Couldn't afford Lista Cabinets, so -

[MXtras]

I desperately needed enclosed storage in my shop, so I took a break from the daily routine and built myself a small army of cabinets, and I thought I would share the basic design with my fellow garage junkies.

I have more to make - a few large storage cabinets, a few more tables and a 50' long saw table, but this is a nice start. They came out better than expected, I am very happy with them.

Scott

 

[RonBou]

Most excellent!!!! They look great. How long did it take you to make them all?

 

[MXtras]

Longer than I would like to admit!

They averaged about a week a piece. I have done things in between, but I started them just over a month ago. 4 weeks = 4 cabinets.

The painting was responsible for 2 days for each cabinet.... I could not paint them all at once - issues with my location, neighbors and visibility...

Thanks for the comments, Ron.

Scott

 

[Runum]

WOW

 

[ranger_dood]

So you built those completely from scratch? That's a damn good job! Wish I knew how to weld, and had the equipment to do so!

 

[ChucksCrib]

Beautiful(if I can use that word in this forum) craftsmanship, design and chioce of colors

 

[krooser]

Your shop's too clean...too big...that precision table is too heavy...those cabinets are too nice....

 

[dink]

Holy beautiful cabinets Batman......wonderful work sir

 

[rotus7]

Do you have plans for those cabinets? Those are awesome! You did one heck of a job. They look like something you'd find from a retailer. Maybe you need to go into business. I'd love to see a write up with details on how to build those. My brother just got a welder and he/I need practice for some upcoming projects.
How much did you spend in material?

 

[Luckydevil]

WOW, very nice work.

You should stick one on ebay just to see what people will pay for them.

 

[rick]

They look very professional!

 

[G1K]

What kind of slides di you use for the drawers?

Those do look like something right out of a high end catalog. Two thumbs up!


Ryan

 

[...dave]

Wow! Who needs Lista when you can build stuff like that? Very impressive work.

...dave

 

[White Chocolate]

Man, those are HOT! Nice work!

 

[Tim240Z]

Jebers creepers, those are SWEET!!!! Bet those could sell like hotcakes!!!

Well done!! Do you have any "in progress" photos of the build ups?

 

[joecaver]

Wow! Very nice work they look awesome.

 

[awdirtdrifter]

Great googly moogly! Wowzers! Damn those are nice!

 

[MXtras]

Wow!! Thanks for the replies - I have the cabinets in CAD so if you guys are interested I will post up some detailed drawings - maybe in a DOC format so those of you without CAD can look them over in MS Word.

I will post more details and build-up pics soon - I don't have too many, though.

Thanks for the nice comments. They came out looking better than I had originally thought they would. I really appreciate the interest, too. I will answer all the posted questions - just give me a few days.

Thanks, guys!

Scott

 

[Concrete Video]

Those are sooo nice. Be Proud...

 

[JasonK]

I agree, nice

 

[REFLEXX]

Just one question.

HOW MUCH!!!


Me wants. Those are amazing (has anyone used that word yet?). Would those drawings exist in Solidworks by any chance? Or a DXF?, or IGES? If I cant buy them, I'd sure like to build them.


REFLEXX

 

[nvmygtz]

Wow those are VERY nice.
Great work!!

 

[GearHead_1]

Saweeeeet!!!

 

[nova65ss]

Nice cabinets! It would be nice if you gave us the name of the company you bought them from and quit holding out!


J/K those things look like they were made by a machine, fantastic work! I wish I had the skills to craft something half that nice.

Jimmy

 

[Chaz Murray]

if you could post them up in a DXF file it would be great or if ya could e-mail me them at [email protected] they are freekin bad ***

 

[imported_banzaitoyota]

Scott, very nice work. I would be interested in your Cad Files also. Microstaion, Autocadd or Solidworks will work for me.

John
[email protected]

 

[kartracer55]

Those are sick... who needs lista? They are beautiful, and if they are as strong as the are good looking, they will last forever.

