Filing cabinet as a tool box. Value?

[Landscraper83]

Hi guys.
I have a couple old heavy duty filing cabinets I use as boxes for various things in my garage. They work good for me.

I found a bunch of ugly but decent quality used ones for sale at a local store going out of business. These are the double wide ones.

I’m considering picking up a few. I’m curious what do you guys think would be a good price to try and pick these up for?

I’d guess they’re about 4’ tall. I’ll attach a pic that appears to be of similar dimensions.

Thanks.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I would and do pay about $20 each. Craigslist had dozens of these for sale., so this is buyers market.
I have used these wide cabinets and I like then better than the old letter file style.

 

[zekgb64]

If you bide your time you can pretty much pick these up for free or almost free.
The lateral cabinets on the right are Steelcase / HON, and sold new for $500+ I bought all three for $100 total and probably overpaid but still so much bang for the buck.

 

[kbs2244]

The drawers are too deep for wrenches, screwdrivers and such.
They work for hand power tools like saws and drills.

That cuts down on their resell value.

I have heard of metal workers getting them just for the large panel of sheet metal.

 

[Landscraper83]

Ok thanks guys. These were $50 each. So even if they were the heavy duty.....seems like they’re still asking too much. I googled the prices for new and like someone said they were 300-500-700....so I thought 50 sounded fair. Good to know I can find them even cheaper.

Thanks again.

 

[Landscraper83]

The drawers are too deep for wrenches, screwdrivers and such.
They work for hand power tools like saws and drills.

That cuts down on their resell value.

I have heard of metal workers getting them just for the large panel of sheet metal.

This is exactly what I use them for. Big bulky items like power tools.

I also have one of the shallower card catalogue types......works great for various hardware/fasteners.

 

[taumac]

Depending on area and condition to think $50 is fair price. They are great for large bulky items that can’t fit in “normal” toolbox. One tip is make sure they are bottom heavy or attach a bracket to the wall. They can be tippy so just keep that in mind when loading with tools.

 

[Landscraper83]

So I looked around on Craigslist. Unfortunately most I found were in the $60-80 range....and up. Bummer.

Anyone wanna load up on a bunch of $10-20 ones and deliver them to Massachusetts for a fair fee? Lol.

 

[BruceMc]

Even at $60-$80 you'd be hard pressed to find a better storage value.

 

[taumac]

So I looked around on Craigslist. Unfortunately most I found were in the $60-80 range....and up. Bummer.

Anyone wanna load up on a bunch of $10-20 ones and deliver them to Massachusetts for a fair fee? Lol.

I wouldn’t get discouraged. What is $20 in one area is $100 in other. At $100 its still cheaper than buying new.

 

[Landscraper83]

I wouldn’t get discouraged. What is $20 in one area is $100 in other. At $100 its still cheaper than buying new.

Probably what I’ll do is head back to the store on the final day before they close. Maybe I can get them for few bucks less.

 

[dumper]

try Habitat, or other thrift stores. They go for anywhere from free to maybe $10-20 each. There always seem to be a bunch of them around.

 

[BackMarker]

I have four of these as well. 16"D X 4'W x 5'T

I welded casters on the bottom so I can move them as needed to clean.

I also have radiant floor heat and wanted them up off the floor.

The work really well for storage.


.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

I reinforced mine at the bottom and put it on some nice wheels I had. It was a $700 Hon new, so the slides are pretty nice. Free to me from some tech place that went under. top trays and carry totes work for wrenches, sockets, etc. for whatever I spent on fasteners to do it, I'm really happy.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Used office furniture stores are a good source for used file cabinets.

 

[audioworks04]

They work great for heavy or bulky items ie power tools.


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[06switchback]

I have an old file cabinet with small drawers about 4-5 inches tall I think it might have been made for index cards or something similar it works great for tool storage it's in the corner of the garage I put the tools I don't use all the time in it my regular tool box is definitely nicer just not big enough

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[Farleyfan]

File cabinets work for me too ! Im using a couple now that I picked up
for $5 each at yard sales, they about give em away !
Our local Habitat usually has several on the floor most of the time,
Usually $20 or less.
The use of file cabinets does require a racing sticker or two on it !

