Project: Hardware Storage

[Matt Meiser]

Now that the kitchen is mostly done I've been working in my spare time on a couple shop projects. One is consolidating/cleaning up my hardware storage. This is semi-inspired by the bins the hardware store uses. The actual organizers are made by Plano (in the USA!) and came from Menards for <$5 each, except for the odd dark yellow one that is also by Plano, also US-made, but from a hardware store and cost $9 . I need one more of the lighter yellow ones because apparently I can't count.

Materials are all leftovers. Sides are some cherry/birch ply. To match the birch on the inside, the rest is baltic birch. The shelves for the bins are 1/4" MDF. I'm going to make a molding to go around the top and bottom to hide the edges and generally make it look nice.

This sucker is going to be VERY heavy.

[John Keeton]

Neat idea, Matt, and you are absolutely right! It is going to be HEAVY!!

I think I would put 'er in place before I filled 'er up!

Looks like the bin shelves/supports are short pieces in dados? Is there any concern holding that weight with the 1/4"? Looks like it would work, but some of those bigger bins are going to have a lot of weight in them.

I do like the design and the concept - now to find a place to put it!

[Dennis McGarry]

Great Idea and execution!

BTW I am giving notice that I plan on copying it blatantly soon!

[gary Zimmel]

Looks like you are going to have a ton of storage there Matt.

Great idea...

[Matt Meiser]

The shelves are just 2" wide strips set in 1/4" deep dados. I think they'll be plenty strong since all the weight will be right in by the dado itself. The boxes themselves are pretty ridgid due to permanent dividers that run the width.

It looks like this is going to eliminate about 1/2 of the Akro bins I had, plus two of those cheap plastic drawer units with dozens of tiny drawers. And that's leaving a little expansion room in each box I fill, plus still leave a several empty boxes. for future expansion. What's left in the Akro bins will be stuff too big for these.

I intended to hang it but now I'm thinking it might be better to just set it on the counter.

[John Thompson]

First.. surprised to see you not taking a week or so off after the monster build you just completed. But.. that is a very clever idea you are using for those plastic bins with the wood surround.

Have fun and that should be a well worth the effort addition...

[Josh Gerber]

Looks good Matt. I need to get more organized myself. I like the closed containers better then the Akro Bins.

Fun little fact Akro Bins are made in the US also. In Ohio, actually Akron OH. Hence the name. They also make them in Wadsworth OH my hometown. I used to work for the parent company Myers Industries. The patent expired several years ago and there are a lot of knock offs now. Harbor Freight carries the knock offs. Akro Bins are the storage container approved for medical use in hospitals. But I also see them at Wendy's a lot holding ketchup packs

[Matt Meiser]

As an update on this after close to a year...

Overall this system has worked pretty well for me. I never did get around to making some fancy trim and finishing it. I've run into minor problems with the dividers in the bins pulling out as I fish hardware from them. I'll probably end up putting some dabs of hot-melt glue on the tops of the ones giving me trouble. It should hold them in place but break loose for re-arrangement.

I finally got the organizers labeled last week. I'm trying out the new Post-It labels that supposedly stick until you want to remove them. Time will tell how good they work.

[John Packwood]

Looks a lot better that my coffee cans. Label makers at places like Hobby Lobby or Staples work pretty well. I can not let my wife the artist see this first; as if I build it she will get first dibs. She had shocked look when she showed me her Gadget Girl on the go iron and I said "Hey, my new veneer iron." It will be easier to just make two at once. I just know it will.

[Van Huskey]

That is a really good idea!

[Jim Becker]

This sucker is going to be VERY heavy.

Yea! Lift it before you fill it! LOL

Very nice job, Matt.

[Rick Moyer]

Matt, no problems yet with the 1/4" MDF I assume? Did you choose the mdf because you had it around? Since you used the birch ply I would have thought that would be stronger. Looks great. I have my fasteners mostly stored in similar organizers but they are just stacked on top of each other (don't have as many as you). Just wondering about using mdf where you did.

[Matt Meiser]

No problems. The weight is basically right at the dado so I don't expect any. If I could have gotten it easily, I probably would have used 1/4" tempered hardboard.