Some Lista Cabinet Surgery

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I picked up two old-and-damaged Lista cabinets.  One is from 1985, and the other is considerably older, I'm told.  (The older one was built like a tank, by the way.)  Both were shorter than what you usually see, which is 60" or so.  These were 40", and one had a gap where an incorrect drawer had been substituted in at some point in its past.But I saw where they'd be a useful replacement for my Craftsman stack of toolboxes.  The Craftsman was fine, but it was very shallow compared to the Listas.  And since I didn't roll it around, there was no advantage to it being smaller and lighter.Here's the old one, tucked into its corner:And here are the new ones, adding about 800 pounds to my old Jeep's rolling weight.Clearly, they'd led a long and useful life so far:But the storage increase was going to be substantial, if I could get them to fit in my little garage:Part of the fitting was cutting an inch off of both ends of my oak bench:The plan was to take a 6-drawer and a 11-drawer and combine them into one 15-drawer unit.  To do that, I was going to have to cut a section out of each bench.A circular saw with a metal-cutting blade made some pretty clean cuts:Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:One of these things weighed 350 pounds.  The other weighed 480.  Even without their drawers, they were tricky to move around.  I discovered one more use for my floor lift.Testing the configuration:The reason I left the top of the lower cabinet in place was that I knew they were going to open out to the edge of my fabrication table, and I wanted to work it so that one drawer opened above, and the next one down opened below it.  Like this:The top of the older unit had taken a hard hit at some point in its past.  I used a couple of C-clamps and the 10-gauge base piece from the same lift as a straight edge to compress things back to normal:I also cut out the plywood back to the studs so I could set the thing as far back as possible.  That meant drilling some holes so my air line could run behind the box without getting pinched.No pictures of the welding itself.  But I filled the holes where the useless lock cylinders used to be.  Then I painted it to match the neighboring cabinets.  But here you can see the way it sits back right in the plywood:I also bolted it to the stud in the wall, so that it won't ever tip forward if multiple drawers get opened.It wasn't too long ago that I built that bench by cutting up a 60"-tall Equipto cabinet.  My old bench didn't have a place to sit.  Now, with the deeper cabinets, I've got a 271% increase in storage space.The old:The new:Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:One last picture, back from a distance. Now I'm stuck waiting with it empty while the drawer liner material makes its way from Kentucky.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:As always Jack, top notch work. Those Listas look a bit like Craftsman Vidmars.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Hello Duane, from what I know(certainly not enough), the LIstas, Stanleys, and Vidmars are or have been one in the same at some point in time for quite some time. I don't know who currently is the major holder of their designs/products/production, but we have some of the Listas from about 5 or so years back and lately I have seen a number advertised in various venues as being Stanley/Vidmar. Plain and simple, they are some quality cabinets and will last a really long time. Regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Nice work there Jack!Now about Lista..Made in Holliston Mass.Just up the street where I learned how to tig....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Thanks, guys.I don't know much about the different brands -- other than that the drawer sizes are different and the parts are not interchangeable.  Stanley bought out Vidmar a long while back.  They bought out Lista more recently (like in the last two years).  I don't think they've merged production at all.  Lista is still a Swiss company, but the cabinets are/were made here in the US.  Equipto, Lyon and Rousseau are other brands.  All of them are pretty similar products.  All of them are out of my price range by a lot -- except when I can find a banged up one second-hand.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Not sure why I said Craftsman.  I knew it was Stanley.As for the price range issue Jack, you've got that right.  We outfitted a box van service truck years ago at a previous employer and we're talking serious $$$. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Cool project
Reply:The fact that you calculated the % increase in storage space explains why my garage will never be as awesome as your garage......I dream of that magical garage space......... but yours is my inspiration......Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:you could make a killing designing garages I think! you know how many people go to sears and buy the crap orginizers and what not and spend double for something that doesnt fit their needs! plus being in Cali I bet you could have a nice side business. If you do get into it I demand 5% commish!Really nice work! I think this garage should be a stickie thread!! that way I can find it easier when I need garage ideas!
