My Lateral File Cabinet Project

[hcsi99]

UPDATES ON POST 19!

After seeing a number of these on GJ I came across a set that I couldn't pass up and decided to repaint them for my garage. I scuffed them up with a sander, wiped them down with acetone, and using a foam roller I've got my first coat on cabinet #1. I'm using Rustoleum Professional Regal Red. I added casters to the cabinet as well to make them easy to move around. I'm very happy how the first coat turned out. I will post more pictures as the project moves forward. Thank you to the GJ members and all of their great ideas.

 

[jjohnson70]

Those look awesome!


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[ufvj217]

Awesome!!!!

 

[thoraudio]

looking good.

Retasking office furniture can be great. It's usually built better than the cheap toolboxes.

 

[Trochu]

Looks good. I'm hoping to do some thing similar with a 2 drawer, can't seem to find a decently priced one though.

 

[brum]

Awesome! you're over on IIC right? I think I saw your STX car at a few events over the last several years. I ran the TiC STi in STU the past two years

 

[hcsi99]

That's Me! I sold my WRX this past July and have ordered a 2014 Camaro SS 1LE that will be here at the end of December. Do you have the silver STI with no wing?

 

[JimVonBaden]

That is looking very nice!

I used the same paint on my CL storage drawers. I have considered painting my cabinets too, but I like the light color they came with. Makes it brighter in the garage.

Jim

PS Take your time, that paint dries slowly.

 

[tymbo]

Please be careful moving those when loaded. Very narrow wheelbase makes them easily tipped over.

 

[N0tt0N]

Very cool. Awesome transformation from dead to done!

 

[stage20]

ive got two 5 drawer laterals with pull out drawers. real nice for spray paint, tools, whatever. i get more use out of the 36" cabinets i have. ive got 4 of them over the years and always looking for a deal on more. they are great storage.

yours look nice painted.

 

[hcsi99]

Please be careful moving those when loaded. Very narrow wheelbase makes them easily tipped over.

I will only put the heavy stuff in the bottom.

 

[SUNBURNTsnype]

i really like how nice those turned out. I have some vidmar cabinets im planning on painting red to match my craftsman boxes. I was planning on rattle canning them, but it seems like your roller method works well and is probably alot easier. did the rollerleave you with a smooth finish or did u get any roller marks/streaks? i originally was going with rattle cans cause i figured it would give a snooth even coat. What paint did u use?

 

[hcsi99]

There are a few roller marks but I only see them on the sides and the back. The draws don't have any luckily. The finish is smooth, should get better with the 2nd coat. I uses a foam roller to try to get it as smooth as possible and a foam brush to get the spots that I couldn't get with the roller.

 

[CNGsaves]

That is looking NICE !! Post up a couple close-up pics once you get your final finish coat done.

I'd like to use similar technique on some hanging metal cabinets.

Let us know how the casters work out on bottom. Good idea but I too would be worried about tipping over. Was bottom structure tough enough or did you have to beef them up??

Cool McGyver idea I had after seeing your casters, would be hidden casters within the skirt of cabinet that would be operated with a foot lever. Thus, cabinet would set on ground until you pressed down on the foot lever!

 

[JimVonBaden]

If you want a shine, it is very possible, with a considerable amount of work. Same paint:

Sand, and paint with thin coats, then polish.

Jim

 

[Spudland_Dave]

looking good.

Retasking office furniture can be great. It's usually built better than the cheap toolboxes.

A person could go a step further and say..

They are MUCH better built then cheap toolboxes....closer to/on par with truck boxes...
As you can see here...I've got a KRL sitting between a bunch of Laterals. Not hard for me to compare then, but lets just put it this way...the KRL still has never had a tool in it because I almost like my laterals better... I got rid of my CMan Ball Bearing because it didn't hold a candle to the quality of the laterals, and I had a bunch...got the KRL thinking it would be the way to go...Second Guessing my decision now. Might sell the KRL and move another lateral into its place....the lateral next to the KRL is a modular unit" so I'm thinkin of splitting the top 2 shelves off and building myself a Hutch for it.
Thing is, if you've ever priced out one of these laterals, it makes a Snappy or MAC box look cheap, but you can pick them up for pennies used. Even for the stupidest reasons...like they don't match the new furniture.

I've got 4 other laterals not shown in this pic which I don't know what to do with yet...

 

[hcsi99]

That is looking NICE !! Post up a couple close-up pics once you get your final finish coat done.

I'd like to use similar technique on some hanging metal cabinets.

Let us know how the casters work out on bottom. Good idea but I too would be worried about tipping over. Was bottom structure tough enough or did you have to beef them up??

Cool McGyver idea I had after seeing your casters, would be hidden casters within the skirt of cabinet that would be operated with a foot lever. Thus, cabinet would set on ground until you pressed down on the foot lever!

The bottoms are very beefy. There were adjustable feet on the bottom so I just used that hole and drilled three others then bolted them to the bottom. I will take some pictures of the bottom of the unfinished when I can.

 

[hcsi99]

Sorry it has been some time since I've updated this. The 2nd coat on the first cabinet didn't turn out very good. I think after 5 days the paint was not dry enough because of the temp in the garage. I wet sanded the front panels on the first cabinet and added another coat when I painted the 2nd cabinet. I had to keep reminding myself that these are for the garage and the don't need to be perfect. I'm happy with how they turned out, and love all the new storage I have. Also I did attach them to the wall so that they don't tip on to my new baby. I also made sure to load them with the heavy stuff on he bottom. Enjoy!

 

[JimVonBaden]

Looks great!

I found that little shelf to be very handy when doing odd jobs.

Jim

 

[thoraudio]

Very nice.

 

[vartz04]

I've done similar with overhead office bins in my garage. Very heavy duty products.


All these cost me was the $15 for 3 Rattle cans of rustoleum pro safety blue

There are two more at work but I am not sure If I want them over the rest of the bench. I might keep them for the basement gun bench instead.

 

[188slo50]

The laterals are easy to use for storage I can't seem to come with anything for the other type.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

NICE!

Been trying to snag me some 2 drawer laterals for almost a year, but they always seem to slip through my fingers. My plan is to build me a Steev-O inspired bench with a couple 44" HF boxes, and maybe added a couple short laterals for larger tools like circular saws, drills, sawzall, etc.