File cabinets for tool storage

[Sumboodie]

Local gov surplus auction has a TON of 5 drawer file cabinets for bid. I doubt many will sell higher than $20 a piece.

Thinking of grabbing 5-6 of them to use for storage of tools, supplies, etc. Not sure what a drawer is rated for weight wise, but I'd guess easily 50-75lbs of files could fit, so at least that?

 

[dnschmidt]

DO IT. Cheapest storage solution available. You're nuts if you don't.

 

[Toolfool]

I have 4 and 5 drawer lateral legal file cabinets in my attached garage.

 

[Feralghoul88]

the lateral file cabinets are the best for this IMO. I especially like the ones with the top section that hinges up or the ones that have the face that hinges down out of the way. Kind of like a shelf but closes up so you can hide the mess and forget what you got where.

 

[Sumboodie]

the lateral file cabinets are the best for this IMO.

I have 6 of those already. Paid about $75 each.

 

[tarbellb]

Nope, nobody does it

so where and when is this auction.....

 

[Sumboodie]

Nope, nobody does it

so where and when is this auction.....

Anchorage. Topmorrow

 

[dnschmidt]

Well, that is a bit far. But for you it's time to push the Cramer button: BUY, BUY, BUY on his soundboard.

 

[gearhead1]

I wouldn’t pay more than $25 - $30 each. I’ve had some that people gave away.

There are two grades, one for an office and homeowner. Some of the homeowner ones are very flimsy and not worth the trouble. The good ones that are sturdier are worth it. They were designed to hold the weight of paper for that drawer size, so yeah I’d guess about 50 pounds is safe to put in there.

Examples:
They are perfect for power tools.
I have smaller bins in one drawer with nothing but pipe fittings.
I have one drawer with nothing but painting supplies, brushes, stir sticks, caulk, etc.

I take 3/4” magnetic tape and apply a 3/4” wide label to label the drawers. Works well.

 

[dutchgray]

I have a couple of them, proper commercial ones.
I keep all my 8", 10" and 12" G clamps in one and it has held up to that.

 

[Red 17]

I have several of each variety. The laterals I got more recently and put casters on them. Use metal casters if you do that.....

 

[bbbarracuda]

I have a couple 2 drawer ones, I use for small power tools, voltmeters, soldering irons, etc.
Also good for storing boxed items, like gloves, masks, and other consumables.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

I used a 2 drawer for years to store power tools.

 

[redwrench60]

The quality roller bearing drawer units are great for power tools and garage supplies like cleaners, solvents, lubes, glues, gloves ect. The good ones are well built and lockable. Think of what a fully stuffed file cabinet full of paperwork weighs.

I even had a local locksmith company cut me keys for the locks on my free ones. They have catalogs with all the old steel file cabinet makers key codes.

 

[Lucid Moments]

Local gov surplus auction has a TON of 5 drawer file cabinets for bid. I doubt many will sell higher than $20 a piece.

Thinking of grabbing 5-6 of them to use for storage of tools, supplies, etc. Not sure what a drawer is rated for weight wise, but I'd guess easily 50-75lbs of files could fit, so at least that?

50-75 lbs is probably guessing light. Paper gets damn heavy real fast.

 

[Sumboodie]

Well what a load of horse ****. I can only bid on 3 listings. I've been on this auction place for easily 15 years too. Have bought a few things when it was called DRMO and gov liquidation.com

Even the king **** "level" you can only bid on 9 things at a time. I have never heard of this type of stupid. Want to bid on every lot at the Ritchie Bros, have at it!


"All accounts start on probation. There are three levels of probation, each lasting at least 30 days. During each level of probation, 30 days must pass AND you must have completed three auctions. A completed auction or closed transaction is marked picked up by the seller. Your account will move to a higher level of probation once ALL points above are met. A high bid or an auction won and not paid for or marked picked up, is considered an open auction.



To remove the probation status of your account sooner, you may pay a bid deposit in the amount of $1,000.00 (one thousand). This is held in a non-interest bearing account for 60 days, and then returned to you. You may send this in the form of a cashier’s check, money order or a wire transfer. We do not accept Western Union, Bank Deposit or Counter Transfer. You must reference your username or email address on the cashier’s check or money order.

 

[FrogBlastTheVentCore]

I would expect this to be a totally miserable way to store tools, but let us know how it goes.

 

[oldtractors]

I put tools like circular saws and spray guns in them. You can buy regular ones for $20 every day and the local habitat for humanity restore store.

 

[tarbellb]

The older the better with these cabinets, I really like the ones where you can lift out the entire drawer.

Grab as many as you can, give a quick sand with orbital, coat of oil based paint.

 

[555]

I have 3 lateral file cabinets. I found them on Craigslist. Two were free and one cost $25.00. One cabinet is a 5 drawer, one is a 4 drawer and the third one is a two drawer.

 

[jives]

Lots of discussion on lateral file cabinets throughout the GJ threads. Commercial quality ones are great in the garage. I would not pay more that $25 each. Note that some have drawers with full backs, making a true drawer box, whereas some drawers only have partial backs. The partial ones work fine for most things, but not so good for small things or stacking stuff in the drawers.

 

[Mr_B]

older ones are pretty stout, deep drawers are perfect for blow moulded tools and boxed shop supplies.
I got some of the shallow drawer ones too as they great for specialist small fittings and such like & stack under/on racking in my parts/supplies area and keep things easy to deal with .
I've got quite a few, some free for quick pick up and some 15 to 30 bucks .
Great usable clean and potentially secure storage for chump change .

 

[tjansson]

I got a bunch of lateral files from work when we moved. They are great for spray paint, fluids, paint, constructions supplies, car parts, larger items. I keep my 2 Stihl MS250 chainsaws in one drawer. Think of them as a replacement to shelves. Not very good for fasteners, hand tools, smaller items.

 

[dscheidt]

50-75 lbs is probably guessing light. Paper gets damn heavy real fast.

quick back-of-envelope suggests about 40 kilos a drawer. Deep drawers will be more.

 

[JMLangford]

I picked one up at a yard sale way back in 2016 for $4.
The drawers are on roller slides and when one drawer is open it locks the others to keep from tipping over.
I still screwed it to the wall.
The pics are when I first got it and there isn't much in the drawers, but now every drawer is fully loaded and the drawers still open super smooth....
I wish I had more room in my shop for a few more....great storage space

 

[Sumboodie]

I would expect this to be a totally miserable way to store tools, but let us know how it goes.

Larger stuff, not stuff that goes in a regular toolbox. I have 4 of those already.

 

[Sumboodie]

Got it for $1 plus whatever fees. Probably some 10000% buyer fee hidden in the fine text I'll soon find out about. The other ones were without any bids.

 

[wtn1271]

Maybe you can purchase some of the unsold/not bid on units when you pick up the 1 you won.

 

[mepstein]

My dad gave me a bunch of them when he closed his medical office. I used them for my real estate business. The commercial ones are pretty sturdy. You can usually find them pretty cheap on Craigslist.

 

[tarbellb]

Mine after a clean/paint/mobile base built

 

[Sumboodie]

Got the one they "allowed" me to bid on for $1.00
The other 5 or 6 had no bids.
I emailed the POC to see about the ones with no bids.