Cheap Rear Storage Drawers?

Submitted: Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 10:18
ThreadID: 61248 Views:3013 Replies:3 FollowUps:1
This Thread has been Archived
Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on using a couple of old 2 drawer filing cabinets as a drawer system?
They would probably need a bit of height added to the drawers which should be easy, and some sort of sound deadening (carpet?), but could make a relatively light but cheap roller drawer system.
Cheers

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Crackles - Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 10:49

Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 10:49
A few issues to consider Brushmarx...
Filing cabinets are not particularly light to start with.
It's unlikely they will fit the car properly meaning some wasted space. They are only about 600 deep & most 4by's are over 1 metre so there will be area behind that is difficult to access.
Cabinets have light construction steel runners not suitable for the heavy weights most people want to carry & definitely not strong enough to take the vibration & thumping of offroad driving being spot welded together.
Possibly the cheapest way to make a reliable storage system would be an MDF box with plastic crates sliding in or the next step get ball runners off ebay & fabricate draws.
Jim from Best Offroad has a sturdy storage system at a very reasonable price if you can't be bothered building one yourself.
Cheers Craig............

AnswerID: 323096

Follow Up By: brushmarx - Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 14:12

Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 14:12
You could be right Craig, but a few extra welds would toughen them up. I made a set of full depth (Jackaroo) plywood ones with folded 25 x 25 gal mesh drawers, but found them too long to pull out with the camper trailer connected, so shorter wouldn't be a problem, just poorer access between the drawers and the sea where rarely used gear could go.
I weighed a four drawer cabinet, and it was lighter than the home made plywood and mesh one, so the weight's not a problem.
The filing cabinet I've got for personal records is surprisingly strong, but if extra under drawer support was needed, I can't see that being any dramas.
Two used cabinets, $10 worth of sheet metal,an MDF top, a few extra screws, rivets or welding all up should only be $120 - $150 and all up only a couple of hours work.
I have no doubt that Jim's units are good value, but I haven't seen too many purpose made drawers that cheap, and most home made MDF units I've seen cost around the same price and take a day or two to make, are unwieldy, and can still fall apart on really rough stuff.
But, it is just an idea.
Cheers
0
FollowupID: 590189

Reply By: curious - Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 17:59

Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 17:59
I'd suggested the rattling and vibration from using filing cabinets as drawers would drive you crazy. There's considerable work in making your own (took me about 40 hrs to make mine) but making them rattle proof is essential, especially on corrugated roads.

- Peter
AnswerID: 323155

Reply By: Member - Barnesy - Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 23:03

Sunday, Aug 31, 2008 at 23:03
I am yet to see a filing cabinet that I would be happy to use in the back of a car. The runners are all squeeky and rattle. I agree with a wooden or steel frame with plastic (or wooden) boxes sliding in and out.

That's what I have and they are strong ( i store my outboard motor on top of one of them) and have no moving parts. Filing cabinets have moving parts which are more likely to break on corrugations than a simple box.

Barnesy
AnswerID: 323198

Sponsored Links

Popular Products (9)