Drawer slides-what a difference

[bluedog225]

I have cheap tool chests.

Harbor freight, new Sears, old Sears, online boxes, some from my grandfather’s era. Nothing nice.

I’ve always figured, it’s a place to keep my tools. I wasn’t worried about getting nice stuff. And I didn’t have the money to spend on expensive tool chests.

I stumbled across this thing at restore the other day. I thought I was paying too much at 200. But it seemed nice.

Come home and cleaned out the medical surgical supplies that were stuck behind the drawers.

The casters on this thing are like magic. It rolls like a hospital bed. The drawers feel like butter. In every domain the difference in quality is noticeable. I think I’m hooked.

 

[The Cobbler]

that's a great looking box. Well worth the $$ I'd say

 

[cgrutt]

Nice! I currently have a used Snap on box that I basically got for free (bought box loaded with tools, sold most of the tools and kept the box) slides worked but I ordered new ones from Snap on anyway. Amazing what a difference good slides make in heavy drawers. Good luck with that box it looks awesome.

 

[Worsedog]

Well done. Looks like around $1600 new.

 

[Fixr]

Amazing what real money can buy. Medical stuff is generally real money when new, and a different universe from a $200 new homegamer toolbox. The good stuff is addictive.

 

[Recoveryman]

Bluedog: Nice box. Are the drawers on slides, or rollers? Reminds me of the file card cabinets that I bought years ago. Built like a tank with drawers on rollers. But I haven't seen one of those in years.
Recoveryman

 

[bluedog225]

Bluedog: Nice box. Are the drawers on slides, or rollers? Reminds me of the file card cabinets that I bought years ago. Built like a tank with drawers on rollers. But I haven't seen one of those in years.
Recoveryman

Rollers/bearings. [edit-slides on bearings. I think. just glancing in.]

 

[Pen & Wrench]

That looks like a great find! You done good!

 

[Fixr]

Rollers/bearings. [edit-slides on bearings. I think. just glancing in.]

I would guess ball bearings in the slides, rather than just plastic roller wheels at both ends of the drawers. Plastic rollers are good for mid-grade filing cabinets. Just not being friction slides is a big step up.

 

[karoc]

It’s nice to get little taste of what it’s like at top. Congratulations

 

[driftpin]

Congratulations on the purchase, not a high price at all.

Same thing for magnifying lamps on casters. Medical based equipment is designed to last for decades. I picked up one at a thrift shop which doesn't regularly get items like that, so their price was low.

 

[whateg01]

I would guess ball bearings in the slides, rather than just plastic roller wheels at both ends of the drawers. Plastic rollers are good for mid-grade filing cabinets. Just not being friction slides is a big step up.

I'm always amazed at the people who defend friction slides as being better and easier to use than ball bearing slides.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Well done. Looks like around $1600 new.

I was at the Oncologist today, and their 4 drawer narrower ones are $1500 each, I'd expect this was higher then that.
Now I have another thing to try to search for on CL.

 

[nadogail]

Back when I worked for a Savings and Loan, 1989-1981, I was asked to fix a Change Drawer for a Teller; I was told that the drawer slides usually had a service life measured in months. My quick evaluation revealed they were buying inexpensive low quality slides for those drawers loaded with coins and operated several times an hour.

I replaced the slides with high quality ball bearing slides that cost twice as much; my supervisor complained that I had spent too much money on those slides when the inexpensive slides worked satisfactorily.

I reminded him that he had a Labor Expense every time we replaced those slides, and the replacement slides should last for years. A year later, I moved on to a new job, those quality slides still were working like they were still new.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

I have cheap tool chests.

Harbor freight, new Sears, old Sears, online boxes, some from my grandfather’s era. Nothing nice.

I’ve always figured, it’s a place to keep my tools. I wasn’t worried about getting nice stuff. And I didn’t have the money to spend on expensive tool chests.

I stumbled across this thing at restore the other day. I thought I was paying too much at 200. But it seemed nice.

Come home and cleaned out the medical surgical supplies that were stuck behind the drawers.

The casters on this thing are like magic. It rolls like a hospital bed. The drawers feel like butter. In every domain the difference in quality is noticeable. I think I’m hooked.

I paid a lot more than you did for a similar one. Those are sometimes called crash carts in the healthcare setting.
Mine is considered a pediatric version because each drawer front is a different color and even has the color name on the respective drawers. If the patient can't read the doctor/nurse can ask "What color is this?". All sorts of other diagnostic things can be done quickly with that simple set up.
The cart itself is mostly aluminum. Drawer slides are full extension. I had to replace the wheels on mine and that was a chore.
Over 40 years ago I recall that Craftsman tool chests on wheels were used in hospitals for emergency carts.

 

[Shiftless]

Nice cart! Probably comparable to the industrial tool and storage boxes.
I once made the mistake of opening a drawer in fellow’s fully loaded Lista cabinet. THAT guys is truly top of the line for a bigger box. I understand that Stanley Vidmar is comparable.
It was a mistake because now everything else feels a bit inferior.
I rode in the back seat of a new Mercedes S class.
I took a short test drive in a new Tesla Model 3 with performance package and tested the acceleration.
Same idea.