Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

I have a wooden filing cabinet with two drawers. All the removable
rods that hold up the hanging files are the same length - about 14
inches. However, over the years, the wood seems to have worn away a
bit around the holes on the right hand side. So now the rods won't
stay up whenever I open or close the drawer. Staples doesn't have
anything to replace them with. I'm guessing even rods that are 1/8 of
an inch longer might be OK - but I'm aiming for 1/4 inch, just so I
can have them trimmed if necessary.

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Thanks.

Lenona.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

If they are simple straight metal rods, longer ones (3', for cutting
to length you want), as small as 1/8" diameter (maybe smaller) can be
purchased at Lowes or Home Depot.

Or purchase a thin metal strip, drill holes for your present rods, and
attach to the drawers.

Or drill the holes a touch larger, fill with dowels and re-drill the
holes for your rods.

Has the drawer sides bowed outward? .... I'm supposing not, but check,
anyway!

Sonny

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

Lenona wrote in news:4ef1e641-a106-4f0e-90a2-
:

I have a wooden filing cabinet with two drawers. All the removable
rods that hold up the hanging files are the same length - about 14
inches. However, over the years, the wood seems to have worn away a
bit around the holes on the right hand side. So now the rods won't
stay up whenever I open or close the drawer. Staples doesn't have
anything to replace them with. I'm guessing even rods that are 1/8 of
an inch longer might be OK - but I'm aiming for 1/4 inch, just so I
can have them trimmed if necessary.

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Thanks.

Lenona.

This is supposedly inside the drawers. Why not fill the holes with some
woodcolored epoxy?

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On 8/12/2010 12:35 PM, Lenona wrote:
I have a wooden filing cabinet with two drawers. All the removable
rods that hold up the hanging files are the same length - about 14
inches. However, over the years, the wood seems to have worn away a
bit around the holes on the right hand side. So now the rods won't
stay up whenever I open or close the drawer. Staples doesn't have
anything to replace them with. I'm guessing even rods that are 1/8 of
an inch longer might be OK - but I'm aiming for 1/4 inch, just so I
can have them trimmed if necessary.

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Thanks.

Lenona.
Can you buy some plastic insert. Something like the inserts that are
used to hold screws in drywall. Cut the spreading end off and glue them
into the oversized holes.

I am sure that is something that is made for this, maybe cabinet shelf
pep systems.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Thanks.

Lenona.

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell tham at all office supply stores.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On Aug 12, 9:35*am, Lenona wrote:
I have a wooden filing cabinet with two drawers. All the removable
rods that hold up the hanging files are the same length - about 14
inches. However, over the years, the wood seems to have worn away a
bit around the holes on the right hand side. So now the rods won't
stay up whenever I open or close the drawer.

I'd make a metal repair plate, drill/file a hole for the rod, and fit
it into
the worn-wood spot. You can get fancy and mortise it in place.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On 8/12/2010 12:35 PM, Lenona wrote:
I have a wooden filing cabinet with two drawers. All the removable
rods that hold up the hanging files are the same length - about 14
inches. However, over the years, the wood seems to have worn away a
bit around the holes on the right hand side. So now the rods won't
stay up whenever I open or close the drawer. Staples doesn't have
anything to replace them with. I'm guessing even rods that are 1/8 of
an inch longer might be OK - but I'm aiming for 1/4 inch, just so I
can have them trimmed if necessary.

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Measure the thickness and width of the rods and see if
http://www.mcmaster.com has anything in steel bar stock that comes
close. If they do, get it, and cut it to length with a Dremel or the
like and round the corners if you want to. Not sure whether it will
need to be hardened and tempered for that application or be OK in the
soft state.

Alternatively, take a Forstner bit and cut a hole where the hole is
worn, then cut a plug out of hard maple the size to fit, cut the
necessary notch in the plug, and glue it in place.



Thanks.

Lenona.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

"SonomaProducts.com" wrote in message
...

So, where do I look? (No, I don't know the name of the company that
made the cabinet.)

Thanks.

Lenona.

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell tham at all office supply stores.


BINGO!

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On Aug 12, 2:00*pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell them at all office supply stores.

Nice, but that would take up a little space inside, and the clippings
in the files stick out as it is. (I don't like to fold them too much
because it makes the files thicker.)

Knuttle gave me an idea, though. Since I have some heavy-duty paper
clips and other odds and ends, and since we're all familiar with those
coat hooks that don't need any adhesive because they just hang over
the top of the door, I'll see if I can't construct something like
that! In which case, I won't need longer rods.