Nice job man

Jim

 

[Roadster]

Wow!! Thanks for the replies - I have the cabinets in CAD so if you guys are interested I will post up some detailed drawings - maybe in a DOC format so those of you without CAD can look them over in MS Word.

I will post more details and build-up pics soon - I don't have too many, though.

Giving away valuable intellectual property for free?!? Obviously not a capitalist!

Seriously, though, very very nice craftsmanship!

 

[autoist]

DAMN! Wanna build another set?

 

[JohnHenrys48]

Holy Krakatoa (all the other words where taken) those are nice!!! What did you face the doors/drawers with ?

Very nice...

 

[MXtras]

Thanks again, guys!

I appreciate all of the comments!

They were drawn in 3D solids in ACAD Mechanical Desktop. I have Solidworks and ACAD Inventor at work and at home I have SW and ACAD2000, but ...well it is a long story - I still haven't switched from ACAD to SW . I will do so soon - I am just too fricking comfortable with ACAD and can fly through stuff in 3D. I design machines all day at work and the time constraint to make progress prohibits me from making the switch without hearing a bunch of bitching.

Let me fluff up the drawing a bit and I WILL either post it or E-mail it to whoever wants it. You guys want a cut list, too? I will separate the individual parts on the DWG. It won't include all of the drawer slides and stuff, but I will include the sizes for all of the parts.

Each cabinet took about one week with painting and I don't have an exact cost yet - without time (and without the brushed panels) I would estimate about $70 in tubing and about $120 in hardware. I am estimating that they actually cost me about $450 each but I could be way off. I will look at it near the end of the month. Tonight, I bagan another large storage cabinet - I was able to cut all of the tubing and angle, de-burr it all, weld-prep and weld together th basic frame and shelves in about 6 hours. Tomorrow night I should finish the structure and then prep for paint.

There are a few more pics and more details about the construction here:
http://www.hobartwelders.com/mboard/showthread.php?t=15905

The door and drawers are faced with a clear coated, brushed aluminum composite panel. This stuff sells for almost as much as sheet aluminum but it's lighter and pre-finished with an industrial clearcoat from PPG. I got the sheets direct from the manufacturer several years ago - they were off-quality or edge damaged and were slated for scrap. I got a total of about 35 sheets of the stuff.

I would be happy to build whatever for whoever but these things would likely cost a bit to ship. I would have to come up with a price, but shooting from the hip, I would sell cabinets like what you see pictured for probably about $650 -$700 each.....that's a guess, but it would get someone some cabinets. I know it's a bit pricey but they take time to make - it's less than anything else out there that's comparable.

The drawers are riding on the cheapest drawer slides money can buy. I could not afford to buy so many of the ball sliders so I bought the kitchen style, self closing jobs and they work extremely well. The drawers open and close silently and effortlessly and stay in near perfect alignment. They are rated for (I think) 75 or 100 pounds per pair and you can get them for around $3 a set online or $6.50 at Lowes or HD. The ball slides are $14 a set on line or $18 at Lowes or Home Cheapo.

I am building a bunch of other **** now, also. On tap is a large tool box using the ball slides and 16Ga sheet metal drawers - I will post it up when it is done, but it's not a huge priority so it may be a few months...I have to start making some $$ to pay the bills.

Follow that link to the Hobart Forum and check out more details of the shop.

Scott

 

[Cebby]

I'm envious of that shop and those beautiful cabinets!! What model is that behemoth of a welder?

I'd like a set emailed to me also. I have Autocad 2004, if possible, I'll create PDF's of the files for you to post if you'd like.

 

[DynoDave]

That's some beautiful work. Congratulations!

 

[MXtras]

I'm envious of that shop and those beautiful cabinets!! What model is that behemoth of a welder?

I'd like a set emailed to me also. I have Autocad 2004, if possible, I'll create PDF's of the files for you to post if you'd like.

I will spit them out in ACAD2000 DXF and I might take you up on the offer to assist, Cebby. Thanks. I will get this stuff out soon - loaded down a bit right now but I will plunk away at as I can.

