Cabinet for Small Parts Storage Cases

[soj]

I saw several posts here where guys built cabinets or shelves to be able to stack small parts boxes/cases and be able to pull one out without having to dig to the bottom of a stack. Some used wood, some metal, some a combination of both. Others recycled old cabinets or racks. Lots of good ideas, and I almost copied some of them. Here is a link to one thread. But they got me to thinking.

One place I worked at had some of these:

View media item 71782

One good thing about those metal cabinets is you can either open the drawers and remove one or two items or take the whole drawer with you to where you are working. The shortcoming of most of the racks I found here and other places on the net is that you HAVE to remove the case from the rack and sit it somewhere else to open it. I decided I wanted a cabinet to work like the metal one pictured above. I realize I kinda got carried away with the number of cases, but the size of the cabinet was determined by trying to get the most use from a single sheet of plywood.

First, the cabinet and drawers, without the storage cases:View media item 71784
And with the Harbor Freight 93928 storage cases:
View media item 72040
The drawers are on full extension slides and pull out far enough to allow the lid to open all the way:
View media item 72041
They lift off the drawers so I can take it to where I am working:
View media item 72042
They are not attached to the drawer, just held in place by recesses in the side of the case that fit over the drawer sides:
View media item 72043
The notch in the front of the drawers is for hand clearance.
jp

 

[Farmall 1066]

Impeccable craftsmanship! How long did it take you to build?

 

[soj]

Impeccable craftsmanship! How long did it take you to build?

Thanks for the kind words. I need them after spending way too much time on this. It started small and just sorta grew... then got out of control.

I think I started drawing and measuring and thinking back in Feb. Then I over-thought it and a simple project got out of hand. I almost didn't build it with drawers when I realized how much it might cost, but I decided if I didn't build it with the features I wanted I would never be happy with it.

I have not been working on just this since Feb. It has been an on and off project, interspersed with lots of other projects, so I have no idea of total time spent. I do know I am glad to finally be finished, it took up a lot of shop space, especially while painting all those drawers.
-jp

 

[MushCreek]

Excellent idea and execution! I just bought a bunch of those HF cases (not THAT many though!), and have been thinking about how to organize them. Does anyone know of a source for the bins that fit in them? I find the little ones to be too small for much of anything. I just swap them around until I get what I want, but that leaves me with either empty cases, or cases fully of tiny bins.

Now let's figure out a good way to label them on the front.

 

[CNGsaves]

Holy Toledo . . . . OP that's an awesome setup !!

I count 19 rows x 2 columns = = = 38 portable storage drawers !!!

When you've got all those puppies full of goodies, you'll be better stocked than many True Value stores . . . . and 1,000 times more than a WalMart store !!

 

[JohnKal]

Great work. You sure did a great job!

 

[KCarGuy]

Wow!
Very Slick and well thought out project!

 

[Responder]

That is a heap of storage......but I am sure it will all get filled up. You know, "build it and they will come" philosophy!!

What was the material of choice? Looks very smooth for plywood?

 

[Terranova]

Holy Toledo . . . . OP that's an awesome setup !!

I count 19 rows x 2 columns = = = 38 portable storage drawers !!!

X 2 === 76 slides to purchase ane install. A fortune in slides and a "forever" in getting them installed.

The whole piece looks great!

Well done.

 

[txvwnut]

I was going to build something like that for my stanley cases(the ones HF copied), but after seeing yours I know mine wouldn't be that nice so I will just concede now.



DAYUUM! That's nice! I thought it was a commercially manufactured case when I saw the pic.

 

[MushCreek]

X 2 === 76 slides to purchase ane install. A fortune in slides and a "forever" in getting them installed.

The whole piece looks great!

Well done.

There are tricks to installing slides quickly. I just did 33 drawers in my kitchen, and the slides were the easy part.

 

[McLean]

That is beautiful!

The sliding shelves really set it apart. Well done.

