Figured some of you may have gone down this path. Considering replacing my 30 year old unit which I'm outgrowing & looking pretty grotty. Shockingly, prices at tool stores & even Amazon are high IMO. I learned my lesson recently when I was complaining about the high cost of Amazon plastic organizing trays for drawers & my found the same thing, or close enough for 1/6 the price at dollar store. Any leads or places to check out?
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CA-AB Hobby plastic drawer storage units
- Thread starter PeterT
- Start date
Alberta
TorontoBuilder
Sapientia et Doctrina Stabilitas
ugh dont get me started.
what is available is either junk or not worth what they want for it. I mean seriously, die cast clear plastic drawers should be cheap cheap cheap.
I just wont do it. I'm making plywood box inserts from my drawers
slow-poke
Ultra Member
Prices are just wacky. As are marketing guru explained the price of something has zero correlation to cost, quality etc. and 100% correlation with what the market is willing to pay.
A1 electronics had a huge stash of the Integrated Plastics style that slide together, they were good quality. I picked up a bunch, should have taken more, a lot more. Glen might still have some?
I did get one of his rotating style cubes.
A1 electronics had a huge stash of the Integrated Plastics style that slide together, they were good quality. I picked up a bunch, should have taken more, a lot more. Glen might still have some?
I did get one of his rotating style cubes.
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I love the Gridfinity system but I only use that for tools.
I printed a ton of bins for my Princess Auto parts boxes. Super simple design.
TorontoBuilder
Sapientia et Doctrina Stabilitas
yeah and there are too many idiots out there
I officially hate you, no no, I mean it.
I love that rotating cube. There were some for sale recently, i think from a jeweller, but they seemed expensive.
I like rolling stuff to maximize space. wire shelf units on casters work. Most of the small parts bins were picked up used (e.g. an electronics hobbyist selling half a dozen with parts for $150, that sort of thing), or when on sale at Crappy Tire. Two carts and lots more on shelves. There's 1/2 a dozen more not shown but you get the idea ..... not much money into them but you have to accept them not matching and be ready to pounce when they come up cheaply.
The two wire carts in the first image are 12 x 24 and hold three small parts drawer units per tier
I like rolling stuff to maximize space. wire shelf units on casters work. Most of the small parts bins were picked up used (e.g. an electronics hobbyist selling half a dozen with parts for $150, that sort of thing), or when on sale at Crappy Tire. Two carts and lots more on shelves. There's 1/2 a dozen more not shown but you get the idea ..... not much money into them but you have to accept them not matching and be ready to pounce when they come up cheaply.
The two wire carts in the first image are 12 x 24 and hold three small parts drawer units per tier
Attachments
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
I don't have near as many as you guys, but I've been picking them up here and there for cheap over the years. I don't think I have two that match lol. It drives me nuts from an OCD standpoint, but they work, and don't bug me enough to do anything more about it.
The price disparity between new and used on these are huge.
The price disparity between new and used on these are huge.
slow-poke
Ultra Member
The rotating cube would actually be very easy to replicate for any of us. Heavy base with bearing, single long threaded rod in the middle, each tier just has a thin piece of sheet with a hole in the middle and little 1/4 " flaps that stop the bin enclosures from working their way out, nut on top holds it all together.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Would give you that old fashioned hardware store feeling too! I don't have space for a rotating cube, but I've thought about overlapping sliding bins like what home depot has for my new work area in the basement utility room i'm working on.
I want them in metal. I don’t need clear bins, every bin I have is labeled. But the plastic bins are crap. Either they’re hard plastic (polystyrene?) and crack, or they’re soft plastic (polyethelene?) and twist and wobble. Maybe project 42.7 will be to figure out how to make them out of aluminum sheet…
pdentrem
Well-Known Member
Surplus store had a 4x4 bin full of used akro bins starting at about $1 each. No idea if there are any left, as this was months ago. Restore can have some from time to time.
deals.kwsurplus.ca
Storage Bin 5 Ass't Colours"
deals.kwsurplus.ca
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SomeGuy
Hobbyist
Sounds like you want a Lista style cabinet....
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
If the blow into the yard, they're fair game...........there goes the neighborhood stop signs....
U-line carries all sorts of those larger stackable bins, shelf bins etc. I'm specifically after the smaller drawer units. The more I look, the more that first Amazon link don't look too bad, Sheesh.
www.uline.ca
Ali has lots of inexpensive dividers, but cant drawer units seem confined to household organizers. Maybe they call it something different. Sometimes you have to knock on the door a specific way
Plastic Bins, Plastic Storage Bins, Stackable Storage Bins in Stock - ULINE.ca - Uline
Uline stocks a wide selection of Plastic Storage Containers, Plastic Shelf Bins and Plastic Storage. Order by 6 pm for same day shipping. Huge Catalog! Two Locations in Canada for fast delivery of Plastic Shelf Bins.
www.uline.ca
Ali has lots of inexpensive dividers, but cant drawer units seem confined to household organizers. Maybe they call it something different. Sometimes you have to knock on the door a specific way
Years ago I bought 24 boxes on sale at Cabella's (similar to https://www.cabelas.ca/product/142536/bass-pro-shops-extreme-series-36003700-utility-box-set-of-4) that I use for storing small bearings, pneumatic fittings, taper pins and similar stuff. It is crude but I simply stacked them 4 high in 6 piles. There is a length of 1/4-inch MDF between each row. This provides 432 compartments on a single shelf. I can easily pull out a box and move it to the workbench. The latching tops prevent spillage. Some boxes are subdivided using flip-top containers from the Dollar Store especially for hundreds of small screws (0-80 to 2-56).
Not cheap but I use storage cabinets with slide-out drawers made by Durham (https://catalogue.whitecapsupply.com/Inventory-Storage-Solutions/4/) to store larger screws (4-40, self tapping, etc). Fastenal (https://www.fastenal.ca/product/Material Handling, Lifting and Rigging/Cabinets/Drawer Cabinets) has a huge selection of similar cabinets.
Not cheap but I use storage cabinets with slide-out drawers made by Durham (https://catalogue.whitecapsupply.com/Inventory-Storage-Solutions/4/) to store larger screws (4-40, self tapping, etc). Fastenal (https://www.fastenal.ca/product/Material Handling, Lifting and Rigging/Cabinets/Drawer Cabinets) has a huge selection of similar cabinets.