Anyone use printer's trays for display?

[dakotabirder]

It's only been 5 months since my son and I have started looking for agates and other goodies here on the grasslands and badlands of South Dakota. It's amazing how much material we've brought home in those 5 months! The utility room downstairs (area with furnace and water heater) has become "rock central", with a big metal shelving system full of our raw finds, as well as all our polishing supplies.  Much to my wife's "enjoyment", two tumble polishers have been going non-stop for the last 4 months. A slow process, but we're starting to get a nice collection of polished and unpolished agates, jaspers, petrified wood, and fossils.  My wife's main question...and it's a VERY valid one..."What are you going to do with all of those"?

Lately I've been poking around for ideas. One thing I want is an old curio case with a light where I can display our larger pieces. But I also came across the idea of using old printer's trays as a wall display. Can't say as I've ever HEARD of a "printer's tray" until now, but I knew I wanted to try making a display with them.  Just got these two off of eBay (only $22 each!)...old, includes original drawer pull hardware, but they're really in wonderful shape.  They're good sized...about 32" x 16" for each of the two pieces.

Not sure what I'll do in terms of possibly refinishing these (or parts of these). I do like the old wood look, but might do like a matte, dark green around the outside or something. Also wondering about the compartments themselves...as in, are they too dark to display some pieces? Thinking also of taking the backs off, painting some lighter color, and using that to help highlight the pieces.  Plan on hanging them side by side in my home office.

Any thoughts? Anyone done something similar?

[Deleted]

Those are great! I've looked for typesetting trays in the past, but seems like lots of other folks go after them too, so never found any that fit my budget. You got a good deal. I think a medium color (either gray or a color close to the stain on your oak trim) would work best. Too dark, and darker stones will disappear, as will very light stones in a white or very light background.

[Jugglerguy]

My wife has been annnoyed with my tumblers since 2012. She is also annoyed with clutter, so I keep my rocks stored in Tupperware type boxes. Your display is definitely better. I do have a square plate on the coffee table with rocks in it, and a large Petoskey Stone on the kitchen window sill.

[dakotabirder]

Nov 10, 2017 6:35:31 GMT -5 Jugglerguy said:

My wife has been annnoyed with my tumblers since 2012. She is also annoyed with clutter, so I keep my rocks stored in Tupperware type boxes. Your display is definitely better. I do have a square plate on the coffee table with rocks in it, and a large Petoskey Stone on the kitchen window sill.

Your wife and mine may be related...

She's the one who got all the stuff to organize our utility room (wire racks, big plastic trays to put everything).  At least doing something like this will be more "acceptable" for her, for something that's actually out in the main living area, and visible all the time.

[zzyzzyx]

she whom must be obeyed

[beefjello]

Picked up a cabinet many years ago to store preforms

forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/39530/preform-cabinet