Reply:Nice work Jack! I hope you were able to find those two cabinets fairly cheap...Reliable Tool out there in L.A. maybe? You've awakened unrequited tool storage lust that I'm never ever going to be able to satiate...darn ya'!Lincoln PrecisionTig 275Miller 251Miller DialArc 250Bridgeport millHossfeld bender & diesLogan shaperJet 14 X 40 latheSouth Bend 9" 'C'Hypertherm 900Ellis 3000 band saw21"Royersford ExcelsiorTwo shops, still too many tools.
Reply:Hey Jack, as always your work is great!!  You need some dirt in there though, its far too clean for my standards!!  Nice work!!  Best  Bob
Reply:Jack, if I get out there I'd love a shop tour! Ill pm you if I'm going to be in the area. I'll bring the beveragesMiller diversion 165Miller mig 211Hypertherm pm 30Milwaukee 6230 14 inch chop sawMd 45 mag drill (RIP; fell on its head)New MD 45! Thanks to the esposa!Finally got an O/A setup
Reply:What a shop jack.  So clean it must be detached and not kid/ wife accessible like mine.  Inspiring.TA Arcmaster 300CM3XMT 304S22P12 suitcase feederX-Treme 12VSOptima pulserTA161SMaxstar 150STLHypertherm PM45OP setupStihl 020AVP, 039, 066 Magnum
Reply:Great work Jack, really nice! I feel like Sanford and Son now! I hate being bi-polar it's awsomeMy Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Reply:Very nice shop! I really like that desk you made. Those old Vidmar/Lista cabinets are a wicked deal for tool storage.Miller millermatic 251Miller aircrafter 330st, wp201961 Lincoln SA200Ellis 1600 bandsawLogan 820 latheSouth Bend 13"Bridgeport M Head
Reply:You have me on Craigslist searching for Lista now.Great work and thanks for sharing.
Reply:Excellent job, can't believe you would dare make a mess in your shop, way to clean.Here at work we have lots of Lista cabinets, had to replace some as guys will defeat the locking mechanism and then you end up with cabinets tipping over when too many drawers are opened, which of course does not go over well with saftey.But they are pricey.
Reply:Simply beautiful. Great job.
Reply:Awesome!  That is an amazing transformation.  Looks very good in your shop.
Reply:Jack you are only person I know of that can add stuff to your garage and it still is shinny clean.....
Reply:Thanks guys.  I'll agree that it's kind of unnatural how clean it is.  But if I'm going to take a picture I want it to look its best -- so usually everything gets picked up.  When it's not being photographed, there are usually a couple of projects spread out.   But the thing I like about what I've done here is how quickly it can go back to clean.  By chance, I snapped a picture before and after I cleaned it up after this project.  It shows that the place goes from messy to clean in an hour.Of course, the advantage of only being a hobbyist and having such a small place is that there's not a lot of work lying everywhere and there's a very limited amount of real estate for it to fill when it does get messy.  You make the most of your own circumstances, right?  My office where I do my day job is very much in the Sanford & Son tradition.And yes WyoRoy, they came from Reliable.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Pic's snapped @ 11:11, and 12:12... You are truly a nut, Jack.Nice work.
Reply:That's not messy !!.... The addition is excellent..very nicely done !!Lincoln pro mig 180Lincoln Square Wave Tig 300/wp 20/home built water cooler Victor, Purox, Harris, O/A welding/cutting setupsVintage Craftsman drill pressVintage Craftsman/Atlas 12"x 36'' lathe7''x 12'' w/c band saw Everlast 140 stAs always Jack your projects are well thought out and well executed.Hmm thought just struck me that you must have run out of green paint, even your Metabo's are green,or you green paint supplier must have gone out of business. Is that why you switched to red?I do very much like the way you changed your (now) desk work area.I have an old two level roll around (35 years plus in age) that I want to replace with more storage. You have inspired me to look at the used market for some Lista cabinets.Keep the pics coming. Always enjoy seeing your shop and your work!!Glenn.Sign on East Texas payphone: Calls to God 40 cents......it's a local call...