Another DIY SYSPORT with some variations

[Dan Pfeiffer]

Here is yet another DIY Sysport.  I considered using the SYS-AZ drawers but at $40 ea they are still quite pricey to me. The carcass is 3/4" ply.  I made drawers using ball bearing slides with 1" over-travel (that's important).  The drawers bottoms are masonite on aluminum angle that's fastened to the slides.  There is a wood strips at each end to tie it together and hold the sytainer in place.  Pretty simple and only adds about 1/4" to height of systainer. I tightened up the clearances to save some space and loaded the systainers sideways. Case is about 1" taller and 1-1/4" deeper than sysport, width is 16" less than 3 sysports together.  I can fit one more SYS-1 than the sysport. 

I mounted the DIY Sysport on a wire cart/shelf from Costco.  Loading the systainers sideways meant I could get three columns rather than two in the space on the shelf.  It also meant less wasted space since less slide travel was needed to get clearance to open the top.  There is lots of additional room on the cart for supplies and things that don't fit in systainers (like the parallel guides).  I can hang hoses and guide rails on the ends.  The wire cart can hold about 800 lbs. 

Here is the cost breakdown:

(16) drawer slide pairs    = $ 95
(1) 4x8'ply, 3/4"            = $ 45
(2) 4x8 masonite sheets = $ 20
(6) AL angle, #6 screws  = $ 70
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        Materials Total      = $230
wire shelf/cart            = +$90
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        Total with cart    = $320

(3) Festool Sysports  =$1,950

Parts for drawers works out to about $11/ea including the slides.  I actually made the carcass from remnants and had the masonite already so the only stuff I bought for this project was the slides and hardware so I spent about $150.  I got the aluminum angle at Home Depot for 9.96/ea for 8 foot stock.  McMaster has it for 6.21 but shipping about doubles that.  Online metals has it for 8.88 and shipping again makes it more than at Home Depot.  I dadoed and glued the carcass with epoxy.  It is very stiff without a back but I will add one from masonite to help with dust. 

The slides are 70 lb capacity for a pair.  The seem more than adequate to the task.  For a little more I could get 100 lb slide but they are taller and I don't see the need.  Might be a little stiffer but that's not a problem.

I will add some labels on the ends so I know what's where. 

Dan Pfeiffer

 

[mike_aa]

Hey Dan, that is really slick!  Completely different idea.  I like the idea of using the shelving unit to add extra storage.  With the sideways position for the systainers is there enough room to have two open next to each other?

Thanks, Mike A.

 

[johnleve]

Using the aluminium L was a slick idea, wish I had thought of it when I built mine.  Fully loaded mine weigh a tad more than I would like and don't quite move as well as I had planned, I think this would have cut down on the weight quite a bit.

 

[hopper]

Dan, you had a number of great ideas :the aluminum angle, mounting systainers sideways and the Costco cart.
What bolts/screws did you use to mount the slides to the aluminum angle? 

 

[wow]

Very slick, Dan! I like the aluminum angle idea as well.

What size angle did you use? I"m guessing 1" x maybe 1/8"?

 

[Dan Pfeiffer]

Thanks for the comments.  Here are some answers to questions.

Mike A, yes there is room to open two systainers next to each other.  I had not thought of that when I layed it all out but it does work.  Also I have this all loaded up along side other shelf/carts on one side of my shop.  I have 4 of them in the space for 5.  So I move them side-to-side to get access between.  Another reason for the sideways loading. 

Hopper and wow,  here are some more details that I should have included from the start...

The angle is 3/4 x 3/4 and .050 (1/20) thick (McMaster has 1/16).  I tested on a mockup and decided it didn't need the 1/8 thick for strength.  And the .050 is less than half the cost.  The angles are fastened to the slides with (3) #6 1/4" flat heads and nuts (got boxes of 250 in stainless for $10).  The screws are counter sunk into the aluminum angle.  They are quite tiny but I actually had to grind down the end of the screws with my dremel to keep them from snagging in the slides.  Wouldn't need to do that with 1/8 thick angle and maybe not with 1/16.  A pan head 1/4" would not have needed that but I wanted the flush fit of the flat head so there would not be screw heads to grind on the systainer sides.  The wood strips on the ends are from maple or poplar scraps I had and they are fastened with 3/4" flat head wood screws that come up from the bottom through the aluminum angle and the masonite to hold all that together.  They are countersunk as well to prevent snags with my silly tight clearances.  I admit to having an OCD problem with eliminating excess space.  I can't help it.  1" between systainers would not be acceptable.  I set all this for 5mm.  Just enough.  You can leave a sheet of paper or two on top of a systainer but not a pencil. 

The drawer pans are 1/8" masonite but it's the denser and smoother variety.  It's actually called Tempered board and I think I got it at Lowes.  They have a different variety than Home Depot.  It is the same sort of stuff clip boards are made from. I did not put a screw in the middle of the cross span (into the middle of the wood strip) because I figured the load is carried at the edge.  But if the masonite sags I can add those. 

When I was putting it all together I was thinking things were too flimsy.  But once it was all fastened and mounted it was fine.  I plan to add a drawer to the bottom shelf of the cart to hold long things like the parallel guides and some extra long bars I got for the router guide. 

Thanks,

Dan Pfeiffer

 

[hopper]

Dan, thanks for the info. Again, nice job and when I'm ready to build one I will probably "borrow" some of your ideas.
Thanks again.

 

[elfick]

The drawer pans are 1/8" masonite but it's the denser and smoother variety.  It's actually called Tempered board and I think I got it at Lowes.  They have a different variety than Home Depot.  It is the same sort of stuff clip boards are made from. I did not put a screw in the middle of the cross span (into the middle of the wood strip) because I figured the load is carried at the edge.  But if the masonite sags I can add those. 

Other than to keep it square, you shouldn't need a bottom at all. The Festool sysport doesn't have a full bottom on it's drawers.

 

[Dan Pfeiffer]

Other than to keep it square, you shouldn't need a bottom at all. The Festool sysport doesn't have a full bottom on it's drawers.

Yes that's right.  I thought about using wider aluminum angle and just let the systainers sit on those (maybe with pins).  Could add more angle across front and back for a full frame.  But then you need two screws at each corner to keep it from going parallelogram and you got screw heads protruding?  The Masonite seemed simpler to make (and cheap at $10 for a 4x8 sheet).  And I can drop something besides a systainer on the drawer.

Dan Pfeiffer