I have for many years owned a Sentry 2-drawer Fire Safe filing cabinet safe.(It looks like the current model 6000 pics but I'm not sure if it was the same model number, or if it's built the same)
I was always very impressed with how well it was built, including the very smooth drawer glides, which had a ball-bearing sliding mechanism, all metal. I made the mistake of assuming this one-drawer fire safe model from Sentry had a similar mechanism.
Unfortunately, I was mistaken, and that leads me to the first of my problems:
1) Not only does it not have the smooth bearing sliding mechanism, it also doesn't even have wheels, like most cheap file cabinets would have.Instead, there's just metal tracks that have a piece of plastic between them to presumably make it a little smoother when they rub against each other, and a lot of grease smeared all over it.It doesn't glide smoothly, and there's enough friction that even though the unit weighs 70 pounds, I can cause it to move slightly when trying to open the drawer unless I hold it. I'm also guessing that the grease could eventually wear out, or the plastic slider part could wear down or break, but that's yet to be seen.
Whatever happened to putting quality metal sliders with bearings into file cabinets?
I wonder if the 2-drawer cabinet I previously bought would have bearings or not if I were
to buy a new one of the same model these days?
I'm sure this is a matter of cutting costs to try to compete in a world were prices keep dropping
and profits need to be maximized.But I would certainly have paid somewhat more if an
option to get the higher quality parts was made available, and if the difference was clearly shown.
The other problems I had were:
2) the metal around the bottom used for stacking arrived bent.Luckily I was planning to remove
it anyway so the unit has less height since I'm not stacking it.This wasn't a shipping problem--
the box and foam were intact.
3) The original 2-drawer unit had tall metal sides inside the drawer.This unit just has an open
drawer with hanging rods on the sides for the files, so there's more chance for things to spill
out to the sides, and it looks messier when pulled out too.
Unfortunately, I'm keeping it even though I'd like to make a statement by returning it, because:
a) I couldn't find anything else with the right dimensions for the space I'm putting it in,
so despite its shortcomings, it's still the best option I can find
b) dealing with shipping for returns on items this size is a pain
If you're looking for a single level fire-proof file cabinet, you might end up, like me, having
to buy this model just because there's really nothing else out there. At least your stuff will
probably be protected (that remains to be proven, and hopefully never will).Just don't expect
the drawer to feel like high quality when you open and close it.
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Firesafe Stackable File Cabinet - BlackProduct Description: In the fire endurance test, product is subjected to fire at temperatures of 1,700ºF. Tubular key lock for extra security. Full extension drawer glides for ease of use. Label holder for identifying contents. Modular files stack on top of each other up to four high. Global Product Type: File Cabinets; File Cabinet Type: Vertical; File Size Format: Letter; Media Stored: N/A.
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I love the flexibility this organizer provides and recommend it.The unit is made of thick plastic and feels sturdy.I would order one again.But...I give it 4.5 stars (instead of 5) because the dividers are tough to remove and snap into a new position.I had to insert/remove at an angle and then push down VERY HARD.I felt fortunate that none of the tabs that go into the holes broke off.It is great that the dividers aren't going to move around once inserted but have to think it could be designed for easier manipulation.
