MetaChat - I need a chest of shallow specimen drawers.

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

11 July 2007

I need a chest of shallow specimen drawers. You know: Like for geologists who collect little rocks or entomologists who collect thousands of insects. Any ideas to find or make one cheap? Other ideas? Hope me and empathize on me, please, heh. →[More:]

After years of fooling around with art and sculpture and multi-media and photography and pop/comic art and everything else, I've amassed a huge collection of nifty little... stuff.

Toys, rocks, pieces of wood and metal, machine parts, stained glass and glass supplies, beach glass, photographs and bits of old photos and clippings for collage, flotsam and jetsam, etc etc et-damn-cetera.

Anyone else in this predicament?

There's no easy way to store it all and keep it dust free and still easily viewable.

Chests of shallow specimen drawers are expensive as hell.

Ghaaaah.

post by: shane at: 19:14 | 15 comments

Know a carpenter? I mean, a simple one's hella easy to make.

But yeah, I'm there with you. I had to jettison a metric shit-ton of cool knick-knackery when I moved and I felt so sad...

posted by klangklangston 11 July | 19:29

I bet you could find old jewelry boxes at the local thrift store for cheap. They have shallow trays and drawers, and lots of them look like little wooden cabinets or boxes- not all frilly, in other words. Would that work?

posted by BoringPostcards 11 July | 19:33

Know anyone at a university? I know here there's a basement in an old building where there's stuff they aren't exactly giving away, but they aren't exactly upset if it goes away either.

posted by Capn 11 July | 19:36

Have you checked the used furniture stores in your area? I've seen a lot of this kind of thing at retro/used furniture stores here in SF. Probably not cheap, though, come to think of it . . .

posted by treepour 11 July | 19:48

A lot of libraries and museums are jettisoning old slide cabinets, now that we can store images digitally. They might be right up your alley. Try calling around to local libraries, college libraries, and museums.

posted by Miko 11 July | 19:57

Lee Valley Tools? They have some nice small tins and such. Can't find anything like a collection cabinet, though.

posted by Five Fresh Fish 11 July | 20:12

I keep arrowheads in Riker cases. Other cool stuff goes in Lance jars and those glass canisters that look like they're sitting on their sides with the lid facing out. My cat's bouncy balls and milk rings live in an empty tea canister- an elderly friend gives me her empties and the turquise lids look kind of retro. We also glue shells to pieces of dowel and stick them in holes drilled in staircase handrails- they make a heavy base and don't tip over easily. It's nice to be able to look at your stuff without dusting it :)

we= me and my daughter, not the royal. though we do feel dramatic today.

posted by auntbunny 11 July | 20:39

Thanks, all. Where's that basement, Capn?
;-)
Those Rikers are cool as well, and I'll call around like you said too, Miko. And check the thrift and used furniture stores.

If nothing else, I suppose there's always this route.

But, right, I should really build them, klang. I'd want to get all carried away with dovetail joints, but I don't have the tools and I suck anyway. Someday.

posted by shane 11 July | 21:07

There are a couple cabinets on eBay (UK). If nothing else you can show a cabinet maker/carpenter what you have in mind.

posted by deborah 11 July | 21:45

On a smaller scale, the storage containers used by jewellers for beads and the like could be suitable.

posted by Lucie 11 July | 23:30

Look, I don't think it's quite fair to use a perjorative term about a team of illustrators. I mean, so what if they want to talk about Paris Hilton while they work? They're professionals too, you know. Just let them draw, I say.

posted by Triode 12 July | 00:48

Old typographic boxes. You can find them in flea markets, vintage stores, basements, attics and maybe ebay and such.

posted by carmina 12 July | 00:59

I love the scrapbook in a jar I came across on Flickr. You could make a bunch of these in large jars and display them on bookshelves. A nice thing about this is that it would be fun putting them together, and you could still see your stuff.

For artwork, photos, etc., this filing system looks great, though it looks like you'd have to contact them to find out who sells them near you, or how to order online.

posted by taz 12 July | 02:03

Thanks, all. Where's that basement, Capn?
;-)

Sorry, I got lost in the middle of that sentence somehow.

What I meant was, at a university near me there exists such a basement room, and perhaps at a university near you there is a similar room.

posted by Capn 12 July | 09:11

What I meant was, at a university near me there exists such a basement room, and perhaps at a university near you there is a similar room.

Right, got it, Cap. You don't want to tell me where it is so I can eventually travel out there in a black balaclava and van and loot the place ?
;-)

Just for now I got that cheap plastic craft cabinet. LOL, here's the start of one drawer:

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by shane 12 July | 12:11

← What's the deal with berries on public parks? || yay me →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN