Wall cabinet for hand tools

[Rob Fisher]

FWIW, all my planes and other odds and ends (squares, marking gauges etc) live on a shelf (3/4" plywood on shelf brackets). Files, rasps and rifflers live on magnetic strips. Chisels and other things with convenient handles get holes drilled through them and live on a nail driven into a 3/4" piece of ply...

It sounds like this is open air shelving, how do you deal with dust and the inherent salts and rust that can come along? Are you using all of the tools fairly often, with lesser used tools in cold storage?

[Jim Matthews]

While this is spectacular, it would consume what little shop time I have available to make furniture.
I would not recommend this project to someone with limits (like children and a job) in their schedule.

You can easily press discarded furniture into duty to hold your tools, and it will disguise your stash. Try the nearest Salvation Army or Craigslist.
Even handsaws will fit in larger drawers.

It is easy to fall into the trap of making shop tools - and little else.

[Dominic Greco]

While this is spectacular, it would consume what little shop time I have available to make furniture.
I would not recommend this project to someone with limits (like children and a job) in their schedule.

Well, I have a wife, a child and a job and still managed to make this, after work at night, over a period of 8 months. Yeah it took long. But I enjoyed it and learned a lot while doing it. Now that I have a place to store my tools I find it easier to complete the REAL projects I undertake.

[Dale Cruea]

Thanks for the information guys.
Jim I don't plan for this to ever end.
I am an old guy and I will either run out of money or time before I fill the cabinet I want.

Daniel I don't think you mislead me as much as I misread your post. I am pretty technology challenged. I can run a computer almost well and as long as it doesn't break.
The TV and most of it's components are an other story. I have still to learn how to set my DVR without getting out the manual and going through 3 cups of coffee.

I think I found the cabinet I want on a web site. The site gave me a sketchup file. I will just re-do the insides a little to fit my needs.

Thanks Jay. I will do that now.

[Dale Cruea]

Nice looking cabinet Dominic.
However Jim, I am retired and in between projects at this time.
I enjoy making stuff for the shop.
Hopefully my boys will want it when I can't use it anymore.
Along with the tools of course.

[John Coloccia]

It sounds like this is open air shelving, how do you deal with dust and the inherent salts and rust that can come along? Are you using all of the tools fairly often, with lesser used tools in cold storage?

I don't really have any tools that I don't use. If I find one laying around I either start using it (because I simply forgot I owned one) or if I really don't need it I sell it. I don't bother dealing with dust...after all, it's a woodworking studio. Everything I have has a layer of dust and chips on, but nothing seems to rust or do anything bad. Of course, I'm in a climate controlled environment so that helps.

[Jake Elkins]

I am watching this thread with great interest.

Much like the OP, I am in the process of converting from mostly power tools to hand tools. I have a humble collection of hand tools, with dreams (literally) of adding lots more. I recently finished my workbench, and plan on spending what time in the shop I can afford this winter with an eye towards massive re-organization of the shop (half of an oversized two car garage). I have a large homemade peg board that has served its function well for a while, but I have been thinking about upgrading this for a while. Originally, I was thinking about a large workshop area, with cabinets, peg board and tabletop, something similar to this as seen on the woodsmith shop:

woodsmith3.jpg

This would cover about 10 feet of wall space. HOWEVER, the biggest downside I see to this is that it will likely be difficult to move when the time comes, almost like having to move a built-in. So, I have been thinking about "smaller" tool cabinets, similar to the examples shown here. My biggest concern with these is that they seem almost purpose-built for existing tools. Again, I am desperately hoping that the collection grows, slowly but surely. In the process of looking at more examples, prompted by this thread, I came across this (details here), and my whole plan is now turned upside down.

Trevor_Hadden_tool_chest.jpg

How cool would something like this be? Its not like I have the skill or time to make a replica of this, but I think making something similar - at least in scale (this one looks to be 7' tall) - is within my abilities. This has many advantages, namely room-to-grow and ability to take it with me. Anyways, I'm mostly just thinking out loud.

Does anyone around here use a large chest like this instead of wall mounted units?

[Russell Sansom]

For me, a monolithic cabinet is out of the question. When I was building harpsichords in a shop the size of a bathroom, I built individual cabinets for each set of chisels, a screwdriver set, the block planes, etc. On the wall I built a grid of 1 X 2" hardwood so the little cabinets could be taken on and off easily. That way I could mount the chisels needed for a project on the wall and leave the unused boxes of tools out in the garage area.
Now that I have the significant fraction of a 20 X 20 garage, I'm still storing my tools that way...I can just leave them all mounted.

You might consider my system. Smaller tool cases are a much smaller investment and add up the the same as one large chest...but you can spread them around into the available space. Here's a saw till and next to it is the cabinet that holds drills ( egg beaters ). The simple exoskeleton lets me just slip a cabinet on and slip if off whenever necessary.

[Jeff Ranck]

In the process of looking at more examples, prompted by this thread, I came across this (details here), and my whole plan is now turned upside down.

Trevor_Hadden_tool_chest.jpg

How cool would something like this be? . . . Does anyone around here use a large chest like this instead of wall mounted units?

I'd love to know if anyone uses anything like this. As I mentally reorganize my shop, I'm torn between a traditional chest, a wall mounted chest, and now something like this!

[Jim Matthews]

Nice solution to the problem, RS.

Can the cabinets be stacked? How long do you suppose it takes to make one?
Any recommendations to a novice on the project?

Details about this; what you would do differently, what you would leave out, I would follow with great interest.
I think your "shop the size of a bathroom" limitation is realistic for most of us.

[steven c newman]

I don't have all that much "hanging around", maybe a looksee at what I've got?workshop 025.jpgworkshop 023.jpg

[Zahid Naqvi]

there are a few example threads in the FAQs sticky on this forum

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I just got Tolpin's "The Toolbox Book" from Taunton. I used it to fill out the free shipping on an Amazon order, and because it looked interesting. There's definitely some stuff in there to give you ideas and inspire . . .

The Popular Woodworking "Arts and crafts tool cabinet" that was mentioned is available as a digital download of just that article and plan for just a few bucks. There's a similar cabinet (down to the spalted drawer fronts) in the current Fine Woodworking tools and shops.

I'm thinking of better storage myself, and while I'll probably do something different than Russell, I also really like the idea of several smaller storage units over one large one - I like the idea that if I move or entirely relayout my shop, I'm not forced to work around really large pieces, and I like being able to move the things that I need to where I need them.

[Rob Fisher]

I don't really have any tools that I don't use. If I find one laying around I either start using it (because I simply forgot I owned one) or if I really don't need it I sell it. I don't bother dealing with dust...after all, it's a woodworking studio. Everything I have has a layer of dust and chips on, but nothing seems to rust or do anything bad. Of course, I'm in a climate controlled environment so that helps.

Climate control is he key. Oh and using your tools in a regular basis. Two problems that I have, daggit!!!!

[Dale Cruea]

Jeff - Jake, Nice cabinet. I would love to have the room to have one.

Lots of good ideas here.

I only want to build this cabinet once. If I were to go with smaller cabinets I would never get them done.
I would build one or two then move onto something else.

Hopefully when I am gone one of my boys will get the house and keep the workshop.
If not maybe they can sell the cabinet and get something they want.