its a conundrum

[Eric John]

Hello everyone,
so after a loooong tme away. I wanted to build a hanging wall cabinet for my hand tools.
just to get back in the swing.
Now I have ideas, but material is the question, plywood vs solid lumber.
I think I want to make a nice walnut one, but I don't know, is that a waste of lumber?
Ply wood would be less expensive, and after all its shop furniture.
what would you do?

Thanx

[Jerry Wright]

Some folks build shops while others build projects in whatever shop they have I'd make it out of plywood, and give it a nice finish.

[Roger Nair]

Since part of the project is to get into the swing, I would use pine, poplar or any other available wood lower on the price range, I would even mix up species if I was just scratching up freely available stuff. Work on skills, get something useful and save dollars for later.

[Matt Day]

I agree with roger.

[Andrew Gibson]

If woodworking is your hobby and you want to enjoy a nice piece of furniture that serves the purpose of storing/displaying/organizing your collection of hand tools. I definitely say build it from walnut. If you need to organize the tools you use so you can more efficiently complete paying gigs, hack a shelf/cabinet out of whatever you have laying around and get back to getting paid.
There is a balance always between these two extremes. The way you keep your tools and shop is a reflection on the level of work you do and will influence your mindset while your in the space. A well designed and executed plywood cabinet is better than a poorly designed and executed walnut one.

[Wade Lippman]

I would use plywood, or whatever scraps I have.
If you would enjoy having walnut, then go for it.

Do what you like; our opinion isn't important.

[Mike Kees]

I am with Wade.Its your cabinet ,do what ever floats your boat.

[Brian Henderson]

What others have said, it's only a waste of lumber if you think it's a waste. If you want to build out of walnut, go for it. Our opinion doesn't matter.

[mike holden]

I used FIS wood. Having said that, it is YOUR shop. What would make you feel best about it? You should feel comfortable and willing to spend time there.
Mike

FIS = Found In Shop

[Prashun Patel]

The most expensive part of the project is your time.

Life is too short to build with crappy wood.

If i want something quick and dirty, I will use plywood. If it is something worthy of a long build, I want wood that is easy on the eyes and hands.

[Gilbert Knowles]

I would go with walnut. I made mine using solid cherry and have never regretted it.

[Ben Zara]

It's fun to be creative and use up leftover furniture project wood for woodshop projects. The only thing to be careful of is using any kind of framing lumber. Framing lumber has a tendency to exude resin weeks or months after you make something out of it. You don't want to reach for your favorite chisel or saw and realize its covered in sticky resin.

[Don Bullock]

I’m at the same point where a cabinet to organize some of my tools is in the design stage. My decision on materials was similar to yours. After thinking it through I’ve decided on walnut and quilted maple or curly maple accents. I have some of the wood already on my lumber rack and recently I found a great board of figured walnut to resaw for the door panels. I came to that conclusion because I’m going to be working out of the cabinet and want it to be something I’ll enjoy using.

[Patrick McCarthy]

I agree with Don and Prashun, go walnut and enjoy both the build and the finished product!

If it were me, and IF I used plywood rather than walnut, then each time I looked at it or used it, I would ALWAYS wonder to myself "what if . . . "