 

[wyo george]

Very nice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[galute]

There are tricks to installing slides quickly. I just did 33 drawers in my kitchen, and the slides were the easy part.

Care to share any of those tricks? I'm getting ready to start cabinets and shelves in my shop and I have never installed drawers or slides. I would like to be able to see what's inside the drawers without tilting my head sideways. LOL


Awesome job OP. I hope mine turn out half as good as yours.

 

[aka Larry]

That is kick ***! Nice attention to detail. What kind of coin do you have in the project if you don't mind me asking?

 

[soj]

Excellent idea and execution! I just bought a bunch of those HF cases (not THAT many though!), and have been thinking about how to organize them. Does anyone know of a source for the bins that fit in them? I find the little ones to be too small for much of anything. I just swap them around until I get what I want, but that leaves me with either empty cases, or cases fully of tiny bins.

Now let's figure out a good way to label them on the front.

I agree that a source for more and different size bins would be great. I have a couple of Zag cases like the HF ones. The bins are the same sizes only slightly shorter. The Zag brand appears to be the same as Stanley cases. I searched for "zag storage" and found this: http://www.stanleytoolparts.com/stpror.html Prices not only seem a bit high, but weird as well: the large bin is less than the small and med. size. I am pretty sure these wouldn't fit the HF case. If anyone has both Stanley and HF to compare, please let us know. If Stanley bins are the same sizes (only shorter) than HF then that confirms that Stanley and Zag are the same.

We could try to lobby HF to sell packages of replacement bins. They have a Facebook page and e-mail listed on the website. Not sure how well they respond to customer demand. Bags of ten or twelve of each size at a HF price would be great. Even better would be sizes other than the three that come in the case.

I have labeled a few of my cases. The first step is to scrape off the ridge left by the mold parting line. I just used my knife and it left a smooth surface that I hope the label sticks to. Time will tell if they come loose. I use a Brother P-Touch.

View media item 72044
I have also labeled some of the bins. They have a really slick surface so I am watching to see how well they stay on. EDIT: 7/2017 After two years NO labels have came loose or off. Also, as shown in this pic, bins can be removed to store larger items. The remaining bins stay in place.

View media item 72045
-jp

 

[Zrexxer]

That is some creative, well-thought-out work!

I don't know if Stanley bought out Zag, or of there's some other relationship there, but the products that used to be labeled Zag haven't changed, but now wear Stanley labels.

 

[soj]

That is a heap of storage......but I am sure it will all get filled up. You know, "build it and they will come" philosophy!!

What was the material of choice? Looks very smooth for plywood?

There is a rule: Your "stuff" will expand to fill the available space". I am sure it will be enforced in this cabinet.

I used plywood. 3/4" for the case, 1/4" for the back, 1/2" for the drawers. Finish is one coat of sanding sealer, one coat of gloss latex, color matched to the bins. There is a second coat on the front edge of the drawers to help smooth up the edge grain of the plywood. The front edge of the cabinet was covered with iron-on veneer edge banding. I assembled the drawers before painting, but the cabinet parts were painted before assembly. I may put a second coat on the outside of the cabinet, just to get a more even coverage.
-jp

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Nice job!

 

[kb1luo]

Where did you purchase your drawer slides? What did you use for ply material for your drawers? I have been thinking about this for some time now as I have been acquiring these storage cases and filling them when I find a deal on bulk fasteners and such. By far the best idea I have seen yet!! Bravo!!!

 

[soj]

X 2 === 76 slides to purchase ane install. A fortune in slides and a "forever" in getting them installed.

The whole piece looks great!

Well done.

Agreed on the fortune in slides. The price for slides almost killed this project in the planning stage. Then I found these slides for a "reasonable" price. I see there has been a slight price increase since I purchased. Most Knape & Vogt slides are USA made, but these are their import brand, Tru-Trac. I guess it is fitting to use Chinese made slides for HF storage cases. They open and close very smooth. I did have a problem with one. The plastic release lever got hung up in the bearing retainer and I had to destroy it to get it out. The drawer would only open half-way, so I couldn't remove the screws. Luckily I had two extra pair (they come 10 per box) for replacements.

