That blue drawer with the gray handle stands out from the others so much. Great choice.
Bull's Equipto Grab
- Thread starter Bull
- Start date
I think so too, Jack. I did that one like that to see what a contrasting handle would look like, compared to an all-blue drawer. The final version will have the handles painted silver/aluminum.
I sacrificed time on other (more important?) tasks to make some headway on these. I want my garage space back, and to finally be "organized"!!
Painted the cabinet with a couple coats from two spray cans of the gray Hammered. I couldn't do any of this painting without my King heater. Got the space up from 36 to 59 in a few hours.
Ran out there a short while ago after finishing my school work. I wanted to get the painted cabinet off the saw horses and onto the platform next to its brother. Moved the platform into position
Lifted up one end while crouching on the platform, moved the sawhorse out of the way with one hand, then gently let the end of the cabinet down.
Then, went to the other end and stood her up!
Will need to adjust/level these things so the gap is tight, then bolt them together through the sides.
They are just mammoth in size. The platform looks like it was built to fit them!
Now I'll peck away at cleaning and oiling more tracks and bearings, install all the remaining drawers, mask off the gray, and get to painting the drawers blue. I already found a great deal on a small HVLP gun with excellent reviews.
Painted the cabinet with a couple coats from two spray cans of the gray Hammered. I couldn't do any of this painting without my King heater. Got the space up from 36 to 59 in a few hours.
Ran out there a short while ago after finishing my school work. I wanted to get the painted cabinet off the saw horses and onto the platform next to its brother. Moved the platform into position
Lifted up one end while crouching on the platform, moved the sawhorse out of the way with one hand, then gently let the end of the cabinet down.
Then, went to the other end and stood her up!
Will need to adjust/level these things so the gap is tight, then bolt them together through the sides.
They are just mammoth in size. The platform looks like it was built to fit them!
Now I'll peck away at cleaning and oiling more tracks and bearings, install all the remaining drawers, mask off the gray, and get to painting the drawers blue. I already found a great deal on a small HVLP gun with excellent reviews.
Cue 2001: A Space Odyssey music. 
akdiesel
Well-known member
They look great together.
One idea though for safety is if you can install a one drawer open at a time system. Being on the cart makes them that more susceptible to tipping.
One idea though for safety is if you can install a one drawer open at a time system. Being on the cart makes them that more susceptible to tipping.
I'm going to figure out some way to bolt the tops of the cabs to the wall to protect against this.
I got a little more progress done after having to step away to work on other things. I got the cabinets pretty closely lined up tight with each other. I secured them together about 1/3 of the way from the bottom by using bolts/nuts/washers and a piece of wood to spread the clamping load. I will do the same thing towards the top, too.
I started working on getting the drawers into the second cabinet, too.
akdiesel
Well-known member
Now thats a great idea.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
Our wall units (furniture) are fastened this way. We live in earthquake country.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I think for that stack, I'd make up a simple hinged top panel with a lip over the top edge, and you only have to lift the panel a bit to roll the assembly out (Since you are not in E-Quake country)
A hinged panel might take a dolt like me longer to do than some chain and eyebolts; that might be the way to go.
I have a question for you guys: how tall would you place the tallest drawer? In the most recent pics, the top drawer on the cabinet on the right is about eye-level for me. If I go any higher, I'd need to use a ladder to see what is in the drawers above. I was thinking that on both cabinets, I would stop at this level, then add some wood framing for a simple shelf for the upper space that is left over. These spaces would be pretty large, and I was thinking I could put jack stands, bulky cased tools like air and flooring nailers, pancake compressor etc. up there. Or, would you go to the top with the drawers?
I think I am also going to swap out four of the smaller drawers and install two more of the deep drawers on the unit on the left, at the bottom. Deep storage seems preferable to shallow, and I will have two deep drawers left over if I go with the above arrangement.
