[Gearhead forever]

I'm trying to come up with some plans for some storage cabinets for my garage. I'm leaning heavily towards using 16ga steel and forming sections to attach to the ceiling and back wall eliminating the need for the back wall and ceiling panels. I am going to make some with hinged doors (continuous piano hinge) but others I'l like to do with sliding doors due to space restrictions. The hinged doors will all be boxed or double flanged and flush fit with stops on at three sides. I may go with slam latches as well. Reasons I want to go with steel; #1. - Fireproof (I want as little combustables in my garage or have them well stored) #2. - I have full access to a metal fabrication shop and raw materials. #3 - I have minimum woodworking equipment and space

Dilemma: I would like to have the sliding doors look similar and function smoothly. Expensive hardware is out. of the question. If I use sheet metal for the doors I'd like them to be formed for rigidity as opposed to sheared blanks. I also plan on closing in the front of my work bench with a pair of sliders of the same construction.
Rollers / tracks are questionable due to the amount of abrasives and spatter that will be frequently present.

Any ideas on a simple cost effective approach? Any ideas would be appreciated... Thanks in advance

 

[Wmarden]

One suggestion is just to go to your local hardware or home improvement store and just look. I used to go through and browse to get ideas when I was really into making gym equipment.

You could design the doors with a lip like the attached image. You might need to lube it so it slides ok.

 

[OneMoreTime]

Doors

If you have a sheet metal brake the doors can be made like a very shallow box put a couple of crimps in on the diagonal across the door..looks good..the track can be had at the hdw store..the box depth would be what ever fits the track..Galvanized metal like we use for ductwork should work out fine..

Look at some sheet metal ductwork to see about how this goes..

OMT

 

[Kultured]

accuride makes a good slidder...
150 Lb completely enclosed, full extension .. about 12 bucks a pair at the cabinet store here...

 

[Beenaway2long]

16 gauge is HEAVY! Think Gym locker doors. Those are 16 gauge. Forming tight boxes on 16 will require heavier brakes. 20 gauge should suffice, and handle most of your storage. Throw a few ribs in and it will be stiff enough for most of the stuff you store. I bought a 78" high unit thats 24 gauge.

If I were building metal cabinets, I would double bend all edges and tack weld the corners. Any doors over 24" wide, would get a hat channel welded inside the door for reinforcing. The door openings would also have shape for rigidity. To make them slide easy, I would look into an aluminum T shape, inverted with flange down. Get a roller assembly similar to a patio door that rivits to a cutout in the bottom of the door. Look in the window and door section of the hardware store. Looks like a semi recessed wheel. That wheel is concaved. It would ride on the inverted T. Just like a patio door ! Typically , they use the T inside a U channel. The U channel protects the T from getting whacked.


Sounds like a cool project for the shop !! WE NEED PICTURES !!

 

[Gearhead forever]

I like the patio door type of thing Beenaway.... The inverted T keeps the debris from building up under the wheels. I would indeed double flange or box the doors to the inside. I was going to use 16 ga hot rolled because it was the lightest paint-able gage we stock. (we have lighter galv, but I want to paint them) Maybe I'll buy several sheets of 20 ga instead. I'll do the work bench panels in 16ga though as they are susceptible to dents. another thing I like about the patio door rollers is that a smooth clean look is possible for the face of the cabinets.


Thanks again,

Gear.

 

[428ho]

Cheap slider

We do this on machinery doors. Unistrut mounted at the top, open side down. Buy some cheap thin ball bearings with a flange and bolt them to the door. You can hang the door on the unistrut lip and even put two that will pass by each other. Cheap stuff.

 

[Kevin45]

Shop around for places that makes cabinets on the side. We have a place not too far from where I live that gets in seconds on the doors The hinges may be drilled a little off on the back, but mainly it is the grain. It does not quite match to specs so they are sold. The ones I have in my garage are solid maple, satin finish poly and in excellent shape. The great thing is I paid $5.00 per door no matter what size. They carry hundreds upon hundreds. The top cupboards are made out of 1x12x 3/4" boards (basically a box, and the fronts are 1x3x3/4. All in all I have about $35.00 and a few hours time for each top cupboard. You can't see them very well in the pic because the '62 is in the way of the rest.

 

[Gearhead forever]

428: I can picture the unistrut, but I cant visualize the ball bearing idea. Are you referring to the ball transfers that you see on conveyor lines? I also have a source for the old style steel roller skate wheels. That may work to, although they are pretty large....

 

[428ho]

Sliding door

Not sure what type door you're going for but a small diameter cheap bearing is available with a flange so when pressed into something it rest against the flange. Killian is one brand. You run a bolt through the bearing and into your door. The bearing flange goes away from the door and hooks into the unistrut flange so it can't fall off. Two bearings per door, one each end. Give it a push and she'll roll all the way to the end easily. Bottom of the door can be secured many ways, angle track, dowl pins, anything to keep the door from swing in/out.
This would make a good door if you wanted to have shelving floor to ceiling but cover it. Kinda like a sliding closet door.
I'll try an attach a sketch.

 

[Gearhead forever]

I didn't know you could get bearings like that. Thats cool alright. I could use the other side of the track for the opposite door. Thanks to all you fellow gearheads for the ideas.....

 

[49T&C]

Call your county's School Board Depot (especially if they have multiple schools in the county). They frequently renovate a school and sell off the old (but still perfectly good) stuff. I picked up some gym lockers for $5 each. 8' flourscent lights for $1 each with bulbs. A welding table for $5 and a REALLY cool ultrasonic cleaner (they didn't know what it was) for $5 - its big enough for a carb or handgun.

My point is - its worth a phone call to see if they sell/auction the small stuff (like above). They usually auction off the bigger stuff (like busses or other vehicles) a couple of times a year.

49 T&C