 

[MushCreek]

Care to share any of those tricks? I'm getting ready to start cabinets and shelves in my shop and I have never installed drawers or slides. I would like to be able to see what's inside the drawers without tilting my head sideways. LOL


Awesome job OP. I hope mine turn out half as good as yours.

What I did was first establish where I wanted the cabinet side of the slide (they come apart for mounting). I made spacers out of scrap wood to set the height above the bottom of the cabinet. Set the slide on the spacer, and drill small holes for the screws. They make special drill bits for drilling hinges that automatically center the drill in the hole. Mount the slides. For a unit like this, I would then make a pair of spacers to set the next slide up, referencing off the the already-installed slide. Just keep going, taking very good care not to let any error creep in. I would check it in relation to the bottom of the cabinet once in a while to make sure I wasn't going off.

Once all of the cabinet part of the slides are mounted, re-install the inner slides. Put a drawer in place, and figure out what size spacers you would need to set it at the height you want. Rest the drawer on the spacers, pulled out a couple inches. Pull the inner slide out flush with the end of the drawer, or to the back of the drawer face, or however you want to position them. You can then drill and screw into the outermost set of screw holes, attaching the inner slide to the drawer. Slide it out some more, until you can work on the middle set of holes. Make sure the drawer is level on the spacers. Drill and screw the middle holes on each side. Now you can pull the drawer out, ans install the rear screws while it is out of the case. Again, for a case like this, the subsequent drawers could be located over the one below it with an appropriate pair of spacers.

In my kitchen, I had stacks of 4 drawers each, so I just made spacers for each set, all located from the bottom of the cabinet. I made one pair of spacers for each drawer height, and then had a pair of spacers that I added on to set the bearing height. I know this is all as clear as mud- I'll see if I took pictures of the process. It really only takes a few minutes per drawer once you are set up and get the hang of it. Make sure the spacers you make are good and parallel (table saw), matched sets, and label them so you don't accidentally throw them on the scrap pile or get them mixed up.

I buy my slides from cshardware.com. They ran about $5 a pair for 22", and I didn't get any duds. They are a perfect knock-off of the KV ones. They sell the screws you need, and the hinge drills, too.

 

[PFSard]

Just another chime-in (with a touch of envy). That is great work.

 

[Strouty]

Beautiful work. I like those containers better than the metal ones because you can see through the lids.

 

[machine_punk]

That is a fabulous cabinet. Your craftsmanship is superb. My only thought is that you could have cut down on the number of slides by just making the shelves wide enough for 2 or 3 bins. It wouldn't have been quite so slick (you would pull out 2 or 3 bins to get the one you wanted), but the slides are rated for 100# a pair and you could have easily carried 3 with the size plywood you used.

That isn't a critcism...just thinking out loud. Your design is elegant and your execution is wonderful.

Anyone interested in HF bins of any size should contact HF Customer Service. (I know..."They have customer service?" I used this when I needed to replace the lock on a cabinet I bought from them (as usual, the keys were locked into the cabinet I bought. I drilled the lock and called Customer Service, who sent a free lock). You can order sets of 'keyed alike' locks, if you want to change your cabinets to one key. You can also order replacement parts...I would suspect that would include whatever size of yellow bin you want. Just a thought.

Great project. Great execution.

Kev

 

[St-rider]

Excellent idea and execution! I just bought a bunch of those HF cases (not THAT many though!), and have been thinking about how to organize them. Does anyone know of a source for the bins that fit in them? I find the little ones to be too small for much of anything. I just swap them around until I get what I want, but that leaves me with either empty cases, or cases fully of tiny bins.

Now let's figure out a good way to label them on the front.

