Some questions about Cabinets for my garage...

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  • Neal
    Established Member
    • Apr 2012
    • 181
    • Williamstown, WV (Mid Ohio Valley)
    • Ryobi BT3000

    Some questions about Cabinets for my garage...

    I'm in the process of building cabinets for my garage to replace some unsightly metal shelving.

    Over the weekend, I started with the carcass of the first one. It is 84" tall and finished width with face frames will be 16". (Pictures will come later, right now, I'm putting poly on the interior portions before assembly to make it easier on me.

    The others will also be 84" tall.

    I have an 88" wide space to fill. If thinking left to right, here is what I'm wanting to do.

    First cabinet is "cubbies" to put my yard shoes, work gloves, gas cans, car wash stuff, and such. It is going to have a finished width of 18".

    That leaves me with 70" inches of space. I was thinking of two 35" wide cabinets, but I'm worried about the span being too long for the shelves to not buckle under the weight of any "load" placed on them.

    I could make three 22-23" wide boxes instead. This would reduce the "span" of the shelves and perhaps be more stable. It might also look better.

    I'm needing opinions, Let me know how you would approach this.

    Thanks,
  • bmyers
    Veteran Member
    • Jun 2003
    • 1371
    • Fishkill, NY
    • bt 3100

    #2
    If you like the wide spam you could reinforce the shelves with some hardwood.

    -B
    "Why are there Braille codes on drive-up ATM machines?"

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    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      I got fed up with jars, buckets, cigar boxes and any number of used Tupperware containers full of nails and screws and came up with this shelf sys. for my shop. Each side swings out revealing more of the same type Plano boxes and hanging racks for air hose, larger storage shelves, a slide out drawer for 6' tall stuff. (This photo was previously taken to show the effect of caster weight on concrete). This storage sys is only 24" deep so it is not a space hog. Other than the price of the Plano boxes it was constructed of leftovers from my shop build and cost was nill. This frees up a lot of room that was taken by all the fastener clutter and is used daily. If the photo is upside down, opps, everybody else's computer is still upside down.
      Capncarl
      Attached Files
      Last edited by LCHIEN; 08-29-2014, 06:25 PM. Reason: I couldn't stand seeing the picture upside again.

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      • Bill in Buena Park
        Veteran Member
        • Nov 2007
        • 1865
        • Buena Park, CA
        • CM 21829

        #4
        Neal,
        You'll have to weigh the aesthetics of three 23in boxes vs two 35in boxes against the 16in box you've already made - and whether you plan to leave open or enclose with doors, and how many doors, could play in.

        If you affix the shelves, you likely could go 35in, using a center face rail (mullion?) to attach to, which would break the case opening into two openings ~16in each side of the rail. You could also affix the shelves at the back of the case to a nail plate mounted underneath the shelf.
        Bill in Buena Park

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        • Neal
          Established Member
          • Apr 2012
          • 181
          • Williamstown, WV (Mid Ohio Valley)
          • Ryobi BT3000

          #5
          Sorry there have not been more pictures, I just don't think to stop and snap them as I go a lot of times.

          I've assembled the cabinet carcasses, and now the two 35" wide x 83" high ones are laying on my workbench and floor.



          I'm hoping to being working on the face frames for these this weekend (weather permitting).

          I've finished the insides: Sanded, 2 coats of poly. They are made from 3/4" maple ply which was purchased on sale for $42 per sheet at Home Depot (vs $52). The shelves are set in Dadoes. You can see the other two carcasses (barely). They were built with the same maple ply, but use 1/2" ply for the shelves. All have 1/4" backs set in Rabbets.

          Face frames are next, then doors.

          The cabninet boxes were primarily built using to tools: Track saw and my Triton Plunge Router.

          Comment

          • JimD
            Veteran Member
            • Feb 2003
            • 4187
            • Lexington, SC.

            #6
            I like to use the "sagulator" (google it) to design shelves. You have to decide how much they will be loaded but then you can try various materials and add front and back edgings for stiffness.

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            • Neal
              Established Member
              • Apr 2012
              • 181
              • Williamstown, WV (Mid Ohio Valley)
              • Ryobi BT3000

              #7
              More progress...

              For the past couple of weeks, I have been working, as I have had time on constructing and finishing the face frames for the cabinet boxes. The daylight hours shrinking along with no room in my garage to do the work because the cabinet boxes took up all of the room.

              Well I finally got the face framed completed and attached to the carcasses, and on Sunday I set them in place.

              Before....


              Now...


              All three units are 83" high and 23" deep. The one on the far end is 20" wide, the other two are 35" wide.

              Now it is on to doors.

              Comment

              • atgcpaul
                Veteran Member
                • Aug 2003
                • 4055
                • Maryland
                • Grizzly 1023SLX

                #8
                Looking good. So you're putting two drawers in the middle? Will there be doors for the two wider sections or all open?

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                • Neal
                  Established Member
                  • Apr 2012
                  • 181
                  • Williamstown, WV (Mid Ohio Valley)
                  • Ryobi BT3000

                  #9
                  Originally posted by atgcpaul
                  Looking good. So you're putting two drawers in the middle? Will there be doors for the two wider sections or all open?
                  The middle section is intended to be pull out "counter tops" A place to work or set things temporarily which can be pushed back in when finished.

                  There will be doors on the two 35" boxes, both upper and lower. The 20" box will be open as the garage door track would interfere with opening and closing the doors.

                  Comment

                  • jabe
                    Senior Member
                    • Apr 2006
                    • 566
                    • Hilo, Hawaii
                    • Ryobi BT3000 & Delta Milwaukee 10" tilting Table circular saw

                    #10
                    As a former wood shop teacher & cabinet maker, I noticed U have the wood grain for your shelves running front to back, usually it should run side to side. Reason for running wood grain left to right for shelves is for strength and to prevent sagging. I know it's debatable b/c it's plywood but for solid wood U should not do it that way. Anyway, it's dadoed into the sides and if the FF is attached to the shelf and if U nailed the back to the shelves it should stiffen it up. Looks Good.

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                    • Neal
                      Established Member
                      • Apr 2012
                      • 181
                      • Williamstown, WV (Mid Ohio Valley)
                      • Ryobi BT3000

                      #11
                      Originally posted by jabe
                      As a former wood shop teacher & cabinet maker, I noticed U have the wood grain for your shelves running front to back, usually it should run side to side. Reason for running wood grain left to right for shelves is for strength and to prevent sagging. I know it's debatable b/c it's plywood but for solid wood U should not do it that way. Anyway, it's dadoed into the sides and if the FF is attached to the shelf and if U nailed the back to the shelves it should stiffen it up. Looks Good.
                      Thanks. For solid wood what you say makes perfect sense. And honestly it never occurred to me until you mentioned it.

                      It is dadoed into the sides the back is nailed in and I have three pocket screws on the underside of the shelves into the face frame. Suckers are rock solid.

                      Comment

                      • JimD
                        Veteran Member
                        • Feb 2003
                        • 4187
                        • Lexington, SC.

                        #12
                        Looks good. I could use a bunch of these. We have a lot of things stored in the 2 car garage and soon I will have a 1 car garage workshop to equip. I'm planning more base + upper cabinets for the shop but some full height cabinets might be a good idea.

                        Fastening a 1/4 plywood back on stiffens up horizontal pieces, shelves, a lot.

                        Jim

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