I have a question for you guys: how tall would you place the tallest drawer? In the most recent pics, the top drawer on the cabinet on the right is about eye-level for me. If I go any higher, I'd need to use a ladder to see what is in the drawers above. I was thinking that on both cabinets, I would stop at this level, then add some wood framing for a simple shelf for the upper space that is left over. These spaces would be pretty large, and I was thinking I could put jack stands, bulky cased tools like air and flooring nailers, pancake compressor etc. up there. Or, would you go to the top with the drawers?
I think I am also going to swap out four of the smaller drawers and install two more of the deep drawers on the unit on the left, at the bottom. Deep storage seems preferable to shallow, and I will have two deep drawers left over if I go with the above arrangement.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
What would you do with your leftover drawers if you went this route?
I would essentially have no use for them, really, except maybe to hold on to them in case I want to change configurations or something. The leftover drawers would all be the shallow type.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Hinged panel: piece of plywood; "2X2's" glued and screwed on each edge opposing, and a couple of door hinges from the wall to the inboard 2X2. gravity does the rest.
for the top section: how high is "too high? if its only 6-8" put stuff up there you rarely need to get to and keep a plastic step thing (9-10" high?) around like they use for kids to use at the bathroom sink when they are too small to reach..
akdiesel
Well-known member
Bull
I had the same question rolling through my head for my upper cabinets. I had the idea to use on of the lower drawers as a pull out step. Since these cabinets (Lista, Vidmar, Equipco, etc) have a load rating of 400 lbs I felt safe they would hold my weight and the weight it was lifting.
You could take one of the shorter drawers and put a top platform on it so the drawer could still be used by simply sliding the cover or lifting it out. Now the safety part. Since the drawers slide you will have to make a lock system to hold them open and legs that can drop down to support you as you step on it so the cabinets don't tip.
The locking part to hold the drawer open can simply be done with a detent ball and a small leaf spring like those found on tent poles of sort. The legs may be able to be tucked under the drawer and have the same detent system to hold them in place.
I had the same question rolling through my head for my upper cabinets. I had the idea to use on of the lower drawers as a pull out step. Since these cabinets (Lista, Vidmar, Equipco, etc) have a load rating of 400 lbs I felt safe they would hold my weight and the weight it was lifting.
You could take one of the shorter drawers and put a top platform on it so the drawer could still be used by simply sliding the cover or lifting it out. Now the safety part. Since the drawers slide you will have to make a lock system to hold them open and legs that can drop down to support you as you step on it so the cabinets don't tip.
The locking part to hold the drawer open can simply be done with a detent ball and a small leaf spring like those found on tent poles of sort. The legs may be able to be tucked under the drawer and have the same detent system to hold them in place.
Every time I look at the pictures of these sitting on the cart, I cringe. I just wouldn't trust the casters on that cart. Fully loaded, even if it's not alot, they are going to be heavy as hell. I agree bolting or securing them to the wall somehow, is the the way to go, but I still wouldn't leave them on the cart. Looks like you're getting close to finishing up.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
OSHA would never approve of this. There is a reason some cabinets only allow having one drawer open at a time.
akdiesel
Well-known member
I agree about the safety concern, but these are older cabinets and I don't think they have that option. As I mentioned if the drawer were to be held in the open position with feet then it would aid in a stepping stool support as well as a stabilizer support for other drawers that were open
May I ask what your specific concern about the casters is? Is it that it would be unsafe to move the assembly when loaded, or that the casters might simply fail when just sitting in a static position? They are Colson pieces and are rated for a lot of weight, although admittedly probably not as much as the loaded cabinets would weigh. Maybe there is a number on them that I can use to find their specs. I don't anticipate moving the cabinets much, but if they are just left sitting on the floor then they are essentially immobile forever. I like the idea of being able to move them to clean or reorganize, even if I need to empty them to do it. It was a lot easier to slide them off of saw horses and onto the cart now than to try and dead lift or wrangle them onto the cart from a standing position later.
