Daniel's detailing cart build
Last Modified Apr 19, 2012
I need to build a custom-sized cart for detailing supplies at home. Originally I was going to build a cart for Sterilite Stacker bins. However, I've since decided that Systainers, while expensive versus the Sterilite Stacker bins, are a better idea. And while I'm putting some of the regular sized ones on Systainer mobile bases, the bases support only a single column, and they will not hold a Maxi Systainer. I'd like a mobile base that can hold two columns of Systainers, or a column of Maxi Systainers. I wish Tanos or Festool would make one and sell it here in the U.S. Obsolete idea
At a minimum, it needs to hold the Sterilite Stacker bins I use to store detailing supplies. There's no chance I'll build one cart to hold all of them, but I'd like to be able to store most of them on this cart. At the moment, that means a minimum of three 18" deep and 40" wide shelves with 14.5" of clearance, plus a top. The shelves need to have lips big enough to retain the bins when rolling the cart around. I'd also really like the two middle shelves to be pull-out, hence mounted on drawer slides.

The bottom shelf should be 3/4" plywood, since it will be supporting the weight of the whole cart on the casters. The remaining shelves can be 1/2&quout; plywood. Since this cart doesn't need to be pretty, I can use Strong Tie RTC24 brackets for joint strength.

As usual, it'd be wise to order the drawer slides first. I don't want to spend time building a cart only to later find that the slides don't quite fit.

Price for what I have drawn up at the moment, which doesn't include the 2x4 pieces, the casters or the finishing is a bit discouraging. At this price, I could buy 5 Luxor STC11-G carts from Wayfair. The only problem with buying the Luxor carts: they'd take up a lot more space. However, I'm starting to think I should just buy some utility carts and stationary shelving For example, I could buy a pair of Quantum PC4026-33 carts for about $280 plus shipping, and plastic shelving from a local big box store is inexpensive. For the moment, I'm going to buy a 36" wide by 24" deep by 72" high plastic shelving unit. For other reasons, I could actually use 3 of them. I will soon buy a cart, probably just one. It's worth noting that the small cart I made years ago is sufficient for day-to-day detailing. Its main issue is that it doesn't have the shelf clearance to store 12" tall bins.

Detailing Storage Cart by Category

Plywood

Poplar

Hardware

Totals by Category