Source for Lista drawers?

[Chris Adams]

Anyone have a company, private party, whatever that would be a source for replacement (or trade) Lista DW drawers?

I picked up an 8 drawer box, the 56.5 wide by 28 deep by 60 tall, a real moose.

Great shape, drawers glide like butter, but I would prefer more drawers.
Which means I have to give up one drawer.
I would also need the cradles the drawers run in, and the steel side runners for the new drawers.

A trade for someone who wants a bigger drawer for an equivalent pair of smaller drawers would be a great option.
My box is 'bright blue' good paint, but I'm not adverse to painting drawers to match if I could find someone selling them.
My searches just lead back to the usual six or seven places offering the dividers.
I may contact Lista, but I suspect new is way high.
They don't show selling individual drawers or components on their site, at least as far as I can tell.

 

[Roots]

I've ordered them through Graingers in the past.

 

[RKA]

They'll sell the drawers, just give them a call. I don't think the prices are outrageous, but if you bought a used box you might think so. It's all relative, but you'll spend a lot of time hunting for a used drawer sized how you need, so that costs you something too.

 

[csmitty]

Same issue with my Vidmars. I got shelve units. Which are the same as the drawer ones. However to out fit my 30Wx30Dx60H with 8-9 drawers how I want. About $1k. I think I paid maybe $50 for the whole thing. *****. I've also got two larger ones like you have. Not even gonna go there.

I found some good new to light used cabinets like mine with 10 drawers for $650 on CL.

 

[Chris Adams]

Hoping for someone with knowledge of a scratch and ding (I know of two, but they don't want to sell individual parts for Lista. They will sell me all the SV stuff I want, which of course, won't fit.



Graingers, locally doesn't sell to homeowners. They want you to route the sales through a big box store like Lowes, where everyone adds a percentage.
Makes it cheaper to buy from the maker for most things.
Lots cheaper, since Graingers starts with retail pricing.

Even if I had bought the cabinet new, I would still prefer not paying full factory retail.

I paid about 20% of new, counting all the costs of getting it home, but the box is nice.
With a few different drawers it would be nicer.

 

[Chris Adams]

Same issue with my Vidmars. I got shelve units. Which are the same as the drawer ones. However to out fit my 30Wx30Dx60H with 8-9 drawers how I want. About $1k. I think I paid maybe $50 for the whole thing. *****. I've also got two larger ones like you have. Not even gonna go there.

I found some good new to light used cabinets like mine with 10 drawers for $650 on CL.

Yeah, I'm going to scout for a matching DW Lista on E-bay and CL. May stumble on one, then swap the drawers around till I have what I want, then sell the other box, or use it as well...

Thing is with boxes, no single drawer configuration works for everybody.
I've wanted different layouts at different times myself.
And I don't want to store leftover drawers. These suckers are huge. Inside is 52x24 inches. Storing extras would be a pain.

 

[robertwhite]

Same issue with my Vidmars. I got shelve units. Which are the same as the drawer ones. However to out fit my 30Wx30Dx60H with 8-9 drawers how I want. About $1k. I think I paid maybe $50 for the whole thing. *****. I've also got two larger ones like you have. Not even gonna go there.

Vidmars?

Just trying to figure out if you have a Lista unit with large drawers or the Vidmar (which I never heard of).

In any event, if you have a Lista wall unit (or roller) with large drawers and are looking for small ones, let me know. I have wall units with too many small drawers and am looking for large ones.

 

[dwm]

Chris, I've had pretty good luck getting various Lista parts from listatoolboxes.com, including sourcing the parts for PrevenTip (previous owner removed all of it) for an old SC600. I normally call them, and deal with Leslie. It's been about 4 months since I last placed an order, but I assume she's still there. You can email her at [email protected]

 

[Chris Adams]

Vidmars?

Just trying to figure out if you have a Lista unit with large drawers or the Vidmar (which I never heard of).

In any event, if you have a Lista wall unit (or roller) with large drawers and are looking for small ones, let me know. I have wall units with too many small drawers and am looking for large ones.

