Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17

Thread: Tool cabinet from scraps

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    21

    Tool cabinet from scraps

    I've hit about the 9 month mark on my hand tool storage cabinet that I have made mostly by hand and out of scraps laying around the shop (garage). Last winter I hit the limit of my patience having tools laying everywhere. I'm lucky enough to have a 8x12 foot room off of the back of my garage where I work, but it's amazing how fast it's gets out-of-control messy. There are two doors at one end of the room where I had some shelves made out of old oxidized 1x12 pine that had to be in someone's attic long enough to turn it dark brown. Basically, the shelves held a collection of junk, most of which found it's way to the garbage. I made 4 doors out of some scrap pine and mounted them on the existing shelves. I used milk paint for the finish just for fun. It think it's a great finish for "garage furniture" as my youngest son called it.

    The rest I've done a little at a time, no master plan, and I think it will continue to be a work in progress. What I wanted to share is that I've got about $100 into this and it is amazing how much nicer it is work when there is a place for a tool when you are done using it. There are much nicer and fancier examples out there, but here is one that didn't cost much, didn't get much planning, and works well for me.

    ts01.jpgts02.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Austin Texas
    Posts
    1,957
    Even without side-by-side "before and after" photos Bill, I can imagine that your work-in-progress tool cabinet is a big plus. Keep on pecking away at the storage issue during/in between projects and it will eventually be 99% done. IMO, 100% done is not really achievable.
    David

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    21
    David,

    "Pecking away" is a perfect description.

    Thanks,
    Bill

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Lafayette, Indiana
    Posts
    1,378
    Nice job on the cabinet. I like your plane storage rack. It's great that you found a place for your tool boxes as well.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Sebastopol, California
    Posts
    2,319
    Nice. No need to spend big money on tool storage (says the guy who just dropped $140 on a Kennedy rollaway and feels good about it). Reserve the big money for stuff in the house.

  6. #6
    Nice, like the good protection for sharp stuff and the practical metal boxes. Easier than a special place for everything, I know I can't do particular place for all.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Nice storage cabinet Bill.

    In my experience, as tools accumulate you may want to learn the techniques of accordion joinery.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Posts
    71
    Handsome tool cabinet. I went the other way, a tool wall, but cabinets are nice for keeping things clean.

  9. #9
    I like it! Plane till, saw and chisel storage and as Joe said, it's nice to have a place to store your tool boxes. I like "works in progress" like this for shop furniture because you keep tweaking it to make it suit your needs better and better. (I have a tablesaw stand/cabinet that has been going through a similar "evolution" for about 3 years now.)

    Look forward to seeing more of your projects!

    Fred

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Hutchinson, MN
    Posts
    600
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Houghton View Post
    Nice. No need to spend big money on tool storage (says the guy who just dropped $140 on a Kennedy rollaway and feels good about it). Reserve the big money for stuff in the house.
    $140 for a Kennedy rollaway? I need to move to where you live
    Last edited by Bruce Haugen; 09-17-2017 at 3:39 PM. Reason: Typo

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Edmond, Oklahoma
    Posts
    1,749
    Bill,

    Great Job, and like the others said, "nice storage cabinet"! I love the cost idea too,....my my way of thinking exactly too.

    Stew

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    N Illinois
    Posts
    4,602
    Nicely done..Like your plane storage
    Jerry

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    21
    Thanks everyone. Now to get back to a couple of shaker end tables. Again, doing this "mostly" by hand. Some of the rough cuts have been done with machines. These will have milk painted poplar bases with curly cherry tops.

    tables.jpg

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Newburgh, Indiana
    Posts
    918
    I love the blue paint. My kids refer to the stuff I make as blue furniture. I love the contrast of nature wood against a muted blue paint. I usually finish it up with some dark brown antique wax for a shot luster.
    Life's too short to use old sandpaper.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    21
    By the way, this is what I used. I find it's good to mix it up, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then give it another stir and it's ready to go. I like the finish, but it shows dirt and oil pretty quickly. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to give some wax a try.

    mp1.jpg

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •