One of my favorite tool and part storage solutions of all times is Akro-Mils’ USA-made bin cabinets.
Akro-Mils’ steel parts cabinets feature a tough powder-coated steel frame and sturdy plastic drawers. They’re definitely stronger and more durable than consumer parts cabinets, and deeper too, so you can hold things besides small parts.
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These parts cabinets are stackable, and there are different styles available with varying drawer counts. I think that their 20-drawer cabinet (model 19320) is a good size, and it also seems to be the most economically-priced, perhaps due to stronger demand and greater supplies.
Akro-Mils’ parts cabinets measure 17″ wide x 11″ tall x 11″ deep.
Each bin is removable. The cabinet comes with a couple of dividers, and you can buy more if needed.
I only have one cabinet, and it’s quite heavy when fully loaded with tools and parts. Empty, it weighs 20 lbs. I wouldn’t stack these cabinets more than two high, although I’m not sure if there’s an official recommendation. You can also mount them to the wall, and Akro-Mils also has an optional accessory that lets you mount them on certain louvered bin panels.
I have nothing against plastic parts organizers for storing small parts, and use a couple of those as well. But this cabinet, and others in Akro-Mils’ 19-series, can hold smaller tools (I used mine to hold duplicate sets of Craftsman combination wrenches and hex keys), bigger parts, and other items too big or heavy for other parts cabinets’ dainty little drawers.
If you’re looking for a heavier duty parts cabinet, this might be it. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s got the build quality to justify it.
Price: ~$97
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Zoro)
Buy Now(Other Styles via Amazon)
Akro-Mils also offers these cabinets with different colored bins, such as red, blue, yellow, and brown, but you’ll pay quite a bit more for cosmetic differences. For example, 19320BLU, the same cabinet but with blue bins, is priced at ~$122.
To be accurate, it doesn’t look like you must pay more for those colors, it’s that the grey bin cabinet is lower in price, and this has been true every I checked over the years. Actually, checking up on this, the black-bin model is also $97 at Zoro.
Buy Now(Same style but with black bins, via Zoro)
Have you used another type of heavy duty parts cabinet you could recommend?
Altan
Not satisfied yet 🙂 Still I keep saying stainless steel, and the drawers.
Mike
Maybe you need to look in medical supply catalogs. They love SS.
Altan
Maybe, I will have a look, but I don’t think I will find anything. Thanks for the suggestion.
TonyT
Or clean room supply.
But in either case, get ready for price shock…. so seriously best bet is to look at the used market
Altan
I have seen some companies making custom made stainless steel items for restaurants, I remember a French restaurant was purchasing some specially made stainless steel things similar to the sink but a bit smaller with lots of small holes which was sitting inside the sink and they were washing fish inside it, they could remove it easily from the sink and empty it inside the bin, they had to make something like this as the sink was getting blocked always. Maybe they can make something for me also. I have to check their prices…
TonyT
After doing some searching, my guess is that if you a stainless steel version of this Akro-Mills part cabinet, you’ll have to get a custom unit done – and it will be VERY expensive.
Altan
Thanks, I know, CNC machined loool
TonyT
Or stainless steel sheet metal + machined stainless steel, which is still very expensive….
fred
Looks like one of those items when adding it to your shopping list and waiting on a 25% off promo at Zoro might be good. Lately the 25% off deals have had minimum purchase requirement like $300 or more – and are one-time use tied to your email – but it might be good to get on their email list.
Travis
The last shop I worked at had one of these on the workbenches next to each engine lathe-filled with cutting tools and carbide inserts. I grew to like them after using in that rough use application, and now have several in my own home machine shop.
The plastic akro organizers are nice, and I really like them for lightweight applications like electronic components.
That said, the metal framed organizers are the next best thing to a lista drawer or Lyon drawer bins, and have the advantage of the drawers themselves not rusting.
fred
We had Lista cabinets, worktops and storage in one shop – but still had and liked some smaller parts cabinets (like Huot for drill bits, reamers taps etc.) We also liked Rotabins for larger parts or items we used in bulk.
Matias
I agree, I’ve been using these for the last 20 years at my job. I use them on a daily basis and they still work and look like new. I have about 15 different styles to hold all kinds of electronic parts and hardware.
JeffD
I have 2 of the larger version on the back bench. They are labeled with all the most used fasteners and other little bits that need drawers. One of the better buys for the shop.
https://imgur.com/kEVfMYW
Kilroy
Nice shop! Wish mine were that organized and uncluttered. Looks like you have some decent options for different levels of artificial light in there as well.
Matt F
In a similar format, but all metal are these from Durham. I have some older ones that are good. These run a bit over $100 though. I like the plain styling of these.
https://www.durhammfg.com/product-category/industrial-storage/drawer-cabinets/
I am particularly fond of their parts drawers.
https://www.durhammfg.com/product-category/industrial-storage/compartment-boxes-and-racks/
Stuart
I like Durham products too, and I’ve tried to buy more over the years, but they almost always get damaged, twisted, or warped during transit. It’s gotten ridiculous. I tried to buy more drawer cabinets a few years ago, and then again in the past couple of months, and the results were the same.
I have only had two experiences buying these Akro-Mils bin cabinets, one at my previous lab and one at home, and they arrived in perfect conditions both times.
I don’t blame Durham for shipping damage, but my experiences have been frustrating to where I’m hesitant to even mention the brand..
MattF
Yeah, it seems a large portion of bad reviews on Amazon are shipping related. Seems to be a big enough problem that Durham should do something about it.
I’ve only bought parts drawer/racks in the past couple years and haven’t had issues luckily.
fred
I’m not sure from whom we bought our last batch of Durham Rotabins from (might have been Grainger) – now probably 20 years ago I don’t recall a damage issue – but that was then and this is now.
evadman
Same issue. I have bought about 20 durham parts organizers, and roughly half have been damaged in transit in some way. Doesn’t matter where I order them from. I have returned a bunch, but that got old, so I started welding them or throwing them in a brake to bend them back.
I even contacted Durham directly, because 2 were in perfect boxes when I got them, but they were damaged inside the shipping box. one was bent to hell (and had obviously been put in the box damaged by durham) and the other had a cracked plastic insert. In both, durham said ‘they are not responsible, return it to place of purchase’.
It sure looks like they have no intention of protecting their stuff when they ship it. It’s really sad, because I like their storage stuff. As near as I can tell, they are just a company that doesn’t care if they annoy the people that buy their stuff. 🙁