The smaller welder is a Miller dual gun MIG - it is called a "Pulser". It has a standard wire feeder and a spool gun for Aluminum. Miller does not make the Pulser anymore for good reason. It's lack of start settings killed the machine - they could have done a lot better job on it, that's for sure. The pulse feature is used for thinner materials. I never understood why they don't provide adjustments for starting a Mig like they do a Tig - if they would provide seperate settings for start heat, start time and start wire feed, that would be awesome, but you are stuck with one setting on any machine out there.

The big welder is a Miller Synchrowave 250. The Synch250 is the largest single phase machine made to my knowledge - I got it single phase because it was being used at the house until about 4 months ago. The shop has three phase, the house doesn't. I came up with a way to get three phase to the house , but my neighbors won't let me borrow one of their lines - I have line A and B, one neighbor has A and C and the other neighbor has B and C so between any two of us we have all three legs. The PoCo won't run three phase to my house and a phase converter is out of the question for a welder of this size. It is mainly used for Aluminum TIG, but I use it for most everything from time to time.

Thanks guys!

Scott

 

[REFLEXX]

MX,


A little OT. I read in the other forums that you're looking for a Bridgeport. We have a 3 year old machine that's mint and we're selling it for around $8,500. A new "real" bridgeport is around $13-15k. It's my father's baby and he holds .ooo1" with it regularly (yes, I know, impossible). Anyhow, the tax man says to buy some equipment or just hand the money over to uncle sam. So he's just going buy a new mill.

there's a pic here: http://www.rxdi.com/MACHINING.htm

As you can see, we have the same philosophy about a clean shop. I think it's called A-N-A-L. I'm also in the process of setting up a new shop. I know how expensive everything gets.

BTW, good luck in you business venture and if I can help just let me know. Take a look around our site, and you'll see what we do. www.RXDi.com


later,


REFLEXX

 

[MXtras]

Reflexx-

Thanks for looking out for me but I bought one last September and re-built it. Take a peek at it here:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10535

Your machine is obviously much newer than mine and I wish I could have afforded to buy something newer but I have SO many things to obtain that I had to skimp on things of less priority. My mill is going to be cranking out only three aluminum shapes/parts most of the time after it is CNC'd and even then, it will be for a limited time. I have a few molds to make but I have to decide if I am going to continue casting or dive in and injection mold - this will change the design and complexity of the mold, but the mill can likely handle the machining of either (after it's under control). If I choose to build my own injection molder then the mill will see use for that.

Too much to do and not enough qualified help and even less money! Common problem, I know...

Thanks again! I doubt you will have too much difficulty selling your BP - looks like it has been well cared for based on the surroundings. The market for these is strong, as you likely know.

Scott

 

[REFLEXX]

MX,

You and I share the same belief "do it once and do it right". You might be broke afterwards, but it's done right!

Now I've seen bridgeports in grey, ivory, black, red and now BLUE! let's see that leaves pink, orange, purple, yellow and green. Anyone???

more BTW stuff. is your mill painted with the same stuff as the cabinets? is it holding up?


later,

REFLEXX

 

[MXtras]

MX, is your mill painted with the same stuff as the cabinets? is it holding up?

later,

REFLEXX

Yes - it's the same color and the same paint - it's holding up so far. The mill was sprayed in pieces mostly with a pressure pot and a gun - the bomb can was used for some of the smaller stuff. I diluted the paint about 10% with mineral spirits for spraying the mill but I did not dilute for the cabinets since the finish quality was not really all that critical for the cabinets. On the mill, the area directly under the saddle stays soaked with Vactra as you know and it has yet to stain or wrinkle the paint. It's been together for almost a year, so the durability jury is still out, I guess but it's looking promising. Out of a gun, the stuff sprays pretty good - not auto quality spray but not bad at all.

So far, so good.

Oh - I've seen kind of a lime green BP - almost the color of this guy ->> and there is a guy on the web somewhere with a flourescent, day-glow orange one...hideous.

Scott

 

[Mr.N]

I built these:

Scott

Now that is some nice work! I think you just inspired me to do the same!

 

[diviniti]

very very very nice!