Anyone make a lateral file cabinet?

[Mike Heidrick]

I have a request to make a walnut lateral file cabinet. The customer is wanting the files to go across the width of the cabinet and not front to back like most file cabinets I have seen. Anyone here make a file cabinet and recommend any plans? I am thinking make the carcase to his design and use heavy duty full extension drawer glides. It will only be one drawer tall and I want to make it so it will not tip as well.
Any ideas or guideance?

[Cary Falk]

I made a 2 drawer locking one for legal size papers. I used 3/4" popular for the drawers and 3/4" angle iron for the folders to slide on. I didn't have any plans. I just figured how big the draws had to be for the files and then worked out the numbers from there. If you have any specific questions, let me know. If you need measurements, I will have to get them for you when I get home.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q297/caryincamas/DSC_0379.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

A lateral file with only one drawer? Yes, you'd best worry about tipping. On a two-drawer cabinet, you get to use the weight in the closed drawer to counterbalance the weight in the open drawer. On a one-drawer cabinet, you don't have that option.

Can you bolt the cabinet to the wall? Or some other piece of furniture, like a desk?

Or can you build in counterbalance weight? For instance, a concrete slab at the back of the cabinet. Or lead.

[Jamie Buxton]

For counterbalance materials, lead is pretty much the winner if you're tight on space. It is several times the density of concrete/stone/sand. But it is pricey -- $5/lb the last time I bought it. If you're not tight on space, concrete is good. You can cast it into slabs complete with holes for mounting bolts. An 80-lb sack will cost you $3 or so.

[Mike Heidrick]

WOW Cary - EXACTLY what I am looking for. If you get dimensions together I will make it worth your time.

It will be a two drawer config - my mistake.

[Cary Falk]

WOW Cary - EXACTLY what I am looking for. If you get dimensions together I will make it worth your time.

It will be a two drawer config - my mistake.

What demensions do you need specifically? Do you need any specific pictures of anything? Forgot to add in original post, as long as one drawer is shut I don't have a tipping problem.

PM me your e-mail address and I will send sketch and pictures.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Spent uranium is the best counter weight pound for pound.
I recall when I was head of R&D for a labatory apparatus company a fellow used to call me oince in a while trying to sell the stuff.
The first time he called I told him we didn't have an NRC license and he assured me that there was no need. We could purchase the super heavy metal and machine it and put it in end user products.

I never purchased any. I didn't think that there was an upside to the material given that the sales pitch would have to get around people's feelings about the concept of spent uranium.

[bill mullin]

This is what I use.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1201

[Brian Penning]

Came across this plan....
[/URL][URL]http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/projects/archive/2008/09/09/4-Way-File-Cabinet.aspx (http://www.artisticlicense.org/members/zito/images/zito10.jpg)

[Greg Crawford]

Built an entire office suite, desk with 4 drawers, 2 deep (see picture). The thing mounted to the wall so no tipping issues. Made the file hangers from hard maple. Used super heavy duty over travel slides. He loves it.

[Dave Sepucha]

I built something similar for a built-in where I didn't have to contend with tipping. I used the 18" glides on the link below. Although not cheap, they are rated to over 200lbs. The actual glides are a bit different than what is pictured in the photo.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1505&filter=21460&pn=21460

[Gordon Panek]

Cary, Do you still have the lateral filing cabinet plans. I would like to try making something similar to the one you have posted.

Thanks, Gordon

[cody michael]

I made a similar filing cabinet, but cheated. I found a nice heavy duty steel filing cabinet on craigslist, and made a wood shell, my dad loves it and it has tons of space. I paid less for the cabinet then drawer slides would be and saved trouble of making drawers etc. turned out very nice.

[Larry Edgerton]

I build my desks like Greg Crawford as its easier to see the headers when sitting at the desk. Only difference is I let in 3/4"x1/8" black anodized aluminum for the hangers to slide on. I route the side of the dividers/front/back with a 1/4" roundover bit first to give the ears on the file hangers space to move.

Larry

[Greg R Bradley]

Commercial lateral file cabinets have interlocks so that you can only open one drawer at a time. They still have heavy ballast to prevent tipping. I converted one 3 drawer to a large/bulky tool storage cabinet. It had four 8-10"x34" pieces of 3/8" thick steel in the back and bottom for ballast and the interlock system to only allow one drawer to open at a time. Each drawer can weight a lot.

I hope this is getting built in so it can't tip.

[Stan Powers]

I have a two drawer lateral filing cabinet with a very simple interlock.
There is a piece of rope going from the back of one drawer to the back of the other drawer looped over a cross brace in the back of the unit.
The length is such that it allows one drawer to open fully. If you try to open the second drawer at the same time the rope pulls the second open drawer back shut as you pull the first one out.
Very simple and very effective.

[cody michael]

I have a two drawer lateral filing cabinet with a very simple interlock.
There is a piece of rope going from the back of one drawer to the back of the other drawer looped over a cross brace in the back of the unit.
The length is such that it allows one drawer to open fully. If you try to open the second drawer at the same time the rope pulls the second open drawer back shut as you pull the first one out.
Very simple and very effective.

simple yet effective

[Cary Falk]

Gordon,
I don't have plans per say. What dimensions doe you need? I will see if I still have the info in the e-mail that I sent Mike.