Question of quality - part/storage drawers

[William Long]

I'm looking to add several storage/parts drawers because my current metal ones are starting to sag. I've noticed that in the last year or so most of these small cabinet drawers are using a flimsy cloudy plastic instead of the clear ridge-it drawers of the past. I'll mine current use the clear drawers.

Has anyone found a supply that still has the clear drawers? I've check HD, Lowes, and Mendards. I look at Sear's site and it should clear ones available at Kmart but when I went there they were the cheaper cloudy ones.

Anyone miffed at this change besides me?

[Callan Campbell]

I'm looking to add several storage/parts drawers because my current metal ones are starting to sag. I've noticed that in the last year or so most of these small cabinet drawers are using a flimsy cloudy plastic instead of the clear ridge-it drawers of the past. I'll mine current use the clear drawers.

Has anyone found a supply that still has the clear drawers? I've check HD, Lowes, and Mendards. I look at Sear's site and it should clear ones available at Kmart but when I went there they were the cheaper cloudy ones.

Anyone miffed at this change besides me?

No William, I tend not to use the type you're describing, but I feel your pain. Just when you get used to a system of storage, the darn things seem to evaporate or get deleted in favor of something "better, cheaper".
Have you tried the Container Store to see what they carry? Also, industrial catalogs like Grainger or McMaster-Carr on-line will have what you're looking for. You'd only need to use a friends business as your ordering point since I don't think either of the above sell retail to the public.
Amazon.com, McFeelys are two other names to look into. Mc Feelys tends to move their storage supplies in and out of stock, going with something else every few years, but they might have the info on where you can buy what you want, and they're real nice people to deal with. I've been buying from them for years.

[glenn bradley]

This doesn't help with your search but, I empathize with both of you on favored items vanishing. I have an overhead of storage boxes and some shelf brackets and standards that I have come to trust. I didn't want to experience that "oh darn" syndrome again so I bought many extras. I hope to have at least one of each laying around long enough for me to wonder why I bought them. Rather that than the "oh darn" experience again ;-)

P.s. AO Safety got gobbled up by 3M and discontinued my favorite respirator. Talk about some thing that has to be 'just right' to not be a bother; my search for a good replacement is still on. When I find it, I'm buying three. Sheesh!

[Carl Hunsinger]

I also searched high and low for the type with the clear plastic drawers. They seem to be extinct. According to Akro Mills, they use the new plastic because it never gets damaged in shipping, whereas the clear ones were very fragile.

Carl

[Chip Lindley]

I'm looking to add several storage/parts drawers because my current metal ones are starting to sag.

William?? Perhaps I don't understand. If metal drawers are sagging, what do you expect of plastic??

But, as to cloudy/clear, it's a trade-off! The old clear styrene plastic drawers were too prone to breakage. I broke several just jerking them out in a hurry to look for parts. Because my Dad gave me one old Akro Mils parts cabinet like you discribe, I hunted a long time on eBay to find some replacement drawers to match the exact ones I broke. Otherwise, I would never have bothered. The new pliable, cloudy plastic will stand up to much abuse. Buy a label maker and enjoy never having to fret over cracked drawers again.

[Michael Flores]

http://www.systainerworld.com/

Just in case you cant seem to find the clear ones your looking for and decide its time to try something else. These are the same containers Festool uses and are being sold here in the north american market through Tool Nut.

You can also try http://www.chdist.com

[Pat Meeuwissen]

William, I hope you don't mind but I wanted to ask(if you do I'll gladly start a new thread and delete this) has anyone made a wooden version of this type of storage bin? If so could you point me in the right direction of where the build or pics of this would be. Thanks Pat