I don't know if these will fit but I like them. Good price too.
Lots of sizes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350757258366?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[mtnwalton]

Very nice; I wouldn't change a thing. This is the best implementation of this idea of managing parts boxes I've seen. Thanks for sharing

 

[FTWingRiders]

That's awesome!! I might have to "borrow" your design.... That is if I ever get up the ambition to be that organized. Lol!!! Very jealous!

 

[PugetDude]

Great design, well executed. Nice craftsmanship!

 

[soj]

That is kick ***! Nice attention to detail. What kind of coin do you have in the project if you don't mind me asking?

Thanks for the compliments, and thanks to all who have had nice things to say about it. I am really pleased it turned out like I planned. Drawer spacing was my only concern. I came up with a vertical space to allow for each drawer, and made the cabinet height to accommodate that. Still, until the last slide was mounted (went from bottom to top) I was unsure if I would have extra space at the top or, worse, the last box wouldn't quite fit in.

I was afraid someone would ask how much. The price really ballooned from the original plan of maybe 15-20 boxes. So to explain how I wound up with 38. First I decided to make it wide enough for two columns with a divider. That came out to about 36". It needed to be about 16" deep, which meant that I could rip a sheet of ply into three pieces. Cut the 36 inches off of 96" leaves 60" for the sides. Not wanting to waste any of the 60" left me with a 5' tall cabinet that would hold 38 cases. Saving $2 in scrap plywood wound up costing me way more than $2. Hopefully it will be worth it in the long run... A smaller cabinet would fill up quicker and I might end up building another smaller one... overall cost would be more than just one this size.

A cost breakdown:

HF cases: $5.99 ea. Total $227.62
(all bought with coupons)
Drawer slides: $4.90 pr. Includes shipping and screws. Total $186.20
(I had to buy in boxes of 10, so you could say it was $196.00)
1 sheet of 3/4" ply. $34.98
1 sheet of 1/4" ply. $29.92
3 sheets of 1/2" ply. $34.95 ea. Total $104.85
(Only used a small part of the third sheet)
Paint, 1 gal. $29.98
Sealer, 1 gal. $59.99, used less than 1/2 gal.
1 roll of veneer edging, $6.54
Comes to $680.08

More than I intended at the start, but still probably less than anything similar on the market (Lista, Vidmar, etc.) And I have a little bit of plywood and sealer left over.
-jp

 

[soj]

That is some creative, well-thought-out work!

I don't know if Stanley bought out Zag, or of there's some other relationship there, but the products that used to be labeled Zag haven't changed, but now wear Stanley labels.

I read it on the internet (so it MUST be true) that Stanley bought 90% of Zag Industries. They sell them branded Zag and Stanley, as well as private label.
-jp

 

[altersaddle]

I really like this design and execution. It sounds expensive, but consider that sum total against any other hobby expense. I'd drop $750 on new snowboard boots, board and bindings, and I wouldn't have nearly as much use out of that.

The hand cutout makes a lot of sense. Also, it means you could drop a broomstick down through all the handles if you ever had to move the whole cabinet in a vehicle.

I plan on stealing some of this design for a small 5- or 10- drawer shelf cabinet...

 

[soj]

Where did you purchase your drawer slides? What did you use for ply material for your drawers? I have been thinking about this for some time now as I have been acquiring these storage cases and filling them when I find a deal on bulk fasteners and such. By far the best idea I have seen yet!! Bravo!!!

I got the slides from Woodworker's Hardware (wwhardware.com)

The drawer ply is Sandeply, available at Home Depot. Google it and there are quite a few bad reviews, mostly delaminating. I have used it before and haven't had a problem. Two of these sheets were pretty ugly on one side, with wrinkled face veneer, but it didn't matter for this use. I think it is made somewhere in South America.

The 3/4" for the cabinet is also from Home Depot, but is a Chinese made pine plywood. I don't remember the ply count, but it is almost as many as Baltic Birch. The sheets are very flat (and stay that way) and both sides have a very smooth A grade face veneer. It is a bargain compared to most birch plywood, esp. if you are going to paint it.

 

[72Anthony]

Great job!
Very professional, I initially thought it was a commercial unit.

