Can someone help me with the doors for my tool cabinet?

[Zach England]

So I am building a tool cabinet with odd dimensions. It is a wall-hung cabinet that I want to sit atop the "shelf" of my 1920s shelf basement. For that reason the cabinet can be no taller than about 34 inches, but I want to pack a lot of tools in it, so I am making it 48 inches wide. This leaves me with two doors 24 x 34 and I will be putting chisels on racks on the inside of the doors. I'll make them out of poplar and veneered plywood to save weight, but I am still concerned about the awkward dimensions and the doors sagging.

I have purchased piano hinges, but I am starting to wonder if two or even three strap hinges would provide better support. Thoughts?

[Todd Burch]

The piano hinges will be plenty and will provide better support from sagging than strap hinges. Be sure to set the screws for the hinges into solid wood.

If you case is 34" high, and your doors are 34" high, your doors will rub the shelf, unless they stick out proud of the shelf. You can make them a bit shorter to avoid this issue.

If your shelf sags from the weight, you will have issues with the doors lining up properly.

Todd

[Zach England]

OK, thanks. The case will be mounted on the wall (well, the foundation) and the 34 takes into account clearance of the shelf. If I want to push it I actually have about 36 inches. My piano hinges are 32.5 inches long and I am making the cabinet out of poplar surfaces to 3/4.

Do people have shelf basements in other parts of the country? I think it might be a western thing common in old bungalows.

[Todd Burch]

Not many basements here in SE Texas.

Here's a tip, if you need it.

When you hang your cabinet, if it twists out of square, due to the wall, and the doors are off, use a shim between the back of the cabinet and the wall to twist it back until the doors are in alignment. (Conversely... if the doors are off to start with... the shim solves that issue too!!!)

Todd

[Jim Neeley]

Great tip, Todd..

[Bruce Haugen]

I have a tool cabinet very similar to what you describe. It's nothing special - poplar frame and skinned with 1/2" plywood set in a rabbet in the frame. Everything is screwed and glued together. The doors are hung on full-length piano hinges, and even though they hold quite a lot of tools they don't sag even a smidgeon. Furthermore, it's been hanging together for more than 20 years.