Sketches, Illustrations, Paintings and such.
Great for that, since thats what they were designed to do.

But, I dont think that they are the best choice for Tools or Parts...If you can get them for cheap, Hell...Pick them up, resell them and make yourself some money.
Then go out and buy a better cabinet or toolbox, that would fit the bill a little better.

 

[fergus]

Well, thanks for all the input. They were already gone by the time I got through. Oh well. I ended up with some other cool cabinets for free anyway. I was going to use these file drawers to replace my Economizer 34" Mac roller cab and 30" top box which have drawers that are marginal at best. I'll keep my eyes open for something else. Thanks!!!

 

[sonnyboy]

We have one at work that we use to store small quantities of specialty bolts/screws/fittings. It's about 4ft wide by 2ft deep. I'm sure some of the drawers have over 100 lbs of stuff in. All the stuff is in small cardboard bins, labeled for easy reading. Overall it works out pretty well, but you have to have the right place to put it.

 

[Thedroid]

The blueprint drawers I've seen held a lot of weight. Old school original blueprints are heavy when stacked by the hundeds. Our engineering room has around 80 drawers stuffed full, and they feel very stout.

I would say a drawer full of prints is heavier than all but the most packed drawer of tools.

 

[DanCo]

I found the posting in the "Lets see your toolbox" thread, post #3106