Most museums use a system of unit trays.  Two times the size of the
smallest tray gives the next size tray.  Double this and one gets the next
size.  Double this...and so on.  Generally the tray sizes are selected so
that combinations of them will fill a drawer completely and keep things
from sliding around.  Ones with specimens are right side up.  Ones filling
"empty space" are upside down.  As new material is acquired, these spacer
trays can now be used.
  Since I store some of my material down at the Carnegie Museum, I make my
trays to the same size demensions as they do.  If you plan on affiliating
with a museum or eventually donate your collection to a museum, check out
the size of their unit tray system and adopt it for your collection.
  Some individuals that use metal cabinets will often put a magnet at the
end of a row of trays.  This keeps them from sliding around and doesn't
require the spacer trays.  Then one can also keep the roudy kids out of
the way :-)

Charlie
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Charlie Sturm, Jr
Research Associate - Section of Invertebrate Zoology
                     Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Professor - Family Medicine

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