I'm leaning towards the idea of leaving the top parts of the cabinets open, with a shelf for bulk storage. I actually might not even need a shelf, I guess. I could just use the uppermost drawer for bulk storage, leaving the top couple out.
The chances of them failing from just the weight is probably pretty slim. My concern is moving them. They are so tall that if a caster got hung up on even a pebble, the top of the cabinet would want to continue moving while the bottom would be hung up. I just see a tipping hazard. It would hurt like hell if either of those monsters got you or anyone else. With cabinets that size, I wouldn't be moving them often and I sure wouldn't have to sweep under them because they would be on the floor. Let's just call it a difference of opinion.
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dragracer98
Well-known member
Bull,
I too would have some concerns about the casters. I believe that the Colson casters you have on there are the Series 2, (which if that is correct) are rated at 325 lbs. If it is a different series I could probably tell you what they are rated at. It looks like you might have the cart braced at about the halfway mark. I know that you said construction was 4x4, lag bolts and OSB. Even with this construction you are asking a lot of 4 casters to support what is riding on the top. Especially in the middle of the cart. Just estimating your cart is probably 6 ft or more.
One thought, if you stay with this set-up, it would be a little time and expense but why not put 2 more casters on the bottom, about the halfway point. I know the cabinets are heavy even when they are empty. Just think of the added weight when you get them chocked full of whatever you will be loading them with.
Just a guess but I would say that just what you have on there now is putting a great deal of stress on your cart. Measure the height of the cart along the front, from the floor to the bottom of the cart in three places, each end and in the middle. If the middle gives you a different measurement then that will tell you need some additional support. One other thing to consider is the total weight that you are wanting the casters to support, not only the cabinets and the contents but the cart itself. Even though it will be parked for most of the time the weight will still be on it. Build it better than it has to be, you won't regret it.
Randy
I too would have some concerns about the casters. I believe that the Colson casters you have on there are the Series 2, (which if that is correct) are rated at 325 lbs. If it is a different series I could probably tell you what they are rated at. It looks like you might have the cart braced at about the halfway mark. I know that you said construction was 4x4, lag bolts and OSB. Even with this construction you are asking a lot of 4 casters to support what is riding on the top. Especially in the middle of the cart. Just estimating your cart is probably 6 ft or more.
One thought, if you stay with this set-up, it would be a little time and expense but why not put 2 more casters on the bottom, about the halfway point. I know the cabinets are heavy even when they are empty. Just think of the added weight when you get them chocked full of whatever you will be loading them with.
Just a guess but I would say that just what you have on there now is putting a great deal of stress on your cart. Measure the height of the cart along the front, from the floor to the bottom of the cart in three places, each end and in the middle. If the middle gives you a different measurement then that will tell you need some additional support. One other thing to consider is the total weight that you are wanting the casters to support, not only the cabinets and the contents but the cart itself. Even though it will be parked for most of the time the weight will still be on it. Build it better than it has to be, you won't regret it.
Randy
alpinewhite
Well-known member
Put some 4"x4"s under the cart when parked. Make sure some of the weight rests on the 4"x4"s.
It's kinda late to add this idea, but could you cut the cabinets in half and then have four beside each other? That way you would not waste the upper drawer storage and not tempt gravity? Just a thought. Good luck Bull! I keep checking to see how things are progressing!
Scott
If I was Jack Olsen I could cut them in half and customize them, but I'm no Olsen!
If I bolted through the bottoms of the cabinet bases and into the wood of the cart, would that help alleviate the tipping fears? I don't plan to move them when loaded, just to be clear. I am not wanting to be unsafe, believe me.
My original plan was to place them on pressure treated sleepers, just to keep them from being in direct contact with the concrete floor. Putting them on the cart was an idea that sort of just came to me because it is a bit scary to just put these into a space in the garage and load them up. I think I know where I want them, but what if my layout ends up not working well or looking good? Without being on the cart, they would essentially be impossible for me to move at all.
