The best way to work it out is to think of it in terms of 'systainer units'. A 'systainer unit' is the height of a sys1. All the other sizes are multiples of this height:
Sys1 = 1 unit
Sys2 = 1.5 units
Sys3 = 2 units
Sys4 = 3 units
Sys5 = 4 units
So, 2x sys2 (2x 1.5 units) = 3 units = same size as a sys4.
3x sys1 (3x 1 unit) = 3 units = also same size as sys4, etc.
NOW - the only problem with that system is that it doesn't take into account the heights of the shelf that each systainer sits on!!! This will completely screw up the numbers; the degree to which it will do so will depend entirely on the size of your shelves.
For example; if you build your unit to a height to accommodate 4x sys3s (8 units), it will be 8 units high PLUS the height of the three dividing shelves. If you then put 2x sys5s in next to it (also 8 units) it won't be as high because you've only got one dividing shelf, and you'll have a gap at the top equivalent to 2 shelf heights, which is wasted space.
I hope all this makes sense so far!
The solution therefore, is to make the unit with the same number of shelves in each section (but in different positions). For example, this unit:
[attachimg=1]
was designed to have 3 shelves in each section. In the left section there is, from the bottom, one sys4 (3 units), 2x sys1s (which makes a sys3, therefore 2 units), 2 more sys1s together again (2 units), and lastly a sys2 at the top (1.5 units). That makes a total of 3+2+2+1.5 = 8.5 units.
In the next section there is a sys5 (4 units), a sys1 (1 unit), a sys2 (1.5 units), and a sys3 (2 units). Again, 4+1+1.5+2 = 8.5 units!
So any combination of 4 systainers that equals a total of 8.5 units will fill that unit, with no wasted space!!!
You still with me?
In summary then, make the unit to accommodate a fixed number of systainer units on a fixed number of shelves. What those numbers will be will depend on what sort of height you want the unit, and what systainers you have and/or are likely to get in the future.
Of course, the other (non-OCD) option would be to just make the unit whatever height you like, put in whatever shelves you like, and just live with the resultant gaps at the top... [big grin]
