Cleaning storage cabinets for lego organization
I liked the metal ones as the plastic ones can be blown over just walking by. I found a small flea market where they often have these old metal cabinets filled with hardware...
I have bought some that are so rusty that I cannot "save" them, but I try. Heaven forbid my beautiful lego touch a rusty drawer. Thats why I use drawer liner from dollar general even in the ones I clean because sometimes even with a clean appearance and washing, there can still be grease.
here's some of my attempts to rescue cabinets
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| Plastic and steel akro mills drawer cabinets |
A lot of cabinets have labels, I now use razor blades to get them off, goo gone sometimes helps
Here above are some old plastic and metal cabinets that I cleaned. But haven't put liners into...
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| Rescued steel akro mills containers |
Every once in a while I could find several in 1 week. I had to empty the hardware (and spiders/dead beetles) out of the drawers in the garage. I always have to be careful about sharp rusty metal tacks or razor blades! Also there are tubes if chemicals and grease and rust that are insalvagable
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| Portable fatmax containers (black) |
This is one of the the better find, 2 small containers on top and 3 "fatmax" storage drawers..3 for a total of $26! Easy to clean except for the plastic lids on the top of the small carriers
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| Different types of cabinets |
These are examples of great cabinets with labels...now I get them off easy but I haven't gotten back to these yet. Soaking in Dawn and then a razor blade works perfect. The labels from older label makes peel off usually without residue...like below
Below: These 3 cabinets were at the flea market and full of ho train parts
Below:
There were 2 of the gray cabinets so full of hardware that they were shifted to the side. Board on the back was used for support because I dont think I could lift them without the cabinets. falling apart. The woman wanted $60 for each cabinet
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| Overpriced and in poor shape behind the blue one |
I always wanted a rotating tray as the first lego room pic I saw had 2 of them. This solid lazy Susan was only $20. I've cleaned the trays 4 times but it has a white residue with a grainy feel so I just need to line it with liner, then I can sit and spin...Literally, it was going to be awesome for sitting and sorting legos, but the steel base and core make it too heavy to move plus there's no good place to grab it at the top
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| Rotation tray |
Above: These were specimens that were in my car and I was too lazy to take into the garage. It did produce good braking and turning or I'd have hardware all over...literally screwed.
The unpainted cabinets of steel just are hard to clean rust from as washing in water and drying by leaving out just makes more rust.
In the pic below you can see how scratched the drawers are from age
Below: These are cabinets and drawers I couldnt save. I finally gave up and pitched after trying to clean twice.
Below is where I clean dry my cabinets...and get the racks and bolts that fall to the bottom
I try to turn over after 2 days to prevent pooling and then finish drying after 4 total days!
The final product looks pretty good I think! Quite a few hours of work..
Looks pretty nice to me, it feels good to see final results
Above 2007
Above about 2011
