# Recommended storage for gear in your home



## ahsanford (Jun 1, 2014)

All,

I'm at the point where I can't get all my gear into my biggest bag any longer, I'm always playing the 'bag game' before each shoot. This entails shuffling my gear amongst my various bags until I have what I need in one bag and then I'm off. Further, everything is tucked away super efficiently, but that's a pain to move from one bag to the next.

So rather than buying a bigger bag, I thought I'd get a large storage solution for my home.

I am looking for a home storage solution that:

Will sit in a dedicated place in my office as if it were a piece of furniture or office storage.
Requires no major unstacking, lifting out of dividers, deconstruction, etc. to get gear out. My office is fairly crowded and I don't want to unstack a few tubs or cases to get at a particular piece of gear.
Note: this storage solution will never been in sunny, rainy, dusty or humid environments -- it will 100% of the time be indoors.

I'm basically looking for a large tool box for camera gear. I have in my mind something not unlike a Craftsman tool chest that has numerous drawers to slide out and access various lenses, accessories, etc.

Pelican immediately came to mind, but I'm generally seeing 'tackle boxes'/foot-locker designs and not a quick-access set of drawers like in an office filing cabinet. 

Have any recommendations that might fit the bill?

Thanks,
A


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## Vivid Color (Jun 2, 2014)

Could you post a photo of your office and the location in which this cabinet would sit? I have some ideas, but it would be helpful to know what the room looks like.


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

Vivid Color said:


> Could you post a photo of your office and the location in which this cabinet would sit? I have some ideas, but it would be helpful to know what the room looks like.



The office isn't tidy enough to show what I'd like to do. Let's just assume the following:


It should be no wider (left to right when facing it) than 36" / 1m
It should be no deeper (front to back when facing it) than 24" / 60 cm
Height-wise, I'm not terribly particular.
I'd rather pull drawers out or open a front-facing door than lift back / lift off a lid to this.
I would prefer multiple levels / shelves / drawers to sort lenses from bodies from tripod gear from accessories. The big Pelican 'huge-coffin-of-stuff' approach is not what I am looking for.

I'm seeing that some folks retrofit general purpose cabinets or tool boxes for this purpose. That's a do-able project provided the racks/shelves are sized appropriately to allow for third-party foam dividers and such.

I'm also seeing specialized dry cases that look like electronic wine cabinets for humidity / temperature control (obviously set for different settings with electronic cargo!), but these seem a bit overkill for my need.

I'm really looking for the middle option between the stripped down tool cabinet (that I must put time into customizing) and an overkill vault for lenses. What's are my options?

Thanks,
A


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## Vivid Color (Jun 2, 2014)

Thank you for sending me the dimensions – it's very helpful. I'm thinking you could get a pre-finished, ready to install base kitchen cabinet about 36 inches wide, some sort of countertop for it, and a matching wall unit to install above the base cabinet. If you can, get one that runs to the ceiling as it gives you extra storage. This combination would give you a lot of storage and allow you to have a working surface across the base cabinet to set your camera bag on when you're loading it. Depending on how much money you want to spend, you could either get the base cabinet with just shelves or with pullout shelves. I have full extension pullout shelves in my kitchen and I think they are really worth the extra money. Home Depot and Lowe's would have such things. IKEA might have them too. You could also get but tall pantry unit but they are generally narrower and you wouldn't have a work surface. Hope this helps.


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## rexbot (Jun 2, 2014)

These cabinets are very sturdy, and you can configure them in lots of ways - including a choice of pull-out drawers or doors. They seem to fit your dimensions well and you can add to them over time. They aren't cheap though...

http://www.can-am.ca/


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## wickidwombat (Jun 2, 2014)

I'd go with something like this

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wonderful-AD-050C-Glass-Door-Dry-Cabinet-Camera-Lens-Electronic-Dehumidify-50L/321320638883?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222006%26algo%3DSIC.FITP%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3D7323742868183444362%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140107090050%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D221243809355


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## RustyTheGeek (Jun 2, 2014)

Vivid Color said:


> Thank you for sending me the dimensions – it's very helpful. I'm thinking you could get a pre-finished, ready to install base kitchen cabinet about 36 inches wide, some sort of countertop for it, and a matching wall unit to install above the base cabinet. If you can, get one that runs to the ceiling as it gives you extra storage. This combination would give you a lot of storage and allow you to have a working surface across the base cabinet to set your camera bag on when you're loading it. Depending on how much money you want to spend, you could either get the base cabinet with just shelves or with pullout shelves. I have full extension pullout shelves in my kitchen and I think they are really worth the extra money. Home Depot and Lowe's would have such things. IKEA might have them too. You could also get but tall pantry unit but they are generally narrower and you wouldn't have a work surface. Hope this helps.