He's talking about Stanley Vidmars. Commonest cabinet around, similar to Lista, but different. Sort of a Mac to SnapOn sort of thing. Some parts are rumered to exchange, but I haven't seen any.
Mine is the Lista double wide.
I'm looking for smaller drawers. My cabinet is the 57 inch high (just the cabinet) 56.5 wide double wide (DW).
Big sucker. Mine sits on wheels, so it is 66.5 inches overall from the floor, 28 deep and 56.5 wide. Drawers are 24 deep by 52 wide usable space.
I have 5 5 inch drawers and 3 seven inch drawers.
Trades welcome. I would like to end with a couple shorter drawers and one less 7 or 5.

 

[Chris Adams]

Chris, I've had pretty good luck getting various Lista parts from listatoolboxes.com, including sourcing the parts for PrevenTip (previous owner removed all of it) for an old SC600. I normally call them, and deal with Leslie. It's been about 4 months since I last placed an order, but I assume she's still there. You can email her at [email protected]

Thanks.
I will contact them tomorrow. Bad week to be looking for stuff, but I'm not in a desperate hurry.

My Preven Tip works great, fortunately.
Lock works, but I will want another key. One to use, one to lose...

I think I like the one drawer open at a time factor, although I don't have tools in it yet.
Gonna give it a quick buff and polish, as it's been sitting for several years. Paint is still good, but got that faded look on the sides.

Love the way my wife can pull the drawers out with one finger.
Don't like the clang when you pull them out fast.
No place for bumpers in this design, think I may fabricate them, but that's for another day.

 

[Yojinbo]

For new drawers, I would also check with www.RoarkIndustrialSolutions.com.

Jim is active on this forum and has helped me out when no one else could before. (getting me some badges!)

Before you do anything, learn the model (part number) of what you want. It sounds like you have a DW cabinet (http://www.listaintl.com/cabinets-storage/storage-cabinets/specifications/drawer-footprints) Every drawer height has codes for the Z dimension and the locking bar system hook (center, side, none, etc).

Depending on where you are, I might take those unwanted drawers off of your hands for a con$ideration. I am always building a Lista box or two (but mostly, I increase the drawer count with smaller drawers like you are).

Be advised the latest replacement drawers I have bought have "new" slides and carriages that are not tank-like (the old ones were very tank-like).

 

[Yojinbo]

Tips on rehabbing a Lista:

1. Pull all the carriages and lube all of those bearings (6 per drawer depending on configuration and age). These old gals get left outside sometimes...
2. Get some new plastic Hinged Drawer Handle Covers (save your old AL ones). This will really dress up your box. (http://www.listaintl.com/sites/default/files/product-literature/pdf/hinged_handle_cover.pdf) and to order: https://store.listaxpress.com/c-152-drawer-handle-covers.aspx) $9 each for your DW
3. Download Listascript software and put pics, text, barcodes, etc on each drawer to describe contents. I kill a lot of airport hours tweaking my Lista label looks. (http://www.listaintl.com/resource-center/product-support/lista-script-software)

 

[dwm]

Yojinbo, I actually prefer the new slides over the old ones. Have you had any real issues with the new ones? I don't own any of the new ones yet, but we have some at work. I guess the main reason I like the new slides is that a lot of the old cabinets I've owned and flipped have had unmaintained (or worse, improperly maintained) tank-like slides. Some have had the bearings packed with really thick grease that hardened and caused the carriages to slide on the rails instead of roll, creating a sticky metal grit mess. Some others have had a bearing roller completely missing. MANY have had the slides installed backward (for complete morons, it's easy to make that mistake). I think the new slides will work better for longer, but I guess the story has yet to be told since you can't find any new slides with decades of hard miles on them. Ours at work don't see a lot of use because their access is restricted to just a few of us (those cabinets hold things like piles of $2000+ each AMP specialty crimpers; I think some of the drawers have $100,000 of tooling in them).

 

[Yojinbo]

dwm, I have NOT had any issues with the new Fulterer slides but the old ones were SO beefy. I'm a fan of lots of iron when possible. In fact, two days ago I sorted and re-sorted my entire tap and die collection into 1 new-slide drawer (with the exception of a few rouge taps over 2"). About 200lb of tooling 5 feet off my shop floor. In the process I opened and closed that drawer (partly and fully) a few hundred times. Everything has been great so far. I've had several of the new drawers for about a year now.

I hear you on the old rollers getting icky and sticky. I actually made a little trough out of a split PVC pipe to soak my old lista bearings in because my parts washer is not big enough to hold a drawer sideways (and is too messy to run with the lid open anyway).

