What kind of storage do you use?

I've rebuilt my shop and of course I don't have enough storage space. I'm thinking of buying some used kitchen cabinets, what do you guys use?

Old metal kitchgen cabinets. Homemade shelves. Store all my bolts, nuts, etc. in an old IBM punchcard filing cabinet. That thing is built like a Sherman tank. Never enough storage.

I have a work bench that is 16 feet long with storage drawers under it. I also have lockers that come out of a school shower locker room. My dad built me two racks 10 foot long and 8 foot tall that are heavy enough to hold engines.

In the wood shop,I use inclosed cabinets to control dust collecting on contents.
Most other work areas have a mixture of open and closed storage.
If I were doing it over I would do as my grandson has. His approch is to arrange and install large equipment and work bench for effecient use then position often used movable equipment. Stand back and choose dead space or a different building for seldom used movable equipment. Choose space for often used hand tool and material storage that is convenuient the where they are to be used. If an inclosed storage with door is desired,peg-board can often be installed on inside and/or outside of doors (extra or heavier hinges on doors). The shop is about ready to start useing but what to do with the 36" pipe wrench,hydraulic ram and items that are regularly used but so large they don't fit well into storage drawers,shelves and cabinets. Otherwise dead space too small for drawers or cabinets are customized which often doesn't require more than large nails or simpile bracketts. At this point majority of floor and wall space has been used and that remaining can be left to temporarly hold projects while in shop as well as special ordered parts and material for current project. There probably will be a lot of dead space above 6 feet on walls as well as ceiling, attic or in the rafters. 18" tall cabinets,shelves and hangers along top of walls can be used for what you might consider deep storage,not easy to eccess without a ladder but sure keeps things out of the way. Those new sheet metal panels you bought for peanuts can be tied to the ceiling or in the rafters until you buy a tractor they will fit.
Taking note of storage/display sulutions like by-pass sliding pegboard in retail stores somtimes will work well in a home shop.
Then there is the all time #1 reccomendation of those who have "been there,done that". When you decide what size a new building should be,double it.

hit yard sales.. can sometimes find cheap chest/drawers wardrobes..e tc. I'd done so in my shop.. pennies onthe dollar.

moving sales or remodeling.

heck.. have been GIVEN free dressers that have cosmetic damage.. but are great to store air tools and hoses in.. set a drill press on..e tc..

I buy things a auctions. Got a heavy duty metal shelving unit 2x4x7 feet for $2, just had to dig up some bolts to hold it together. It holds several hundred pounds of tractor parts very well. Also have gotten or seen sell but didn't bid on lots of old cabinets, dressers, file cabinets etc. mostly in the $1-5 range. Also in a city on large trash week, if you can find out when that is you can get all sorts of old stuff free if you drive around and look for it.
Zach

None work refrigerators work very well. Keep mice and rats out and yet keeps things clean etc. I have a couple of them I us and they are water tight for the most part also

Good used high quality file cabinets work good for some things. I buy them at yard sales for 5 to 20 bucks. Make sure they are the ones with rollers on the drawers. The cheap ones are crap. Usually the older ones are best.

Cabinets can work fine. My workbench is the frame of a factory packaging machine- but within that was a steel framework covered in plate steel.....found in a junk yard for maybe $25. Included many shafts and bearings. I built floor to ceiling parts bins on 24 and 18 foot walls of the heated workshop. Bought double wall steel cabinets at the County hospital excess (after remodeling) sale. All my tractor manuals are in there..easily a grand worth.....mice proof! Welding supplies, tools, any flammables, are in another hospital cabinet.

Nails on the wall, table tops and of coarse the floor. Alway was neat freak.
Walt

Mick, I like to find a second use for things tenants leave behind. A water bed frame with drawers. Stacked the drawers on top of each other and covered with plywood. Two rows of drawers and shelf. Could work under a work bench too.

Menards sells red plastic trays for $.50. Many times they will have a Free after rebate on them. I buy 10, the limit. Bet I have over 50 of them. Make a metal hanger, works great.

Yes, Never throw away kitchen cabinets, file cabnets, book shelfs.

Very easy to hang things on a nail in the pole barn.

Use metal angle brackets for brooms, rakes, weedwackers. Just get creative.
George

I have picked up sections of steel shelves here and there, and some of those have bins dividing them up for small parts. I have pallet storage racks and a mezzanine for heavier things that I put up with my fork lift. Then the more readily movable stuff like tractors and pick-up can be in the middle on the floor.

Years ago I got lucky and was at the right place at the right time - the local Bank was remodeling and I got all of their old bank counters FREE for the hauling. When the Hospital in a neighboring town remodeled their Emergency Room, I bought all of their wall cabinets and 1 large free-standing cabinet for less than $30. The free-standing cabinet is 12 feet long x 6 feet high with upper & lower cupboard doors (8 sets) & full length adjustable shelves. Another time when working at a large Mine, I got the salvage rights to the Mines garbage dump from the Mine Manager. One day while going through the dump I found 4 large pallet loads of extra-heavy-duty warehouse shelving, complete with all the uprights,nuts & bolts, cross-bracing, etc. , all I had to do was haul it home & assemble it. Then in the late 1980's when I worked for a large Hotel / Casino, the Casino decided that they were going to completely revamp the Restaurant & Kitchen. I got the Stainless Steel kitchen counters and the huge gas fired 500 gallon hot water heater which was only 1 year old.

These kinds of deals are out there guys, all you have to do is look for them. GOOD LUCK & GOOD HUNTING !

Doc