DrawerBoxes(TM), stackable
cardboard comic book boxes with drawers that create a file cabinet storage system
for organizing your comic book collection, making them more accessible.
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ASK
QUESTIONS
DrawerBoxes™
are such a unique product for storing comics that we are finding
there are quite a few questions and some confusion about how they
work. It is our hope that this page will help answer some of the
questions that come up and clarify some of the myths that we have
found on various websites. If you have a question about DrawerBoxes,
please don't hesitate to ask us by using the e-mail form at the
bottom of this page.
The
inside width of the drawer is 7 11/16". It was designed to
accommodate all products for Modern or Silver Age comics. The inside
clearance is 11 5/8". This is tall enough to even clear the
tabs on Mylers™
Note
that, while a Golden Age comics will fit inside the drawer without
a board, DrawerBoxes were not designed to hold products such as
backing boards for Golden Age or Silver/Gold comics. Our own experiences
with old-fashioned boxes over the years revealed that if the container
was too wide the comics inside could be subject to slipping to the
side as the contents shift from moving and the edges become bent,
even with boards. For that reason we felt it was important to design
ours with closer tolerances so the comics fit properly. This meant
that we had to choose between a "one size fits all" approach
that man long and short boxes take and the narrower width designed
especially for Silver and Modern Age comics.
Will you ever make other sizes?
Yes,
we are considering a Golden Age version of a DrawerBox as demand
grows. And we are developing a "shorter box" version right
now.
I prefer plastic boxes to protect my comics from water. Will
you ever make a corrugated plastic version?
We
investigated making the DrawerBoxes out of corrugated plastic before
introducing them into the marketplace. One of the key elements to
make a DrawerBox function is its durability. We found that corrugated
plastic lacks the rigidity of heavier weights of cardboard that
were needed to make it stackable. While we were able to custom manufacture
cardboard to meet our specs, we could not do so with corrugated
plastic. This is why corrugated plastic never caught on in the shipping
industry.
Additionally,
contrary to many people's assumptions, corrugated plastic boxes
are not waterproof. Water will still come in the seams if the storage
area floods. Since plastic materials would triple the cost, it did
not seem to be a practical solution. Should there be innovations
in that industry we will revisit the issue.
How many comics will a DrawerBox hold and how does this compare
to a long box?
DrawerBoxes
will hold approximately 235 comics with boards and bags and more
if boards are not used (although we recommend protecting your comics
with boards). There are several slightly different lengths of long
boxes on the market; however, we have found that 29" long boxes
hold approximately 270 comics with boards and bags. DrawerBoxes
hold approximately 15% fewer comics than a 29" long box. Note
that these counts assume an average page count for a comic and filling
the box with 1"-2" of open space.
We
have heard claims that a long box holds 300 comics. We believe that
this count comes from years ago when most long boxes were 29"
long and before boards and bags were created.
Can
you reach the comics in the back of the drawer?
This
is the question that seems to be most subject to urban legends.
We have heard comments that you can't reach as many as all the comics
in the back ½ of the drawer. The drawer can easily be extended
so that all but approximately 4" of its length is completely
exposed. Additionally, the drawer will naturally hang down approximately
10 degrees when opened and remain in place. This will enable even
more comics at the back of the drawer to be safely removed without
bending them. Only items in the back 2 1/2" of the drawer will
remain awkward to access. How many comics are in this area depends
largely on how full you keep your drawer. Generally, in a packed
drawer, this will be only around 10 comics out of 235. Even these
can be reached by pulling the drawer out completely.
How
can the drawer be removed completely?
DrawerBoxes
are designed with a tab at the end of the drawer. The purpose of
this tab is to give you a "signal" when you are at the
end of the length of the drawer so you do not accidentally remove
the drawer too far, spilling the drawer and its contents on the
floor. The tab will actually catch the drawer 4" before the
end of the drawer as you pull it open. While the goal of a DrawerBox
is to eliminate the need to lift boxes, on occasion you may wish
to remove a drawer entirely to review its contents elsewhere or
to relocate the drawer to a different shell. You can do so one of
two ways: Spread the sides of the shell away from the drawer as
you pull it out. You can also remove the drawer by giving it a sharp
yank as you get to the tab to force it past the stop. Be aware that
if you use the later method, it will gradually deteriorate the tab
over time so that it provides less of a stop.
Some
collectors have indicated the desire to not have the stop at all.
This can be accomplished by trimming a very small amount (1/16")
of the tab both sides of the end flap with scissors before assembling
the drawer. We suggest doing this on only the back end of the drawer
so that you can restore the function later by reversing the end
of the drawer used as the back end.
Since
the shells are designed to support the weight of the units stacked
above them and keep the weight off the drawers, your storage system
will remain stable even with a drawer removed.
How can comics tipping forward or backward when a drawer is half
full be eliminated?
Every
storage container, including long and short boxes, suffers from
this problem. We have located a comic "sizer" in the marketplace
that utilizes clips that extend over the outside of the box and
can be moved to accommodate any quantity of comics. Unfortunately,
this product is not compatible with DrawerBoxes. We are currently
developing a sizer device for DrawerBoxes.