So I can see how the new ones are better in the short run (more plastic, coated metal instead of naked CRS, etc). But I am bit skeptical about the long run. I have a cousin who works Maint at a production plant. He has Listas on his production floor that are older then he is and the carriages are as good as the day they rolled off the line. So I am open to the new - but I am actively scrounging old drawers and slides (especially SC Size).

Now, I love the new hinged drawer handle covers quite a bit. The old aluminum ones hold on to dings and scratches the way internet tool brand fanboys hold on to insults. The new ones are cheap, light to ship, and easier to relabel.

 

[Chris Adams]

Side question, please for the Lista pro's.
How do you identify a 'new' slide vs and 'old slide'?
When did they change?

The slides on my box have 4 Steel rollers, one on each end, pair in the center, plus a white nylon roller. So new or old or ?


I am also missing two of the white inserts that hold the side slides in place. These are what keep the side slides from being removable.

Have not removed one of the other remaining 14 to see what they actually look like.

All the rollers, so far, turn freely so I haven't messed with the grease inside, it all looks clean. I have cleaned the outside of the wheels of that gummy dirty old grease.
Suggestions for lubricating the metal rails now that they are clean?

 

[Yojinbo]

I'm no pro but I will take a swing.

Q:How do you identify a 'new' slide vs and 'old slide'?
A: Old slide frames look to be bare Cold Rolled Steel in a C-shape and tend to rust accordingly. Old carriages are galvanized alloy. New slides are lightweight and painted (coated?) white with some plastic rollers involved. They have "Fulterer" stamped on the side. The New don't use the carriage assembly (those that I have seen).

Q: When did they change?
A: I first saw the Fulterer slides as replacement drawers in the last 2 years. I am not sure when (if) a hard switchover occurred.

Lube:
I do CLP break free or Ballistol on the rails (but those are what I have on hand in bulk). Some folks like T9 wax-type lubes that don't attract dust.

You can get the W clips from any of the sources listed above.

 

[Chris Adams]

I'm no pro but I will take a swing.

Q:How do you identify a 'new' slide vs and 'old slide'?
A: Old slide frames look to be bare Cold Rolled Steel in a C-shape and tend to rust accordingly. Old carriages are galvanized alloy. New slides are lightweight and painted (coated?) white with some plastic rollers involved. They have "Fulterer" stamped on the side. The New don't use the carriage assembly (those that I have seen).

Q: When did they change?
A: I first saw the Fulterer slides as replacement drawers in the last 2 years. I am not sure when (if) a hard switchover occurred.

Lube:
I do CLP break free or Ballistol on the rails (but those are what I have on hand in bulk). Some folks like T9 wax-type lubes that don't attract dust.

You can get the W clips from any of the sources listed above.

Awesome.

Can I bug you again? How do you remove the W clip? Obviously the PO didn't know, as two are missing, I assume broken.

My box is older than 2 years, but that was a sure bet.
Has the C channels, big and bare metal. No rust, but it came from the desert, and I'm keeping it in the desert so that's not going to be a problem.
I don't have any wax type lubes but I will think of something. I sprayed a little Teflon on one, and it works, but I'm sure that's a short term fix.

All the Vendors seem to be pretty much gone home for the Holiday, which is fine, hope they have good ones.
I'll get on parts hunting on Tuesday, I think.
Although, I could fabricate something to substitute, but I want to pull one of the W clips first to see my options.

 

[glenmore]

The white plastic clips that hold the slides?

Thin pair of needle nose pliers. Pinch the 2 tabs and pull striaght out. Get a good grip on them cuz if you release them and then drop them, you have to fish them out at the bottom.

 

[Yojinbo]

I don't mind the questions at all. I learn a lot from this site and I am happy to give some back.

I remove the W-clips with needle nose pliers (preferred) or a blade screwdriver (less so).

With the pliers I grab one end and the opposite side of the middle. I have never had luck grabbing both ends. Pushing in a bit compresses the clip and you can often them squeeze them out. The plastic gets quite brittle when old - sometimes you can't help but break them.

Screw driver: I pry up one end - moving blade in under as the clip comes away and pushing IN a bit (not to much as to force the clip inside the channel). Then I grab the loose end with my other hand and pop it out.