Has anyone actually built "The Anarchists Tool Chest"?

[george wilson]

As I said,Steven,"I suppose if you had no wall space,it would be necessary".

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'm with George on this one. I'm a wall hanger type for several reasons. I can see and easily find and reach for each tool I need. Being easy to pick off the wall means it is also easy and more likely to get put right back where it belongs after use. There is no loss of floor space. In spite of these reasons I do have a tool chest because it was inherited. The chest is storage for my rarely used tools such as my second half set of hollows and rounds, planemakers floats, thread boxes and taps, extra framing square, and a host of other smaller stuff. Right now it is used mostly as a flat surface (read desk) for my laptop which I keep in the shop.

[Steve Voigt]

It is a little surprising at this late date that people are still saying things like "I'm not a jobsite carpenter, so I don't use this type of chest." Or something like that.
There has been a lot written on these chests over the last decade or so, and the idea that they were for itinerant carpenters has been debunked pretty thoroughly. They were for cabinetmakers, working in shops. They were only moved when you changed jobs, or the building burned down (which happened a lot back then). It's also pretty obviously untrue that you have to constantly rummage for your tools. Chris Schwarz has a short video that demonstrates this quite clearly.

By the way, some lovely toolchests in this thread by John, Graham, and others. Congratulations gentlemen!

[ian maybury]

I guess security in a shop with multiple persons working must have been a consideration in favour of chests back in the day too. Hanging on to your tools in any large workplace even today tends to require lots of care. It's a bit different in a personal/private workshop, but for sure a box must have far less impact/not mark walls in say a a garage. Especially if renting, or planning to move in a few years or whatever. Wall mounted stuff is OK where the space is dedicated to woodworking, and where it's secure, and where you are likely to be staying longer term...

My tendency in logistical/easy go to terms is towards wall panels and cabinets, but there's something attractive about the idea of having your own tool box too...

[Brian Holcombe]

I'm sure it's no different than taking a gangbox with you. Something that you can lock and keep your personal tools personal.

I also like wall-mounted tools, but my shop is my own and I do not share it with anyone.

[george wilson]

You may be right,Steve. I have not kept up with recent research on tool boxes,having no interest in having one myself since I find them inconvenient. I don't want to stoop over to get tools out of a box on the floor. Too much back trouble. What I understood came from a long way back.

[steven c newman]

For most of the last 8 years, I have had a roll-around type tool box at work. Because I wasn't always on the same production lines each time, both the tool box and I would move to the next line. When I wasn't AT work, the tool box stayed in a "parking area" set aside for such boxes. It stayed locked up until I came back the next day to work again. At least that way, all my tools would still be there. Maybe not the same as a wood shop tool box, but, it was what I needed at work.

After a project is finished, then I can pack most of the wood tools back up. Next project, I can take out what I'd need, and go to work. They can stay out, until the project is done. Since the tool chests are in the shop, and I don't share, I don't HAVE to put them away every day. If that makes any sense...

[Tom Vanzant]

My tools are in wall cabinets for two reasons. 1) Like George and others our age, my back stopped being friendly many years ago, so bending and lifting from below the waist is problematic. 2) My shop is in a 2-1/2 car garage in Houston TX, very humid 24/7, so my wall cabinets have tight-fitting doors with rust-inhibiting linings courtesy of LV. Drills, bits, and chisels are boxed, with the same linings. All tools are wiped down before going back into the cabinets. Even my Delta & Jet tailed apprentices are heavily waxed and are fitted with plywood/hardboard covers. Last week's monsoons tested me but there has been no rust.

[Eric Schubert]

I actually plan to make the ATC for a different reason than others have stated here. I currently reside in a small apartment with a tiny balcony. Our garage is packed to the gills with all of our stuff that moved with us. So, I currently don't have anywhere to really store my tools. When I build the ATC, it will perform double-duty as both a tool chest and a coffee table, which will replace the space our current coffee table occupies.

[John Powers]

I make kayaks and row boats in my half of the garage. why would I bury my spokeshave in a box when I can put it in a wall hung cabinet. why hunt for a mallot that hangs from the ceiling? i'll fight for your right to make that chest but I don't get it.

[Stew Denton]

Steven,

I remember when you had previously put a post on the earlier tool chest, and probably the 2nd, but I don't remember it for sure. At any rate, I should have commented back then, but didn't. At any rate I can now, nicely done!

I too have been doing some rust hunting for a while now, mostly on the auction site because I don't have many other sources of rust. That said, the need for more tool storage and rust hunting seem to go hand in hand. Also, I am starting to dig out tools that I haven't used in some time, and am starting to restore some of them. As a result I have a need for more accessible tool storage, and have been cogitating on storage for some time.....no final decisions in my case yet though.

Stew