Space-saving suggestions for small shops

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Bill Shields
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Re: Space-saving suggestions for small shops

Post by Bill Shields »

I use something similar to store hand files...1.5" pvc pipe stacked up in a matrix, glued together...does not require a lot of imagination.

i like the idea of the square stuff....
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
whateg0
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Re: Space-saving suggestions for small shops

Post by whateg0 »

For shallow drawers, I bought 4 of the us general lower cabinets and stacked them. There are still some deeper drawers which works out well and they'll hold some heavier stuff. That was worth the membership thing for a year.
SteveM
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Re: Space-saving suggestions for small shops

Post by SteveM »

whateg0 wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 9:30 pm For shallow drawers, I bought 4 of the us general lower cabinets and stacked them. There are still some deeper drawers which works out well and they'll hold some heavier stuff. That was worth the membership thing for a year.
I hadn't thought of stacking.

Those boxes are only $350 and have ball-bearing drawers, and get a 4.9 out of five stars, so a pretty good value.

The nice thing is they do have a lot of shallow drawers.

I actually called HF and told them they should be making copies of Lista cabinets.

I'm trying to find some used Lista/Vidmar cabinets or blueprint cabinets, but the Lista-type are so dang expensive.

Steve
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liveaboard
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Re: Space-saving suggestions for small shops

Post by liveaboard »

Or make your own.
ball bearing drawer runners are available in all sizes. Making a cabinet to fit your space will be cheaper and more efficient.
I made 2 workbenches from heavy steel frame and 10mm (3/8") top plate. The drawers themselves are plywood, which takes up a little more space than metal, but I had the wood and do not have a bending brake for sheet metal.

Of the many things I made for my workshop and my house, I think the work tables are what gives the most back.
These benches can support just about anything I'm working on. The bench has a welding earth cable screwed to it so anything in the vice or slapped against the surface can be welded.
SteveM
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Location: Wisconsin

Re: Space-saving suggestions for small shops

Post by SteveM »

I picked up a mint-condition Snap-on 2-drawer intermediate box 40" wide for $200 (list price $1,375).

I'm planning on hanging it under the benchtop of the lathe bench.

The top drawer is deep enough for most axa toolholders, tailstock tooling and the small stuff, while the bottom drawer is deep enough to store collets vertically.

It's got ball-bearing drawers, so it should be able to take all the weight I can throw into it.

This makes one less thing I need to fabricate.

Steve
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