I was thinking the exact same thing. And you can special order larger/deeper ones if you like. Perhaps upgrade the drawer slides to ball bearing (like the better tool chests) for better weight support and smoother operation.

Another thing to consider would be a large safe. MUCH more expensive but it would mean everything is protected from fire and theft. And a safe is multi-purpose for security. You could still do the drawers inside part of the safe if you like.

I purchased one from STURDY SAFE. I got a mid-size model with fire proofing. I use it for all kinds of stuff - guns, important documents, some precious metal/coins, silverware and some camera equipment. I also had them drill a 3/8" hole in the lower side that matches up with a wire box in the wall where I ran power and ethernet network cable inside so I could have a light and a fire protected network backup drive inside. http://www.sturdysafe.com/

Rusty


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## RustyTheGeek (Jun 2, 2014)

wickidwombat said:


> I'd go with something like this
> 
> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Wonderful-AD-050C-Glass-Door-Dry-Cabinet-Camera-Lens-Electronic-Dehumidify-50L/321320638883?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222006%26algo%3DSIC.FITP%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140107090050%26meid%3D7323742868183444362%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D20140107090050%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D221243809355



Wow! That thing is pretty neat! Too bad it's so small.

It does bring up a good point however, humidity. Once you put anything into a sealed or semi-sealed container, you need to make sure humidity doesn't form. They have desiccant packs you can install or humidity rods that are electric. In general, the primary way to prevent humidity is to maintain a slightly higher temp inside the given container than the outside air.

Rusty


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 2, 2014)

If you want secure storage, Knaack makes heavy duty steel storage. They tend to be larger than your space, and they are expensive.

http://www.knaack.com/jobsite_storage_equipment/index.php


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## wickidwombat (Jun 2, 2014)

RustyTheGeek said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > I'd go with something like this
> ...



you can get bigger ones this was just an example


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## Synkka (Jun 2, 2014)

http://www.drycabinet.com.au/ I am sure these can be picked up globally, then your gear is also safe for long term storage.


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## sagittariansrock (Jun 2, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> All,
> 
> I'm at the point where I can't get all my gear into my biggest bag any longer, I'm always playing the 'bag game' before each shoot. This entails shuffling my gear amongst my various bags until I have what I need in one bag and then I'm off. Further, everything is tucked away super efficiently, but that's a pain to move from one bag to the next.
> 
> ...




You want something more fancy than the department store plastic chest of drawers with casters?
If not, they work pretty nicely.
http://www.b2bget.com/Rubbermaid-3-Drawer-Tower.htm


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## eos650 (Jun 2, 2014)

I use a Bighorn Classic 36 ECB Safe (Link below). Not only does it give me 45 minutes of fire protection, it also protects against casual or opportunistic theft. This safe fits in the dimensions that you gave above 36" wide, 24" deep and you weren't too particular about the height, but this runs 71" tall.

I took out the bottom gun shelves and made a couple of new shelves out of melamine from Home Depot. I also bought a couple of divider bags (Vanguard Divider Bag 53), to organize my equipment on the shelves. I added rope lighting around the inside of the door and a pressure switch on the door, so the lights come on automatically when the door is opened. I also have a small dehumidifier rod in the bottom of the safe and have a small file server inside at the bottom that I back up my images to.

http://www.rhinosafe.com/Images/Safes/Bighorn%2036ECB.pdf

I got this safe for about $1000 from Costco, on sale.

I have attached a picture from when I first set up the safe. I have since straightened the 2nd shelf and the safe is a bit fuller now


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

Fantastic options, everyone. Wow. I've got some reading to do...

Thank you!
- A


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## dlleno (Jun 2, 2014)

Something else to consider. Tenba 48 inch airline compatible case. Between this and the lowepo Trekker I can store ship or carry everything including a light stand, umbrellas etc.


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

Thinking about this a little more last night, I remember another important requirement: I need the top of this storage solution to have a work surface at an appropriate height. I'd use this for:


Loading and unloading bags.
Changing camera straps out from a standard eyelet design to my BlackRapid.
Servicing / maintaining my gear (cleaning filters, air blowing, etc.)
(Possibly) Charging batteries.

...and I'm sure I could think of other reasons.

I'm also shooting down anything with a window that looks inside. It should looking like a tool chest, filing cabinet or standard piece of furniture if possible. Break-ins happen in Los Angeles (thought rarely in my neighborhood), so I'd like the solution to not give a hard tell that thousands of dollars of gear is inside.

I'm shying away from clothing bureaus/dressers/chest of drawers as their ~ 8" drawer height is wasteful for camera gear, which rarely gets above 4" tall when laid down. 