The idea did come to me to add two more casters in the middle of the span of the cart's front and rear framing. But I didn't have the patience to consider that idea before moving forward. I have thought about, once the cabinets are in place, cutting 4x4 pieces that would fit tightly between the floor and the cart's frame.
I will measure the span and see if there already is a sag.
The Boss
Well-known member
Cut them!
alpinewhite
Well-known member
If they're 7 ft tall, cutting them in half would yield you a couple of cabinets a tad over 3.5 ft tall (need new feet for the upper half). I vote for this.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
With only 4 casters (I'm seeing that right?) and a roughly 6 foot span, I think you will have issues sooner or later, probably sooner. The cart is wood? 2X4? I don't think a 2X4 is nearly strong enough in this application if so.
I definitely would not move forward without at least getting what those casters are rated for and making sure you are well under there rated capacity.
Using a drawer as a step is a terrible idea, no mater what "safety features" are added.
Keep in mind without safety interlocks, once something like that starts going over, NOTHING is stopping it, and anything under it is dead meat.
I once saw an older 4 drawer file cab without safety interlocks go over. It wasn't pretty, and we were lucky no one was in the way...
I definitely would not move forward without at least getting what those casters are rated for and making sure you are well under there rated capacity.
Using a drawer as a step is a terrible idea, no mater what "safety features" are added.
Keep in mind without safety interlocks, once something like that starts going over, NOTHING is stopping it, and anything under it is dead meat.
I once saw an older 4 drawer file cab without safety interlocks go over. It wasn't pretty, and we were lucky no one was in the way...
I was at the parts dept. near me yesterday (KIA) & they had equipto drawers mounted in the industrial shelving (perforated/slotted angel iron). Since you already have most everything apart, that may be an option? I'll stop by again and take a pic if I can.
sberry
Banned
I didnt open this thread and finally quit reading but i got to agree this is a worthwhile effort that has great payoff, both in the short and the long. First, this is cheap, About the best you could do would be 4 of those HF cabs at 1600 or so, you wouldnt have to do any work and or all at once.
I see the comment about all the work, I say its worth it.. You might not do something as nice as this had it involved a cash layout in the first place (even a concern for HF boxes) I wouldnt be scared to modify them, probably would have set them on 4x4 for use with the pallet jack but thats not an option here, the cart is ok, be careful and weight the bottom shelves with the heavy stuff, you aint got to trek up a ladder and load the top with bricks, once you park it could add blocks etc to take weight off wheels?? You wont roll this often, they wouldnt have to go together.
What its loaded with is a huge factor and where the load it another. Everyone here envision boxes of sockets, full of steel?
I see the comment about all the work, I say its worth it.. You might not do something as nice as this had it involved a cash layout in the first place (even a concern for HF boxes) I wouldnt be scared to modify them, probably would have set them on 4x4 for use with the pallet jack but thats not an option here, the cart is ok, be careful and weight the bottom shelves with the heavy stuff, you aint got to trek up a ladder and load the top with bricks, once you park it could add blocks etc to take weight off wheels?? You wont roll this often, they wouldnt have to go together.
What its loaded with is a huge factor and where the load it another. Everyone here envision boxes of sockets, full of steel?
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I need to spend some time thinking about what you guys are saying. I don't think I am going to cut them in half. I have more vertical space than floor space in my little barn. I would prefer to keep the cart and use 4x4 pieces to take the load off the casters, chain the top of the units to the wall, and only move the setup on rare occasions and AFTER emptying some or all of the contents. I can also lock all of the drawers. But I am thinking about what you guys are telling me, because I know we have smart people here.
I think that this is how I am going to organize the bay. It's not ideal, but neither is the size of my barn! Please excuse the mess. It is driving me crazy, and is why I am spending all this time on these cabinets and an organizational plan.
