Seeking ideas... hardware for hanging files

I've got a commission to build some cabinets for our church. These are to be open topped cabinets that hold hanging files. (this will serve as the mailboxes)

I've got a design more-or-less worked out for the cabinets, but I'm not sure about how to hang the files.



I was thinking of just using some aluminum bar stock screwed to some cleats that hold it out from the side of the cabinet. Well I priced that out tonight at HD and it is $11 for a 3/4"x48" piece of bar stock. At 2 per cabinet times 4 cabinets we're looking at $100 in aluminum.

Anyone got any suggestions of other solutions that might work here?

It's got to be some sort of metal -- I've got a small file at home with wooden slides for the hanging files and it does not work well at all.

Do the files have to go length wise? Can you do two rows side by side, so that one can stand it front of them and see the tabs easily?

On my wife's desk, I used some 1/8" X 3/4" aluminum and just cut a slot on the ends of the drawer for it to set into. I did epoxy the ends in.

I've used 1/2" aluminum angle for that application. One side fits on the 1/2" drawer side with the other side toward the inside of the drawer. The cost is less than $7 for an 8' stick.

Bill Arnold said:

I've used 1/2" aluminum angle for that application. One side fits on the 1/2" drawer side with the other side toward the inside of the drawer. The cost is less than $7 for an 8' stick.

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Bingo, Bill... I got the same suggestion on another forum, and some googling led me to https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/ which has a store right here in London (conveniently located near the Lee Valley store that I'll be visiting this weekend ) and the price works out to about $34 for 8 pcs of 48" 1/2" al angle!

I have used steel rod, 1/8 x 1/2, from Home Depot. Cut the 1/8 inch groove (a saw kerf) about 1/4 inch deep, 1/8 inch wood between the rail and the inside of the drawer. The inside of the drawer should be 11 15/16 to 12 inches wide, and the sides 9 1/2 inches above the top of the drawer bottom (so probably about 10 1/4 high overall) and 9 3/4 from the drawer bottom to the top of the rail. For the drawer opening, allow about 2 inches above the rail for tabs and bulging folders.

I got some 1/16" thick aluminum rails from a drawer vendor, which were okay but had a problem cutting a groove only 1/16 wide.