Why did you decide to make the tops and bottoms out of 3/4" and the sides out of 1/2" plywood? If you’re thinking of sitting on top of them (and/or were worried about the sides bowing and allowing the boxes to drop), I’d expect you to go the other way. Similarly, why did you elect to put the overlap on the sides?
Here’s the ones we use. They have removable cups, making it easy to take only a single type of part. There are also smaller ones with removable dividers, which we use for smaller parts or parts we have less of. We also use a label maker to create end labels for the boxes, so they can be identified when put inside of our shelves.
We thought about 3/4 on the sides, but using 1/2" makes the white bins and the yellow ones fit perfectly while keeping the box at 16" wide. We loaded them with 300lbs and experienced no issues with bowing or integrity.
We put an overlap on the sides so we have room to route handles in without fingers hitting the totes. Haven’t put those holes in yet, but I just found my router in my garage. Also, the overlap brings the depth dimension to exactly 16" as well. They are 18" wide. By making them 16"x16"x18", packing them should be nice and easy. Also, finding butcher block or countertop materials should be straightforward too. This also allows us to mix and match.
I’ve started using plastic bento boxes for small parts storage. Bonus WAY cheaper for small stuff. I wouldn’t trust it to hold a ton of 1/4-20 or #10-24 screws but for smaller stuff I’ve found it works great. Might be a solid option for FTC teams.
Thanks, that makes sense. Any reason you didn’t just use 1/2" on top and bottom and increase the internal space (preferably at the top where fingers go) by another 1/2"?
Also, back to the general topic, we are using the Stanley version of these boxes. It looks like Stanley, Harbor Freight, DeWalt, and possibly other versions of this box are all compatible in terms of width, depth, height, and tab width and height, meaning that you may be able to mix and match brands in the same box/shelf unit, even if they don’t stack in each other. Curiously, as of this evening, the Slidell Harbor Freight store no longer has these in stock (or even a place on the shelf for them). Also, I couldn’t find anything locally this evening with the smaller or shallow internal boxes; all of the ones I found had 10 bins, 2@4-1/4x6-1/4 and 8@4-1/4x3-1/8, all ~3-1/2" tall.
Edit: for purposes of making boxes, the Stanley boxes (the only ones I have in hand) are 16-5/8" wide and a total of 13-1/4" deep (including hinges and closures). The deep ones are 4-1/4" tall, including what is intended to be a stacking reduction to a bit under 4" tall. The “side tabs” are 5/8" tall by 9/32" deep. The shallow ones are about half as tall. As I plan building new shelves, I am currently planning for an inside box dimension of 16-3/4" wide, with keepers on a 2-1/4" vertical pitch*, each 1/4" thick and 1" tall.
- though I may go to a 2-1/2" pitch to include stoppers as Scott suggested at the top of this page; this will also require making the shelf a bit deeper.
Edit2: If you just have to have a COTS solution, this$20 unit from Home Depot looks like it will store four or five on each shelf; not nearly as convenient as the wooden units shown, but really easy to put together.
Nice box , but what is that 3 wheeled thing in the background?
Cheers!
Yes what is that
4607 CIS uses the same set-up as mentioned above. We have a back room full of different sized Sterilite containers (try to keep them all labeled).
After 2526 Wave helped us out a couple of years ago, we took note of their versaplanetary setup. We found a double sided storage container (like this) for our own and it has proven its worth - so much so we have various setups for our ever-increasing arsenal.
As no response yet, let me say that it looks like a trailer for a robot with a drive train. Further, the green cylinder at the bottom looks like an air tank (possibly a scuba high pressure tank). The top is pretty clearly designed to launch things both forward and in reverse, though likely predominately in reverse, because that direction is thicker. My guess is a pneumatically-launched t-shirt or other swag cannon designed to be towed by a “real” robot, possibly the latest competition robot.
That’s a good guess, but the truth is way more fun.
That green pipe is completely filled with lead acid batteries and sealed, because it goes under water.
Our Maker faire in Vermont has a yearly competition to build a robotic version of a lake monster. We’ve competed every year using a bunch of old FRC parts.
Here’s a couple of ours in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTUfxL1B0KM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FThCmhB9LxQ
Ok, so the flamethrower isn’t from FRC parts…
We’ve won 3 of the past 4 years and had a blast competing against colleges and other teams from around the state.
Bring on a water game FIRST!
I was thinking it looked like either a barbecue or a fire-breathing dragon.