Thanks for including the parts list and prices. It's very reasonable for the amount of storage.

 

[sunsation288]

Wow !!!! ; thanks for sharing

 

[Kevin54]

I am truly at a loss for words other than FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[soj]

That is a fabulous cabinet. Your craftsmanship is superb. My only thought is that you could have cut down on the number of slides by just making the shelves wide enough for 2 or 3 bins. It wouldn't have been quite so slick (you would pull out 2 or 3 bins to get the one you wanted), but the slides are rated for 100# a pair and you could have easily carried 3 with the size plywood you used.

That isn't a critcism...just thinking out loud. Your design is elegant and your execution is wonderful.

Anyone interested in HF bins of any size should contact HF Customer Service. (I know..."They have customer service?" I used this when I needed to replace the lock on a cabinet I bought from them (as usual, the keys were locked into the cabinet I bought. I drilled the lock and called Customer Service, who sent a free lock). You can order sets of 'keyed alike' locks, if you want to change your cabinets to one key. You can also order replacement parts...I would suspect that would include whatever size of yellow bin you want. Just a thought.

Great project. Great execution.

Kev

Great idea Kev. If I ever build another one I will probably use it. I would think a double wide would be the limit. Three wide would be over 4 feet wide.
-jp

 

[rburke65]

Wow....that's pretty impressive. Very nice

 

[soj]

Since several have said they might build a similar cabinet I thought I would share details of the drawer construction. I made a couple of prototypes before settling on this design, so this might prevent you guys from making firewood. Like I did.

First, the dimensions for the sides:
View media item 72053
I haven't checked to be sure, but I think you would only have to change the height to use the deeper, 8 bin case (HF # 93927).

The drawer bottoms are 11 3/4" front to back X 15 7/8" wide. The hand notch is 6 3/4" wide X 3" deep. I drilled 2" holes first, to get the corner radius, then cut out the rest with a band saw. I cut 5 or 6 at a time by screwing the stack together with two screws. I also sanded the hand cutout smooth while still screwed together. I filled the holes with wood putty. I also cut the notches in the sides while stacked, but I just clamped them together.

This shows how the bottom fits between the sides:
View media item 72054
Four screws per side might seem like overkill, but I am glad I used that many. With 1/2" ply you have to be very careful not to over tighten the screws or they will strip in the soft wood. I didn't use any glue, but maybe I should have.

The critical part of assembling the drawers is the sides are setback from the front edge of the bottom. This is necessary to have the front edge of the case flush with the front of the cabinet. I made a "setback gauge" to make assembly a little eaiser:
View media item 72055
And after assembly and painting:
View media item 72056
This shows how the case fits down over the drawer side:
View media item 72057
You could avoid the setback by making the sides 7/16" longer, but then you would have to cut a notch to clear the case. Even though the case overhangs the drawer at the front, it is flush with the front edge of the cabinet. The key to getting that to line up is to install the FRONT edge of the slide even with the FRONT of the cabinet, and the REAR of the slide even with the REAR of the drawer side. The front of the slide will extend past the front of the drawer. Also, the slides are mounted centered on a line 1 1/4" down from the top of the drawer slide You can see all that in this pic:
View media item 72058
To install the slides in the cabinet, the bottom of the first one is resting on the bottom of the cabinet. The rest are spaced 1 1/4" apart. I cut a spacer from 1/2" scrap. The 1 1/4" space is fairly critical to allow a little clearance between the top of the case and the bottom of the drawer above it. These dimensions work for the Tru Trak slides, which are 1.77" tall. Other brands may be different.

I have probably made this clear as mud, so if you need clarification on any of it, let me know.
jp

 

[kb1luo]

I have few more questions for you SOJ (JP). Is the length dimension given on the slides when it is closed or fully open? Did you order the 14" slides for this case? I have been racking my brain for so long trying to come up with a plan for these parts trays. I am so glad you posted this. I even showed this to my wife and she loved it too.