So I'm focusing on tool storage with a working benchtop, something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-37-in-W-5-Drawer-Mobile-Workbench-HMT-305MWB/204184585#specifications

I can't see the drawer height anywhere, but I'm estimating that the main drawers are a more packing-efficient 5-6" tall. Further, tool cabinet drawers nearly fully extend, which is a luxury I may not get with an office filing cabinet or clothing furniture.

Using a local big box store is also nice as I can test fit some of my gear before I make the purchase. I may find some non-dimensional considerations -- rattling drawers, interrupted compartment space for the lock or casters, oily bearings, easy access for dust, etc. -- that might make this idea not work.

So my mind isn't made up. I'll check back on this thread as the week progresses and possibly pull the trigger this weekend. 

- A


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## ScubaX (Jun 2, 2014)

With a tool box you may also invite thieves to take a look inside - but then they will look in any place you may hide something from their scummy little hands. Tool boxes are also rough and have oily bearings for the drawers.

You might take a look at garage storage, both Sears and Home Depot have some nice cabinets for the garage that are modular with some that have work surfaces. When needed you could add an upper cabinet for expansion. They are also lockable but not secure like a safe or even a gun cabinet. 

My system is a Winchester safe that I picked up at Costco for $300. It's 7 cu ft and is 20"x20"x30" high. I use it as a night stand, its bolted to the floor and is fire rated for 45 minutes. My camera and lenses fit inside nicely on the padded shelves along with my backup drives, guns, ammo etc. I then have four backpacks, one is a cheap one from Amazon that I keep my Lee filters and holders in and store in a closet with tripods and bags. The other three bags are loaded as needed for day shoots, weekends or a long trip. The top of the safe could be a work surface or battery charge station, or even a night stand


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

Also, someone linked me this:
http://www.stanleyvidmar.com/

This looks like industrial scale shelving built for manufacturing purposes. Of their pre-configured ones here:
http://www.stanleyvidmar.com/products/cabinets/preconfigured-cabinets/standard-bench-height-model-175

I flagged a smaller one, the five drawer SCU1023AL as a potential candidate. Seems mechanically overkill for my need so I am bracing for a comically expensive quote.

So many options -- who knew?!

- A


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## Halfrack (Jun 2, 2014)

Unless a safe is 'Data Rated' the interior is designed to go up to 400 degrees which renders all electronics melted. Data rated safes are required to keep the internals no hotter than 120 degrees.

I've got a printer on one of these, gives lots of short drawers, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/business/10711/ I've also got an older Ikea drawer setup that gives me 8 additional boxy drawers that seems to fit just about everything other than a great white prime.


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## ScubaX (Jun 2, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> Also, someone linked me this:
> http://www.stanleyvidmar.com/
> 
> This looks like industrial scale shelving built for manufacturing purposes. Of their pre-configured ones here:
> ...



SCU1023AL = $1550 at http://www.drillspot.com/products/318064/Stanley_Vidmar_SCU1023AL_Stand_Alone_Workbench_Cabinet


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

Halfrack said:


> Unless a safe is 'Data Rated' the interior is designed to go up to 400 degrees which renders all electronics melted. Data rated safes are required to keep the internals no hotter than 120 degrees.
> 
> I've got a printer on one of these, gives lots of short drawers, http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/business/10711/ I've also got an older Ikea drawer setup that gives me 8 additional boxy drawers that seems to fit just about everything other than a great white prime.


I spotted that one, but (a) it's a little small for me and (b) "Drawer stops prevent the drawer from being pulled out too far" = less easy access to all of the available storage space. But you can't beat that IKEA price.

I'd like something like maybe 25% bigger with enough support to allow fully openable drawers -- then I might consider this.

- A


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

ScubaX said:


> ahsanford said:
> 
> 
> > Also, someone linked me this:
> ...


Pass (not surprised at all). I'd rather spend $250 on this and buy another L lens.

- A


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## ScubaX (Jun 2, 2014)

How about this idea:

















http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/22-pentax-camera-field-accessories/253161-camera-gear-storage-cabinet.html


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## ahsanford (Jun 2, 2014)

ScubaX said:


> How about this idea:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Brilliantly hidden, but unnecessarily inefficient for space and one step too many (those outside doors) to get at the gear. I think I'm really fixated on a multi-drawer filing cabinet or tool box.

I will forward that to a friend, though -- he's been meaning to do just what you've shown.

- A


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## ahsanford (Jun 3, 2014)

An update on my hunt. Looking for 4-6" drawer depth was leading me down a custom industrial cabinet pathway, which is the road to financial ruin. 

Then I had an epiphany. CD and DVD storage cabinets would be perfect (provided they hit my other specs, have pull-out drawers, etc.).