The filing cabinet, Rota-bin, and tanker desk will all be sold or moved; they aren't all staying in there.
I think that this is how I am going to organize the bay. It's not ideal, but neither is the size of my barn! Please excuse the mess. It is driving me crazy, and is why I am spending all this time on these cabinets and an organizational plan.
The filing cabinet, Rota-bin, and tanker desk will all be sold or moved; they aren't all staying in there.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
Looks nice, Bull. I can already see how they belong next to the Lista. Once the blue is in, it's gonna look awesome.
Thank you.
I decided to use two of the deeper drawers in the bottom of the cabinet on the left, which when I bought it had all shallow drawers. This required me to REMOVE every drawer, bearing assembly, and rail that I had already installed in that one cabinet to get the spacing between drawers correct.
I also decided to fill up the top of the right cabinet with shallow drawers, rather than leaving an open space for bulk storage.
The lock assemblies work well, though there might be two, three or four drawers that don't lock because their little locking tab on the back is broken or bent.
I was able to install all but one shallow drawer. I had to leave that one out because I am missing one bearing assembly and one rail. Most of the cabinets operate smoothly, but a few bind in places as you pull them out, probably because they lived a hard life and have some bent areas. It won't affect how I intend to use them as Johnny Homeowner.
After I finished installing the drawers today, I removed all the old glue residue and numbered stickers from the drawer faces with a gasket scraper , #0 steel wool with acetone, and a rag.
Next is to sand the face of each cabinet. I'm not sure what the best method will be to knock the sheen off and make sure the paint will stick. I'm also not sure if I should use acid on the rusty areas, and if I should prime before laying down color. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm sort of dreading the task, because lots of detail sanding is not my idea of a good time. I wish I had a large soda blaster, but I don't, nor do I have a compressor capable of feeding one.
The rust of which I speak looks like this:
Once the drawers are prepped, I'll mask everything but the drawers and paint them blue. Once that paint dries, I'll scuff the handles and paint them (by hand) with a silver or aluminum paint.
I can see the end of this project, but I've got a lot of work yet.
Here is where we are at:
alpinewhite
Well-known member
The rust of which I speak looks like this:
That's nothing. I'd hit it with a wire brush followed by scouring pad, then, prime/paint.
Here is where we are at:
Looking good. Even while it's empty, that thing should be bolted/chained ASAP. I would hate for us to lose a GJ member over a fallen tooling cabinet. How did the previous owner use to reach the top drawers?
So, you would prime the drawers before painting? I didn't prime my two test drawers, but they didn't really have much in the way of rust. It's the rust that I am worried about coming through.
I'm not sure how the PO got to the top drawers, but it was in a machine shop.
I'll get it bolted or braced before proceeding any further. It feels not at all unstable to me and has no more weight at the top than the bottom. But, you are right, safety is paramount.
I'm not sure how the PO got to the top drawers, but it was in a machine shop.
I'll get it bolted or braced before proceeding any further. It feels not at all unstable to me and has no more weight at the top than the bottom. But, you are right, safety is paramount.
alpinewhite
Well-known member
At least prime over the rust.
fringeofinsanity
Well-known member
Somehow this post has not been on my radar. All I can say is no matter the effort...you ****!
Nice score, can't wait to see the finished layout
Nice score, can't wait to see the finished layout
Albiemanmike
Well-known member
Fantastic set of storage drawers I would love to have those even if they do take up a lot of space. I would do very little sanding only where there is flaking paint or rust to remove it. Then I would clean it all with some pre-paint cleaner and then prime everything with a self etching metal primer. I just used some that Rustoleum makes to refurb my old Rockwell drill press and it worked awesome. Then once that is dry I would spray the primary color. I also would pull all the drawers out to paint them so i didn't have to mask everything else off. Masking is not my idea of a fun way to spend a day. Good lck with the project it will look awesome when you are done and keep that in mind while you are toiling away prepping everything.