Can the drawers be left open?
Absolutely.
The drawer can be extended open within 4" of the end of the
drawer and they will stay in place in the shell, even if you walk
away. We have designed the height of the drawer to match the inside
dimension of the shell to maximize the support it receives when
open. The front of the drawer will hang downward approximately 10
degrees. This will enable you to remove comics from the back of
the drawer more easily.
Will the box tip when a drawer is opened?
This
will only be a problem when the top box in a stack is pulled open
more than halfway, so the center of gravity is past the front edge
of the box beneath it. All lower boxes will be stable when pulled
out, even if they are extended to their full length (See above).
The tipping issue is a minor problem and is easily corrected a number
of ways. The simplest solution is to place another box such as a
long box on top of the stack to act as a counterweight. Another
solution is to attach a trim board like a chair rail to the wall
on top of the back edge of the top box. Another solution, particularly
if your DrawerBoxes are stored in a closet, is to install a shelf
on top of the back of the top box. This will provide you with additional
storage as well as keeping the top box stable when fully extended.
I don't want to mark up the front my boxes. How can I label them
without permanently marking up the boxes?
Long
time customer Bob Dzuira recommended to us removable Avery labels,
which he is using for his collection. He has even printed the background
of the labels in colors according to the publishers the drawers
contain. When he reorganizes his collection to accommodate additions,
he simply removed the labels and moves them to the new location.
Avery makes a 1½" X 3" removable label (#05440)
that is slightly smaller than the printed copy box on the face of
the drawer. Another option is self adhesive clear plastic pockets.
Wilson Jones makes them in a business card size (#21472) that is
slightly taller and almost as wide as the copy box. They can be
attached to the drawer front and will enable you to change the inserts
at will.
Can I just order shells and use my own long or short boxes?
Well,
yes we can sell just shells. You can call us to order direct. However,
we do not ordinarily offer that option because our experience has
shown that most customers quickly become dissatisfied with that
option.
Keep
in mind that our DrawerBoxes are designed to be an integrated system.
They are a mechanical device, not just a storage box. Like any mechanical
device, to work properly all the parts must fit so they work together.
The overall length of the DrawerBox is 26". If you use a 29"
long box it will stick out. And you would have to reach into the
shell several inches to withdraw a short box. The 26" length
was not an arbitrary decision. The extra comics in the length of
a 29" box increases the weight of the drawer by about a 15%
increase, around 8 pounds. That manifests itself 2 ways: since that
extra weight is multiplied by the number of boxes you stack, the
maximum height they can be stacked is reduced. More significantly,
the drawer becomes heavier to pull out.
Assuming
you don't mind pulling the heavier weight, you also have to make
sure the front of the box that you are pulling on also can withstand
the weight. Our drawers have 4 layers of cardboard around the handle
to help support them. Most long boxes do not, which means you are
pulling more weight with less durability and over the long term
they will not hold up. Before attempting to use a regular long or
short box as a drawer you should try this simple test: Fill your
current long (or short) box full of comics and set it on the floor.
While holding the handle, pull the box across the floor the length
of the box. Then push it back to its original position. Then grab
the handle again and repeat this procedure approximately 100 times.
This is duplicating the force you are putting on the front of the
box in only one year assuming it is opened twice per week. Most
long boxes will bend and tear as the cardboard breaks down in this
simple test.
The
width of the drawer has to be narrow enough to fit in the housing,
but not too narrow or you will have a sloppy operation, not to mention
defeating the safety tabs. DrawerBoxes drawers are designed with
tabs on the end to signal when the drawer is almost all the way
out. This is important because most people are inclined to give
the drawer a firm tug to extend the drawer. Without the tab, it
is easy to pull the drawer out too far and spill the comics on the
floor. Potentially cataclysmic if you pull out a drawer from the
4th level or so!
Height
is also crucial. Obviously if the drawer is too tall the drawer
will not fit. But even if it is slightly shorter problems may develop
because it is normal for the outside to sag a little as weight is
applied. This will cause the drawer to pinch and wedge inside. And
if the drawer is too much shorter it will not hang properly when
it is pulled open since it is the height of the drawer against the
top of the shell that keeps it in place when extended. A drawer
that is too short will simply fall out if it left too far open.
In those cases you have to either remove the drawer entirely every
time you open it or never leave the drawer more than partially open,
limiting your ability to get to the contents in the back.
We
have spent a number of years perfecting our design to ensure our
DrawerBoxes work as well as possible. Even though the concept is
deceptively simple, considerable engineering went into making sure
they would work correctly.
There
are a number of manufacturers making both long and short boxes,
each one making theirs to a different specification. This is why
we realized in the beginning that there was no way we could design
a product that would fit everyone else's boxes and still work correctly.
You
should also be aware that the BoxSort™ Upright Dividers will
not work in other long and short boxes since they must match the
interior length precisely and be able to lock under the handle to
secure them
Any questions? We would like to answer them for you.
