Interlocking Storage Divider Strips

glenn bradley

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I have reached that brief but joyful place where I have drawers that have little to nothing in them. They are this way since I cannot decide exactly what I am going to use them for. To avoid 'analysis unto paralysis' syndrome, I needed an easy, temporary method of trying things out. I salvaged the ply back off of a really old bookcase. It has been laying around waiting to be useful.

I ripped the skinny 3/16" ply onto 1" strips.

Interlock Storage Strips (1).jpg

I add a sacrificial fence to the sled . . . yes I have an i-Box but, this sort of thing is outside its design parameters. No matter, this method is quick and reliable.

Interlock Storage Strips (2).jpg

Set the blade to a smidge over half an inch in height and make a cut in the sac-fence. Slide the sac-fence over the amount you want between slots, clamp it down and add a "key". In this case I am using a setup bar from Lee Valley but any piece of scrap will do.

Interlock Storage Strips (3).jpg . Interlock Storage Strips (4).jpg

I am going to do about 4 at a time so I even up the ends and tape them into a bundle. I make the first cut about 1/4" from the end. Then I slide over enough to widen the slot to fit the stock; this becomes my initial reference slot.

Interlock Storage Strips (5).jpg . Interlock Storage Strips (6).jpg . Interlock Storage Strips (7).jpg

Place the initial slot over the key and reference the right side of the key (viewed from the operator's position), make a cut, slide the bundle over a smidge to reference the left side of the key and complete the slot.

Interlock Storage Strips (9).jpg

Do this till you run out of material and you get these.

Interlock Storage Strips (10).jpg

Now you can cut them to whatever length you need and move things around, changing easily till things stay put for awhile . . . "awhile" is however long it takes you to decide that the organizer's compartments are the right shape and so forth.

Interlock Storage Strips (11).jpg

Once you are sure you are happy, you can make a permanent organizer or just use the temporary ones if they are stout enough for the job. If the temp strips are going to stay I cut out a piece of shelf liner, double tape it to the drawer bottom and drop the organizer back in. If I decide I want to reorganize I just reuse or toss the strips since the material was free and I made a bunch of them in just a few minutes.
 
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good use of scrap, and a neat way to reconfigure to decide what works best.. i got to many empty drawers and am looking forward tot he time when i can do what you are doing organize them into usefull storage.. you could grab dad and hop a plane and come over here to help me out glenn.. we got room for you two:)
 
good use of scrap, and a neat way to reconfigure to decide what works best.. i got to many empty drawers and am looking forward tot he time when i can do what you are doing organize them into usefull storage.. you could grab dad and hop a plane and come over here to help me out glenn.. we got room for you two:)

That sounds great Larry. Dad and I will be right out . . . oh, wait a minute . . .

delton weather.JPG

Hmmm, maybe in the summer :rofl:
 
Thanks for the tutorial, Glenn! I've made a variety of drawer dividers over the years, but your approach makes it much simpler to decide on dimensions before committing to final configuration. :thumb:
 
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