Old Makers Tipps 1: Stuck Parts Drawers

I'm an old Maker. I collect and reuse all kinds of parts from gear i scrap. I keep those parts sorted in storage cabinets. This, for example, are my M4 nuts and bolts. Over the years the drawer has almost filled up. As you might have experienced, full drawers tend to get stuck in the cabinet. That's annoying.

Step 1: Solution: Make a Lid!

Take a piece of scrap carton and mark off the inner width of the drawer. The carton I use is white and about 0.7 mm thick. It has to be stiff and smooth. Otherwise, just take what you have at hand.

Step 2: Draw Your Lid

Mark off a strip of the carton at least as long as the depth of the drawer, plus its inner height. Mark the back of the Drawer.

Important: Add some five millimeters (a quarter inch) to the front of the lid!

Draw an extension at the back side. Let the countour come in at an angle, to fit the conical shape of the drawer.

Step 3: Crease the Lid!

Using anything with a not too sharp tip, crease the folding line to keep the carton from breaking. I once made a creasing tool for my papercraft hobby, from a thick darning needle and an old pencil, wrapped in yarn and glue. But a ball point pen also works.

Step 4: Cut Out Your New Lid.

After cutting the strip, mark and cut the lid's back to the right height.

Step 5: Almost Done …

Fold and insert it into the parts drawer. This should be no problem even if the drawer is full. The content of the drawer keeps the lid in place. If the dimensions are right, the lid will keep the content from blocking the drawer.

Step 6: Done!

The lid must protrude slightly! If it does not, it itself will block the drawer!

Step 7: What’s Next?

This is my first instructable. More are to follow.