Blueprint cabinet skids

[gimpyrobb]

So i don't want to lift anything in my shop. I plan on having blueprint cabinets stacked 3vor 4 high and want to be able to move them with the pallet jack. I've turned one over to find a 1/4 inch sheet metal lip. I think I'm going to cut that off and make a wood pallet for the cabinet to sit on. Most the weight looks like it sits on the side wall, that is where the 4x4 will be.

I'd like to use metal instead, but get free half inch plywood and 4x4s from work.

What are your opinions?

[toprecycler]

Looking at the bottom, it looks like if you place a 4x4 along the sides, you will have good support for the cabinet. The main trick will be creating the lifting support for the pallet Jack to move it. If you just use 1/2” plywood for the top layer going across the 4x4s, it probably would be fine for the stack of empty cabinets. But once you start filling them, it will buckle under the weight probably.

Especially since the pallet Jack forks are so much narrower than the blueprint cabinet.

Possibly need to build a metal frame to hold cabinets up, yet be strong enough to bridge the sides together so pallet Jack can support cabinets properly.

Unfortunately this also means the bottom of the cabinets will have to be 6-8” off the floor, by the time you factor in the steel height needed for strength. Probably will need at least 1-1/2” tube for strength, 2” would be better.

Don’t underestimate the weight you will be packing into those big drawers.


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[gimpyrobb]

From the bottom edge of the sheet metal to where the metal frame is that supports weight, is about an additional inch. I was thinking of doubling up the plywood sheet and then having the 4x4 attached to that, so that would give me an inch of plywood around the whole frame of the cabinet. I understand the weight, I had to move the cabinets to get them here. I can only move one empty by myself, once stacked and full of tools, it will be a ton(literally).

[gimpyrobb]

My cabinets came with stands/risers. I was thinking of just cutting out 3" pockets for the pallet jack to go under, but they are just made of sheet-metal too. I'm going to go with the full width and depth 1" thick plywood and 3 of the 4x4 runners. If it doesn't seem solid once I load up, I'll swap over to steel construction. Pics to follow, I hope to get to it this afternoon.

[gimpyrobb]

Well I put 4 of the shelve sets together. One of the sets has tools in it. It moves fine as it is, but if I load all the drawers with tools, I feel it will crunch something. I may redesign at some point, but for now I am okay with how it turned out. One more set of 4 to do and then on to the other tool cabinets!

[gimpyrobb]

So this is where they're going to live once everything is finished. I still need to make the next 5 microfilm cabinets able to roll around
I think this time I'll put some 2x6s on a pallet for them to sit on. Not quite as much weight to deal with on the next few. Looks like I'm going to set up the room with about an 8ft 7in ceiling, anyone see any issues with that? The entry door is have is 4ft wide 7ft tall.

[toprecycler]

One thought, what else do you plan on the wall they are next too? If you moved them a away like a foot or too, could you figure out something smaller that you could put in that space, like small vertical storage rack for metal rods, or plywood/ plastic drops, and then able to keep smaller stuff along the wall that can be moved out so you access the storage space if needed. Those drawers need a lot of open space to open, and I find corners the hardest to utilize, because it takes up so much “ wall space “ too.


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[digr]

On mine I screwed false backs on the drawers threw the bottom using 3/4" material because thy don't open all the way. That way you don't loose anything that is out of sight and they help a lot to stiffen the center of the drawer.