 

[ezover]

50 bucks each I would buy them, I have one a few more would be nice.
I use them for jack stands and fluids, spray cans, oil, etc...

I have 3 normal type file cabinets that I use for power tool storage.

 

[ScottsGT]

I cleaned out one or old ones that was full of files from a business we had about 15 years ago. Makes great storage for all my reloading gear I have stored away for now. I tend to "rotate" my hobbies. Haven't reloaded ammo in years, many years. It's going to be like a new hobby again when I decide to go there again.

 

[ezover]

wondering, anyone know the name for that type of file cabinet?

 

[driftpin]

Usually a 'hanging cabinet.' As-in, the files hang from flat steel brackets which slip-into narrow pockets of the U-shaped sling that accepts whatever documents are inserted. Newer cabinets have an interlock to prevent two drawers from being opened at one time. Such an action will likely allow the entire cabined to fall forward, people have been seriously-injured or killed by this happening.

The wife of a fire officer in south Florida who worked in a municipality, got a cash settlement for a tort legal action just-because of this happening to her. She was a real piece of work, she left the marriage with a big sum of cash because she was in control of the finances.

His custom van was 'missing' from the fire dept. parking lot. When he tried to report the theft, they told him at the police dept, "your vehicle was repossessed for non-payment of the loan!" The recovery co. had filed the paperwork and took the van.

He was served with a foreclosure notice on his house. The wife was "in-charge" of finances, she was pocketing the mortgage check each month. Then she cleaned out the joint accounts, and spilt. He found-out the extent of her deviousness when all this happened.

 

[bczygan]

wondering, anyone know the name for that type of file cabinet?

Lateral file.

Bill

 

[Parrothead]

I love lateral file cabinets for storage. They’re good for storing heavy things as they’re designed to be crammed full of paper. Go pick up two cases of paper at the same time and you’ll get why they’re good in a garage. You’re looking at 100lbs. You can put that in a drawer easily. Then understand these are designed to be opened easily by office folk types hundreds of times a day. Unless you’re storing anvils or sacks of cement, they’ll handle most anything you put in them.

My attraction to them beyond that is they don’t scream “hey, look at my garage full of tools!, come break in or worse ask me to fix all your stuff!” I leave them light grey or paint them white and they blend right in.

 

[zekgb64]

Not a lateral filing cabinet but yesterday I picked up a HON 18 gauge 72x36x18 supply cabinet with 250lb rated shelves for $20 after having paid $100 each for 22 gauge Tennsco cabinets w/ 150lb shelves that I thought were a steal at the time. Definitely pays to be patient.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I have 8 Simplicity Pattern cabinets Most were under $30. The dividers in the drawers are easily removed and the drawers become more useable. These cabinets are getting to be more expensive.
My favorite 7 drawer card file cabinets were way more than I would have like to pay, but I could not leave without them. I was looking at other cabinets when I saw these.
I had several lateral file cabinets. They worked really well. A neighbour bought them.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

Around here anything similar higher than two drawers will run you $100 or more. I think 60 is a decent price. Especially if you dont have to deal with craigslist flakes. That and you get your choice of cabinets vs a yard sale that might have one banged up one.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Locally, they go from "free, if you take them all" to $100 each with little regard to condition or quality. I have some in the mix. When I build, I will paint everything Dove gray or similiar.

The Simplicity style and map style approach SO or Lista prices. Go figure. I walk away a lot.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I missed three Craigslist LISTA cabinets, $100 each, OBO. I was the second caller, my OBO was $600 for the lot. . The seller lost $300 and I lost the cabinets. Bummer.
If you think about it, OBO goes both ways.

 

[racerex]

Lateral file cabinets are great for large item storage. I picked up two (Steelcase) from my company for nothing. Painted them red and mounted them on a base with locking casters.

 

[Donald Cook]

The lateral ones like the ones in the pic's need to be fastened to the wall if the top drawer is rolled out with heavy tools in it, the letter type aren't as bad. If you find older ones in good shape, you will be surprised how much weight they will hold and still roll in and out nicely .

 

[taumac]

I agree. Sometimes they have counter weight in bottom section. Mine didn’t so when build dolly for it I added free weight plates between frame and bottom recess. It make it heavier but wasn’t as tippy.