Designing Tool Cabinet - Request for Feedback

[Adrian Ponik]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to assemble my ideas for a wall-mounted tool cabinet. I'm not a hand-tool only user, but I have amassed quite a few hand tools that I want to make a better home for. I've read a bunch of tool storage threads here and on other sites and tried to compile what I see as the best ideas into one piece. Main concerns would be storing hand planes (including spoke shaves, cabinet scraper, etc), hand saws, chisels, sharpening equipment, braces, and hand drills.

This is what I came up with:


The dimensions are a little odd looking because I used metric plywood but did fractional dimensions. I put in enough long-plane storage for a No 8, 7, 6, and 2 5s (or a 5.5 and a 5). On the bottom (where the 10 1/2 is marked) I would put either 2 or 4 small drawers. I'm also thinking about putting a goldenrod dehumidifier that would go through the vertical support and behind the lower drawers. Doors would be for chisels (I have a set of Narex parers and bench chisels) along with hand drills.

Obviously I've got lots of extra space in the design, and that's where I want some feedback. I'm looking for comments on what I've already done (is it workable, awkward, your experiences with your own cabinets, etc.) and ideas for things that I haven't thought of. Other things to include, slick ideas you've seen, etc. I know there are a lot of storage threads around, I've read most of them I think, but now I'm ready to embark on my own . Thanks in advance.

-Adrian

[Jim Koepke]

My own problem with getting started on such a project is the nature of growth in one's tool accumulation.

Even if your current plan is to have only one #5 if you get a #5-1/2 will be subject to change when you see how useful it is to have one #5 set with a heavy camber and the other set up as a long smoother or short jointer. (Well maybe you will want to have three?)

So leave plenty of room for expandability.

I am thinking of enclosing Golden Rod heaters below my cabinet and make is so there is air space or holes inside to allow the heated air to rise to the top.

Recently 5 small drawers were added to my shelf space. They all became used and more would be a help. You may want to consider building a few more drawers below the cabinet. It is amazing how drill bits, plane blades, small rulers, files, drawing equipment and such all seem less cluttered when stored away in a drawer made just for them.

My chisel storage has me stuck. Not only do I have quite a few it is in my plans to acquire many more. Then there is all the gouges!!!

A similar conundrum with saws will be less extensive.

You may want to consider making the doors a bit deeper to accommodate more future expansion.

Good luck and keep us up to date with your progress.

jtk

[Anthony Moumar]

I quite like Mike Pekovich's Tool Cabinet from Fine Woodworking #237

FW237 Tool Cabinet.jpg

I think the hinged panels for extra storage space are neat. He had a lot of chisels and gouges behind the right door. If I was going to make a tool cabinet I definitely do something similar to maximise space.

[Jim Matthews]

You've got more space in there, if you don't try to store rarely used items inside.

How often do you use a plane larger than your #6?
Chisels can be kept rolled, and that makes for a more uniform dimension.

I think the advantage of this variety of storage is the way you can hang small items in the doors.
The depth of the door "cavity" would be based on how thick your marking gauges or braces are - for example.

What tools are you having trouble finding in your current shop layout?
Are they tools you often, or occasionally use?

I've seen functional versions of this that have two or three similar cabinets mounted on a French cleat.

David Barron has a tidy, but not fussy approach - and he makes his living at this.

David Barron cabinet.jpg

http://davidbarronfurniture.blogspot...1_archive.html

[Eric Brown]

Adrian you might consider grouping your tools. Many of us do grouping, like your keeping the planes and saws in the same area. While my cabinet is bigger than yours, (no, it's not a competition or a brag), I am keeping all the measuring and marking tools together, saws, chisels and mallets/hatchet together. I have planes together with specialty tools like drawknives, beaders above them. I keep the heavier lower and have saw handles in maple for crosscut and walnut for rip. The general idea is to have the same types of tools within easy reach and obvious as to which one is which. I also find that putting tools back and keeping the bench clean is dependent on ease of access. You also don't need to keep all tools from a set together. Put the ones you need most handy and put the others in a storage spot somewhere else, but still handy(just in case). Don't be afraid to make adjustments as you progress.


Eric