Interesting low cost steel cabinet option for router table etc?

[ian maybury]

You guys in the US are probably awash with low cost workshop cabinet systems, but not so over here in Ireland - but just in case here's an option for tool storage.

I'm fitting out my workshop which includes an Incra router table on their longer support frame, and i don't have a week to spare to build fancy storage cabinets. This multi drawer steel cabinet in red by Ikea is cheap at about $39, and with the castors off is a very nice fit under a large-ish router table - depending on the layout it may even be possible to get in two side by side with a dust box.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40107872/

It's not heavy duty as such, but seems robust enough to do a good job of storing router tooling and related bits and pieces. I'm going to line the bottoms of the drawers with 25mm polyethylene packaging foam which can be drilled and cut easily with a knife to make sockets to hold e.g. cutters, and which doesn't stain.

It could be wall mounted too for other uses.

Here's another larger cabinet in a similar style, although I've not yet found a use for it.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80100190/

ian

[Jerome Hanby]

Those don't look bad. Surprised there isn't a forum some place dedicated to re-purposing IKEA stuff. I've got a 1.5" thick counter top I'm going to rip into two pieces, flip and glue up into a 3" beech workbench top...

[Michael Boeckelmann]

Those don't look bad. Surprised there isn't a forum some place dedicated to re-purposing IKEA stuff. I've got a 1.5" thick counter top I'm going to rip into two pieces, flip and glue up into a 3" beech workbench top...

there are two that I visit for ikea repurposing. ikeahackers(dedicated) and ikeafans(has a forum section for it).

[ian maybury]

Thanks guys. IKEA can be useful for certain sorts of bits and pieces, although care is needed to make sure it's robust enough if 'repurposed' (:) new word for me!) for workshop use...

I actually bought a length of maple worktop for the same purpose myself Jerome - about a year ago. I changed tack to using solid wood when I got the opportunity to buy it right, but got lucky and was able to sell it on at a profit as there was a subsequent local gap in availability of maple tops...

ian

[Victor Robinson]

When I built the cabinet under my Incra table, managing sheet goods in my shop was a total pain, so building the cabinet was easier said than done. *Instead I just bought IKEA kitchen cabinet frames. *With a little reinforcement, they worked out great. *And the Blum Tandembox drawers IKEA sells are awesome in the shop and not very expensive at all for what they are. *

[Matt Day]

I never knew Ikea sold countertops, in fact I've never really been in an Ikea, just seen some stuff friends have slapped together.

I saw on their webpage that they have a 49"x25"x1 1/8" beech top for $39, or a 96"x25"x1 1/8" for $59! That seems extremely cheap. How flat are these? I'm thinking of a couple to glue up to 2 1/4" thick for a workbench or router table, like Jerome mentioned.

Ha! Shipping for a piece of 49" is showing as $349! :)

[Jerome Hanby]

I bought the NUMERÄR (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90057394/#/40057853) for $195 + tax in Atlanta (closest Ikea to me).

Dimensions are:

Length: 73 1/4 "
Depth: 39 3/8 "
Thickness: 1 1/2 "

So I'm looking at ending up with about 6' x 20" x 3" before I wrap it to give me a tool holder in the back and mounting for shoulder and tail vises in the front. Mine is still being stored on edge and still in the original cardboard. I'm not seeing any noticeable warping, but I'll be better able to tell soon as I'm getting close to being able to start my bench. I bought a couple of nice beech planks to finish out the top. Think I'll try to get several more and build the base from beech too.

Have a question. I was planning on routing a slot from front to back close to one end before I sliced, flipped, and glued up the top to leave a spot for the all thread shaft for the shoulder vise. Anyone think additional slots to hold all thread shafts and big fender washers would help to prevent the top from de-laminating (it's just strips of beech, joined end to end with those router cut finger joints and the strips glued up to make the width)? Or will this just make it more dicey to drill dog holes without any added benefit? I've also thought about trimming the two halves so that when I stack them the joints between the strips do not line up thinking that top to bottom glue joint could help...


I never knew Ikea sold countertops, in fact I've never really been in an Ikea, just seen some stuff friends have slapped together.

I saw on their webpage that they have a 49"x25"x1 1/8" beech top for $39, or a 96"x25"x1 1/8" for $59! That seems extremely cheap. How flat are these? I'm thinking of a couple to glue up to 2 1/4" thick for a workbench or router table, like Jerome mentioned.

Ha! Shipping for a piece of 49" is showing as $349! :)

[Rich Engelhardt]

I never knew Ikea sold countertops, in fact I've never really been in an Ikea, just seen some stuff friends have slapped together.

It's worth the couple hour drive over to Pittsburgh just to see one of their stores.
Ever see the blimp hanger down here in Akron?
The Ikea store is like 4 of them put together.

[Matt Day]

Well i've got good friends in Pitt and I drive through the area to go back to Virginia, so I'll stop by next time. I drove by one every day in Salt Lake City when I lived there, just had no need to stop by since we were temporarily there.

Before we go next I'll have to plan out my next shop project, or just buy a few boards of course :)