Thanks again to everyone.

Lenona.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

Lenona wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:00 pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell them at all office supply stores.

Nice, but that would take up a little space inside, and the clippings
in the files stick out as it is. (I don't like to fold them too much
because it makes the files thicker.)

Not sure what you mean by clippings, but for hanging files these take up
almost no space (less than a half inch). If you don't have hanging
files, nows your chance to get them...

http://tinyurl.com/2bwrmbh

They are adjustable so fit any file drawer.

--
Jack
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
http://jbstein.com

Knuttle gave me an idea, though. Since I have some heavy-duty paper
clips and other odds and ends, and since we're all familiar with those
coat hooks that don't need any adhesive because they just hang over
the top of the door, I'll see if I can't construct something like
that! In which case, I won't need longer rods.

Thanks again to everyone.

Lenona.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On Aug 13, 8:32*am, Jack Stein wrote:
Lenona wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:00 pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell them at all office supply stores.

Nice, but that would take up a little space inside, and the clippings
in the files stick out as it is. (I don't like to fold them too much
because it makes the files thicker.)

Not sure what you mean by clippings,

Newspaper clippings. They stick out on all sides. Again, I don't like
to fold them too many times.

I made the supporters yesterday out of curtain(?) hooks and something
else that looks like parts of tiny hinges. This means the right-hand
rods will no longer be quite horizontal, since I can't put the hinges
quite high up enough, but at least everything's stable now, even if I
slam the drawer. Turns out, too, that if I take all the rods and files
out and put the right-hand ones in FIRST, they're pretty secure, but
as soon as I put in the left-hand rods, the pressure caused to the
back side of the drawer causes the right-hand rods to be much looser.
This clearly means that, in both drawers, the back side is not quite
perpendicular to the left and right sides, but you can't see that with
the naked eye.

Lenona.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On Aug 13, 9:54*am, Lenona wrote:
On Aug 13, 8:32*am, Jack Stein wrote:

Lenona wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:00 pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell them at all office supply stores.

Nice, but that would take up a little space inside, and the clippings
in the files stick out as it is. (I don't like to fold them too much
because it makes the files thicker.)

Not sure what you mean by clippings,

Newspaper clippings. They stick out on all sides. Again, I don't like
to fold them too many times.

I made the supporters yesterday out of curtain(?) hooks and something
else that looks like parts of tiny hinges. This means the right-hand
rods will no longer be quite horizontal, since I can't put the hinges
quite high up enough, but at least everything's stable now, even if I
slam the drawer. Turns out, too, that if I take all the rods and files
out and put the right-hand ones in FIRST, they're pretty secure, but
as soon as I put in the left-hand rods, the pressure caused to the
back side of the drawer causes the right-hand rods to be much looser.
This clearly means that, in both drawers, the back side is not quite
perpendicular to the left and right sides, but you can't see that with
the naked eye.

Lenona.

A cuple of T nuts, aka treaded inserts would probably work just fine.

Metal rods for filing cabinet?
 

On 8/13/2010 9:54 AM, Lenona wrote:
On Aug 13, 8:32 am, Jack wrote:
Lenona wrote:
On Aug 12, 2:00 pm, wrote:

Remove the rods and get a free standing adjustable folder frame. They
sell them at all office supply stores.

Nice, but that would take up a little space inside, and the clippings
in the files stick out as it is. (I don't like to fold them too much
because it makes the files thicker.)

Not sure what you mean by clippings,

Newspaper clippings. They stick out on all sides. Again, I don't like
to fold them too many times.

I made the supporters yesterday out of curtain(?) hooks and something
else that looks like parts of tiny hinges. This means the right-hand
rods will no longer be quite horizontal, since I can't put the hinges
quite high up enough, but at least everything's stable now, even if I
slam the drawer. Turns out, too, that if I take all the rods and files
out and put the right-hand ones in FIRST, they're pretty secure, but
as soon as I put in the left-hand rods, the pressure caused to the
back side of the drawer causes the right-hand rods to be much looser.
This clearly means that, in both drawers, the back side is not quite
perpendicular to the left and right sides, but you can't see that with
the naked eye.

Sounds to me like a joint somewhere has let go. Pull the drawer out and
examine it carefully and see if anything moves that's not supposed
to--set it on a table and fill it up with files if you have to to check.
Might be that simply regluing a joint will permanently fix the problem
you're seeing.

Lenona.