This led to some very nice (but admittedly expensive) options:

Thanks to Rexbot, I found this: http://www.can-am.ca/CD-storage-DVD-storage.htm
(4-drawer is about the right height)

And a slightly smaller footprint for a lot less I found this: http://thevideostoreshopper.com/THE%20ULTIMATE%20STORAGE%20CABINET%20-%202%20DRAWER%20STORAGE%20CABINET
(I would stack up two of these, they can be bolted together)

Comparing $249 for a husky tool cabinet to the second option above (at $500) are the price points and proximity to ideal specs that I am looking for. I am getting closer to making a decision...

- A


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## ahsanford (Jun 4, 2014)

I ended up going with two of these:
http://thevideostoreshopper.com/THE%20ULTIMATE%20STORAGE%20CABINET%20-%202%20DRAWER%20STORAGE%20CABINET

So it's foam time now!

I'm of two minds with this, and I'd like everyone's thoughts:

1) I love camera bags' modular divider systems as I can rearrange things easily. Foaming and velcro-ing four 34" x 20" trays will take serious time. I've seen rectangular foam inserts for satchel bags, but nothing this big -- Is anyone aware of a shortcut or pre-set kit that might help?

2) I also have seen folks get Pick n Pluck foam (http://www.caseclub.com/pick-and-pluck-foam.htm?gclid=CObYgIXO4L4CFQdgfgod5igADg) to build specialized cutouts that tightly hug gear. As impressive as this looks, I don't think I need that level of protection. I'm worried that Pick n Pluck is a one-time deal and I often like to rearrange the organization of my gear. But talk me down -- has anyone used it? What has your experience been?

Also, I was thinking a relatively thin (1/4") neoprene/foam mat on the floor of each tray. (The real threat to the gear is side to side motion with a jarring opening or closing, right?) Can people recommend a good material for this?

Thanks!
A


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## mrzero (Jun 4, 2014)

ahsanford said:


> 1) I love camera bags' modular divider systems as I can rearrange things easily. Foaming and velcro-ing four 34" x 20" trays will take serious time. I've seen rectangular foam inserts for satchel bags, but nothing this big -- Is anyone aware of a shortcut or pre-set kit that might help?



I got a divider bag by Vanguard for my home storage. http://amzn.com/B003G2YZMS You could probably fold the top flap back and under if you want to leave them open for easy access.


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## ahsanford (Jun 4, 2014)

mrzero said:


> ahsanford said:
> 
> 
> > 1) I love camera bags' modular divider systems as I can rearrange things easily. Foaming and velcro-ing four 34" x 20" trays will take serious time. I've seen rectangular foam inserts for satchel bags, but nothing this big -- Is anyone aware of a shortcut or pre-set kit that might help?
> ...


Good thinking. I don't want to waste space, though. I'm going to hunt around and see what odd size combinations I can cobble together to fill a shelf with.

- A


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## AcutancePhotography (Jun 4, 2014)

I purchased some Barrister Bookcases and use that for my storage. I like the glass front doors. All you have to do is lay a clean towel on each shelf and Bob's your uncle.


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## IgotGASbadDude (Jun 4, 2014)

Sad, but my GAS has made me purchase so much equipment (cameras, headphones, computer stuff, etc.) I just broke down and purchased this: ;D

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/204238960?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=204238960&R=204238960


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## ahsanford (Jun 4, 2014)

IgotGASbadDude said:


> Sad, but my GAS has made me purchase so much equipment (cameras, headphones, computer stuff, etc.) I just broke down and purchased this: ;D
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/204238960?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=204238960&R=204238960



I hear ya. That's why I got something that is for 2x the size of my current gear. 

- A


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## mrzero (Jun 4, 2014)

IgotGASbadDude said:


> Sad, but my GAS has made me purchase so much equipment (cameras, headphones, computer stuff, etc.) I just broke down and purchased this: ;D
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/204238960?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=204238960&R=204238960



How sturdy and theft-resistant is it? It looks beautiful and like a great amount of space for the price.


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## IgotGASbadDude (Jun 6, 2014)

mrzero said:


> IgotGASbadDude said:
> 
> 
> > Sad, but my GAS has made me purchase so much equipment (cameras, headphones, computer stuff, etc.) I just broke down and purchased this: ;D
> ...



It is very sturdy! Very solid. Not so theft-resistant. It does have a lock and key but the doors stay shut based on magnets. They don't latch into the frame in the center. A crowbar and 10 seconds and you're in . . .


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## dlleno (Jun 6, 2014)

IgotGASbadDude said:


> Sad, but my GAS has made me purchase so much equipment (cameras, headphones, computer stuff, etc.) I just broke down and purchased this: ;D
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/204238960?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=204238960&R=204238960



I have a pair of these in my garage. IgotGASbadDude is right -- they provide good storage, but no security whatsoever


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