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Thread: Design Guidance For Under Bench Cabinet

  1. #1
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    Design Guidance For Under Bench Cabinet

    I am getting ready to build a cabinet to store small parts & hardware. It will be under a portion of my main bench. The approximate size is 25" tall and 26" wide. The idea is for drawers on both ends of the cabinet & the bench is 30" deep.

    The design question is if I should build it as a single 30" depth cabinet with drawers on opposite faces or two 14" deep cabinets that each have a back. My obvious concern is racking without a back.

    Thanks - Frank

  2. #2
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    30 inch is pretty deep for drawers. Not that you can't do it, but you will need unobstructed 30+ inches in front of both sides, (plus more room for you to stand in front while opening the drawer unless you always want to have to move to the side). But if you want to go 30, maybe you could fasten the cabinet to the legs? One side would be enough to stop racking. I'd probably go with the two 14's because of the front clearance issue.

    A couple of other thoughts based on my experience with my under bench cabinet: Keep the faces of the cabinets inset enough to allow room for long clamps sticking down when you clamp stuff to the top of the bench. So if you have a 30 inch deep bench, you may only want a 24 or 26 inch deep cabinet. Wide drawers, at least a few, are useful. I wanted at least one drawer wide enough to hold 24" rules and such, so I made my drawers close to 26" inside. And while you may want a couple of deeper drawers, shallow drawers make it much easier to find stuff. I have two deeper drawers for stuff like drill drivers and larger mallets, the rest are shallow. Even the deep drawers are only a few inches deep.
    --I had my patience tested. I'm negative--

  3. #3
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    I am sorry if I was not clear in my original description. In either design, the drawers will be 14" deep. Five will be on the front of my bench and four will be accessed at the back of my bench. I can attach one side to a leg.

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul F Franklin View Post
    30 inch is pretty deep for drawers. Not that you can't do it, but you will need unobstructed 30+ inches in front of both sides, (plus more room for you to stand in front while opening the drawer unless you always want to have to move to the side). But if you want to go 30, maybe you could fasten the cabinet to the legs? One side would be enough to stop racking. I'd probably go with the two 14's because of the front clearance issue.

    A couple of other thoughts based on my experience with my under bench cabinet: Keep the faces of the cabinets inset enough to allow room for long clamps sticking down when you clamp stuff to the top of the bench. So if you have a 30 inch deep bench, you may only want a 24 or 26 inch deep cabinet. Wide drawers, at least a few, are useful. I wanted at least one drawer wide enough to hold 24" rules and such, so I made my drawers close to 26" inside. And while you may want a couple of deeper drawers, shallow drawers make it much easier to find stuff. I have two deeper drawers for stuff like drill drivers and larger mallets, the rest are shallow. Even the deep drawers are only a few inches deep.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drackman View Post
    The design question is if I should build it as a single 30" depth cabinet with drawers on opposite faces or two 14" deep cabinets that each have a back. My obvious concern is racking without a back.
    Frank, I agree there is potential for racking in a cabinet that big with no back. But remember there are multiple ways to brace/reinforce the cabinet to prevent the racking. If it was me, I'd build two 14" cabinets and place them back to back as you describe. That has the added advantage of flexibility - you can move one rack of drawers if you decide you don't like them back to back. But you can make it work either way.

    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  5. #5
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    That is a really great reason for doing two separate cabinets. I am frequently modifying the layout & storage in my shop.

    Thanks for taking the time to reply.

    Quote Originally Posted by Frederick Skelly View Post
    Frank, I agree there is potential for racking in a cabinet that big with no back. But remember there are multiple ways to brace/reinforce the cabinet to prevent the racking. If it was me, I'd build two 14" cabinets and place them back to back as you describe. That has the added advantage of flexibility - you can move one rack of drawers if you decide you don't like them back to back. But you can make it work either way.

    Fred

  6. #6
    Hi,
    One design "law" that I try to live by is to not design drawers that are wider than they are deep, unless I plan on using ball bearing drawer slides or some other novel approach to guiding the drawer.
    When a drawer is wider than it is deep, it is an invitation to racking (the drawer binding as you try to operate it).
    I offer this because you are talking about a drawer that will be 26" wide and 14" deep.
    If you are planning on using ball bearing slides, no issues.
    Edwin

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