Ideas Wanted, Carpenters Tool Box that Travels Easy

[Bill Houghton]

See if your library has a copy of "The Toolbox Book" from Taunton Press. If it doesn't, see if you can get it on interlibrary loan. LOTS of ideas there.

[Rick Malakoff]

Amazon has the books in the used -good condition for 8$ shipped. In the past I have been very happy with their used books from other sellers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...+tool+box+book

[Stew Denton]

Steven,

Thanks for the tip, as per your suggestion, I looked at what an old Stanley 888A tool box contained. It is surprisingly similar to some of the things I was thinking about. It didn't have much in the way of electrical tools, probably not a lot of home electrical work done back then, maybe none, but did have a bit of metal working tools. I guess small project carpentry maintenance tools don't change much, at least not Neander tools. They obviously got quite a few tools in what looks like it is not a real big box.

I just looked at the tools in your box more carefully again a bit ago and finally saw the hand saw. After looking a bit, I began to realize that you actually have quite a few tools in the box, more than I realized at first.

What are the dimensions of the outside of the box? I think it is bigger than I realized at first.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[Rick Malakoff]

(I wish I could figure out how to place pictures and text where I want them in these posts.)

Kevin, I move things around pictures and text with the enter key and backspace/delete keys.

[Stew Denton]

Guys,

Thanks for all the tip so far, good and very practical suggestions. I am always happy to see things that folks have experience using, experience is a wonderful teacher.

Rick and William, my son in law has "The Toolbox Book," I've spent hours in it, and I agree it is a great resource. I need to look at it again the next time we visit.

Melvin, Jim, and others who included pictures of wooden tool boxes, some good ideas and some beautiful work. I am definitely wanting to go the wooden tool box route, because that way I can build the exact size and design I want. I am also leaning toward some sort of traditional design, a little like, but not exactly like the tool box I bought and mentioned above. (That box bit the dust long ago however, but I still have a bit of the lumber and may use it in the new box.)

I found some good videos on Youtube, some extremely similar to that old toolbox from long ago, and also saw some pictures of the traditional metal carpenters long toolboxes. I had never seen one of them, so learned something.

I am appreciating all the ideas and thoughts.

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[James Pallas]

Stew, Your working on an old dilemma. You just can't second guess what you will need. A completely different set of tools to frame a garden shed and build a kitchen cabinet. Just buy a big truck and take it all.
Jim

[Andy Nichols]

Woodsmithplans has several variations of portable to small tool boxes and chests....


Andy

[Rick Malakoff]

tool tote.JPG
Had one like this for many years, I showed up on a job and next Monday just about just about everyone had a something similar to replace the 5gal. buckets.

Snagged the picture from BORG.

[Ted Phillips]

I second the recommendation for a traditional Japanese tool box. These things are fun to make, have built in handles, a secure lid, and can be made any size you like to fit your tools and trunk.

[William Adams]

Yeah, ages ago, I had an old ammo crate which I used as my toolbox in the boot of my MGB --- worked quite nicely, really miss it (and the tools which I left in it when I left it behind at a friend's place).

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

That is a great idea, and one who's time may come in a couple of years,maybe. I sold my '77 Dodge Powerwagon a few years ago, and truly miss having a truck.

Rick, I like that wooden tool box, what I call a traditional carpenters tool box. I like them enough that I have built 6 over the years, including the first that I built over 45 years ago. I think they are great for most general carpentry. In fact all 6 of them are still in my garage, and 5 of them are disorganized messes of tools. Three contain primarily way too many carpenters hand saws that have been primarily bought very cheaply at various garage sales, etc., over the years. (Note to self..."self you don't need any more carpenters type hand saws"....note from self in reply...."however if a Disston 12 or D12 shows up cheap somewhere...."

However, now I am also thinking about having it be able to be closed up to help protect the tools at least a little from weather, and from prying eyes looking in the vehicle while on the road. I'm also thinking that maybe it should be able to be locked up, maybe with a hasp or something similar, to protect curious and very small grandchildren from getting into sharp tools. I want it to be able to stay organized, with saw tills, spots for nail sets, trays for chisels, hammers, etc. The trays, if possible, must be such that the tools can't escape them, say with tight fitting enclosures or something like that.

Anyway, that is what I am thinking about now, after seeing some of the boxes and comments.

The truth is that I am now at a place in my life that some or much of my traditional carpentry I do is on the road, and normally quite a ways away. It is not handy at all to go to my garage to grab the needed tool. My big carpenters tool boxes (maybe in my case that should read "foolboxes") are OK for bigger jobs where I know pretty much what to expect and because of that what to bring, but now most of the time I don't know what to expect and most of the jobs aren't big at all. Those big boxes are also a pain to travel with for long distances in the car. (The are really better hauled in the back of a pickup.) Iv'e made do with what was not very ideal at all for a long time, and am thinking of something very practical for what I mostly actually do now, when away from home. We will see. (As Jim says....stay tuned.) However, keep the good ideas coming!

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[Rick Malakoff]

Stew, I built mine in 1980 and I have no idea what happened to it, probably got rid of it during on of my life changing moments.
I'm kind of drawn to the Japanese style tool boxes and have built some using western red ceder fence boards all are used as storage crates and do not have lids/tops but can always be added.
Good luck on your quest and remember if you take everything you may need...your moving!
Rick

[Andy Nichols]

Here's one that's classic and drawers can be added by modifying the height or even in the bottom, lots of design options, but functional as is....

AndyE7C0B546-0F5F-4402-90CB-BF417E1A8F91.JPG

[Stew Denton]

Hi Rick and all,

That idea of using western red ceder fence pickets to build a Japanese box is starting to appeal. I have some new cedar fence picket of both common types in my shed, ones I bought for a project with the grand kids. The project is done, and I have some left over. Your idea of using the completed boxes for storage sounds really good too.

When the idea was first suggested I didn't think too much about it, thinking it probably wouldn't work for what I was thinking of, but thinking more on it, that idea may be a very workable one: strong, modified just a bit to protect tools from weather or a slip over weather cover made for it, made with rounded edges that won't scratch things in the car, and a quick build. If made the right size it could have a saw till in the bottom, along with partitions for a jack plane and other somewhat larger tools. On top of the partitions a couple of trays could be made to stack, and be held in place by cleats at the ends.

I will have to think on this exact idea a bit more. May go that route. The shape of that type of box, rectangular, and flat on top as Phillip mentioned, seems ideal for what I want, and with lift out trays accessibility could be excellent.

This approach doesn't have the "golly gee whiz" appeal of the folding sides boxes with multiple built in dividers, drawers, and trays, or the eye appeal of the Gambrel top curly maple boxes, but it may be exactly what the doctor ordered. I tend to go for the simple, strong, and practical.

Stew

[Mike Baker 2]

I know you said you've looked at some Youtube stuff, but...
This box I think is very nicely done, and I think I could do an awful lot with it if I needed to.
I'm trying to figure out what to do myself. My shop is in my back yard, so I end up running back and forth from the house to the bench outside. I plan to gather up every tool I use frequently, and build a box or a cabinet I can just grab and take out to my bench. This one here, if I go with an actual box, is a top contender.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGoHabtpHVE