KISS Drawers (Keep It Simple Storage) For 100 Series (4 Viewers)

[KINGER]

When nailing in the slides to the drawers, there are no guide holes (step 12). Do the slides line up with the bottom of the drawer side? Or is there a space between where the slide sits and the bottom of the drawer? Also, how far from the front/back do the slides sit on the drawer?

Are there obvious differences between the long aluminum pieces (besides length)? The instructions say that the ones with red tabs (step 19) are "rounded" to allow the slides to move undamaged over them, but I don't see any difference between any of edges on this or the other aluminum pieces. Maybe all of the aluminum pieces have rounded edges? I can get a picture of the aluminum pieces if this doesn't make sense.

I just did this last week so I think I can answer your questions:

The "guide holes" are located on the plastic slides, not on the drawers themselves. (Edit: Apparently there are guide holes on the drawers, I couldn't find them.) There should be a wooden guide tool for the slides with separate instructions included in your kit. I believe this was added to specifically address your question. I, of course, didn't read the instructions for the drawer slides and just installed them centered on the drawer, flush with the bottom. This has worked fine (drawers slide smoothly and don't pop out when nearly fully extended) and the position of the slide differs only slightly from where the guide tool indicates.

Easiest technique is to hammer the nails into the pre-drilled holes on the plastic slides until the nail just appears on the other side. Place it centered on the drawer, as measured using the guide tool and instructions, flush with the bottom and hammer them in as instructed (inside to outside). Repeat for the other side then slide the guide tool along the rails and if it binds then you've made a mistake.

All of the aluminum pieces that are used to build the drawers are rounded on one side. The square pieces are for the frame. Did I understand your question? Or are you referring to another difference between the aluminum pieces?

 

[abuck99]

The guide holes for the slides are very faint indents in the wood which match up to the holes in the slides. Check both sides of the drawer to make sure you have the correct side facing out.

 

[od4x4]

The guide holes are very visible from the inside of the drawer before you put the bottom on. They appear to be drilled from the inside in the dado for the bottom but they don't do completely through ( or at least did not on mine). I was able to find one or two holes on each side and then used those to index the the slide... if I had realized before the base was put on I would have cleared the holes but I was too excited to get everything out together.

Also, I don't think that the slides sit flush with the bottom. They were very close but not flush (again at least on my set). Don't rush on the slides as they are very important and if they are not lined up well you could have problems in the future.

I am sure that Dave will chime in, but my .02

 

[cruzerDave]

Can someone who has built these help me out? I got my drawer package and am trying to build these (hopefully by the end of today) but keep running in to issues. Dave didn't respond yesterday so I'm checking here.

When nailing in the slides to the drawers, there are no guide holes (step 12). Do the slides line up with the bottom of the drawer side? Or is there a space between where the slide sits and the bottom of the drawer? Also, how far from the front/back do the slides sit on the drawer?

Are there obvious differences between the long aluminum pieces (besides length)? The instructions say that the ones with red tabs (step 19) are "rounded" to allow the slides to move undamaged over them, but I don't see any difference between any of edges on this or the other aluminum pieces. Maybe all of the aluminum pieces have rounded edges? I can get a picture of the aluminum pieces if this doesn't make sense.

@smithytailor, I replied this morning, let me know if that did not get to you and I can resend.

@BreakerMark, @KINGER, @abuck99, @od4x4 thanks guys, awesome job jumping on this in my absence and you covered it all great

For the thread/record though, and soon in a FAQ on the website (whenever the heck I can find time for THAT), I have eliminated the small holes in the drawer sides because they were very hard to line up with the slides, and not super beneficial at the end of the day. Instead, and better I think, will be the new Slidealigninator Tool, freshly out of development, and just starting to ship out. I might've forgot to add one to @smithytailor's set since the tool is an add-on and new and I was banging these together while trying to pack for HIH... sorry if so

