Detailing cabinet

Chris Hatfield

Former Member (by the member's request)
Messages
380
One of the first things in my shop remodel I need to do is to remove my tall detailing cabinet from the floor. It's something I re-purposed from in my house, and it's only being used because I needed something.

A fairly good idea of what I'm referring to:


What will be stored inside of it is my RO detail machine (think of an angle grinder), the pads for it (what is currently inside of that orange toolbox), various bottles of not too big of a size, and those spray containers. Spray containers may hang off of a bar below the cabinet, depending on how much I need to fit in there.

For my design, I'm thinking of a side opening clamshell cabinet. Shelves deep enough on both sides to hold a single row of containers, about as big as a standard spray bottle. I don't want to store a ton in there, and my big containers of product are going to be kept inside so they aren't ruined when they freeze.

Two questions - one is a recommendation on which hinges to use. I want ones that will allow the cabinet to open 180 degrees flat against the wall, and won't blink at the weight I'm putting in there (30lbs tops on the hinged section).

The other is if there's anything I can line the inside with to get an insulating factor of about 10 degrees. If I can keep things from freezing inside the cabinet in most winters, I'd be happy. I figure even if it gets down to 15 outside, if I can get a 10 degree cushion inside the cabinet itself, I'll be okay.
 
...For my design, I'm thinking of a side opening clamshell cabinet. Shelves deep enough on both sides to hold a single row of containers, about as big as a standard spray bottle...

I can't quite visualize what you mean by 'clamshell.' Can you explain a bit further?


...Two questions - one is a recommendation on which hinges to use. I want ones that will allow the cabinet to open 180 degrees flat against the wall, and won't blink at the weight I'm putting in there (30lbs tops on the hinged section).

Depending on the height of the door, two, three, or four of nearly any 180° cabinet hinge will work. Three will likely work for any door less than 18 inches wide, and maybe 4~5 feet high.

...The other is if there's anything I can line the inside with to get an insulating factor of about 10 degrees. If I can keep things from freezing inside the cabinet in most winters, I'd be happy. I figure even if it gets down to 15 outside, if I can get a 10 degree cushion inside the cabinet itself, I'll be okay.

Maybe line it with 1" thick foil-faced foam? You could also put a porcelain socket and a small light bulb near the bottom of the cabinet. The heat from even a small bulb - like a 25 or a 40 watt - would keep your insulated cabinet nice and warm.
 
What I mean by that is, let's say the cabinet is 16" deep. Instead of a door on the front and a set of 16" deep shelves, the front of the cabinet opens and you have 8" deep shelves on either side of the hinges. Basically two cabinets hinged together.

If I make the shelves where my product is only 1 container deep, everything is in easy reach.

I'll have to find a different solution in the short-term aside from the bulb, as a permanent power supply out there is a good 2-3 years away, if ever. I'd rather take my kids to Disney.
 
What I mean by that is, let's say the cabinet is 16" deep. Instead of a door on the front and a set of 16" deep shelves, the front of the cabinet opens and you have 8" deep shelves on either side of the hinges. Basically two cabinets hinged together.

If I make the shelves where my product is only 1 container deep, everything is in easy reach.

I'll have to find a different solution in the short-term aside from the bulb, as a permanent power supply out there is a good 2-3 years away, if ever. I'd rather take my kids to Disney.

Yeah, as Bob said, perhaps a piano hinge, although three 3" 'butt' hinges would probably be sufficient. If you're ordering online, Woodworkers Hardware Has pretty good prices on piano hinge - and probably the butt hinges, too.
 
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