The Slidealigninator will check your drawer width (no more dado:bottom issues), align the slide flush with the BOTTOM of the drawer side, like in the pic below, and locate your slide approx 5.5" from the rear of the drawer. if you attach the slide at 6" back, or 5" back no big deal - this is not critical. The flush with the bottom and overall width IS. They should look like this:

(that tool was pretty hairy after the cutting)

So continued improvement based on you excellent users' feedback, keep it coming and I'll keep trying to do better

 

[rjones]

The Slidealigninator will check your drawer width

Was this included in the July shipment? I'm about 90% sure I do not have one of those. Haven't gotten to actually building yet so I do not know about my "holes" (giggity giggity) and am not home to check. I'm stuck trying to decide on a finish for the drawers (sanded, stained, hated the stain, sanded, tried a different stain, not happy with that, sanded, now primered for paint, then ran into another small snag).

rjones

 

[smithytailor]

@BreakerMark, @KINGER, @abuck99, @od4x4 thanks for the help!

@cruzerDave I did get the email and that fixed everything up!

As for my other question about the rounded portion on the slides... Yep... It was right there. Painted red where it was rounded. I kept looking long ways down the piece and every side looked the same. But, it was rounded right in front of my face. Painted red. It couldn't have been more obvious.

I got everything finished a bit ago and have been playing around with my setup. These drawers fit and work so well!

Now if I could figure out a way to store my maxtrax inside the vehicle so I'm adventure incognito... Getting closer to that goal thanks to these drawers.

 

[cruzerDave]

@BreakerMark, @KINGER, @abuck99, @od4x4 thanks for the help!

@cruzerDave I did get the email and that fixed everything up!

As for my other question about the rounded portion on the slides... Yep... It was right there. Painted red where it was rounded. I kept looking long ways down the piece and every side looked the same. But, it was rounded right in front of my face. Painted red. It couldn't have been more obvious.

I got everything finished a bit ago and have been playing around with my setup. These drawers fit and work so well!

Now if I could figure out a way to store my maxtrax inside the vehicle so I'm adventure incognito... Getting closer to that goal thanks to these drawers.

Glad to hear it's all good

As for Maxtrax, if you really want inside then maybe an 'attic' mount - have you seen the attic storage shelves that use the 3rd row handles as support points? I haven't never seen a product for that but that would be fairly straightforward to construct... IMHO they get pretty dirty/snowy pretty fast and when you break them out once you usually need them at least once again pretty soon, so I'm not sure how you feel about having to clean them off before putting them away, to then take them out again, to then clean them up to put them away, etc...

If you were open to looking more like an "Adventure Truck" this might be a good option:

Remora - REcovery MOunt for RAcks (also those sucker fish that stick to sharks,including Land Sharks - works either way

It includes the quickfists for holding your axe and shovel, or, reposition the supports to allow stacking of gear on top - it's made from .090" 5052 Aluminum so pretty sturdy. Easy to lock your gear to it as well with common gun locks you can pick up for $10 on Amazon.

I'm still trying to nail down pricing but think I'll have it figured and up on the website this weekend, shipping in September.

 

[BigRogers79]

Glad to hear it's all good

As for Maxtrax, if you really want inside then maybe an 'attic' mount - have you seen the attic storage shelves that use the 3rd row handles as support points? I haven't never seen a product for that but that would be fairly straightforward to construct... IMHO they get pretty dirty/snowy pretty fast and when you break them out once you usually need them at least once again pretty soon, so I'm not sure how you feel about having to clean them off before putting them away, to then take them out again, to then clean them up to put them away, etc...

If you were open to looking more like an "Adventure Truck" this might be a good option
Remora - REcovery MOunt for RAcks (also those sucker fish that stick to sharks,including Land Sharks - works either way

It includes the quickfists for holding your axe and shovel, or, reposition the supports to allow stacking of gear on top - it's made from .090" 5052 Aluminum so pretty sturdy. Easy to lock your gear to it as well with common gun locks you can pick up for $10 on Amazon.

I'm still trying to nail down pricing but think I'll have it figured and up on the website this weekend, shipping in September.

Oh now this is cool! Cant wait to see more pictures and some pricing! No MaxTrax in my possession yet, but definitely have plans for them in the future!

 

[Thunder90]

Oh now this is cool! Cant wait to see more pictures and some pricing! No MaxTrax in my possession yet, but definitely have plans for them in the future!

Nice job Dave. Nice to see the product line expanding. Btw-- for anyone considering his products- do it. I have his drawers and use them EVERY DAY. Most usable mod ever.

 

[KINGER]

I second Thunder90's sentiment. I used to remove or rearrange all of this stuff to transport the dogs around so that they had room and they didn't get it muddy. Life sure has changed since I installed Dave's drawers.

Before, clutter and mayhem!

After:

Nothing more to say that hasn't already been covered in the preceding 19 pages, the fit and finish is excellent and they went together easily. Also, if anyone is curious (I was!), that Engel Deep Blue 35 is flush with the top of the back seats and doesn't impede rear visibility.

Plan is to carpet the drawer bottoms and the top panels and to varnish the drawer fronts.

 

[rjones]

Was this included in the July shipment? I'm about 90% sure I do not have one of those... and am not home to check

Home now and I am 100% sure I do not have one of these tools. I also do not have drawer sides pre-drilled.

rjones

 

[Rolocado]

Anyone have a picture of a blow up bed or mattress put on top of these puppies? If so I'm in.

 

[cruzerDave]

Anyone have a picture of a blow up bed or mattress put on top of these puppies? If so I'm in.

Best I've seen is @mrbigboy but I know several others have mentioned sleeping on them in a 100 series (they were designed to match the height of the 2nd row folded after all)
http://landsharkoutfitters.com/images/gallery/g04.jpg

@rjones I'll mail the tool to you with the replacement board as soon as you tell me if the cutout can work or you want to wait for the blank.

@KINGER maybe you 'didn't say anything new' but your before and after pics were a first, and I think a great example of why once you go to drawers you'll never want to go back to totes and bags! May I use those in a before:after gif on my website?

 

[KINGER]

Absolutely, Dave. I'll post another 'after' pic with the dogs in there when I see them again. They live in NH with my parents

I threw these together for a trip to Cape Cod last weekend, thanks again for fitting me into the July shipment. It was really great to have allll of my tools and recovery gear and various crap with me and still have plenty of room for kitesurfing gear, coolers, etc. Actually, the best part about this system is that I am 100% happy with it 'as is' and I haven't even started modding it yet!

Jon

 

[cruzerDave]

Quick headsup that I am going to be selling bags specifically designed for 100 & 80 series KISS Drawers (although they work for anyone or anything), and will locate that info over here since not a 100-specific product:
Bags For Drawers & More

Please head to the above link for all commenting and Q&A

 

[Idaho Savage]

Finally place my order today... Stoked to get it set up before hunting season.

 

[ranma21]

Any plan to make one for 200 series?

 

[bluecruiser]

Quick headsup that I am going to be selling bags specifically designed for 100 & 80 series KISS Drawers (although they work for anyone or anything), and will locate that info over here since not a 100-specific product:
Bags For Drawers & More

View attachment 1520316

Please head to the above link for all commenting and Q&A

Did you end up getting these made in Silverton? The bags. We saw a shop working on something for you.

 

[cruzerDave]

Any plan to make one for 200 series?

It's on a horizon list, along with the 60 series and Forerunners, alongside 2 more ideas in the dev stage and 4 more on the someday plate, behind Remora and Bags going into production

Did you end up getting these made in Silverton? The bags. We saw a shop working on something for you.

YES. It turns out Silverton, Colorado is the town that keeps on giving long after the (100) 100s are gone... you guys did a great job picking that town!

 

[bluecruiser]

YES. It turns out Silverton, Colorado is the town that keeps on giving long after the (100) 100s are gone... you guys did a great job picking that town!

. awesome! We can thank @paflytyer for working the Silverton plan. Turns out it's a perfect spot. Glad you found a connection there. Those bags look great.